Publishers Weekly - August 28, 2017

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ■ AUGUST 28, 2017 122

Review_NONFICTION

charnel houses, royal tombs, and com-
munal burials—to demonstrate what such
remains can tell researchers. He finds
ancient evidence of broken bones that
healed and of skillful amputations. He
also relates that, as far back as the
Neolithic period, disabled members of
society were apparently decently cared for,
and stresses that people with congenital
conditions were neither ostracized nor
euthanized. In the medieval and
Renaissance sections, Charlier delves into
historical mysteries: for instance, bottles
of wine said to contain the ashes of Joan of
Arc instead turn out to hold remnants of
burned Egyptian mummies. The book is
full of similarly fascinating bits of trivia,
such as what one can learn from dental
tartar or the longevity of fecal material on
ceramic pieces used for wiping. The
book’s overarching premise isn’t entirely
clear, however; Charlier’s presentation
would likely be less muddled if he had
organized his material by type instead of
roughly by era. However intriguing the
authentically in that moment.” He shares
insights from many his guests, including
comedian Louis C.K.’s account of
watching his daughter’s birth (“I instantly
knew that I’m going to get old and die,
and I wasn’t afraid of it anymore, because
it’s about her now”) and actress and come-
dian Rachael Harris’s take on her divorce
(“The thought of leaving was hideous and
awful, but the thought of staying was
worse”). Maron’s latest is a deeply moving,
inspirational, and witty work. (Oct.)

When Science Sheds Light on
History: Forensic Science and
Anthropology

Philippe Charlier with David Alliot, trans. from the French by Isabelle Ruben. Univ. of Florida,

$18.95 trade paper (136p) ISBN 978-0-8130-

5654-8

Charlier, a French forensic medical examiner and specialist in ancient human remains, brings together summaries of his case studies—which include bones and bodies taken from prehistoric caves,

Waiting for the Punch

Marc Maron and Brendan McDonald, foreword by John Oliver. Flatiron, $27.99 (416p) ISBN 978-1-250-08888-8

Over the past nine years on his WTF podcast, Maron (Attempting Normal) has conducted fascinating, no-holds-barred conversations with a range of artists, comedians, musicians, writers, and other notables, including President Barack Obama. This is an extensive compilation of his guests’ observations, organized under 11 subjects (including “Growing Up,” “Addictions,” “Sexuality,” and “Life Lessons”). Together, they combine to make a moving and powerful testament to the ups and downs of life, to overcoming fear (the feeling, as Judd Apatow says, of constantly “waiting for a punch”), and to Maron’s own struggles “to see myself in others and also hear of struggles that were harder and deeper than mine.” It also is an amazing testament to Maron’s ability to really engage with his guests to get “ something to come up that enables us to engage

Betaball: How Silicon Valley and Science Built
One of the Greatest Basketball Teams in History

Erik Malinowski. Atria, $26 (352p) ISBN 978-1-5011-5819-3

The NBA champion Golden State Warriors are considered a budding dynasty as well as a well-run business, and here journalist Malinowski, who covers the team for Bleacher Report, adroitly details the franchise’s long and bumpy road to success.

The team’s drafting of point guard Stephen Curry certainly
helped, as did the business plan of co-owners
Peter Guber, a Hollywood producer, and Joe
Lacob, a former Silicon Valley venture capi-
talist. According to Lacob, the Warriors are not
a basketball team but “much more than that.

We’re a sports, media, and technology entity.”
Lacob formed a collaborative framework for the
Warriors that relied on both traditional basketball men such as
team president Rick Welts and unconventional hires such as
general manager Bob Myers (a former agent) and head coach
Steve Kerr (a player and general manager who had never
coached). The team employed science as a tool—including to
refine players’ sleep patterns—and embraced fan interaction:
Guber set up an email address so that fans can ask questions of
coaches and players. Malinowski describes the on-court action
with humorous flair while also capturing the sophistication
required to properly run a professional sports team. (Oct.)

The Blueprint: LeBron James, Cleveland’s
Deliverance, and the Making of the Modern NBA
Jason Lloyd. Dutton, $28 (320p) ISBN 978-1-5247-4190-7

As journalist Lloyd, who previously covered the
Cleveland Cavaliers for the Akron Beacon Journal, reports
in this energetic, detailed slice of basketball history, when
Akron-born LeBron James left the team in 2010, the Cavs
immediately began plotting to get him back. When he
signed back up in 2014, the fan response was mixed, and
James had to adjust to new, talented teammates such as
Kevin Love, who went from being adored by the superstar to
nearly wilting under his high standards. Lloyd also covers
the coaching staff and front office, notably
the drama involved in finding a head coach:
oblivious David Blatt, who led the Cavs from
2014 to 2016, thought he could coach in the
NBA after years overseas, but soon realized
he couldn’t. The right man, Blatt’s assistant
Tyronn Lue, only took the job after his
mentor, coach and former player Doc Rivers, convinced him.
The Cavs’ player personnel moves in 2014 were dictated by
finances (salary cap space was an obstacle) and need, and
Lloyd’s intoxicatingly thorough reporting allows readers to
grasp the difficulty in assembling a team—even one fea-
turing a legend. (Oct.)