Subjects:  1. 1989-2001   2. AIDS (Disease) in children   3. Aids (Psychosocial Aspects)   4. Biography   5. Biography / Autobiography   6. Diseases - AIDS & HIV   7. Health   8. Health & Fitness   9. Health/Fitness   10. Humanitarians   11. Johnson, Nkosi,   12. Patients   13. South Africa   

Customer Reviews (11)

I've found a new hero (or heroes)
I have seen the HBO documentary, "Three Sisters," with which this book is associated, and also read this book. Both were amazing and powerful, yet different. I walked away from the book, looking to do something more meaningful with my life, whereas the film was more educational as far as ALS is concerned.

The book kept me up, reading all night long, in a rush to continue with Jenifer on her journey to the end. When I read the final pages, I didn't want to close the book, in fear that the connection I established with Jenifer, Valerie and Meredith would disappear. The writing flowed like a familiar memory and the humor made me smile between the tears that dropped. I feel like I've known the Estess family for my entire life, even though I was introduced to them by mere text in the pages of the book. I recommend this book highly to everyone--not just those who have ALS or know someone with ALS. After all,like Jenifer, ALS could happen to anyone of us.

Powerful
This was such a great read that revealed a woman with a lot of class who even though she was dying inch by inch continued to live and fight for the hope of a cure for ALS. Through the writing you can feel her struggle, but her sense of humor comes through so just when you are about to cry over the inhumanity of the disease you crack a smile or even laugh out loud at something Jenifer said. The love she and her sisters had for one another and their determination to help Jenifer is awe inspiring. This book makes you forget about your troubles and makes you want to do something to find a cure for ALS. I'd recommend it for anyone who has a heart.

A moving story of courage
I picked up this book on the way home from a trip for some airplane reading and could not put it down. I was somewhat familiar with Jenifer's story from seeing her and her sisters on the Today Show and other news programs when they started Project ALS. But her courageous story of life and love and what it means to be family really touched my heart - and gave me some much needed perspective in my life. I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis   2. Biography   3. Biography & Autobiography   4. Biography / Autobiography   5. Biography/Autobiography   6. Diseases - Nervous System (incl. Brain)   7. Literary   8. Medical - General   9. Patients   10. United States   11. Women   12. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Subjects:  1. Cardiology   2. Cardiovascular Diseases   3. Diet / Health / Fitness   4. Diet/Nutrition   5. Diets - General   6. Diseases - Heart   7. Health & Fitness   8. Health Care Issues   9. Infectious Diseases   

Subjects:  1. Cerebrovascular disease   2. Fathers and sons   3. Fiction   4. Fiction - Psychological Suspense   5. Koontz, Dean R. (Dean Ray) - Prose & Criticism   6. Mystery/Suspense   7. Patients   8. Psychological   9. Suspense   10. Terminally ill   11. Fiction / General   

Customer Reviews (521)

It's Hard Not to be Inspired by this Story
Say what you want about Lance Armstrong but if you read this book it's hard to consider him anything but an inspiration.

Last summer I was in Austin, Texas during the end of the Tour de France attending the Texas Age Group Swimming Championships my younger brother was competing in. That city loves Lance and there wasn't a person in the streets who wasn't eager to talk about the Tour; yellow banners supporting him were more common than Texas flags, and anyone who knows Texas knows that that's saying a lot! Following that experience I knew I had to read this book and I wasn't disappointed in the least.

Having read the book, I can't regard Lance Armstrong as anything less than a miracle. He didn't survive cancer - he conquered it. He proved that a cancer diagnosis doesn't have to mean an end to anything unless you allow it to. This book is a very blunt and unapologetic account of his life before, during, and after his diagnosis and treatment. He's not the nicest guy ever, he's not the humblest guy ever, he's just a guy (who may or may not be the greatest cyclist in the world, it's not my sport, someone else will debate that).

If Lance Armstrong had never competed in another race again, his survival would still have been incredible. But he did compete, and he's sure to be a legend.

No, It's Not About the Bike or Cancer. It's Pure Lance.
I know I'll catch it for this review. The book itself gets 5 stars from me. I enjoyed the read, I shed a few tears and I kept hoping that somewhere it would eventually turn Lance Armstrong into one of my heros. It never did. In fact, I pray to God I never meet Lance Armstrong and never get in his path, and I pray anyone who ever has to does survives the encounter. Sally Jenkins gets kudos on pulling off what was a difficult task. How to write his biography and story with him watching over her and to tell the truth. She did it. She pulled it off by writing between the lines like no other. She is truly the hero here. Make no mistake, the book is good, the hero is not. He is, without a doubt the single most arrogant and egotistical person I've ever read about in my life. I wanted him to be my hero so bad too. I have just gotten into cycling and was looking forward to having someone to watch, follow and emulate. Lance is not that guy. You'll read things that will blow you away. How he fully expected his French sponsor to pay him his 5 million dollar contract even when he was taking chemo and was not riding for them, they even offered to give him a contract, just not 5 million and he was outraged. He freaked on might having to sell his $300,000 worth of furniture and "art" to pay for his treatment. Why oh why have all forsaken poor Lance he wonders. Supposedly a boy that grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in Plano, Tx, but give me a break, there is no "wrong side" of the tracks in Plano. Even though he was only raised by his mother, it's obvious people took care of Lance. Riding his expensive cycles that were given to him out of the goodness of one man's heart, and then he doesn't speak to this guy for years on end. I could continue, but I think the world needs to read this book to learn about this. Lance's story is not over, he still hasn't learned what he probably was meant to learn. I do not suggest buying this book for someone with cancer or a teenager. It's not inspiring in the least, no one can afford what Lance had to get him through his terrible cancer ordeal. And, if a teen reads this, he or she will expect the world to give them everything on a silver platter just like Lance expects. One curious note I can't yet figure out. Never once does Lance tell the world he didn't check himself monthly for testicular cancer and that if he had, he could have caught it before it spread to his brain and lungs and recovery would have been comparably easy. With many pages devoted to pictures of he, his wife, his baby and mother not one single page printed a diagram on how to check yourself for testicular cancer. Seems a hero would have had that thought first and foremost in his head, especially since testicular cancer never has gotten the same PR as checking for breast cancer. I might read his other books. Maybe he's learned something along the way, but that is highly doubtful.

