History Books

This is a great book!! The stories are a wonderful collection for anyone who was a child OR adult during this time frame. If not read it anyway, it's very enjoyable to read. I took this book on a flight to Denver and had many people as me where I got it.

This book brings back memories of Christmas past. It is informative and entertaining. I gave this as a gift to four different people and got a copy for myself.

This book was an incredible walk down Memory Lane! I couldn't put it down. For all those reminiscing and hungry for "how it used to be" I highly recommend this book!

I bought this book for my mom (81 years old), and it brought back amazing memories for her from her teenage years through the first 20 years of her marriage. The package of ornaments shown on page 11 is the identical one my parents had bought (which we still have - most of them, anyway!). She (and I) enjoyed it so much, I also got copies for my aunt and a family friend of the same age as my mom. They both loved the book, and talked of all the memories it brought back for them, as well. It's a fun book that wil bring back memories for anyone who lived through those years.

I bought this book last year and again this year sat down to enjoy the wonderful photos. It brought back wonderful memories of a time before consumer advocacy when we used lead and fiber glass all over our homes, and especially during the holidays when we pulled out the painted ornaments (and ashtrays and candy dishes and ceramic figurines of Santa and the Baby Jesus) and angel hair for the tree. I can still feel the itching as I write this :-)

I highly recommend this book for anyone who remembers Christmas anywhere between 1940 and 1965. It brought back some lovely memories (aside from the itching).

Collins gets it. Baseball people have a certain way about them, and Collins obviously is one of them; he also knows how to write about them. This book--an in-depth and endearing look at the 2002 Chatham A's of the Cape Cod Baseball League--shines with the polish of good baseball writing about a great baseball subject. The players and team staff come to life, as does the ebb and flow of a summer on the cape. The poignancy of this moment in time, in these specific lives and in this specific baseball season, got me a little misty-eyed at the end. These are the kinds of dreams everyone should have, at least once in awhile, even when they have to come to an end.

This is such a big part of why I love baseball.

This is a terrific book for any fan of baseball. The book discusses three main characters in how they came to baseball how they played growing up and in college and then how the fare in the Cape League. I've passed the book on to several others who have loved it as well. A must for any baseball fan.

This book offers excellent insight into what collegiate players will do to make it to the big leagues. The glimpses of small town fans are also interesting. The reader is exposed to a part of baseball few know much about. Informative and fun to read.

Simply a fantastic book. Well-researched, intriguing, personal, etc. Shows why baseball is unique as compared to all other sports. There are so many nuances always to explore. The Central Illinois League, another amateur summer league, is a good example of a smaller version of the Cape Cod League as well. Either way, this book was an easy read on a long plane ride. No other sport could have produced a book's topic/story like this. Well done, Mr. Collins. Well done, baseball, as always.

If you like decent writing and/or, you are a baseball fan, just read it. I thought about the book long after I had finished reading it.

As a former Outward Bound instructor who loves adventure, I found this book riveting. As a business coach I know that learning occurs when we are on the edge, in a little less familiar place. This story supplements the narratives about Shackleton because Perkins takes the story and applies it to leadership. Hence, it becomes contemporary. I liked some of his points so much that I referenced him in my book. I strongly encourage you to read this book. Doug Gray, PCC, author of [ASIN:0975884158 Passionate Action: 5 Steps to Extraordinary Success in Life and Work]]sionate Action.

Perkins uses Shackleton's Antarctic expedition of the early 1900's to identify ten leadership strategies. These stategies have proven useful for me in both military and civilian business settings. Perkins uses real-life examples form the Shackleton expedition in Part One to identify the strategies. In Part Two he uses recent (from when the book was written) business example to demonstrate how these strategies can be applied. This is an easy read and the stories of the Shackleton expedition helped keep my focus on the people that we lead while keeping the ultimate goal in sight. The title of this book applies whether you are leading at the edge of the world, the edge of survival, or at the edge of competition.
"Fortitudine Vincimus"!

