New Nonfiction Releases
February 2012

These books are being published and released this month. They have been ordered by the Library and will be available soon.

(Do you need more information on how to place a hold? )

• Biography and Memoir 
• General Nonfiction

Biography & Memoir

Born to Be Brad: My Life and Style
By Brad Goreski & Mickey Rapkin
A top celebrity stylist and former assistant to Rachel Zoe shares the inspirational story of his road to success, and provides behind-the-scenes access to photo shoots and the countless red carpets and award shows he has worked across the globe.

God’s Right Hand: How Jerry Falwell Made God a Republican and Baptized the American Right
By Michael Sean Winters
This first major biography of the conservative – and controversial – pastor, who created the Moral Majority and put Fundamentalism at the forefront of the political discourse, documents his profound impact on religion and politics in America.

Good in a Crisis
By Margaret Overton
An anesthesiologist relates her post-divorce discovery of a brain aneurysm and her descent into self-destructive behavior, a period in which she endured dysfunctional dates, cruel losses and challenging accidents before she resolved to take control of her life and ultimately fell in love.

Gypsy Boy: My Life in the Secret World of the Romany Gypsies
By Mikey Walsh
The son and grandson of Romany Gypsy champion bareknuckle boxers shares the story of his realization of his sexual orientation and reluctance to follow in the family footsteps, and describes his upbringing in England and how his circumstances were shaped by his culture's absolute beliefs.

Immortal Bird: A Family Memoir
By Doron Weber
The father of the young actor best known for his performances in Deadwood describes the congenital heart defect that required his son to have surgery as a baby and continued to threaten his health, recounting the young man's theatrical achievements and the family's effort to find life-saving medical answers.

King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village
By Peggielene Bartels
Bartels documents the story of how an American secretary was declared the monarch of a small fishing village on Ghana's central coast, recounting the challenges she faced in improving local circumstances, providing education and countering regional corruption.

The Real Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II
By Andrew Marr
A tie-in to the 60th anniversary of the current British monarch's ascension to the throne explores the private character behind her public persona, providing coverage of such topics as the circumstances of her early coronation, her relationship with international heads of state and her struggles with family challenges.

Restless Souls: The Sharon Tate Family’s Account of Stardom, the Manson Murders, and a Crusade for Justice
By Alisa Statman & Brie Tate
Drawn from unpublished memoirs and personal letters and diaries of Tate's late mother, father and sister, this candid account details the hunt and capture of the killers, presenting an insider's look at the trials, while also revealing the torment the victims' families endured years after the tragedy.

Talking With My Mouth Full: My Life as a Professional Eater
By Gail Simmons
A judge on Top Chef and the host of Top Chef: Just Desserts details her remarkable career, from her days as a cook and food writer, to her meteoric rise to fame as a permanent judge on the number one food show on cable television.

Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots
By Deborah Feldman
Describing the strict rules that governed every aspect of her life, Feldman traces her upbringing in the Hasidic community of Satmar in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, chronicles how this led to her denial of a traditional education and her arranged marriage at 17 to a stranger, and reveals how the birth of her son led to her plan to escape her cloistered world.

General Nonfiction

The Age of Austerity: How Scarcity Will Remake American Politics
By Thomas Byrne Edsall
A political observer and editor at The Huffington Post provides a sobering account of how pitched battles over scarce resources will increasingly define American politics in the coming years—and how citizens might avoid, or at least mitigate, the damage from these ideological and economic battles.

Alix and Nicky: The Passion of the Last Tsar and Tsarina
By Virginia Rounding
A psychological examination of the marriage of the last Russian Tsar and Tsarina assesses the debates about their characters, their harrowing executions, and provides coverage of such topics as the Empress's ill health, their relationship with confidante Ania Vyrubova and their reliance on the infamous Rasputin.

All There Is: Love Stories From StoryCorps
By Dave Isay, editor
The founder of Storycorps, a national project that records, shares and preserves oral histories of Americans of all backgrounds, culls love stories that cover the rituals of early courtship and dating through the way in which couples find and establish connections that lead to lifelong commitment.

Always Hit on the Wingman and 9 Other Secret Rules for Getting the Love Life You Want
By Jake
Glamour magazine's "Jake," the anonymous author of the longest running dating advice column in America, shows women how to seduce men sexually, emotionally and intellectually.

The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee’s, Farm Fields, and the Dinner Table
By Tracie McMillan
An award-winning journalist traces her 2009 immersion into the national food system to explore issues about how working-class Americans can afford to eat as they should, describing how she worked as a farm laborer, Wal-Mart grocery clerk and Applebee's expediter while living within the means of each job.

