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Da Capo Press

Titles appearing in Reference — Research Book News — December 2011
Arrangement is by title.

Fire and rain; the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY, and the lost story of 1970.

Browne, David.
Da Capo Press, ©2011    369 p.    $26.00    ML3534
978-0-306-81850-9

More than just a new decade, 1970 was the start of a new era, claims Browne. Following the music world's most iconic players who turned out new albums that year, as well as major political headlines, he shows how the tension of these events was marked by upheaval and collapse, and of endings and new beginnings. It was the year of Kent State, the Manson trials, the Beatle's and Simon and Garfunkel breakups, and the emergence of James Taylor. In a poignant visit to 1970, Browne takes the reader on a musical, albeit turbulent, trip from January through December helplessly hoping to remember better days. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Grant's final victory; Ulysses S. Grant's heroic last year.

Flood, Charles Bracelen.
Da Capo Press, ©2011    288 p.    $27.50    E672
978-0-306-82028-1

Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant completed his now-famous memoir as he fought against his final illness, in the hope that profits from the book would support his family after he was swindled by a business partner. This book details the public support surrounding Grant as he rushed to finish the book before his death and describes the roles of family, friends, and physicians, especially Grant's friend and publisher Mark Twain. The book is illustrated with b&w historical photos. Flood is past president of PEN American Center. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Naked wine; letting grapes do what comes naturally.

Feiring, Alice.
Da Capo Press, ©2011    231 p.    $24.00    TP548
978-0-306-81953-7

This enticing title is about the process of wine-making stripped down to its most natural state, without using additives or chemicals. Wines labeled "organic" may still contain additives. Feiring, author and wine journalist, accepts the challenge to create a naked wine, as she refers to it, and is given a half ton of grapes from a winemaker friend to experiment with. Her delightful story recounts the trials and tribulations of making wine, au naturale, and we discover it is not as easy as it seems. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Pearl Harbor Christmas; a world at war, December 1941.

Weintraub, Stanley.
Da Capo Press, ©2011    216 p.    $24.00    E806
978-0-306-82061-8

Weintraub, a historian, author, and retired professor of arts and humanities at Penn State U., recounts the events following the attack on Pearl Harbor from December 22, 1941, to January 1, 1942. Even though President Franklin Roosevelt wanted time to prepare the nation, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill came to the White House to discuss strategy on December 22. Weintraub traces each day of discussions between the two leaders, as well as events occurring at the time in Japan and Europe and the meetings of the leaders with foreign envoys, including one that led to the declaration initiating the United Nations. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)