This book is a "must read" for everyone aspiring to become a leader. The different life and death situations that Shackleton and his men faced, and how they overcame the obstacles in their way, is an example for all to follow.

The book is written masterfully, allowing the reader to reflect on how different leadership techniques were applied and how to apply the techniques to the situations particular to the reader.

Outstanding Work!

A fantastic text based on an epic journey. The history of Shackleton's ill-fated expedition is a sharp contrast to the modern view which epitomizes personal liberty as the highest virtue.

This book features vignettes from an expedition faced with nearly insurmountable odds that highlight the difficult choices faced by Shackleton and his men. In the face of adversity, they managed to endure, though not without cost. Perhaps the most moving part of the narrative is knowing that, after he and a few of his men made it (barely) to the safety of a remote whaling outpost, he insisted on mounting numerous rescue attempts for his other stranded crew-mates until they were successfully extracted.

I highly recommend this book to anyone, whether or not you are involved in business management. As a father, I found many of the examples and stories inspirational, and I have shared them with my children to teach them the virtues of perseverence and the responsibilities of leadership.

The author, Dennis N. T. Perkins, shows extraordinary insight in leadership with 10 clearly stated principles. Based in strong part on Shackelton's expedition, these 10 principles are not only clearly stated, but truly make a difference. It is obvious that Perkins understands leadership. The book is easy to read, but takes plenty of mental energy. This book should be read by any manager, and should be considered a classic.

A lovely book with some of the best printing I have seen in a while - glossy paper and superb clarity. This is a reading of Attenborough's wonderful style, ever facinating and informative. I have it by my bed side and my wife insists I read something to her from this book before going to sleep. Highly recommended.

Not only does this book explain the "what" and "where," more importantly, it answers the "how" and "why" of so many bird species around the world starting with their first discovery. The amount of information presented is astounding and well worth your time!

I have recently reviewed The Life of Mammals, also by David Attenborough, and I liked that book so much I had to go out and find this book, in which the author tells us about birds.

I have always thought that David Attenborough was most fascinated by birds, judging from this item and his television series. As usual, his enthusiasm comes across as honest, concise, and illuminating (no slogging through dry texts here; this is fun).

Beautiful color photographs are not only a nice bonus here, but are detailed and large (certainly there has gone as much care into them as the rest of the book). The Life of Birds is structured in 10 chapters that each in turn handles a separate item (example: The Demands of the Egg is about, well, eggs). But the whole spectrum of bird-life is treated here: feeding, all kinds of behavior, etc., etc..

Good reading.

This is the companion book to the David Attenborough series of the same name. David shows in this book, that he is not only a great television presenter, but a great author. It's very hard to put down once you've gotten into it.

Like the series, this is highly entertaining, fascinating, and educational. The chapters coincide with the program, there are ten programs in the series and ten chapters in this book all bearing the same names. Also, like the footage of the series, the photography in this book is incredible. Many pictures are very puzzling, as to how they were taken. A lot of work was expended into capturing these images and it shows.

And yes, of course, there is shared information between this book and the programs but you really don't mind reading it again. Also, there is a lot of behavior, facts, and birds that are not featured in the series.

This book perfectly complements the program and also stands well alone. So, if you are interested in "The Life of Birds" series, this also is a must-have!

LIFE OF BIRDS is a gorgeous journey into the evolution, behavior, and unique characteristics of hundreds of species of birds, varying from Antarctic-dwelling Emperor Penguins to amazing little hummingbirds (and everything in between). The photos are striking, and almost all the birds in the photos are discussed individually in the reader-friendly text. The author knows how to make bird facts fascinating. Every once in a while, I had to put down the book just so I could share with others whatever amazing bit of information I had learned about birds.

