Spent:
Sex, Evolution and Consumer Behavior
By Geoffrey Miller
HB801 .M493 2009
New Book Island, 2nd floor
It seems that we’re on a Darwin kick here (next week, a book about the Darwin Awards?), but this week’s featured title also deals with evolution in a different context. Besides, with the Black Friday ads already starting to pop up here and there, dropping loads of cash is on everyone’s mind.
Miller, a professor at the University of New Mexico, applies the world of evolutionary psychology to the field of marketing with intriguing results. He seeks to prove that there is a connection between buyer behavior and our biological potential as friends and mates. The author examines the Central Six, the major dimensions of variations for human behavior, and what the purchases we make, from cars to music to video games, reveal about them. If you’d like to learn what compels you to buy those suicidal high heels or the ginormous truck, this book’s for you.
Galápagos at the Crossroads:
Pirates, Biologists, Tourists and Creationists
Battle for Darwin’s Cradle of Evolution
By Carol Ann Bassett
F3741 .G2 B38 2009
New Book Island, 2nd floor
Back in grade school, I remember learning about the islands off the coast of Ecuador where thousands of species of plants and animals could be found only there. The islands also provided Darwin with the scientific evidence to support his theory of natural selection. This week’s featured book alerts readers that the birthplace of The Origin of Species is at risk due to economic exploitation.
Bassett, writing instructor at the University of Oregon, presents the case that the Galápagos Islands, known for their natural and unique beauty, could (or more accurately, will) be lost forever if something doesn’t change. She tells the history of the islands and their exploration by Spanish conquistadors and adventurous scientists and naturalists. The author then takes a chapter to discuss each stakeholder in the current situation, from the tour companies to fishermen to the pirates. If you are looking for an example of the battle between the natural environment and human encroachment, this book provides the perfect case.
One more thing, which I (as a librarian) thought was cool: Bassett not only includes a bibliography, but breaks up the sources by type, with books, magazines/journals, etc. – makes your life easy when trying to figure out citations!
Our Lot:
How Real Estate Came to Own Us
By Alyssa Katz
HD1375 .K348 2009
New Book Island, 2nd floor
The housing market these days has a lot of people worried and waiting for an economic recovery to make the next move. The real estate bubble and subsequent implosion put individuals and corporations in dire situations. This week’s featured title looks at the factors that contributed to the crash of the American dream of home ownership.
Katz, journalism instructor at New York University, examines the housing market and how we got to where we are now. The author focuses on all of the players involved, from the government to the bankers to community activists, that created the crisis that we’re currently experiencing. She writes about a somewhat complicated subject in a very accessible style and even includes a glossary of real estate terms just in case. Furthermore, she does provide notes and sources for further research.
Paradise Found:
Nature in American at the Time of Discovery
By Steve Nicholls
QH102 .N53 2009
New Book Island, 2nd floor
How has your hometown changed over the last ten years? Your lifetime? Ever wonder what your hometown looked like before anyone actually lived there? This week’s featured title take a look at our continent and its natural history around the time that Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
Nicholls, known for his work as a wildlife filmmaker, takes the reader on a journey through North America – before the first settlers left their lasting marks. The Europeans that made the voyage across the ocean were met with untouched natural beauty, leaving behind detailed notes of the flora and fauna that they encountered. The author uses his vast knowledge of natural history and experience from directing and writing documentaries to bring the picturesque beauty of the landscape to life. He utilizes the firsthand accounts from the past and scientific research being done today to create portraits of each of the regions of the continent.
A World of Gangs:
Armed Young Men and Gangsta Culture
By John Hagedorn
HV6437 .H34 2008
New Book Island, 2nd floor
As I was catching up on all of the day’s important news through my Facebook news feeds, a few of my friends from the other side of the border posted links or referred to Derrion Albert, the sixteen year-old teen that was beaten to death on the south side of Chicago in a street melee (heads-up: if you don’t do violence, don’t watch the video). All of this was on my mind when searching for a book to feature today, and to say that this book practically jumped off of the shelf at me would be a major understatement.
Hagedorn, criminal justice professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago, delves into the urban center’s overlooked neighborhoods to research the groups of youth that have banded together to survive and/or thrive in the harsh city environment. The author looks at gangs all over the world and the reasons for the existence, how the United States isn’t the only hot bed for gang-related activity and why these violent groups will be around for a lot longer. He also provides an inside view to gang life on three continents, from Chicago to Rio de Janeiro to Cape Town, comparing and contrasting their histories. The book serves as an excellent resource and starting point when investigating urban life and its challenges.