Barbra: A Retrospective
By Allegra Rossi
A lavish tribute to the iconic singer, actress and director who has won virtually every entertainment industry award combines rare photographs and memorabilia with in-depth features on everything from her childhood and emergence as a Broadway star to her role as a fashion icon and the dynamics of her voice talent.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
By Katherine Boo
In an account that illuminates how efforts to build better lives are challenged by regional religious, caste and economic tensions, this first book by a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist profiles everyday life in the settlement of Annawadi as experienced by a Muslim teen, an ambitious rural mother of a prospective female college student and a young scrap metal thief.

Blackhorse Riders: A Desperate Last Stand, an Extraordinary Rescue Mission, and the Vietnam Battle America Forgot
By Philip Keith
Keith documents the daring March 1970 campaign by the famed Blackhorse Regiment to rescue an infantry unit that had become surrounded and outnumbered by Northern Vietnamese forces, describing the contributions of Captain John Poindexter and the 30-year effort to formally commend their bravery.

The Blood Sugar Solution: The Ultrahealthy Program for Losing Weight, Preventing Disease, and Feeling Great Now!
By Mark Hyman
A doctor explains how balanced insulin levels can prevent not just diabetes, but a variety of diseases--from heart disease to dementia--and offers a six-week healthy-living plan as part of his seven keys to achieving wellness.

Brave Dragons: A Chinese Basketball Team, an American Coach, and Two Cultures Clashing
By Jim Yardley
A former New York Times Beijing bureau chief presents the story of an underdog Chinese basketball team and its American coach's thwarted effort to help them make the playoffs by teaching them the strategies of American NBA stars, in an account that argues that the team's failures reflected Chinese culture and the nation's resistance to change.

Bread Is the Devil: Win the Weight Loss Battle by Taking Control of Your Diet Demons
By Heather Bauer & Kathy Matthews
An energetic guide to losing weight through strategic carbohydrate avoidance explains how dieters sabotage their efforts with specific negative habits, outlining recommended eating guidelines that identify problematic foods and raise awareness of typically disregarded calorie sources.

Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
By Pamela Druckerman
A former reporter for The Wall Street Journal chronicles her experience of having and raising a baby in Paris and describes how and why French parents have an easy, calm authority with their well-behaved kids that most Americans would envy.

The Civil War: The Second Year Told by Those Who Lived It
By Stephen Sears
Covering the Civil War from January 1862 to January 1863, the second volume of a four-volume set describes the events of that year through over 140 messages, proclamations, newspaper articles, letters, diaries and poems from people who lived through it.

Connectome: How the Brain’s Wiring Makes Us Who We Are
By Sebastian Seung
An MIT professor and neuroscience investigator builds on theories that human identity is defined not by genes but by the unique connections between brain cells, describing his work with leading researchers and what they are learning about personality, intelligence and mental disorders.

Da Vinci’s Ghost: Genius, Obsession, and How Leonardo Created the World in His Own Image
By Toby Lester
Citing the ubiquitous presence of the Renaissance master's meticulous rendering of an outstretched human form in a circle and square, an account of the epic intellectual journeys that inspired the Vitruvian Man's creation shares lesser-known aspects of da Vinci's life and how he served to bring the Middle Ages to a monumental period of art, science and philosophy.

Death of the Cheating Man: What Every Woman Must Know About Why Men Stray
By Ray J & Maxwell Billieon
A platinum music artist and television personality describes his efforts at the side of a celebrity brand-building professional to confront his long-time inability to remain faithful, instructs women on ways in which they can safeguard relationships and documents the negative impact of infidelity on the American family.

The Emergency State: America’s Pursuit of Absolute National Security at All Costs
By David C. Unger
A member of the Council on Foreign Relations provides an analysis of America's narrow-minded focus on security in the years since World War II, one that has become huge, unwieldy and a detriment to democracy and the economy.

The End Game: The Hidden History of America’s Struggle to Build Democracy in Iraq
By Michael R. Gordon
An inside account based on extensive reporting from Iraq between 2006 and 2011 as well as highly classified military and diplomatic information offers insight into the diplomacy and political struggles shaping the war in Iraq as they are viewed by Sunni and Sh'ia leaders and other high-ranking figures.

FDR and Chief Justice Hughes: The President, the Supreme Court, and the Epic Battle Over the New Deal
By James F. Simon
Simon documents the political clashes between the 32nd President and the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Hughes regarding the New Deal, providing coverage of the President's proposed legislative remedies, the constitutional challenges posed by a conservative bloc on the Court and FDR's efforts to undermine the abilities of opposing Justices.

Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone
By Eric Klinenberg
A sociologist explores the demographic rise in people who are living alone, including interviews with young professionals, middle-aged singles, the divorced and the elderly, and discovers that they are more engaged in social and civic life than their married counterparts.

Haiti: The Aftershocks of History
By Laurent Dubois
Dubois challenges popular misconceptions to link Haiti's troubled current state to its turbulent history, documenting how the 1804 slave rebellion placed Haiti at odds with the rest of the world, in an account that also illuminates the country's lesser-known cultural successes.

Hilarity Ensues
By Tucker Max
The author of the best-selling Assholes Finish Firstrecounts a new series of misadventures marked by his considerable indiscretions, from deliberately baiting a short-tempered acquaintance, to getting kicked out of his own charity event, in a volume that includes a revised version of his famed "Miss Vermont Story."

How to Be Black
By Baratunde Thurston
Drawn from more than 30 years of living and redefining blackness, an editor at The Onion presents this tongue-in-cheek guide to being black that pokes fun at the so-called experts, purists and racists who think they know what black people believe, do, stand for and like.

Inside Apple: How America’s Most Admired – and Secretive – Company Really Works
By Adam Lashinsky
An analysis of the systems, tactics and leadership strategies that have contributed to Apple's successes profiles such practices as the direct accountability of employees and the company's annual retreat for up-and-coming executives, sharing insider perspectives on Apple's plans after the loss of Steve Jobs.

The Last Great Senate: Courage and Statesmanship in Times of Crisis
By Ira Shapiro
A former U.S. Senate insider describes the statesmen who participated in the last glory days of the deliberative body, and how they helped overcome opposition to civil rights and fight the executive branch during an unpopular war, before devolving into bipartisan roadblocks.

Marilyn Monroe: Murder at Five Helena Drive
By Keya Morgan
A noted historian, writer, producer, director and long-time fan explores his theories on the death of Marilyn Monroe based on detailed research, declassified government documents, exclusive interviews and featuring rare photographs.

The Natural: How to Effortlessly Attract the Women You Want
By Richard La Ruina
One of the world's top pick-up artists and a true master of seduction offers a vast array of tips and techniques for building inner confidence, as well as the skills needed to attract the women you want, when you want them, from body language and conversation starters to the first touch.

The New Hate: A History of Fear and Loathing on the Populist Right
By Arthur Goldwag
A meticulously researched history of the role of organized hate in American politics delineates the origins of extreme belief systems as well as the economic and social factors that have contributed to their popularity, sharing cautionary observations about how hate has moved into mainstream America.

The Obama Hate Machine: The Lies, Distortions, and Personal Attacks on the President – and Who Is Behind Them
By Bill Press
The host of the Bill Press Show and syndicated columnist for Tribune Media Services explores discrediting hate campaigns targeting the 44th President to explain how they reveal the destructiveness and ruthlessness of today's right-wing machine.

Paranormal: My Life in Pursuit of the Afterlife
By Raymond Moody & Paul Perry
The "grandfather" of the modern Near Death Experience (NDE) and After Death Experience (ADE) movement takes readers behind-the-scenes of his groundbreaking research, assessing his lifetime of discoveries and experiences.

Paris Versus New York:  A Tally of Two Cities
By Vahram Muratyan
A visual dual tribute to the Big Apple and the City of Lights is a full-length volume that builds on the author's popular online travel journal by the same name and complements juxtaposed graphics with lighthearted taglines that celebrate the special details of each city.

The Philosopher’s God: One Nation Under Who?
By Kevin Seamus Hasson
A religious-freedoms attorney who has argued cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court outlines a possible solution to the divisive issue about the balance of Church and State that urges readers to embrace a reason-based, philosophical view of God as the "Creator" referenced in the Declaration of Independence.

The Quantum Universe: (And Why Anything That Can Happen, Does)
By Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw
The authors of the best-selling Why Does E=MC2?render fundamental scientific principles in the areas of quantum mechanics in a manner that will be both comprehensive and engaging to lay readers, working through obscure and vague aspects to explain related natural world observations, how the quantum world was constructed and why it is important.

Rez Life: An Indian’s Journey Through Reservation Life
By David Treuer
The celebrated author of The Hiawathapresents an insider chronicle of the history of Indian reservations and contemporary Native American life that challenges misperceptions about such issues as sovereignty, treaty rights and natural-resource conservation, exploring topics ranging from political tensions and casinos to crime and cultural preservation.