I'll be honest and admit I didn't find LIFE OF BIRDS as engaging a read as LIFE OF MAMMALS, which is also by the same author. But I think that's because I'm a big cat and wolf type of person, not a bird person at all. I've never been particularly interested in birds, and only bought LIFE OF BIRDS because I thought LIFE OF MAMMALS was fantastic. Though I did thoroughly enjoy LIFE OF BIRDS, it took me longer to read it (discussions about aerodynamics are not my thing). The best thing I liked about LIFE OF BIRDS were the photos, many of which were pretty gross, showing birds eating monkeys, snakes eating birds, birds eating poop, etc. Everyone loved gawking at those.

Imagine your mother waking you in the middle of the night with the news that everyone in your family, including yourself, would perish the very next day? That's exactly what happened to Alex Kurzem. But rather than sit idly by, helpless to the inevitable, Kurzem escaped that night, setting off on a lifelong journey of deception as a Jewish boy pretending to be a German, new name and all, of Latvian descent. After foraging in the woods for months, Kurzem was finally taken in by a group of soldiers. The tradeoff for being kept alive? Kurzem would be used as a propaganda tool, or mascot, for the Nazi Party. Only 60 years later would he ever reveal the secret to his family. Watch as Kurzem's son, Mark, pieces together his father's life. A page-turner that might be one of the best Holocaust stories ever written, if you only read one book this year, make it "The Mascot" by Mark Kurzem.

I just read this book in a one-day blue streak. I could not put it down. It will move you, amaze you, sadden you, and humble you.

Without reciting all of the details, this is a must read for people interested in understanding the Holocaust.

This book is very interesting. I rate it a must read; however, it is very slow at the beginning.

I couldn't help but think while reading of what Alex witnessed and then the ensuing childhood being raised by Nazis, the story of Moses, a Hebrew who falls into the hands of the Pharoah's daughter. He too was raised by people who slaughtered and enslaved his people. Too bad Alex has not yet connected with his Old Testament roots. Moses became a great leader and great man by God leading the Jews out of Eqypt.

There are parallels than can be drawn.

This is an exceptionally well-written book that tells an amazing story. Since other reviewers have given the details of the story, I will not rehash them. Suffice to say that Alex Kurzem's story is a good example of the terrible suffering innocent individuals have had to endure (a suffering that may even be worse than death itself) as a result of Nazi cruelty.

Some reviewers have said this book is unfair to the Latvian people and tarnishes the entire nation with the same brush. I beg to differ. I believe the author went out of his way to distinguish between those Latvians (police and troops) who committed war crimes and those Latvians who did not (such as the family that took in his father). Even with regard to Commander Lobe, whose soldiers did commit atrocities, the author is careful to indicate he can not say for certain that the commander participated in those war crimes although he may have.

It would have helped to set the stage for his story if the author had included a brief introductory chapter on the history of Latvia during World War II. Nazi Germany and the USSR divided Poland between themselves in 1939. Then, in the spring of 1940, with no pretext or justification, Stalin swallowed up the three Baltic republics of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Naturally, the Latvians were outraged at this groundless conquest of their country and communization of their economy. Most Latvian Jews, however, were more willing to accommodate themselves to life under Soviet rule, even if it meant giving up personal property, because they felt they were now safe from the Nazis. In June 1941, however, Hitler broke his alliance with Stalin and turned on Russia. When the Nazis conquered Latvia, most Latvians saw them as liberators from the hated Russians, especially since they restored the Latvians' private property (that is, other than the Latvian Jews' property). One thing the Nazis did not restore, however, was Latvia's independence. The more thoughtful Latvians realized this. To them the Nazis may have been the lesser of the two evils, but they were still evil. Other Latvians, however, saw the Nazis as their friends, protectors and allies. This was unfortunate, and both the Latvians and the Latvian Jews ended up paying a terrible price. Close to 90 percent of all Latvian Jews were killed by the Nazis and those Latvians who made common cause with them. In addition, some Latvians even went into other countries (including Alex Kurzen's village in what is now Belarus) to help the Nazis commit their evil atrocities. Toward the end of the war, the USSR took over Latvia and annexed it. For the next 45 years the Latvians knew no freedom and the Soviets settled many Russians in their country, who live there to this day.

