WWW.PUBLISHERSWEEKLY.COM 53Review_NONFICTION
middle-aged American women is on
antidepressants”) and real-life reports of
exhaustion, ennui, and husbands who go
on ski trips instead of paying the electric
bill, Calhoun persuasively reassures Gen
X women that they can find a way out of
their midlife crises by “facing up to our
lives as they really are.” Women of every
generation will find much to relate to in
this humorous yet pragmatic account.
Agent: Daniel Greenberg, Levine Greenberg
Rostan Literary Agency. (Jan.)
Highway 61
Jessica Lange. PowerHouse, $75 (176p)
ISBN 978-1-57687-937-5
In this stirring collection of photos,
actor and photographer Lange ( 50
Photographs) travels the historic Highway
61 from New Orleans to Wyoming,
Minn., chronicling the desolation and
small beauties that exist on and near the
once-mighty highway. As someone who
traveled Highway 61 as a child, Lange
reflects on how time has not been kind to
either the road or people. Rundown
buildings,
haunted and
tired eyes,
and even
faded river-
boats all
showcase a
raw pain that
stems from being neglected and for-
gotten. Of the images—grainy, black-
and-white photos with no exact location
given—few drive this point home better
than a snapshot of a shadowy vacant lot,
with a graffiti-tagged wall that says,
“You look like my dreams.” Amid such
sorrow, there are underlying elements of
joy in Lange’s photographs. Children at
local fairs, people spending time by the
Mississippi River, and the hustle and
bustle of busy diners reinforce the idea
that despite all hardships, a sense of
community still thrives. Men and
women smile at the camera, illustrating
that even when life is difficult, people
can find pride in what they do and joy in
the world around them. This movingtribute serves as a gentle reminder to
appreciate the moments and places that
are often taken for granted. (Oct.)The Influential Author: How and
Why to Write, Publish, and Sell
Nonfiction Books That Matter
Gregory V. Diehl. Identity Publications, $9.99
e-book (436p) ISBN 978-1-945884-65-8
Business writer Diehl (Brand Identity
Breakthrough) delivers a practical and
encouraging guide to self-publishing
nonfiction. In
snappy chapters
that talk
directly to
potential
authors, Diehl
covers the pro-
cess from start
to finish. First,
he recommends
rejecting the
notion that any
stigma still exists around self-publishing.
Then, he advises, authors should select a