A new focus for Armstrong..
I value Lance Armstrong's story, he is a driven and talented athlete who has had to battle through a life threatening illness. The story is incredible but you wish that Lance wouldn't be so in love with his own story!
Humility is the virtue that Lance needs most. Maybe that could be his next focus. I'm sure if he put his mind to it, he could tone down his ego. He accomplishes every thing he puts his mind too..... maybe improve his writing as well.... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Armstrong, Lance   2. Biography   3. Biography & Autobiography   4. Biography / Autobiography   5. Biography/Autobiography   6. Cancer   7. Cycling - General   8. Cyclists   9. Diseases - Cancer   10. Patients   11. Specific Groups - Special Needs   12. Sports - General   13. United States   

Subjects:  1. Aging - General   2. Alzheimer's Disease   3. Biography   4. Biography & Autobiography   5. Biography / Autobiography   6. Biography/Autobiography   7. Davis, Patti   8. Diseases - Nervous System (incl. Brain)   9. Family relationships   10. Historical - U.S.   11. Patients   12. Presidents   13. Presidents & Heads of State   14. Reagan, Ronald   15. U.S. History - 1980s   16. United States   17. Biography & Autobiography / Presidents   18. Health   

Customer Reviews (14)

Anatomy of Hope is for EVERYONE to read!
I could NOT put this book down, as it is so well written and informative on the brain and how it interacts with the body and hoe HOPE gives one the impetus to persevere and fight. I have numerous illnesses, have fought 2 bouts of breast cancer, had a spinal fusion, FMS, etc., but I have always had HOPE in spite of the negativism of some of my doctors. It was a delight to read how a doctor learned from patients and his own struggle with back pain and how he overcame it. This is a very positive book with delightful, upbeat, information in spite of some adversities. It is a MUST read for everyone!

Wise and Well-written
In an easy to read style, this book offers wise insight into the powerful connections between mind and body. It is hopeful and inspiring without ever being simplistic or sappy. The writer, a physician, displays unusual insight and humility. Human stories are well balanced with science, and there is respect for the spirit. This is not a simplistic self-help book. I have been asked a lot about who should read this book. Someone who is suffering with a life-threatening illness, and is feeling hopeless, may feel misunderstood and negated if you give this book as a gift. Better will be for you to read it and see if you can gather some ideas on how to be most helpful. People who have chronic pain may find this book a very welcome read.I cannot imagine many readers who wouldn't find this book thought provoking and hope affirming.

This book is great - regardless of the 1 of the prev reviews
This is an oustanding book, and interesting to read. Dr. Groopman is a fantastic physician-scientist in Boston and is a great writer. The book is easy to read. As someone going into biomedical science I recommend this for any medical and anyone interested in the better good for human. Dr. Groopman is indeed a scientist with a faith in God. This adds more fullness to the text. However the book is not totally philisophical, there is a great balance of science as well! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Diet / Health / Fitness   2. Diseases - General   3. Healing   4. Health aspects   5. Hope   6. Medical   7. Motivational & Inspirational   8. Nursing - Research & Theory   9. Patients   10. Physical Illness (Psychiatric Aspects)   11. Psychology   12. Sick   13. Science / General   

Why don't zebras get ulcers--or heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases--when people do? In a fascinating look at the science of stress, biologist Robert Sapolsky presents an intriguing case, that people develop such diseases partly because our bodies aren't designed for the constant stresses of a modern-day life--like sitting in daily traffic jams or growing up in poverty. Rather, they seem more built for the kind of short-term stress faced by a zebra--like outrunning a lion.

With wit, graceful writing, and a sprinkling of Far Side cartoons, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers makes understanding the science of stress an adventure in discovery. "This book is a primer about stress, stress-related disease, and the mechanisms of coping with stress. How is it that our bodies can adapt to some stressful emergencies, while other ones make us sick? Why are some of us especially vulnerable to stress-related diseases, and what does that have to do with our personalities?"

Sapolsky, a Stanford University neuroscientist, explores stress's role in heart disease, diabetes, growth retardation, memory loss, and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. He cites tantalizing studies of hyenas, baboons, and rodents, as well as of people of different cultures, to vividly make his points. And Sapolsky concludes with a hopeful chapter, titled "Managing Stress." Although he doesn't subscribe to the school of thought that hope cures all disease, Sapolsky highlights the studies that suggest we do have some control over stress-related ailments, based on how we perceive the stress and the kinds of social support we have. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Fascinating and disturbing
Having just finished Robert Sapolsky's very funny A Baboon's Memoir, the funniest autobiography by a naturalist I've ever read, I thought I'd look up his other popular books, the other one being The Trouble with Testosterone. Sapolsky is considered the country's foremost authority on stress. I have some background in stress research myself, and once heard the originator of the stress concept and of stress research, the great Hans Selye, speak at a convention many years ago, who Sapolsky mentions in his books.