The Latvians should have at least tried to follow the example of the nearby Finns. The Russians also wanted to conquer Finland and as a result Finland allied itself with Nazi Germany. But the Finns fought only to regain the land Russia had taken from them and refused to participate in the Nazi invasion of Russia itself nor did they send troops to help the Nazis anywhere else. The Finns refused to harm their country's Jewish citizens nor would they turn them over to the Nazis, though Germany requested they do so many times.

As a result, the Russians grudgingly respected the Finns and did not see them as Nazi puppets or stooges. Finland therefore managed to maintain its freedom and democracy in the aftermath of World War II, though they had to remain neutral in the Cold War, so as not to offend their Russian neighbor.

The moral of the story: If a nation puts its trust in another nation to the extent that it willingly relinquishes its independence and willingly ceases to take responsibility for its actions, there will be a price to pay.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I've read several other similar ones, but this one managed to achieve a balance that many of the others did not. It was also very suspenseful. The plot of this novel is built around the little known midwives of the Exodus story. Ray's protagonist, Puah, is an apprentice midwife to Shifrah. Puah demonstrates great strength and integrity. I felt it was very spiritual and uplifting without being corny.

One of the few books to ever make me cry while reading. Even a movie doesn't often take me there. This book made me want to kiss my children, read my Bible and give my husband a great warm hug. Life was so deeply felt even in the midst of such terror.

I need another one....get to writing Mrs. Ray.

Puah is the heroine of the novel. She is a young midwife living in Pharoah's world. When she is given orders by Pharaoh to kill all male Hebrew babies, Puah finds the courage within her to defy him.
I found this book to be more of a love story, than a historical fiction novel, but that didn't bother me the least bit. Puah and her husband Hattush's love story was so moving. Certain parts were real tear-jerkers. I really appreciated the quotes from the Bible at the beginning of each chapter.
I was so sad to see the book come to an end.

This book provides a very vivid picture of how the events may have unfolded around the time of Moses's birth. It is nice to be able to understand the characters and how they may have acted and felt. At its best, this tale is both informative and moving.

However, this is not a piece of great literature. The story is, sometimes painfully, contrived and trite. The repetition of phrases like "fine linen" and awkwardly used flashbacks quickly become grating.

The story of Puah is compelling, but the telling of it is not. Despite its weakness, this is still a good read for those who want new insight into a very familiar story.

A wonderfully written and fascinating tale of the midwives Puah and Shiphrah. Brenda Ray brought the characters to life unfolding a story filled with romance, inspiration and gripping drama. A very enjoyable book; I was a bit sad for it to end. I found The Midwife's Song to be a more compelling read than The Red Tent.

If one is seeking the truth about the Catholic Church, this bible is the answer. There are questions in this bible about our faith that I never new exixted. There is so much I have to learn about my faith. This bible is an extention of my Catholic teaching that stopped after high school.

Although I grew up in a predominantly Catholic area (southwest Louisiana), I was raised Baptist and often felt that Catholics were odd or completely wrong in their belief system. As I grew older, I began to investigate different faiths in order to find the one I belonged to. In the end, though, I was called home to the Catholic Church and came into full communion with it in 2000. Naturally, I began to receive a ton of questions, answers, attacks and misinformation from multiple Protestant sources, including some who were friends or family. I began to research my newfound faith with much zeal in order to defend it properly. As the years passed, my family and friends (the ones that hadn't given up on me) grew to accept me as a Catholic. Still, I often run into questions from them that I can't immediately answer. Thanks to the New Catholic Answer Bible, I now have a ready resource to reply to them with.

Containing the New American translation of the Catholic Bible, this answer Bible offers brief sections every few pages that explains certain Catholic beliefs with Biblical references. The beliefs range from the papacy to baptism and everything in between.

