Prevention Books

A reader from Mozambique. AIDS and MEN: Taking risk or Taking responsibility?

This book touches on a sensitive issue. Although the argument of men driving the HIV epidemic is not new, it has not been realised by many sectors of society. Firstly, the book points out the role of men in the spread of HIV. Men are labelled as key actors in the dynamic transmission of the disease. Men have greater opportunity of sexual contact, drug and alcohol use and take advantage over women by determining when a condom will be used. This behaviour of men subjects women to greater risk of acquiring HIV. Secondly and closely related to the former, is that HIV/AIDS in women is not merely a biological fact of contracting a disease. Rather, HIV/AIDS in women is, in the majority of cases, a result of the disadvantage they have in comparison with men. Women are dominated by men. The condition of dependency, taboos, lack of opportunity, ignorance, religion and others, make women unable to protect themselves to avoid the disease. HIV/AIDS in women is as result of women abuse and violence, mostly in developing countries. Thirdly, the social approach which is presented as one of the most likely to overcome the epidemic, is at the same time, recognised as the hardest to achieve. The social approach addresses the issue of "changing societal norms which means to recognise the context of men's life, taking into account their fears and desires and encouraging responsibility, communication with partners and respect for others and oneself". As a physician and public health worker, but mostly as a man, we must recognise that if we(men) are taking risks, we have to change our behaviour by taking responsibility. In this context the book has achieved its proposal.

Peter St. John has written the definitive book on air piracy and airport security. I have perused some 20 books and papers dealing with the challenge of keeping hundreds of millions of airline travelers safe. St. John's book is the best. It is at once a text and a page-turner, easily the most comprehensive, analytical, and readable study of a subject that should fascinate anyone who flies.

Where other authors struggle to arrange their material in some coherent manner, St. John's book has a chronology and organization that keeps the reader on track. Too many scholarly authors write pedantic (read: dull) prose; St. John delivers excellent expository writing. While most authors focus on one or selected aspects of this complex international problem, St. John manages, in seven chapters and just 190 pages of text, to examine 60 years of aerial hijacking and sabotage. Yet St. John's book is anything but a historical overview; he scrutinizes past and present situations to develop his prescriptions for improved airport and in-flight security. And although he presents copious detail, his concise, varied syntax reads more like a novel than non-fiction. Hoping to skim some sections, I found this impossible: each chapter captured my concentration, every segment proved integral to the whole.

An Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba, St. John pulls no punches, unhesitatingly criticizing his own government:

"Even after 331 people died on one June day in 1985 as a result of air terrorism in Canada, the government scarcely changed its policy of studied neglect of the airports of Canada."

"The central problem in both U.S. and Canadian airports is that the security personnel are completely inadequate...."

"But in North America at present, more attention is paid to illegal parking of cars...than to security."

In compiling this seminal textbook (for airlines and their passengers, for agencies and governments) on air terrorism, St. John invokes and duly credits more than 100 sources. However, he states his own specific and cogent conclusions as to what must be done, on the ground and in the air, to combat terrorism.

"Good airport security involves a delicate balance of human and technological expertise in which the human element takes the lead...it involves close cooperation between all agencies that can, together, block all security loopholes that exist...."

"The main problem ...has to do with chinks in the armor, the loopholes that are still far too plentiful in a Western commercial aviation system more finely tuned to profitability than to security."

Most of the loopholes St. John identifies relate to inadequacies not of machines, but of humans. His message is clear: excellent security is a function of not of resources, but of resolve. In terms of resolve, he cites Israel as the benchmark:

"No attempted hijacking of an El Al airliner has been attempted since 1970, and that one failed...."

St. John augments his study with ten appendices found nowhere else in the literature. These include chronological listings of aircraft sabotage (1949-1988) and of important aircraft hijacks (1968-1989), as well as diagrams of the "terror-proof" airports he deems crucial to controlling hijacking. Two non-statistical appendices, however, stand out as the most intriguing. The first is "Terrorism from Below and Above," which summarizes human aspects of terrorism through profiles of both terrorists and their victims. The other is "My People Shall Live," Leila Khaled's autobiographical account of the two hijackings she led. Khaled survived capture and temporary imprisonment to live on as the grande dame of the Palestinian Intifada.

St. John's book is fully annotated and well indexed. If you can own but one book on terrorism in the air, choose this one.

This book gives children and parents a chance to come together and decide the best way to react to life situations that are potentially dangerous. Children must understand that there are people that would hurt them; if faced with such a situation they need to know what to do. This "workbook" gives parents a chance to empower their children.

This really is an excellent new book. People with allergies and or asthma need to find different ways to combat their allergies, besides just using more and more drugs. This book is full of many fine tips for reducing allergies in your house, where you work and play. I am an allergy researcher myself, and I do not know the authors of this book but I applaud them for this fine effort. I recommend it for anyone who has allergies and also for the family of those with allergies. This book will be worth every penny of its cost, in savings and improved lifestyle through less allergy. Do check it out. Thomas Leo Ogren, author of Allergy-Free Gardening

The individual that used to co-facilitated Domestic Violence Treatment groups with me found this book here and ordered it for us to use. We both appreciated the different topics provided in the book, the way it was set-up, the many great assignments to use in group and how issues are presented. It follows the Duluth model, which is what our program follows. The gentlemen in group also enjoy the activities and find the material interesting and applicable. I strongly recommend this book to others to use individually or in the group setting. I have looked through a variety of different books to use in group, though was never instantly attracted to any...though this one was different. The assignments/activities in the book are done in such a way that many of the group members share the information with their partners, thus perpetuating the learning cycle.

This self-help book on good health is superb. The book is an easy-to-read primer on the metabolic syndrome (also called pre-diabetes) - a condition that, according to the author who has practiced Internal Medicine for many years and teaches at a major medical center, has become a worldwide epidemic. The chapters are neatly outlined on obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. There's even a chapter that explains how the immune system and stress contribute to one's susceptibility to these conditions. What's makes it extra special, though, is the concise way the author explains how these conditions are "inflammatory diseases" of the body, the self assessment test quantifying your risk for disease, and the treatment (including traditional and alternative therapies) to forestall or prevent progression to diabetes and heart disease.

Low fat and low cholesterol as a theme. Each ready in 30 minutes or less! We like the honey-roasted chicken (p.114), the scallops with feta cheese (p110), and fresh herb turkey loaf (p. 138)

As a (former) Bay Area gang officer, I find that my personal experience validates Dr. Klein's research, surmises, and experience. I appreciate his moderate stance based on research rather than ideology. I have reread the work several times, and reference it constantly while performing any level of public education. I hope that the assertions on reducing cohesiveness are considered in forming community responses, and that Dr. Klein's thoughtful methodology becomes the norm, and not a threat to institutions.

I purchased this book for my high school's library and it has proven to be very popular. We also have many of Rosen's other titles and they all have been an important assett to us.

Ms. Tsehai has clearly explained and demonstrated how to eat more healthy in our fast-paced society. Not only are we informed about HOW to eat better, Ms. Tsehai gives us a few recipes that are easy and helpful...and tasty too! Of greater importance, Ms. Tsehai really goes into depth about WHY we need to improve our eating and then offers such easy suggestions that will complement any lifestyle (i.e: water & fruit in the morning). I thorouoghly enjoyed the UNIVERSAL spiritual aspects that are discussed in relation to our nutrion and physical and emotional health. The connections that are made are stated in ways that make sense. This book is a must-read to any one wanting to improve their nutrition and overall health!