Most of us know we should do a better job of managing stress in our lives, including myself. This is the sort of book I plunge into with a combination of morbid fascination and hypochondriacal paranoia. This is because the book itself was rather stressful to read, since I found out in manifold and gory detail about all the damage I'd been doing to my brain and body with all those high-paying but high-stress jobs I've had all my life. Although I made good money, I found out that I'd probably aged myself about 10 years in the process. However, as I said, the book makes for fascinating if somewhat morbid reading. For those with the adrenal cojones to handle it, this is the best book on the nature of stress and its effects that I've read. It's more a book on the physiology of stress, and so there isn't much on practical coping strategies, so if you're interested in information on that, you'll have to look elsewhere.

That having been said, I thought I would mention the best strategy I've ever encountered, of which I'm sure Sapolsky would approve, since it's based on some sound research in the area, and relates to one of his main points. Sapolsky makes a convincing case that we evolved for a very different stress regimen than our current lives and civilization provides. Instead of occasionally facing serious, life-threatening situations as we did thousands or millions of years ago, such as a predator attack, our lives are now much safer but filled with many continual, reoccurring, constant, irritating, but lesser stressors that still build up over time, contributing to such problems as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and even muscular dystrophy. The psychological end result of this is that many people constantly fret and agonize about things until they're worried all the time, or it even generalizes into more serious free-floating anxiety and panic attacks.

Hence, it's been found that the best way to deal with one's concerns and anxieties is to attack the issue of them getting out of control to the point where they're weighing on your mind all of the time, using a sort of "containment strategy." The best way to deal with this is to set aside some time each day--10, 15, or 20 minutes at most--for worrying. In other words, set aside a dedicated worry period, where if you need to, go ahead and worry yourself sick about it. Then put it out of your mind and enjoy the rest of your day. Another important thing you can do is to not just worry about everything but to put some constructive thought into how to better deal with your problems. Sometimes you won't have a good idea about how to do that for a while, for days, maybe weeks, but don't let that get you down. Persist in your efforts until you succeed. Most of success in life is persistence--not talent or ability--as most successful people will tell you. :-)

The other principle I learned that was valuable in reducing stress was actually a Zen idea--the idea of living life in the present. According to this Zen principle, one should strive constantly to live in the present, in the present moment, and to enjoy that to its fullest. Otherwise, your other pressing concerns will weigh you down and you will never truly enjoy life to the fullest. There will always be something else on your mind. Someone who's always worried about their other concerns can't truly live in the present, and therefore will never truly enjoy or make the most of whatever activity they're engaged in. Part of their mind is always somewhere else. Therefore, strive to always live in the now, in the present moment.

The final important thing I'd like to pass on is about attitude. Realistically, life is never as bad as it seems to us during our darkest and most depressed moments--nor as wonderful as it seems during our happiest, most ecstatic moments. It's somewhere in between. The point here is that one should also cultivate the proper attitude--since that's often the only thing one has total control over in one's life. If you're the sort of person for whom even little things get you down--which is more of us than we would like to admit--then strive to be more objective. The little things can't really hurt you. They're just annoying psychologically because they bruise our egos a little bit. Save your emotional energy for the really big problems in your life, instead--because there will be more than enough of those. Cultivate a positive, upbeat attitude so that the little things are practically beneath your notice. Let them slide off you like water off a duck's back. This is also another important Zen principle--that too much ego impedes our progress in life.

Well, that was all by way of providing some practical advice for coping with stress in addition to all the scientific neurological and endocrinological information Sapolsky provides in his book. Good luck and happy stress-free reading and living!

Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers
Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers written by Robert M. Sapolsky is a book about stress cause and effect, stress-related diseases and coping. Now that was a mouthful, but the book is meant, I believe for medical professionals to understand what really happens to people when daily life closes in and takes hold of your life. Saying this, I do NOT want to scare away potential lay readers in that if you read this book not only will you recognize stress, but you'll know why stress is there and the mechanisms that cause and control stress.

What happens, physiologically, to people over time as stress builds-up is delt with in this book, as first-rate science shows ways to reduce stress. I found the book to contain a lot of information about hormones that affect you brain and deals with depression and emotional termoil; giving the reader tools to effectively manage stress.

The lay reading public might find that this book to be a little over their head with medical terms, but the skills for management of stress and the causal effect are easily understood by everyone. The author has studied patterns of stress-related physiology and diseases among wild baboons in Kenya and has brought this knowledge to effective correlation in this book.

As you read this book, you will have the unusual opportunity to learn how to manage stress effectively in your life... thus living longer and more healthy. The author's writing style is easily read and not overbearing, as you understand more about stress in your life. The book can be rather stimulating, as science books go for the nonscientist, but also, you'll find that it conveys an excitement, making the subject matter interesting and accesible.

A love for science is not needed for reading this book, but it helps.

Sapolsky is the best!
I had the wonderful opportunity to take a couple of Dr. Sapolsky's classes at Stanford U., where he never failed to make people bust a gut. Not only is this book a good introduction to the fascinating world of stress, it is simply an enjoyable read. It will definitely help to improve your lifestyle and your health. A must buy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Clinical Psychology   2. Psychology   3. Stress   4. Stress (Physiology)   5. Stress (Psychology)   6. Stress Management   7. physiopathology   8. Coping with stress   9. Science / General   

Customer Reviews (28)

The Great Influenza: The American Experience
In The Great Influenza, John Barry has produced a massive and exhaustively researched description of one of the greatest disasters of human history. At least, from the American point of view. While there are a few glancing references to what was going on in the rest of the world, there is no serious discussion of any attempts to deal with the pandemic in other countries, even in other industrialized countries. On the other hand, Barry has chosen a very specific point of view: the transition of American medicine and medical training from folk wisdom to science. It's a compelling point on which to balance a long and exhaustive (there's that word again) study of how America and, specifically, American medicine confronted an epidemic in which people were dying faster than the technology of the time could handle, an epidemic in which society itself was nearly overwhelmed by death.