Solid Biblical references are the only true defense of the faith when talking to Protestants in my opinion, especially since the majority of them rely on no other source for their own beliefs. Referring to Catholic Tradition or the catechism usually doesn't work. Luckily, this book provides proof that can be found in the books of the Protestant Bible as well as the Catholic one.

If you're just beginning to study the Catholic faith, the New Catholic Answer Bible is an excellent, quick and handy resource. I also recommend books by apologists such as Scott Hahn, Karl Keating and Patrick Madrid as well as the wonderful "Why Do Catholics Do That?" by Kevin Orlin Johnson.

This Bible contains a lot of information about the history of the Bible that I believe a lot of people don't know. It also contains helpful, relevant information & comprehensive answers to questions asked about Church doctrine.

Everyone knows the stereotype: Catholics don't read the Bible. And, there is some truth to that, in spite of the fact that we hear the Bible read to us every week in mass. Basically, many Catholics do not know what is in the Bible, at least not in much detail, and are often taken aback when confronted by non-Catholics who point to unfamiliar verses or stories that seem to contradict Catholic teaching. This Bible goes a long way to remedy the situation and here's how.

The authors examine many difficult or controversial teachings and for each one, give a clear explanation for why we believe what we believe. This in and of itself is extremely useful. However, they go one step further and give Scripture references for these teachings as well as where they are addressed in the Catechism. In other words, this Bible not only helps Catholics understand the Bible, but also points them in a direction for greater study and exploration. Some of the topics covered are: God, Christ, Mary, the Church, the Saints, the Sacraments, Purgatory, Images, Papal Authority, Salvation, and practice. One example of an article is: why do Catholics call priests "father?" This Bible uses the text of the New American Bible and includes the lectionary cycle and text of the Roman rite of the mass.

There are a couple of negatives about this Bible, however. First, I'm not a big fan of the New American Bible. The translation is banal and many of the notes are either unhelpful or unclear. Basically, a Catholic could learn a lot from the articles and get even more confused from the NAB notes! The RSV-CE2 would've been a better translation choice. Second, Catholics who are knowledgeable about their faith may find the articles a tad too basic. But, in all fairness, the Bible seems geared towards those who don't understand much about their faith.

Overall, this is a great resource for Catholics who may not be aware of the teachings of their Church and their biblical roots. It's perfect for those wanting to grow in faith and have an answer when asked by non-Catholics.

An excellent study Bible for Catholics and all who are interested in summaries of Catholic teachings. The entire New American Bible is presented and about every sixty pages a section of questions and Catholic answers is given. With these questions and answers, specific scriptural references are given that can easily be refered to.

In Not Between Brother author David Marion Wilkinson relates the epic story of Texas spanning the years from 1816 to 1861. Wilkinson uses the life story of his primary protagonist, Remy Fuqua, to tell the Anglo, Tejano, and to some extent the Mexican parts of the tale. On the other side, Wilkinson puts the reader into a virtual alternate universe by following the life a Comanche warrior named Kills White Bear. The lives of Remy and Kills White Bear become inextricably bound together through a series of unfortunate incidents that are mostly fueled by their mutual desire for vengeance. Indeed, the book closes with one final tragic encounter between them.

On the larger stage of history, Wilkinson's book tells the story of Texas (or Tejas) from its days as part of the Spanish colonial empire, through its Mexican statehood, its days as an independent republic, and its annexation to the United States. The book closes as secession fever strikes and the state legislature withdraws Texas from the Union over the objections of its governor, Sam Houston.

Fuqua wants to ranch and by hard work and fortuitous marriage achieves an extraordinary level of success. All the more bitter, then is his struggle against the Mexican government, The Texas Republic, and Confederate Texas to keep what he has built. The eternal struggle, however, is between the Comanche, especially the Penatekas led by Kills White Bear, and the Anglos and Tejanos. The Comanche fiercely defended their hunting grounds and with some degree of success on the sparsely settled Texas plains. Both sides fought viciously - it injury to the truth to romanticize it. In addition to their sheer numbers and technological advantages, the whites brought diseases that no amount of courage or tenacity could resist. On the whole, the Comanche chose to resist, seemingly beyond all reason, rather than submit.

