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This book is a great book on the history of prions. Max easily illustrates how prions are connected to other important diseases such as alzheimers and diabetes. He flawlessly goes from past to present, connecting the two times with the venetian family who has a defective prion gene. It is really amazing that prions don't affect more people. It is also a wake up call for the beef industry in America.

This is a fascinating medical 'thriller', only it's real! it was nearly impossible to stop listening to it and i think anyone who likes medical thrillers or anything related to the medical field, would love this.
The book focuses on prions and their role in disease, especially 'mad cow disease'.

This is a very scary book. The Family that Couldn't Sleep by D. T. Maxd was a very thought provoking study of some of the neurodegenerative diseases that have eluded our understanding. Most of those that the author mentions are truly horrific to the individual who suffers them and to their families. I started my nursing practice on a neurology ward where I encountered many of the maladies the author describes. What was particularly disturbing to me was that years later many of these insidious diseases are as little understood as they were when I first encountered them. The sufferer of ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis--often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease" after the baseball player who died from it--still finds medical science unable to offer much more than they did when it was first described. Huntington's Disease still devastates families that carry the genetic misprint. While the treatment of myasthenia gravis has progressed to some degree, that of Alzheimer's disease (the old organic brain syndrome or pre-senile dementia) and Creutzfeld-Jacab Disease (formerly referred to as Jacob-Creutzfeld's) are still in their infancy. The similarity between the latter disorder and Kuru has been known for years, but understanding and treatment elude us. According to the author, even the prion concept has its detractors. If nothing else the author was certainly able to capture the devastation that such disorders cause their sufferers and their families. In my early practice I met a man who came in with mild neurological symptoms; he received a diagnosis of Huntington's, and within months he became a changed person because of the unrelenting course of his disease. He ultimately ended up in a nursing home, more or less "insane." Worse yet was the fact that both of his children had a 50-50 chance of having the disorder or of passing the disposition on to their own children. The heartbreak of his wife in witnessing his decline and than recognizing the symptoms anew in her son was awful.

By bringing these disorders and the agonies of the sufferers to public attention Max may well spur more intensive research into these many disorders. And it's about time.

This book does a lot to clear up the story of prions, what they are, what they do, how their threat is real. The Italian family who gives the story its title is but one instance of prions affecting human and animal life. The research is impeccable, and particularly interesting is the process by which medical and veterinary sciences came together to begin unraveling the prion mystery. Because, to be accurate, documentation on how livestock has been affected by prion disease had been, until recently, far more complete and detailed than human prion disease.

The author tells the story unemotionally, which is good, but the reading is far from arid or too technical. The human factor -- how scientists competed for the credit, sometimes damaging other professionals' reputations and careers -- makes it even more interesting. All this makes "The Family That Couldn't Sleep" a fundamental work for anyone who wants to understand these proteins better, and also for people curious about the inner workings of scientific research.

You may find yourself staying up all night to finish this fascinating book. Just be glad you don't share the wrong genes with the family of the title.

This account of prion-based spongiform encephelopathic diseases covers a lot of ground: the Italian family of the title suffering from FFI (fatal familial insomnia), the mysterious epidemic of kuru among the Fore tribe of New Guinea, eventually linked to the practice of eating their dead ancestors' brains, the rare genetically transmitted Creuzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD), various animal spongiform encephelopathies, from scrapie in sheep to mad cow disease to chronic wasting disease in deer. All of these diseases share a common feature - they are transmitted by an infectious agent of a kind thought until recently by scientists to be impossible, and the incubation time from infection to manifestation of disease symptoms is remarkably long. The culprits are *prions*, which are a type of rogue protein. The idea that a protein could act as an infectious agent flew completely in the face of scientific received wisdom to date when first introduced and the science underlying this class of degenerative brain diseases is both complex and controversial.

The author's exposition is clear, but ultimately I think he does not do complete justice to the material (which is really fascinating). It may be that his scope is too ambitious - with so much ground to cover, the exposition occasionally lapses into sketchiness. To be fair, there can be no single "right" level of detail that would suit all readers, and D.T. Max generally shows good judgement about what to include to keep the exposition intelligible while moving his story along.

That said, the material related to kuru, cannibalism among the Fore, and the linkage to scrapie, CJD, and mad cow disease has already been presented in the 1998 book by Richard Rhodes, "Deadly Feasts: Tracking The Secrets Of A Terrifying New Plague". I preferred the Rhodes account - his exposition of the science was clearer, and I thought he told a better, tighter story.