As other reviewers have noted, the book's weakness is a tendency towards melodrama, as in the far-too-often repeated tag line "This was influenza. Only influenza." After a while, you think to yourself, "Yes, we get it. Give it a rest."

On the other hand, the book has one of those quirky displays of real brilliance in the last two chapters in which Barry deals with how science is done well (in the case of Oswald Avery) or done poorly (in the case of Paul A. Lewis). These two chapters are so strong that they could stand on their own, and what they have to say about the process of scientific thought itself is fascinating. Avery's story is that of a man who was just relentessly focused, who kept digging deeper and deeper into a single issue until he discovered the source of heredity itself. Lewis's story, on the other hand, is that of a man who simply lost his way. Distracted by the need to administer an institute, the need constantly to raise money, to deal with the politics of science, the need to socialize and just plain hustle to support the work of others, Lewis lost the focus that Avery had and ending up flailing in a sea of theories and methodologies. In fact, if you don't read any other part of this book, read these two chapters.

There is no question about The Great Influenza being a monumental work. It's so good that you just have to overlook the bits of melodrama that pop up from time to time. The research is, well I obviously can't use "exhaustive" again, so let's say nearly encyclodedic. In fact, there's so much research, and so much documentation that Barry has used an odd method of footnoting. Instead of using footnote numbers that refer to the notes section at the end of the book, you have to turn to the notes section and find the specific page and text being referenced. Unfortunately, as a result you don't know while you're reading which bits have footnotes and which don't. I'd prefer actual footnote numbers. Ah, well. I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time.

In any case, Barry has produced a massive and important work of epidemiological history which is, at the same time, as readable as a thriller. In writing this review, I kept wavering between giving it four stars or five stars and finally decided on five based on the scope, the thoroughness, and what Aristotle would call the "point of attack," that is, the point at which the story really begins, which is, in this case, the birth of truly scientific medical education in America. All in all, it's a truly fascinating and immensely readable piece of history.

Sobering look at a deadly pandemic...
A book that recently caught my eye was one by John Barry titled The Great Influenza - The Epic Story Of The Deadliest Plague In History. Now, I generally have a phobia about needles, and have *never* received a flu vaccination, but I think that will change next year. This was scary stuff...

Barry details the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918 in great detail. He starts by setting the stage of how American medicine was practiced at the end of the 19th century, and how there was little control or respect for the profession. And rightly so... Nearly anyone could call themselves a doctor and do nearly anything. But through the efforts of a few key people, John Hopkins university was formed to bring the medical education up to European standards. Most of this transformation was occuring when the flu pandemic started. This is where the book gets interesting... and frightening.

Because of World War 1, recruits were overcrowded into training facilities that were less than sanitary. When the flu first broke out in one of the army camps in the states, it was quickly transferred to other camps when soldiers transferred. From there, it easily jumped into major cities, decimating large numbers of people. And when these soldiers went overseas, the flu went with them. Being especially contagious, it swept the globe in short order and left, by some estimates, over 100 million dead. That is so hard to comprehend.

When you look at the struggle they had to even identify the cause of the illness, you understand how it could so easily run rampant. One would think that it couldn't happen today, but one would be wrong. SARS, AIDS... diseases that defy attempts to quickly identify the virus, and are resistant to attempts and efforts to treat them. It's not hard to imagine how a pandemic could start so much more quickly today due to the ease of worldwide travel.

Well worth reading to understand how precarious the general health of society could be...

Just the flu
Wow. The Great Influenza sort of blew me away. Like most people I've heard of the 1918 influenza, but also like most I've never actually read anything on the epidemic. My first introduction to the topic came as a young nurse working on a neurology ward where Parkinson's Disease was diagnosed and treated. At the time it was believed to have arisen as a late neurological response to that infection. For all I know they may still think so. During the swine flu epidemic and the controversy over whether the vaccine had caused a rise in the incidence of Guillian Barre, the so-called French polio, the 1918 flu was frequently mentioned. After reading Mr. Barry's book I can certainly see why.

What amazes me most about the pandemic of 1918 is not its virulence so much as its repercussions. It definitely occurred during the most inopportune time, almost proving Murphey's law that if anything can go wrong it will and at the worst possible time. Probably one of the most significant outcomes of the flu seems to have been the effect it had on the peace terms. One is left to wonder if Wilson had not been affected by the flu in so damaging a way and at so crucial a time, whether World War II could have been avoided. Moreover much is made of the nihilism of the 1920s, that lost generation between the two world wars. The young of the era seemed to have gone through a loss of innocence that is often attributed to the effects of the WWI experience and the death of the overconfident 19th century way of life. It seems to me that far more damage to the confidence of young adults was due to the effects of the influenza epidemic. Certainly Barry's discussion makes the character of the 1920s and 1930s much clearer to me.

The differential effect of the flu on the various age groups, suggests much about the effect of the virus on the immune system. Having had to manage patients with ARDS in ICU, most of them very young people like those in 1918, I can hardly imagine what it might have been like to be a nurse during a time prior to mechanical ventilation and sophisticated drug therapy. We lose ARDS patients with an unpleasant frequency even now. In 1918 I don't know how one could have helped even a single patient survive it. It had to have been appallingly painful to the staff, overworked as they were, even ill themselves as some were, to watch a patient die that way especially as the author points out again and again because so many of these patients were in the prime of life and had so much to live for yet. I certainly know what its effect has been on me over the years.