Wilkinson sprinkles his tale with historical characters such as Sam Houston, Buffalo Hump, Santa Anna, Juan Seguin, Indian agent Robert Neighbors, and Captain Jack Hay of the Texas Rangers. Wilkinson also puts the reader in the midst of historic events such as the Alamo (necessarily told second-hand to Remy), the Battle of San Jacinto where Houston won his fame and Texas its independence, and the Council House Fight, where the army's ham-handed handling of treaty negotiations led to a massacre of Penateka chiefs and warriors, which in turn led to the slaughter of captive whites and touched off a major round of Comanche raids.

The one negative review of this book asserted that the author is no McMurtry or' Mitchner' (sic - presumably the reviewer meant James Michener) - a range of literary skills nearly as large as the Texas plains, in the eyes of this reader. Wilkinson does not reach the heights that McMurtry can, but exceeds Michener in developing real characters in an historical setting (as opposed to the rather simplistic characterizations in Michener's `Texas'.

Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and the American West. The insights into the Comanche and Tejano side of the story set Wilkinson's book apart.

This is one of the very best western epics I've had the pleasure to read.
Laced with historical characters and important moments in Texan history, this book will keep you reading until your eyes droop. I am now a huge fan of this author and have moved on to other of his books. I don't know if it's possible someone would want to make a film of Not Between Brothers but I surely wish they would. This book is a cracker.

Being a native Texan and a former history I found this to be an
interesting book.The book tells of Remy Fuqua moving to Texas to
start his life.Once in Texas he marries Beatrice the daughter of
wealthy Mexican parents.Together they have three children.His
wife and two of his sons are seized by a feirce Comanche chief by
the name of Kills White Bear.Remy rescues his wife and one of his sons.Once home Beatrice has a child that has been fathered by Kills White Bear.Remy rides with Sam Houston and does battle
with Mexican bandits and the Comanche Indians.He later has a
confrontation with Kills White Bear.A very well written fiction
book that sounds like actual history.Read this book.You will have
a better grasp of the early days of Texas.

Having received this book as a gift several years ago, I am now sorry it took me so long to get around to reading it. I assure you that once you start reading Not Between Brothers, you will find it hard to put down.
Others have rehashed the story in their reviews to some degree or another, so I'll try not to do that here. Author Wilkinson does an excellent job developing both the characters and his story. There's a surprise at nearly every turn, although the reader somehow knows that chief protagonist Remy Fuqua is going to survive.
This is not just a story of a titanic clash of cultures, it is a story of hard men and women in a harsh land, where nearly every day brings an often life-threatening challenge. It is written in an heroic fashion that reminds me sometimes of Michener and sometimes of Fraser (of the Flashman series), but nearly always in a way that keeps the reader wondering what's coming next. Wilkinson writes a balanced story with a great understanding of the points of view of all the cultures that once claimed Texas as theirs.
Those who know the parts of Texas where this story takes place will almost literally be able to visualize it, to taste it and to smell it. Those who don't know Texas will come away with a pretty good picture of its geography and climate. And everyone will come away with a greater knowledge of the forces that shaped Texas and made it what it is today.
This is said to be Wilkinson's first novel and he's done a heck of a job researching and writing it. His command of the language is impressive as is his attention to detail. I found only one major factual error about a third of the way through probably missed in the proofreading( see if you can find it too). There are also a couple of times where I was able to guess why a particular incident occurs ahead of it being explained, but most of the time the reader is left in breathless anticipation of what's to come.
Despite a few missteps and a weak final chapter after the dramatic and surprising climax, my overall impression of Not Between Brothers is that I have just read an epic blockbuster. A blurb on the cover claims that it was a finalist for the Spur Award for best novel of the West in 1996. Well, if some other book beat this one, I'll have to read it and see why, because Not Between Brothers is one of the finest books about Texas or the West I have read in years!

