'Parting the Desert'
By Zachary Karabell
Alfred A. Knopf, $27.50
Written by a talented Middle Eastern historian, this book provides an extensive but interesting account of the greatest engineering feat of the 19th century — the creation of the Suez Canal.
It was Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French diplomat, who became the mastermind through his friendship with the young Egyptian prince Muhammad Said. When Said became ruler of Egypt in 1854, he granted Lesseps the concession to cut a hundred-mile canal across the isthmus of Suez. Lesseps never convinced the British prime minister, but he got tacit approval from the Ottoman sultan and then the important support of Napoleon III, the emperor of France.
It was a 15-year project, plagued throughout by forced labor, as well as diplomatic and financial intrigues. When it was finally completed, it became a symbol of progress in the world, one that would act as a bridge for many cultures.
Lesseps had lost his wife before the project began. Right after the opening of the canal, he married for a second time, even though he was 64 — to Helene Autard de Braagard, a 21-year-old Creole from the island of Mauritius. They would be together for the remaining 25 years of his life, and she bore him 12 children. Newspaper reports said, "M. de Lesseps, after having married the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, then got married himself."
'Russell M. Nelson'
By Spencer Condie
Deseret Book, $26.95
Subtitled "Father, Surgeon, Apostle," Condie's book on the life of one of the most unusual modern LDS apostles is engaging.
A prolific heart surgeon, Elder Nelson performed as many as 360 surgical procedures in one year, just prior to his call to the Quorum of the Twelve in 1984. It became a mantra for those who had been his patients to proudly proclaim, "I was one of Russell Nelson's last patients."
One of Elder Nelson's greatest pleasures was to perform cardiac surgery upon President Spencer W. Kimball in 1971, when President Kimball was acting president of the Twelve. President Kimball's heart was in terrible shape, as was his aortic valve — but Elder Nelson wanted to perform a high-risk operation that could save his life. President Kimball thought he should just be allowed to die; he was old and someone new and healthy should be allowed to complete his work.
According to Elder Nelson, then-LDS President Harold B. Lee "pounded his fist to the desk and said, 'Spencer, you have been called! You are not to die! You are to do everything that you need to do in order to care for yourself and continue to live.' "
The operation was performed without error — and in 1973, Spencer W. Kimball became the president of the LDS Church — and a vigorous one at that. Before he was set apart, President Kimball read from a letter written to him by Elder Nelson: "Your surgeon wants you to know that your body is strong, your heart is better than it has been for years . . . you may consider this new assignment without undue anxiety about your health."
'Mistakes Men Make That Women Hate'
By Kenneth Karpinski
Capital Books, $9.95
The author, a clothing buyer and wardrobe consultant for Fortune 500 companies, has written a sensible and witty guide for men who would prefer not to embarrass the women in their lives. In this quick-read, subtitled "101 Style Tips for Men," Kenneth Karpinski gives pithy, sound advice.
No. 1 is titled "Pocket Full of Pens," and in parenthesis, "More than two is the International nerd symbol." Then he says, "But make sure the pen you carry is a good one. A quality pen is a sure sign of a cultivated style. When doing business, it is a compliment to be handed a fine pen with which to sign."
No. 3 is "Too Long Necktie," about which Karpinski says, "If you wear a belt, try to have the tie end within the width of the belt. If you choose to wear suspenders, a little more leeway is allowed."
No. 11 is "Seven Hairs Across the Top," and in parenthesis, "If you are losing your hair, admit it. Making those seven hairs work overtime isn't going to fool anyone. Then he adds, "Take care of the hair you do have without resorting to attempts at camouflage or redirection. Moving the part or combing the hair against the natural growth pattern are tricks that are always more obvious than you think. A naturally receding hairline is nothing to be ashamed of."