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion
By Jonathan Haidt
The author of The Happiness Hypothesispresents a groundbreaking investigation into the origins of morality at the core of religion and politics, offering scholarly insight into the motivations behind cultural clashes that are polarizing America.

Roots of Style: Weaving Together Life, Love, and Fashion
By Isabel Toledo and Ruben Toledo
The renowned fashion designer who provided the dress Michelle Obama wore to the presidential inauguration discusses her life, how she works, her inspirations, and offers guidance to any woman looking to enhance her sense of style.

Scapegoat: A History of Blaming Other People
By Charlie Campbell
The former books editor at The Literary Review and the person responsible for the “Bad Sex in Fiction” prize describes the social history of blaming other people for one's woes, from witch-burning to reality TV and government blame-shifting to conspiracy theories.

The Science of Yoga: The Myths and the Rewards
By William J. Broad
A two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times senior writer challenges popular misconceptions to separate out modern yoga's true discipline from the inauthentic activities of charlatans and trend-hoppers, drawing on scientific and cultural research to counsel readers on how to recognize an authentic practice and gain actual benefits.

Show Dog: The Charmed Life and Trying Times of a Near-Perfect Purebred
By Josh Dean
Capturing the idiosyncratic world of professional dog showing, a seasoned journalist spends a year alongside rising star Jack, a champion Australian Shepard, and his friends, presenting a funny and touching behind-the-scenes look at a colorful subculture that is reminiscent of the film Best in Show.

Snap: Seizing Your Aha! Moments
By Katherine Ramsland
Ramsland explains how to use lateral thinking to stimulate creativity and recognize good ideas when they come.

The Start-up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career
By Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha
The founder of LinkedIn demonstrates how to apply effective entrepreneurial strategies to an individual career, explaining how to navigate modern challenges by becoming more innovative, self-reliant and networked.

Sundays Will Never Be the Same: Racing, Tragedy and Redemption—My Life in America’s Fastest Sport
By Darrell Waltrip and Nate Larkin
The champion NASCAR racer and brother of Michael Waltrip recounts the fateful 2001 Daytona 500 race during which Dale Earnhardt, Sr., lost his life, describing the author's witness of events from the announcer's booth, the expectations that shaped the day and the final lap dynamics that led to the tragedy.

Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith: Religion in American War and Diplomacy
By Andrew Preston
An analysis of the pivotal role of religion in American foreign policy from the nation's beginnings through the end of the Cold War demonstrates how the beliefs of leaders and everyday citizens have shaped their views on America's place in the world.

Take the Stairs: 7 Steps to True Success
By Rory Vaden
A successful motivational speaker and passionate entrepreneur offers counsel for improving self-discipline and overcoming procrastination, outlining seven inspirational strategies that offer insight into how the human mind works and how to resist self-sabotaging temptations.

Tea Party Patriots: The Second American Revolution
By Mark Meckler and Jenny Beth Martin
The co-founders of the Tea Party Patriots, Inc. trace the political movement's story since its creation in 2009 while outlining its commitment to specific patriotic agendas and recommendations for restoring America to a position of global superiority.

Thinking the Twentieth Century
By Tony Judt
Judt offers a narrative of the United States' history during the past 100 years, not by discussing the events, but by discussing ideas, and highlighting the thoughts and thinkers that helped shape the century.

Use Your Brain to Change Your Age: Secrets to Look, Feel, and Think Younger Every Day
By Daniel G. Amen
The best-selling author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Lifepresents a companion to a new PBS special that outlines an anti-aging program for retaining youthful mental clarity, improving energy and strengthening the immune system.

Weight Loss Success—Without Dieting: True Stories About Losing Weight With the World’s Healthiest Foods
by George Mateljan
A leading authority in healthy cooking and eating builds on the author's premise that nutrient-rich meals are more effective than dieting when trying to lose weight, counseling readers on how to embrace a healthy lifestyle and nourish the body with high-quality, unprocessed foods.

The Wreck and Sinking of the Titanic: The Ocean’s Greatest Disaster
By Everett Marshall, editor
Republished to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, this collector's edition, originally published in 1912, features specially commissioned illustrations, photographs from the Titanic Historical Society and more.

You’re Not Doing It Right: Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death, and Other Humiliations
By Michael Ian Black
A series of comedic essays by the actor known for roles in such productions as Stella and Wet Hot American Summer shares acerbic observations about his family life in suburbia, from the pros and cons of hamster ownership to attending kindergarten recitals.

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1/2012