Texas is a huge state with a rich multicultural heritage. It takes a real tour de force, such as David Marion Wilkinson's "Not Between Brothers" to do it justice. In this epic view of Texas history, Wilkinson uses fictional characters Remy Fuqua and Comanche Indian Kills White Bear to tell the story of life on the frontier between the years 1816 and 1861. Remy is a Scotch-Irish orphan who grows up in Louisiana and is permanently scarred by his unhappy childhood. He carries a "never-say-die" attitude and a quick temper throughout his life. Kills White Bear is a Comanche warrior who nurtures a hatred for the white people whose diseases rob him of many of his loved ones. Remy and his cousin move to Texas where they negotiate a piece of land from Stephen F. Austin. Remy meets and falls in love with a beautiful, wealthy Mexican woman, and this causes problems for both of them throughout the rest of their lives. Remy and Kills Bear's lives weave their separate paths until at last they intersect, with predictable dire consequences for both of them. Wilkinson's wonderful prose and unforgettable characters make for an excellent read. He weaves in a lot of history and the reader is treated to up-close looks at Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, Jim Bowie, and others who are painted in wonderful shades of gray and who are not made to look like saints. For anyone who enjoys historical fiction or who has an interest in Texas, this is highly recommended reading.

In depth reaseach on post polio and related viral diseases. Must read if you or someone you know has this. Explains why you feel rotten and what to do about it.

Not a good first read. Mr. Bruno is depressing. I suggest Dr. Silver's book Post-Polio Syndrome, it is excellent!

I had polio at the age of 5. I was so much luckier than alot of Polio Survivors. I got Dr. Bruno's book from the library and read it and read it at least 3X. I have recently ordered the book through Amazon and I am so excited to receive it.

He is an exceptional man, who writes so we can all understand. I will be meeting with Dr. Bruno and his team the end of March, I do not know where my new journey will lead me but I know that I will be safe and in the best of care. I recommend this book to anyone who has had Polio or has unexplained weakness, pain and fatigue everyday.

Reading this book I felt like someone had entered my life and could see my thoughts and frustrations. It was strange. It is so true- we were taught avoidance of the issue.As a nurse I learned about polio in the past tense, and had read few articles on PPS. I had seen polio survivors, even gone to school with a couple but never talked to them and when problems started did not even know who to talk to.
Dr. Bruno covers just about every physical and emotional aspect-- now if I can just retrain myself to take care of me.
I was able to go to the Clinic and meet with Dr. Bruno and he is as genuine in person as he seems in the book. All the built up anxiety came tumbling out in a rush-- because this book showed he has pulse on my life as a post polio patient and seemed to CARE!!.
I think this book should be required reading for all in the medical field.

"Ah ha!" are the words I'd suck in as I read Dr. Bruno's book. After a year's research on my own, I found the PPS Institute and Dr. Bruno's book. Those of us who had Polio (or didn't know that "it" was Polio) only knew one thing - we were over it and had to get on with life and catch up ASAP. We had fear at our back door, and it pushed us onward, every minute of our lives. For me, after cancer, I kept thinking "Its just the chemo" but I had been told in 1982 I had PPS and "Use it or lose it" was the theory protocol, so I kept going like I was short in the back with a "22" fearing I'd lose some dendrite that would nourish a neuron, and the first symptom I had (in '82) would come back. Instead, I became worse - the results were what drove me to discover Dr. Bruno's book and go to the Institute: hundreds of falls, broken bones, lacerated head injuries, tripping for the past 50 years and feeling like a clutz, when I was known as the regional "Happy Tom-Boy" BP (before Polio).

By the time Dr. Bruno told me to just "rest - chill for a few weeks" I had to do it; nothing else worked. It DID. I read the book again, and again...trying to find a glitch in his neuro-networking and neurology statements, but I couldn't. So, I did go to the Institute.