Although the author attempts to reassure the reader that although we may have another similar pandemic, the outcome will be less devastating because of our modern medical facilities and experience, I can't help but think of the Titanic! It couldn't sink, you know, because it was the product of the most modern and up to date technology of its time. Maybe MRSA (methacillin resistant staph aureus) and VRE (vanco resistant enterococci) will be our armageddon!

A serious and fascinating book. One every health care worker should read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century   2. History   3. History: American   4. Infectious Diseases   5. Influenza   6. Medical / Nursing   7. U.S. History - Early 20th Century   8. United States - 20th Century   9. World - General   

Customer Reviews (4)

Cosmetic Dermatology: Principles and Practice - Superb
I thought this book was absolutely fantastic - I would highly recommend this to all my friends!

Great Book
This book was fantastic. It encompasses everything I wanted and needed to know about cosmetic dermatology. It was easy to read and clearly explained all pertinent topics. I highly reccommened it to both people in the medical profession as well as anyone who wants upto date information about cosmetic dermatology.

Cosmetic Dermatology
This book was helpful by providing definitions at the beginning, then it gave life application tips for anyone wanting to improve their skin. It is a great find. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Care and hygiene   2. Cosmetic Surgery   3. Cosmetics   4. Dermatology   5. Diseases   6. Medical   7. Medical / Nursing   8. Skin   9. Surgery - Plastic & Cosmetic   10. Medical / Dermatology   

Customer Reviews (11)

Yummy foods, good advice
The folks at Betty Crocker have done it again: given us mere mortals great, easy recipes my whole family can enjoy. The best thing about this book is that the recipes aren't made from weird food you have to hunt for; they are made from items already in your kitchen. And they are recipes anyone can eat for good health. So, if one member of your family has diabetes, the whole family can eat this food and love it.

The recipes are great, especially the desserts. And you thought you couldn't eat dessert with diabetes! The Carbohydrate Choices is a great counting device. I've never seen it in any other cookbook and I find it much easier to use than exchanges. Plus, it's not just a cookbook. There's doctor's advice and management plans inside. This book is very uplifting and practical.

GET THIS BOOK! IT'S THE BEST DIABETES COOKBOOK, hands down.

Betty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook
Excellent book - Recipes that will take the boring out of healthy cooking and teach the reader how to eat healthy, limit fats, and sugars, etc.
Purchased out of need because my husband's triglyceride count and other medical tests show him to be pre-diabetic. For a beginner in counting carbohydrates, learning about all types of diabetes and meal planning for a healthier lifestyle, this book fits the need! Easy to read, hints and comments from other diabetic patients & medical advice from contributing M.D.s.

So many refined carbohydrates!
I am completely baffled by this book and the reviews it has received! After only a few pages I was aghast and realized I had thrown my money away.

I am not a medical professional or scientist but all of my own personal research into diabetes and related blood disorders strongly recommend avoiding refined carbohydrates. This book is full of recipes using highly refined carbohydrates: white sugar and white flour.

I also found recipes containing an uncomfortably high percentage of calories from fat. I expected recipes emphasizing whole, low glycemic foods prepared in as close to their natural state as possible - foods that had as much of their beneficial properties (such as nutrients and fiber) intact. I was extremely disappointed by what this book had to offer and am sorry I bought it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking   2. Diabetes   3. Diabetic Cookery   4. Diet / Health / Fitness   5. Diet therapy   6. Diseases - Diabetes   7. General   8. Health & Healing - Diabetic & Sugar Free   9. Recipes   10. Cooking / Diabetic & Sugar-Free   11. Health & wholefood cookery   

In the opening of Lance Armstrong's memoir, Every Second Counts (co-authored by Sally Jenkins), he reflects: "Generally, one of the hardest things in the world to do is something twice." While he is talking here about his preparation for what would prove to be his second consecutive Tour de France victory in 2000, the sentiment could equally be applied to the book itself. And just as Armstrong managed to repeat his incredible 1999 tour victory, Every Second Counts repeats--and, in some ways exceeds—the success of his bestselling first memoir, It's Not About the Bike.

Every Second Counts confronts the challenge of moving beyond his cancer experience, his first Tour victory, and his celebrity status. Few of Armstrong's readers will ever compete in the Tour de France (though cyclists will relish Armstrong's detailed recounting of his 2000-2003 tour victories), but all will relate to his discussions of loss and disappointment in his personal and professional life since 1999. They will relate to his battles with petty bureaucracies, like the French court system during the doping scandal that almost halted his career. And they will especially relate to constant struggles with work/life balance.

In the face of September 11--which arrives halfway through the narrative (just before the fifth anniversary of his diagnosis)--Armstrong draws from his experiences to show that suffering, fear, and death are the essential human condition. In so openly using his own life to illustrate how to face this reality, he proves that he truly is a hero--and not just because of the bike. In Every Second Counts he is to be admired as a human being, a man who sees every day as a challenge to live richly and well, no matter what hardships may come. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (66)

A Fan of This American Hero
Lance Armstrong is a true American hero- his fifth time win of the Tour de France was not well celebrated- other World Events took first page. Lance works hard, unbelievabe number of hours in each day to become the best cyclist in the world. He deserves all of the awards and praise heaped upon him. In this book, Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins assistance is able to describe and elucidate his philosophy of life. His brush with death and cancer is not over- he undergoes a series of testing every year, and he is not cancer free in his mind until his physicians tell him so. Most of the people with cancer that he meets, do not survive. He works tirelessly to raise monies for cancer awareness and research. He is quite aware that everyday on his earth is due to his good luck and faith in his physicians. Lance spends time discussing his relationship with the French people- his "doping" accusors and his time in court winning that battle. His win of he 2002 Tour De France was not his best win, but he learned from it and did not make those mistakes again. Most of us are quite interested in his marriage and there is a post script but not much mention of what went wrong, just that alot did go wrong. To maintain a high profile marriage, a high profile career, 3 young children and maintain any sense of privacy cannot be done when there is no time. Day to day life with the family is not possible when you are not there. Much has been written and supposition of romances gossiped, but none are mentioned and I would suggest that is none of our business.
This is a book of winning and losing-hard work and hard times and some of the intricacies of such are outlined in good detail.
As a fan of an American hero, Lance Armstrong, I suggest you support him and read his newest winner! prisrob

Follow Up, how life is after cancer
This book is the follow up of the book, it's not about the bike which is about his career up till his second win.