However, there's not that much to choose between the two, and Max's book does have the extra material about FFI, which is interesting in its own right. Max does make one misjudgement, in my opinion, which is to include an account of his own illness (he has been diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease which, although it is a neurodegenerative muscular disorder, is neither prion-related nor an amyloid plaque disease). Inclusion of this essentially irrelevant material is a distraction, which just muddies the exposition.

One final criticism is that Max includes an unquestioning discussion of putative geographical "clusters" of CJD cases, based solely on their identification by patients' family members, whom he refers to as "Creutzfeldt Jakobins" (a hideous, tin-ear coinage, which he seems to think is clever). These so-called clusters are almost certainly spurious, based on an incorrect application of the relevant probability models and Max's failure to identify the error detracts from his objectivity as a science writer and contributes to a presentation of disease spread scenarios which are unduly alarmist. The discussion of possible treatment options in the final chapter also struck me as weak, an over-interpretation of what are essentially just anecdotal data. One sees this kind of over-interpretation all the time in the popular press, but I would have expected better from a science writer as experienced as D.T. Max.

However, these are minor criticisms of this well-written account of a fascinating subject.

I served in the RCAF durin ww2. I later flew fighters in th USAF, served as captain on USAirways for 28 years.I have written 5 books on aviation.Jeoffrey Wellum's book is a master piece.His breath -taking descriptions of aeral battles puts you right in the cockpit of his BEAUTIFUL Spitfire.
" The narrow legs of it 'undercarrage give it a delicate apperance.It has the air of a thoroughbread---It's ellipitical wings and sleder body give it an air above all other fighters,the sound of it'sRR Merline engine produces a sound ,like nothing else in the air.I firmly believe that the Spitfire was the most beautiful fighter of ww2, and I as jeoffery said ,I would also give my arm to fly it.
I don't know which was his most dangerous flying conditions were,weather flack, or bullets. He did a yomans job in all these instances.
I have read dozens of books by RAF fighter pilots, This book is at the top of my list.Great job " BOY"

The best first hand book on flying - particularly the Spitfire, I have ever read. And I've read a lot!

Excellent first person account of the Battle of Britain but not the best I've read. If you're looking for something with a little more of the overall picture, try Fly For Your Life by Robert Stanford Tuck. Tuck's book is definitely the best memoir on the Battle of Britain I've come across and one of the best WW II books I've ever read.

This is one of those books I pick up again and again just to read a random chapter. It is that well written. It tells a story of a generation of people and there unbelievable courage & humility. I know because my own father was one of them. The deeply humourous and self depreciating strong and silent type. I doubt we shall see there like again.

Bookwriters use their fantasy and imagination to tell a tale.
Geoffrey Wellum has written from his younger years, from his own experience,what kind of world he faced.A story so incredible that our mind almost refuse to believe it's true. There's one way of capturing a reader, and that is HONESTY. Mr.Wellum is dead honest.I'm reading the book for the tenths time, stil laughing at some situations and very, very sad at others.A book very hard to put down.I guess most of the persons who want to read this book is aviations "freaks", but this book is a good read whoever you are.I've been so fortunate to have met, one of my heroes,mr Geoffrey Wellum, and talked to him.A fantastic person that I hope to meet again.

This book pulled me in; I couldn't help but keep turning the pages til I reached the end.

This was an entertaining story. It portrays these creatures that give dreams and their struggles to help people through their dreams and to help them fight off creatures that bring nightmares. It also tells the story of an 8 year old boy abused by his father who also abused her mother and has now gone off to live with an elderly lady. It was a very short book. Very easy to read and pretty interesting. It starts out a little slow for the 1st couple of chapters before you figure out what's going on. Then it's very interesting.

Gossamer was one of the best books that I have ever read! The best part about it was Littlest, the main character in the story. She was entergetic and "happy" from the beginning. Even so, that it also what makes this book not one of my most favorite books. I don't think that the main character changed very much in the book, and she stayed the same. It would be a better book if Littlest changed even a little bit in the book. She was not so dull, but not really that exciting in the book, because of that reason only. If it hadn't been for that reason, I think that Gossamer would be one of my most favorite books of all time.