Everyone who knows anyone who's had Polio, or any sudden onset illness, or even as my little sister, used to drip food out of her nostrils at age 2 (it was Polio - 1954), must read this book. Be prepared to talk to doctors - they must have PPS as part of their required CMEs NOW. Post Polio surivors can no longer accept mediocre care, and repeated anesthesia "accidents (as I did)." With or without insurance, humans have a basic right to respect and care. I had Polio - I knew I did - and the fears associated with going "back" into it were at times paralyzing in itself...thus I kept swimming daily - often for three hours and lifting weights, anything to avoid breathing problems again, or the horrid stiff neck, or ... seeing my arm next to me and not moving even when I yelled at it!

Post Polio Paradox will give the reader the information needed to take to the medical professionals, and to educate themselves, and . . . gradually, safely, comfortably, change their lives from the fatalistic Type A personalities (which did get us through the horrors of Polio), but paradoxically - aptly put, can destroy us now. IF we are real, we will be able to see our 'worn' parts, accept them, and move on to another phrase in our lives - taking care of ourselves. "Polio Class of 1950"

This definitely is a timely book with very valuable and insightful information given the current very tragic situation in the island shared by the two republics. Cambeira's intelligent focus and keen interpretation of the island's development in every sense helped me better understand especially the Dominican culture that most of us know so little about. I am sure many readers who are curious about Caribbean cultures will find this work extremely informative.
I also recommend this writer's new novel Azucar! The Story of Sugar.

This particular book by Professor Cambeira is truly a jewel in terms of its historical and cultural content and its unique treatment. Unlike any other book of this kind that I have read for its clarity in presentation. This is not your ordinary history textbook, but rather a highly personalized and lucid and informed interpretation of a community's evolution. I like how the Professor, who is Dominican, convinces the reader of his honesty. He says what many other Dominican writers don't say about our country, especially concerning certain questions of identity and the notion of inclusion in the formation of what we call dominicanidad. I also like the way Cambeira's writing style flows so gracefully. His nonfiction style is like his lyrical fiction that I found in his novels Azucar! The Story of Sugar and the sequel Azucar's Sweet Hope...Her Story Continues.

Cambeira is a wonderful writer in every sense.

High Recommended Reading.

His latest novel Azucar's Sweet Hope...Her Story Continues is the Best Novel I've read in a long time !

I am very impressed by this unusual perspective on Dominican history and culture by the Dominican writer Alan Cambeira. Cambeira's work is not your conventional history text. It reads more like an interest sustaining novel; It also presents some cultural aspects most writers on the subject usually omit or avoid altogether. I also found a surprising side issue: the theatrical version of Mario Vargas Llosa's La Fiesta Del Chivo (The Festival of the Goat) is in production by the well respected Repertorio Espanol and has an accompanying Study Guide done by Iliana Fuentes. I see that Ms Fuentes also lists Cambeira's book as a part of the suggested reading in this regard. To me, then, Cambeira has a winner. His book is definitely worth the read. ...

Bravo Cambeira!

Everybody called Quisqueya the "Athens of the New World".
It is a country with beautiful beaches and beautiful people and a complex history. The island's ethnic mix of indigenuous, European (mainly Spanish) and African cultures and their merger across time resulted in the distinctive Dominican culture that we know today. Cambeira's passion for his native island is evident on every page. This book gave me a really different and fresh perspective from other books on the subject by other authors that I have read. This is an excellent personal interpretation that I'm recommending to anyone interested in learning about the Atena del Nuevo Mundo.Thanks to the Author. My next reading will certainly be his novel that everybody is talking about: Azucar! The Story of Sugar.

"To Dream alone is dangerous, but to dream jointly has been the beginning of the greatest changes in history."
This writer tells the true history with eloquence and elegance.
This book is a Treasure!

Quisqueya La Bella Is A Must Read Book!