Book reviews

Fall 2005

By Gayla Marty

From M, fall 2005

Math Wars: A Guide for Parents and Teachers

By Carmen M. Latterell

Most K-12 mathematics taught in the United States today is based on standards set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Yet many suspect that secondary students are no longer learning basic math, scoring well on standardized tests, or entering college prepared for mathematical fields. This book is a crash course for anyone who wants to learn the issues and have a voice in a debate. Only a greater distribution of power over curricula will end the "math wars," says Latterell, an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

Praeger Press, 2005; ISBN 0-275-98423-0; $42.75 hc

The Battle That Stopped Rome

By Peter S. Wells

In 9 C.E., three Roman legions were destroyed in a surprise attack by an army of Germanic warriors in a marshy forest. The Roman Empire prevailed for four more centuries, but the September defeat ended its expansion, created the hero Arminius (Hermann), and established major European cities in a densely militarized zone along the Rhine. The battle site was discovered in 1987 at Kalkriese, near Osnabruck. Wells, a professor of anthropology on the Twin Cities campus, has written an account of the battle that reads like a novel.

W. W. Norton, 2003; ISBN 0-393-32643-8; $14.95 pb

The Vegetarian Manifesto

By Cheryl L. Perry, Leslie A. Lytle, and Teresa G. Jacobs

Vegetarians are more likely than others to eat healthfully, but young vegetarians are also more susceptible to weight-related eating problems. With six percent of teens identifying themselves as vegetarians at any given time, this wise and funny book draws on their own perspectives to lend support and solid information. It's written for teens, but is equally helpful to the adults in their lives and to vegetarians of any age. Perry and Lytle are professors in the School of Public Health, and Jacobs is a recent graduate.

Running Press, 2004; ISBN 0-7624-1887-7; $12.95 pb

MORE INFO: Contact University of Minnesota Bookstores, located in Coffman Memorial Union and the St. Paul Student Center, at 612-626-0559 or generalbooks@umn.edu. Look for faculty authors at www.bookstore.umn.edu/genref/faculty.html.