This is a story by Lois Lowry about three different people living, changing, and their dreams. They experience relationships, hardships, and find ways to understand themselves and do better. In the beginning, they all are facing difficult problems without seeing any solution. In the middle everyone started to help each other and understand the other person's feelings and situation. The power of dreams, through Dream givers and Sinisteeds, start to affect the people. In the end, after much struggle, they all find ways to begin to solve their problems.
Gossamer was a fantastic book for a fifth grade class. This book makes you continue to think a lot, even when you are not reading it. It is well written and lets you understand and feel the emotion of each character. Great descriptions help you visualize the detail. Our discussions were filled with emotions and understanding our own selves. It made you think about your problems and how to solve them more easily. We realized that we get much hope from the power of our dreams and our minds. You cannot put down the book until you are finished. People who are into fantasy, realistic fiction, and basically people in the real world, can have the same feelings. The book that Lois Lowry wrote is heartwarming and everyone will love it.

Lowry grabs your attention immediately with one of the most precious story characters of all time, Littlest. This tiny one is a dream-giver in training who has the most gentle of touches - a gossamer touch - when she gathers memory information from the objects of her assigned human. The memories are mixed together to form dreams that are bestowed upon the human, bringing happiness and strength. Littlest and her faithful trainer, Thin Elderly, become especially concerned about an elderly woman and her new foster son who has faced terrible abuse. The dialogue from this wounded boy is so poignant and heart-wrenching. He has only a few good memory objects to choose from and the sinisteeds (nightmare givers) are descending upon him nightly. The boy's mother has a dream-giver, too, aiding her as she seeks to retake control of her life in a positive way in order to get her son back. The dream-givers sense the presence of an evil horde of sinisteeds preparing a group attack.

Personally, I think every child would benefit from reading this compassionate glimpse into the struggle of a single-mom, the inward pain of a foster child, and the loneliness of the elderly.

Captivating!

I have never met Thomas Ashley Farrand, but he seems like a familiar person. I have both the CD and this book. I bought the CD to hear the mantras. I like Farrand's voice. As far as this book, I think it is very well-written. It is more of an introductory book, and it is great for someone just starting out, and he is very good at explaining things and making you feel that he put his heart-felt, personal touch to writing this.

This is great guide for those who want to introduce themselves in the world of mantra meditation or yoga mantra.

Very well written. Immensely helpful for any openminded people.
Hope that everybody understood the benefit of mantras that the author has
so well described. Strong recommendation.

A good book for those who interested in transcendental meditation. It explains very well about the using of mantra.

This book offers a wonderful view into the world of using sound to heal the body, mind, and soul. It provides an excellent foundation for understanding the power of mantras.

When I purchased this book (about four years ago), I had a lot of problems with my eyes. I used to get ulcers on my cornea, and no doctors were able to explain why this happened. I discovered a mantra in this book, dedicated to healing the eyes. After practicing this mantra for a few weeks, my eyes began to feel better. After a few months, my eye doctor was suprised to find a noticeable improvement in my eyesight. Since practicing this mantra, I've only experienced one more corneal ulcer (about two years ago).

Since then, I've incorporated many of the mantras found in this book into my daily life.

Peace be with you! Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti!

This has to be one of my favorites and no child should be without it. The text is lively and easy to read and reads like people really talk, which gives the story a lot of warmth. The illustrations are beautifully drawn with lots of detail and humor and also look true to life, from the pained expression on the dad's face as he's rowing the boat, to sister Jane peeking from the top of the stairs or chasing the cat under the bench in Mr. Condon's store. Jane is depicted just as most children her age really are - a real livewire who is both curious and active, climbing and getting into things - she reminds me of my 16 month old daughter! And Sal is accurately portrayed as a typical preschooler - asking detailed questions about everything and talking up a storm.

You won't be disappointed. This classic is a must for any preschooler.

This book is a beautiful picture book, and I still enjoy looking at it. The pictures are gorgeous. And this isn't a cheesy book. It's a wonderful story for children, and I highly recommend it! Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Great condition! I remember this childhood book being illustrated in navy blue ink. Has this been changed? I was looking forward to that. Great service. Thank you.

I had this book when I was a child and bought it for my grand-neice because I love the book. I was so happy to see that it is still in print. It is a wonderful little story and the illustrations are amazing. I highly recommend this story for all youngsters.

To a child, every morning is a new start with infinite possibilities; at least that's how it should be. In this classic 1953 book Robert McCloskey brings a child's simple world to life. McCloskey, better known for his Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal, gives us another look at little Sal. The story is timeless and his line drawings bring the children to life.

The simple coastal lifestyle of more than half a century ago may be hard to find today, in part because of the high local tax valuation of shore and island properties. Still, if you were to take a child to the rocky coast of Maine this summer, she could be little Sal in the clam flats. One Morning in Maine (Picture Puffin) is full of that magical atmosphere where the land and ocean meet. We all want that magic!