In this book, all his wins (5) in the Tour de France are mentioned. It is mostly about how he felt during the last three and how cancer played a role in it.
It shows us there is more to life than just cycling. Cancer stays with a person for ever.
His relationships with other cancer patients are emotional and gripping and is also shows he was the lucky one.

This book stands out from other books about cycling, it is very personal and not just about baseball but also about life in general.
He also explains some things that had happened in the Tours, his historic ride towards Mt Ventoux with the late Marco Pantani, his fall and Jan Ulrichs' fall. For those he have followed the Tour the last couple of years, this gives a very good insight, also because it is well written.

Brilliant, Exciting, and Insightful Follow-up to 'the Bike'.
This is a beautiful follow-up to Lance's first book (It's Not About the Bike). In this book, Lance shares what it is like for him as person who is also a "superstar bicyclist", "cancer survivor", and "cancer philanthropist". Though a young man in terms of age, Lance speaks with deep wisdom about what it means to live, how to feel alive, and dealing with life's non-life-threatening complexities. And then there are remarkable and thrilling stories about his Tour de France experiences. I loved reading this book! It is spectacular, especially in conjunction with his first book.

Review by Evan Finer, author of "Effortless WellBeing" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Armstrong, Lance   2. Biography   3. Biography & Autobiography   4. Biography / Autobiography   5. Biography/Autobiography   6. Cancer   7. Cyclists   8. Diseases - Cancer   9. General   10. Motivational & Inspirational   11. Patients   12. Sports - General   13. United States   14. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Customer Reviews (20)

The best pathology book for students!
This is THE textbook of pathology for students of medicine and dentistry!
Pros? Well, it has all the 4 C's...
1) Clear language... minimal verbosity, straight to the point
2) Comprehensive ... it has all the facts the student needs to know for exams as well as future clinical practice
3) Colour pictures ... not the black and white stuff but full colours to add more morphological meaning to the texts
4) Cast ... I'm sure everyone wants to read a book written by authoritative pathologists?

Cons?
1) Cumbersome ... students just initiated into the world of pathology may find it tough to plough through the thousand over pages of text (like I did while in med school), but believe me, if you stick by it, you'll enjoy the fruits of your labour in due time.
2) Some of the facts and tumour classifications may be a little out of date (latest edition published in 1999) but if you're a student, don't brood over it. Tutors would probably highlight major updates during your pathology course.

Great book for those going into pathology!
If you are an ordinary medical student like myself this book is too detailed and has everything there is to know about the subject. It is a great book for those who have a basic understanding of pathology, but for those who don't good luck reading it for the first time. Some of the comments(jokes) in the book are also not needed. I believe that "Basic Pathology" 6th. edition from the same authors is a lot easier to understand with better and more colorful diagrams.

thick but not good
The book is written in a very dense matter and extremely unfriendly to reading but worst of all it has very few histological images so while the description is there you often times do not see it and so you don't learn it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Medical   2. Medical / Nursing   3. Pathology   

Customer Reviews (24)

This book is for your Entire Family; it is a survival guide.
When our family first learned that our Mother had Alzheimer disease, we were devastated. After we all read "The 36-Hour Day", there was a great deal of relief. Although Alzhemier and other dementing illnesses can seem catastrophic, this book reads like a freindly family doctor givng you straight forward, no-nonsense advice. It covers all aspects of dealing with the family member, from explaining just what dementia is and how it can appear, to how you can deal with it appropriately without losing your patience or embarrasing your family member. Medical help, daily care, medical problems, behavior, mood, legal issues, common compassion and basic 'rules of thumb' are thoroughly covered. Several "examples" of previous family incidents are mentioned with thoughts on how to address each and every one. Great care has been crafted into this book and I highly recommend it. You will feel better, thus making the family member you are helping feel better.

Provides direction and help for caretakers and loved ones
A truly remarkable book. It is well written, and very easy to read and follow, providing a background in this disease and what can/will happen to those afflicted. Providing extremely helpful insights and strategies for those of us who are caregivers, spouses, sons, daughters, and other family and friends. Personally, this book helped me to understand what was happening to my mother, helped me to be more understanding and less frustrated and annoyed with her. This book provides a great deal of insight and allows the reader to get a "feel" for the current situation and possible future situations. I have recommended this book to my personal physician to pass along to her other patients who may be in the same position as I am.

The Answers I Have Been Searching For
It doesn't give medical advice, it doesn't give technical advice, although it provides resources for seeking such advice. What it does give are explanations and insights into the thinking of brain impaired persons, explanations for their behaviors, and advice on how to manage and cope with being their caregiver.

These are exactly the answers I have been searching for. So many of my father's actions, reactions and behaviors are profiled in this book, and it's becoming clear that his decline had started many years ago with smaller incidents that we as his family had dismissed. The path of progression can be tracked, and even predicted. It will be helpful to know what's coming next and be prepared. But most important to me is the understanding of why. Being able to understand the why of his behavior helps me a great deal in being able to let go of the anger and to cope better with the situation that has recently escalated to horrific.