Surrender:
Appeasing Islam, Sacrificing Freedom
By Bruce Bawer
BP171 .B35 2009
New Book Island, 2nd floor
With the eight-year anniversary of the 11 September terrorist attacks just the other day, this book naturally jumped out at me when browsing the shelves.
Bawer, a highly-respected cultural critic, looks at the effects on human rights not by former presidential administration, but by Muslim extremists. The author posits the idea that the combination of fear of radical Islam and political and social correctness threatens to silence the freedoms of speech and press. He points out that individuals that accommodate even the most illiberal aspects of the restrictive religion are helping further their cause. This book is an eye-opening account to the potential harm done to individual rights in the future.
The author’s 2006 book, While Europe Slept, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist, is available in the Main Collection, 3rd floor, at call number D1056.2 .M87 B39 2006.
Crunch:
Why Do I Feel So Squeezed?
(And Other Unsolved Economic Mysteries)
By Jared Bernstein
HC106.83 .B472 2009
New Book Island, 2nd floor
We going to do a complete one-eighty here from last week (it was all about shopping, shopping, shopping) and talk about saving money, or more accurately, having less money to save. That’s right – the current financial and economic environment has caused hardships for the bank accounts of most, if not all, Americans. This week’s featured title has a number of answers to questions ranging from Social Security and immigration to the nation’s piggy bank (and yours).
Bernstein, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, must have gotten his inspiration from the nightly news. See, the author covers the issues that concern American citizens at the moment. He utilizes the principles of crunch-time economics to explain what you’re seeing in everyday life and society. Bernstein addresses unemployment, globalization, the economy… everything in an enjoyable tone that may make you think that economics isn’t so dismal after all.
Inside the Mind of the Shopper:
The Science of Retailing
By Herb Sorensen
HF5429 .S5937 2009
New Book Island, 2nd floor
Shopping. Even in a recession, it’s sometimes impossible to pass up a good deal. Or when you go to the grocery store on an empty stomach – now that’s a dangerous idea. I always end up with way too much junk food and not enough of the good stuff. Although this week’s featured title doesn’t tackle the question of the eyes being bigger than your stomach and its impact on purchasing habits, it will make you look at your local supermarket in a whole new way.
Sorensen, widely recognized as the foremost retail consultant, offers scientific insights into the shopping experience with the purpose of improving sales for retailers. Using second-by-second analysis of consumer behavior, the author begins by boldly stating that eighty percent of shopper time is wasted. He then goes on to explain this assertion and others, like the influence of store layout on sales, the big box concept that might not always better, and the placement of products. It’s an eye-opening read that make you think the next time you head to the store.
The Monty Hall Problem:
The Remarkable Story of Math’s Most Contentious Brain Teaser
By Jason Rosenhouse
QA95 .R67 2009
New Book Island, 2nd floor
“What’s behind door number one?” The famous question of Let’s Make a Deal’s Monty Hall has spawned much discussion on strategy, bringing in mathematics, probability, psychology and philosophy into the arena (and made the front page of the New York Times). After you’ve selected the door of your choice and Monty reveals what’s behind the one of the other doors, do you stay with your first choice or do you switch to the other doors? That, my friend, is the Monty Hall Problem.
Rosenhouse, math professor at James Madison University, set out to compile his notes about the problem spawned from the game show and present them in book format. However, he ran into some difficulty when he started researching because the problem attracted the attention of more than just mathematicians. The author therefore has incorporated the aspects of psychology and philosophy that have been studied in relation to the conundrum presented by the prizes behind the doors. Rosenhouse does explain in his preface that while chapters three and four are pretty math-heavy, the rest of the book is relatively easy-to-understand.
Tabloid Valley:
Supermarket News and American Culture
By Paula Morton
PN4888 .T3 M67 2009
New Book Island, 2nd floor
I’ve always been fascinated and entertained while standing in line at the checkout because I have a chance to catch up with what really matters in our society, like who dressed to impress or who has found themselves unexpectedly expecting. That’s right, the celeb rags have captured my attention and curiosity for the rich and famous people important enough to grace those pages. This week’s featured title talks all about the tabloid industry and the dirt that it has managed to spread throughout time.
Morton, a freelance author, explores the history and culture of Tabloid Valley, the Silicon Valley equivalent for the gossip industry. The six major publications were all headquartered through Palm Beach County, FL, until they were bought up by AMI in 1999. The author examines the industry’s rise to fame and prominence within grocery stores everywhere and how their outlandish headlines and sensationalist stories have infiltrated our culture for all-you-can-handle celebrity news. Written in a similar format to a tabloid, Morton interviewed many of the tabloid insiders and provided the list of sources she used in compiling her story. You will find yourself bouncing back and forth between fact and fiction.
