Shelf Life

The Queen Mother: The Official Biography by William Shawcross (Knopf, $40)
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Queen Mother, was born in 1900 at St. Paul’s Walden Bury, Hertfordshire. She was the daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore and much of her childhood was spent at Glamis Castle in Scotland. While working as a volunteer nurse during WWI, she met the Duke of York, the second son of George V. They were married during the spring of 1923. The couple had two daughters, Elizabeth, born in 1926, and Margaret in 1930. Both she and her husband would have had fairly uncomplicated lives if it hadn’t been for the Duke’s older brother, Edward VIII. In 1936, Edward VIII succeeded his father but abdicated several months later when he fell in love and eventually married an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson. Except for the little dustup with Nazi Germany which occurred later that same decade, it was one of the few times the Queen Mother was truly miffed. Her reluctant husband was forced to assume position of king, a job that she believed caused his early death.
William Shawcross has written a remarkable book. He was given unrestricted access to the Queen Mother’s personal papers, letters, and diaries which provide readers with rich detail and a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the Royal Family. This is an official biography which fills over 1,000 pages. Although there is often too much information about the inane teas and social functions, this book never-the-less is fascinating reading.

A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Great Writers on Why we Read Jane Austen edited by Susannah Carson with a foreword by Harold Bloom (Random House, $25)
Even though Jane Austen has been dead for almost two centuries, most of her books are still in print and she remains quite relevant. In this highly readable new book, critical essays from the last hundred years are juxtaposed with new pieces by some of today’s most popular novelists and essayists. They reflect on Austen’s writings as well as her witty dialogue and the timeless moral truths that are scattered throughout her work. Among the writers praising Austen are such heavy hitters as Lionel Twilling, W. Somerset Maugham, C.S. Lewis, J.B. Priestley, and Rebecca Mead. Each of the 33 contributors attempts to define and explain both Austen’s place in the literary canon and in the cultural imagination. After reading many of the essays, one is tempted to re-read many of Austen’s books such as the timeless Mansfield Park and Pride and Prejudice. One is also left to ponder why we still cherish her work after such a passage of time.

Top Talent: Keeping Performance Up When Business is Down by Sylvia Ann Hewlett (Harvard Business Press, $18)
Sylvia Ann Hewlett is an economist, a Columbia University professor, and the founding president of the Center for Work-Life Policy, a task force of thirty-five global companies committed to realizing and nourishing female and multicultural talent. According to the author, the convention wisdom claims that in a recession valued employees will be so grateful for a job that they will gladly work extra hours and toil under less than satisfactory conditions. Her research suggests otherwise. Even during tough times, 64 percent consider leaving and 24 percent actively look for other jobs. How can managers keep the best people performing at their peak and avoid flight risk? Not throwing money at the problem but rather by motivating top talent and provide them with challenging assignments, high-quality colleagues, recognition, and, perhaps, most of all, respect and praise. This little book is an absolute gem and should be read by every business manager, especially those who want to attract and retain top talent.

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi (Knopf, $28.95)
Andre Agassi has written a book that contains only two major surprises: His confession that he used of crystal meth in 1997 during one of his roughest years, and the fact that he really doesn’t care much about the game of tennis. Other than that, most of the almost 400-pages of “Open” are a rehash of his most memorable matches including the 2006 United States Open. The author claims that when he was seven, he was forced by his father to take up tennis even though he didn’t particularly like the game. He continued to play since he was afraid to cross swords with his dad. His marriage to Brooke Shields is dismissed by Agassi who considered her shallow and not smitten with his sports career as he would have liked. This autobiography is snarky, whiney, and self-promoting. The reader is left with the realization that the phony thing about this tennis star was not just his frosted mullets which were, alas, part toupees. Agassi used his book to settle old scores and prop up his obvious reputation which left this critic looking for the stadium exit.

Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman by Matt Stone and Preston Learner with a foreword by Mario Andretti (Motorbooks, $30)
Paul Newman was, without a doubt, one of Hollywood’s greatest stars. He escaped the pressures of the entertainment world in a most unusual way by climbing into the driver’s seat of a race car. In 1968, while appearing in “Winning,” a film about international racing, he caught the fever and eventually became both a driver and team owner. He competed in various championships including the Sports Car of America competition, Le Mans, which he finished second in 1979, and the grueling Daytona. Filled with images and a lively text, this is a book that is exciting and a fitting tribute to the talent, conviction, and enduring spirit of Mr. Newman.

Chaplin: The Tramp’s Odyssey by Simon Louvish (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, $27.99)
Simon Louvish has written several biographies about early Hollywood stars such as W.C. Fields, Oliver & Hardy, the Marx Brothers, and Mae West. His books are always lively and fun to read. His latest, which focuses on Charlie Chaplin, is no exception. Chaplin was extremely talented and that talent parlayed him to the top to become Hollywood’s richest man. He was complex, both revered and reviled. Louvish documents the actor’s life through his film work, beginning with the shorts shot by Mack Sennett, through such seminal feature films as The Gold Rush, City Lights, The Great Dictator, and Modern Times. This is more than just the mere story of an early film actor, it is an epic journey exploring the roots of 20th century comedy and its broad global appeal.