McCloskey's Caldecott-honored book tells a simple story. Young Sal wakes up on a sunny morning in Maine with an adventure in store. She and her little sister are going with their father in the boat to Buck's Harbor to dig clams. There are idyllic family scenes, lessons from their father about the world around them, ice cream cones at the store, and the disappointment of a loose tooth lost in the clam flats.

Simple stuff? It certainly is, and just the sort of simple stuff children thrive on. Sal's morning may be long ago and far away, but the curiosity and wonder of a child's new day will be with us forever.

Linda Bulger, 2008

This book shows how we can all grow and "become" as long as we live. It is delightfully written, characters are real and can be related to!!

This is a must read for the over 40 crowd. A GREAT read for teens on up.

I have enjoyed this series of books. They are an easy read and you can't help but laugh out loud sometimes. I enjoy the words of wisdom that you receive from the book. It is easy to think of the book as a sort of devotional. I have shared the books with my friends. I have just purchased the last two in the series and can't wait to read them. I have the hardback devotional book that goes along with the Sisterchick books and it is very good also.

This was the first book I read and I am now forever hooked!

"Sisterchicks on the Loose" is a fun and hilarious read! Women of all ages can relate to these two crazy sisterchicks, lost in drama and searching for God in the midst of their adventures. You'll both tear up and giggle while reading this fantastic story! =)

A great Christian fiction book. It is so much fun to live through this pair of sisterchicks! It is about two best friends going on an adventure and then, learning more and more about themselves. No one goes home the same! It is fun but also thought provoking!

My Special Education class loved this book. The pictures are delightful and the story is fun and exciting for my Kindergarten/First Grade Class. This book was selected by my department as a suggested book for use in my class.

The warmth and openness that the authors convey in this book makes you feel like you live in that neighborhood yourself. Cute story; beautiful artwork. Children as young as 2 are drawn in and fascinated by the magical storyline. Great read-aloud book!

This imaginative little fantasy is sure to bring a smile to the lips of the smallest children and start a playful exchange of ideas. This is beginning imagination at its coolest. However be sure that you playfully talk to them about the book and get their ideas on what happens to snowmen during the night. Do not leave them with thre impression that snowmen are animated.

Even though we live in Florida and don't have snow my 3 year old son enjoys this book. It has good rhythm and cute story. This book was one of his preschool teachers favorites so we bought it. I am glad we did.

I've received this book & given it as a gift several times. It is good for young childrem, simple to read & the illustrations are beautiful. It is a great gift for new parents or grandparents. Also the the other book Snowmen at
Christmas is just as great.

Wow! Book arrived in perfect condition and delivered as promised.
I couldn't ask for more.

Thank you.

This book shares with the reader the incredible ability of one woman to take all of the bumps that life has to offer and to never give up. The importance of a name and the need to hear it spoken is powerful.

This book was excellent it told the story of slavery from an female point of view "Roots" was from a male point of view. It taught me so much I would definetly use this book for students in African American studies classes. GOOD JOB! If you are interested in African Americans past and what we went though as a whole get this book it teaches very well! It is a BIG book I loved it so much I read it in 3 days!

I read this book for my book club. I wouldn't have chosen it myself. I read the book with the same obligation that you take medicine - you know you should to make you feel better. I felt like this was a "should" book.

I like historical fiction, but I really don't enjoy reading about the torture and killing and slavery of other human beings. I think that Hill did an incredible job with his historical facts, but I found the main character implausible.

This book is amazing. It is incredibly well written and the storyline is envoking. Once you start, you'll find you can't put it down. The author does an amazing job at describing events and situations. And when you read about those events you really feel the emotions with each scenario. Wonderful book!!

Wow! I couldn't beleive how much I truly enjoyed this book. The love story between Summer and Peter was a bittersweet event. Summer, who lost her whole family to disease, and Peter, widow and father of a young son, must learn to love again and let someone new into their lives. Wonderful is all I have to say - a MUST READ!

I enjoyed this book very much. Good book. Look forward to more books by this author.

Set on the early 1900's mid-western prairie, "Waiting for Summer's Return" is masterfully written. A glimpse into the old Mennonite way of life, a sprinkling of German, a handful of elegantly crafted characters, and Sawyer's attention to detail makes for delightful historical fiction.
With delicate skill, Sawyer lays out the clear plan of salvation and a God-ordained prescription for coping with and overcoming withering grief. However, do not be deceived by the book's weighty topics. "Waiting for Summer's Return" is well-rounded with an enchanting plot complete with touches of gentle humor that break the tension at just the right moments.
This is one of the better books, I have read recently. Recommended.