In trying to manage the situation I have started taking anti-anxiety meds, as well as antidepressants and high blood pressure med. I have done all that I can to make changes within myself, yet things have gotten progressively worse. I am beginning to understand that these changes have been part of the problem in a sense in that I have become "unpredictable" to him in not reacting the way he expects me to. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alzheimer's disease   2. Diet / Health / Fitness   3. Diseases - Nervous System (incl. Brain)   4. Eldercare   5. Family & Relationships   6. Family/Marriage   7. General   8. Home care   9. Neurology - Alzheimer's Disease   10. Patients   11. Senile dementia   12. Health & Fitness / General   

Customer Reviews (4)

A Serious Equine Health Care Reference
As a first-horse owner, this text was a whole lot more than I needed or wanted to know. For the horse owner who is serious about learning as much as possible about health care problems and how to treat these problems themselves, the book is a winner and probably unique. However, for someone who likes to rely on his/her vet for anything more than the usual maintenance procedures (deworming, treating minor cuts, etc.) and doesn't foresee giving his/her horse injections and the like or treating fairly serious illnesses, a less complete book would be sufficient and much less daunting. Probably an excellent reference for students of equine health and for those who would like to become vets themselves one day.

Detailed information
I find this to be the most detailed veterinary guide, short of buying a veterinary encyclopedia. Of the several I own, most are very general and have a lot of "ask you veterinarian for a course of action." This one tells you the most common treatments so you know what to expect. I go back to my dog-eared copy all the time. As I back-yard breeder, I like Giffin's veterinary breeder's guide, too.

This book has helped my grades in all my horse classes..
Great book!! four hooves way up.. I have a equine science classes and I use this book for research and just to help me better understand the problems and cures for horse problems... Its like a horse vet bible.. easy to read with great pictures.. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals / Pets   2. Cardiology   3. Diseases   4. Handbooks, manuals, etc   5. Horses   6. Horses - General   7. Study Guides   8. Pets / Horses / Care   

Customer Reviews (7)

The Best!
Where can you find a comprehensive book covering the brain, spine, and head and neck that is funny, clever, authoritative, well-illustrated AND costs less than $100? It's unheard of!

I laughed myself silly during some of the chapters.

I happen to know one of the authors, and he's brilliant. The other guy ain't half bad either.

Excellent Book
I have the second edition of this book. Very well written in a fun and sarcastic way making it pleasant to read. Clear pictures with clinical background. I have reviewed many books on neuroradiology, by far, this is the best. The "Cranial Anatomy" chapter alone is an excellent review on normal anatomy. A clinician does not need more than the chapter on "Techniques on Neuroimaging" to learn about the physics of imaging.

Authors, thank you
The authors want to transmit their knowledge to the reader. They are real teachers, as all textbook authors should be. Their aim is to help us learn neuroradiology and not just enrich their CV like many others do. Congratulations and thank you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Central Nervous System Disease   2. Central Nervous System Diseases   3. Medical   4. Medical / Nursing   5. Nervous system   6. Neurology - General   7. Neuroradiography   8. Neuroradiology   9. Radiography   10. Radiology   11. diagnosis   

Customer Reviews (13)

Military Doc's must have it
As a Flight Surgeon in the Army, I have traveled with this text from Korea to Bosnia. It is a must have for anyone in Primary care and especially military physicians on deployments, where Orthopedic surgeons are hard to come by. It is a clear, consice treatment based book. Which guides you through the physical examination, diagnosis and managment of common orthopedic problems. In particular it lets you know what the red flags are for further evaluation and consultation. Truly Magnificent!

The best primary care orthopedic text on the market
Straightforward, to-the-point, very relevant for the busy outpatient clinic. My other orthopedic texts are collecting dust. Worth every penny. The only criticism I have of the text is their scanty, incomplete coverage of osteoporosis. This section is too cursory and out-of-date. It barely addresses densiometry and doesn't mention newer therapies such as alendronate in the treatment of osteoporosis. The emergence of alendronate predates the publication of this volume by at least 2 years so advancing medical science is not an excuse. My suggestion for future additions is to eliminate the osteoporosis section and leave it to an internal medicine text and include more fracture management in its place--even the management of osteoporotic fractures. Any section in this book should be able to stand alone in terms of being able to render appropriate evaluation and treatment guidelines without having to consult additional texts. The chapter on osteoporosis fails in this regard.

And this is the third Must-Have book for primary providers
Just like the other two books, Habif's Dermatology and Current MDT, Essentials is always on the top of my packing list when I go to the military field exercises or during deployments. It's like having an on-call consult all the time. In Essentials, I like the beginning of each chapter with drawings of different sources of pain; it's like a graphic representation of differential diagnosis. Buy these books; you will use them again and again. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Medical   2. Medical / Nursing   3. Musculoskeletal Diseases   4. Orthopedics   5. Pediatric orthopedics   6. Rheumatology   7. diagnosis   8. therapy   

As many as one in eight women have a thyroid condition. In Living Well with Hypothyroidism, Mary Shomon outlines the most common of these--too little thyroid hormones in the body. Weight gain, depression, fatigue, and what patients call "brain fog, Brillo hair, and prune skin" result. Because the symptoms of hypothyroidism mimic so many other conditions--chronic fatigue, PMS, clinical depression--it can be very tricky to diagnose, especially since patients with HMOs may not get the thorough testing they need.