I have to admit that I've read this "story" before. We all have. The grief-stricken widow finds new hope through a widower and his son. HOWEVER, Kim Sawyer has brushed freshness over the plot and inserted twists that erase predictability. Also her writing style is perfection. Waiting for Summer's Return is high on my recommended list.

Kim Vogel Sawyer created a believable story of a mother and wife suffering the pangs of grief after the loss of her four children and husband.

Summer Steadman finds herself alone in a small Mennonite community in Gaeddart, Kansas during the fall of 1894. So deep in mourning that she finds food repugnant, she has allowed her body to become weakened. Her soul has become as emaciated as her body. No longer sure that God loves her or anyone else, Summer's only real wish is to join her family in death. It seems God has other plans for her, though.

Peter Ollenburger, a local gristmill owner, is in need of a teacher for his son, Thomas. Since the young boy is housebound after an accident resulting in broken ribs and can't ride his horse to school, he is falling behind in his studies. Peter's wife, Elsa, would be the logical choice to be his teacher, but she died six years earlier. Peter needs someone to live on his property and give the boy his lessons until he is fully recovered. After learning that Summer Steadman has lost her family to illness and has need of a position, he proposes that she come live in his home as Thomas's teacher. When objections to the impropriety of the situation are brought to his attention, Peter agrees that Summer could live in his shariah rather than in the house with the family. Wanting only to be close to the graves of her family, Summer accepts Peter's proposition and moves to his property.

What awaits the reader of Waiting for Summer's Return is a journey of relationship renewals. Summer and Peter both travel the path toward new knowledge of people and God. The trip is filled with bumps and ruts much like the road to the town of Gaeddart. As Thomas grows to know his temporary teacher, his affection for her grows to become the love of a child for a mother. Neither Summer nor Peter had planned on this complication. What are they to do? How will God orchestrate the symphony of their lives?

Kim Vogel Sawyer's writing is a joy to read. Her characters catch the reader's heart. It is hard to put the book down in order to carry on with life. Waiting for Summer's Return is one of those books you will want to keep reading to the point where the dishes will stack up in the sink and the laundry will go unwashed because you have to read just one more chapter. And that chapter leads to another and then another. Go ahead read those chapters. The dishes and the laundry will be there when you finish the book.

I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Plasker at the 1st annual DCS Jam and the book is a must for anyone who wants to be in on the 100 year lifestyle. This is also a great read for your patients!

Dr Erik Plasker's Book is a great read for anyone looking to take stock of their life. The main message revolves around the fact that many of us will live to be 100 and beyond, so we may as well start preparing for this increased longevity that not many of us have planned for.
"What changes would you make today, if you knew you would live to be 100?"
Health, finances, relationships, career, social, and more are looked at in this book.
What will we do with this advanced warning our ancestors didn't get?

This book is life changing! Realizing that we have all this time to accomplish things in life is an awesome feeling. I loved the comparison of cris care vs. self care. If people realized this and started practicing this we would have a healthier nation. I have personally given out over a hundred copies of this book and everyone for Christmas will be getting a copy!

I've given this book to more than 100 people. They are changing their lives from stopping smoking and loosing weight, to starting exercise. The people that take the message of the 100 year lifestyle to heart are playing harder and living a higher quality of life. Thank you Dr. Plasker for allowing me the privilege of helping so many people through your wonderful book.

Dr. Plasker presents a compelling blueprint for a hundred year lifestyle. Whether or not you seriously have a shot at living to be a centenarian, his advice here on health, diet, fitness and emotional/spiritual well-being makes eminent sense. It is truly a holistic approach to lifestyle and longevity that has merit. Making the book more practical is the fact that it has a number of checklists and each chapter closes with a list of action items for the reader to take. The latter underscores the point that merely reading a book will not improve your lifestyle unless you follow through, act and execute upon it.

Since Dr Plasker himself is a chiropractor, there is a pitch for preventative chiropractic care. His plea here is not over-the-top or in-your-face, however, and is probably well founded.

The author's point is that many lifestyle changes can produce long-term positive results. In many cases, though perhaps not all, certain types of illness are products of lifestyle and tiny diet and fitness decisions made over the course of months and years. Making better fitness and health decisions every day can put extra years in your life and life in your years.