Shomon knows of what she speaks: she's a health writer and thyroid patient herself. She also manages a thyroid Web site and writes a newsletter on hypothyroidism. In Living Well, she offers an extensively researched guide to this complex condition. She covers conventional, alternative, and late-breaking approaches to treatment--such as challenging the gold standard of Synthroid as the thyroid replacement therapy of choice.(Synthroid replaces T4, the less active of the two thyroid hormones, and Shomon features new research on adding T3--the more potent thyroid hormone--to treatment.)

With her down-to-earth, patient-centered approach, Shomon explains everything from how to choose a thyroid specialist to how calcium, antidepressants, and a high-fiber diet affect thyroid hormone absorption.The book includes a chapter on depression, which is a typical misdiagnosis of hypothyroidism--as well as a symptom that often persists even after treatment. She also covers infertility (women who are hypothyroid don't ovulate as regularly and miscarry more frequently) and thyroid cancer, one of the less common causes of hypothyroidism. She explains how to spot hypothyroidism in kids, and ends with a glossary, international resources, and journal references.

Shomon creates a sense of community by excerpting e-mails from her vast network of patients--voices that bring a sense of humor so often missing from health books. One quibble: she could have avoided the antidoctor stance in the beginning of her book, where she blames physicians, rather than incomplete science, for the misdiagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism. --Rebecca Taylor ... Read more

Customer Reviews (64)

This book saved my life
I first heard of Mary Shomon through her excellent web site on hypothyroidism. Once I discovered that she had written this book, I promptly ordered it and read it from cover to cover. This book literally saved my life. Throughout my life, I have been ultrasensitive to hormonal changes and have suffered from a pituitary tumor. After my daughter was born, I was not the same person. My post-partum depression lasted a year and was coupled with other physical symptoms I could not explain. My primary care doctor was sympathetic and ran bunches of tests but they yielded nothing. Meanwhile, I got sicker and sicker with no hope in sight. Then I found and read this book. All of my symptoms were listed as hypothyroid symptoms. I had numerous risk factors for thyroid disease. I even found my specialist through this book and Mary's web site.

This book is a total eye-opener. Mary is a passionate advocate for patients everywhere who have lost hope. Her writing is clear and concise and explains complex information in a simple way. Not many writers can do that. In fact, this book is so good that I have recommended it to numerous friends of mine who also have thyroid problems. Even hyperthyroid patients should read it because they could end up hypothyroid.

Read it and then read it again. All medical books should have Mary Shomon at the helm. The world would be a much better place for it.

Hope for People Who are Told Their Thyroid is Normal
This is the most comprehensive, well researched, and best written book on this subject. The author is not a doctor but is so thoroughly informed on this subject through her own exhaustive research as well as through her collaboration and consultaton with recognized experts in many health disciplines including the medical field. She is someone who has suffered with hypothyroidism and has made it her mission to help others. I am an RN and I have read many other books on this subject and she is more thorough and professional in her approach than I've seen in most other books on the topic.

The author is refreshingly unbiased for the most part and readily admits where she may be biased due to her own personal experience. Even then, she writes with an open mind for the reader's sake to provide sound information so they can make intelligent choices. Her intention is clearly to help people understand the many ways this disease presents itself as well as to help people find appropriate treatment. She provides about 30 pages of resource material at the end of the book including web sites etc. literally leaving no stone unturned. If you have symptoms including fatigue, depression, digestive problems, weight gain, high cholesterol, fertility problems, low blood pressure, low body temperature, and brain fog to name a few, this may be important information to look at. Or if you have been tested for low thyroid and have been dismissed by medical professionals who say your thyroid is "in the normal range" but you know there is something wrong, buy this book! You may discover real help for the first time.

Best reference guide for Hypothyroid patients
I have owned this book for several years. I keep it close to my bedside for reference. It is one of the best sources of information on hypothyroidism I have discovered and I own many books on this annoying disease! Mary J. Shomon also has a great website which I am constantly visiting for updates. I found a great endochronoligist in my area via her website. I recommend you buy this book you won't be sorry because you just won't read it once - you will continue to reference this information as long as you need it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Diet / Health / Fitness   2. Diseases - General   3. Endocrinology & Metabolism   4. General   5. Health & Fitness   6. Health/Fitness   7. Healthy Living   8. Hypothyroidism   9. Popular works   10. Medical / Diseases   11. Thyroid gland   12. Diseases   13. Metabolism Disorders   14. Thyroid Physiology   

Merck Pharmaceuticals have edited a clear and comprehensive reference for older adults.Dr. Mark Beers begins with the age-old questions: when does a person become old and why does the body change? The remainder of this guide is divided into preventive and active care for self and others. The list of topics is a virtual everything you want to know about aging: nutritional needs, finding a doctor, understanding tests, surgery and rehabilitation, and long term care. More than one hundred specific medical conditions including fractures, constipation, tinnitus, dental disease, and dementia are explained and cross referenced with useful details. Although a clinical explanatory model prevails, non-traditional methods such as acupuncture and homeopathy receive honorable mention. The guide takes an unflinching look at sexuality, end of life decisions, and mistreatment of elderly adults. Other practical c! hapters are devoted to driving dilemmas and navigating the Byzantine financing of health care. This information is punctuated with essays from older adults--including a cheeky Max Sendak cartoon. The essays, along with charts, photos, and illustrations help to lessen the book's encyclopedic tone. Many older adults and the people who care for them will welcome the well-organized format and richly detailed information of this guide. --Barbara Mackoff ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aging   2. Aging - General   3. Diet / Health / Fitness   4. Diseases   5. General   6. Health and hygiene   7. Healthy Living   8. Medical   9. Older people   10. Medical / General   

Subjects:  1. Diet / Health / Fitness   2. Health & Fitness   3. Health/Fitness   4. Weight Loss