Alternative Books

I have many books on Homeopathy that I have used for years however, I truly consider this find a gem. This book is excellent because of how it is organized and how it incorporates common and uncommon remedies. He provides orderly, comprehensive information that is easily understood to even the less experienced lay person. I wish that he would write more on homeopathy and I would definately recommend as a 1st book or an addition to current collection.

I have a small library of homeopathic books, and this is the first one I consult when a problem arises. It is a repertory, not a materia medica, so then I cross check myself with other books to confirm.
The first section which discusses about homeopathy is concise and useful, including discussion of potencies and modalities. The next part is body system charts to quickly refer you to the rest of the book which is organized by problem alphabetically, each with a list of possible remedies, each remedy with a brief description characterizing it so you can choose the most appropriate.

A very quick and easy reference that everyone who uses homeopathy or is interested in homeopathy should have in there library.

If you buy one book on homeopathy to use to find treatments, this is the one. Homeopath I've known for years tells those who come to him for treatment to buy it.

*Almost a mirror image of his herbal remedy book, I recommend them as companion guides*

Like his other book on herbal remedies, Asa Hershoff, ND, divides the source into an easily readable guide. He started out with a long chapter on homeopathic advantages, research on the remedies, their types, history of, and more. This include types of pain, taking the remedies, doses, and processes. The treatment index guide is broken into sections identical to the herbal guide. Each condition is listed alphabetically under its condition, with a brief intro on the problem and how to solve it, followed then by a list of homeopathic remedies by name only then 3-4 lines below. Each line has a different reason for using it. Stars are by the homeopathic remedy, signifying how recommended it is. One star means a weaker treatment, while five is obviously highly regarded.

While in no means a comprehensive 'teaching' text, it's not meant to be. Instead it's a reference that allows easy location of conditions and their treatment, with notes jotted down. Concise, clear, and good to grab in a pinch.

This tape isn't one of the best I've heard. The man's voice is soothing, and the imagery is good, but when he snakes technical terms in ( i.e. " endorphins " ) and talks about getting your bowels moving again after surgery, it kind of makes you lose track of the relaxation. It would be better if he didn't try to include so much INFORMATION and stuck to guiding the relaxation.

This tape helped me so much through my last surgery. I played it many times prior to the surgery and asked the doctors if I could have it played during my surgery and they agreed. My recovery time beat all others who have had the same type of surgery! While I was in the hospital recovering, I was able to play the tape and focus my pain literally "outside my body". I did not need to have as much pain medication as they thought I would need. I would truly recommend this tape for anyone going through major surgery.

As a result of listening to this tape, I recovered from 5 hours of surgery with virtually no pain. My doctor prescribed vicodin every four hours and I ended up taking only 4 tablets. This tape is such a wonderful healing tool, not only before, but after surgery as well. My incision healed so fast, I was taking my usual 3 mile walks in 10 days. This tape is a "must have" if you are anticipating any type of surgery!

I used Dr Neimarks tape prior to undergoing Gastric Bypass Surgery. I believe that it helped me immeasurably. Not only was my pain level very managable, but I left the hospital a day early. My recovery has been nothing short of remarkable! Thanks Dr Neimark!

I went in for major surgery and was fortunate to get Dr. Neimark's tape on Less Stress Surgery. There are a few points Dr. Neimark mentioned that was very helpful.

1. Think of your blood flow moving away from the area of the surgery. I did this and I had very little blood loss.
2. When you have discomfort (pain) make your mind think of good experiences. This worked great for me. I thought of my wife and kids.
3. When you wake up from surgery start thinking of you favorite foods. This will get your intestine's working faster. I dreamed about cheesecake! It sure helped.

I would recommend anyone going through surgery to listen to Dr. Neimark tape.

Life Skills: Improve the Quality of Your Life with Metapsychology
Marian K. Volkman
Loving Healing Press (2005)
ISBN: 1932690050

Self-help books are abundant, and I have read a good many of them. Marian Volkman's "Life Skills: Improve the Quality of Your Life with Metapsychology" is one of the more practical and useful self-help books in the marketplace. While not a book about metapsychology specifically, "Life Skills" includes several practical applications of it.

Metapsychology is the science that unifies mental and physical experiences to discover the rules that apply to both. In "Life Skills," Marian Volkman teaches us how to apply metapsychology to our experiences, and especially our relationships, so we can live with greater awareness and feel more fulfilled.

"Life Skills" is not designed to resolve one issue for a person but to give practical skills, primarily on how to be more aware of oneself. A major focus of Volkman's book is the emotional scale introduced in the third chapter, taken from the work of Frank Gerbode. I have seen discussions elsewhere of the emotional scale, and I have always thought it a useful tool. Volkman describes the scale much as others have--with different levels of emotions on the bottom such as fear, grief and apathy while the top of the scale includes cheerfulness, enthusiasm, and elation. The purpose of the scale is for people to understand where on the scale is their current emotional state, to understand what that feeling means, and to realize how people react from and to that feeling. Volkman takes us through exercises to help us determine what emotions other people are feeling when we meet them, and she presents basic techniques for us to help that person raise his or her emotional level, as well as making us aware when best not to confront a person based on his or her emotional place on the scale.

Volkman is an advocate of Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR). She discusses how people need to figure out what things trigger them to experience negative emotions and how TIR can help them overcome their past pain and control their emotions so healing can take place. She provides practical suggestions for how to overcome trauma such as centering oneself in the present rather than focusing on the past traumatic experience.

Much of "Life Skills" is focused on relationships, both with oneself and with other people. Volkman encourages readers to understand the domains in their lives, domains being spheres of influence or groups we belong to, the first domain being oneself, the second being immediate friends and family, the third being groups or acquaintances, and then outward to the greater domains of humanity and the planet. She challenges us to realize the affect we have on others and how we can positively influence each domain in simple and practical ways.

What I found especially helpful was the book's focus on Awareness enhancers. Volkman begins with the Dalai Lama's statement to "Be kind to each other." She then encourages the reader to be present with other people, to give another person undistracted attention, even if for only a few minutes. Everyone needs attention and affection, and by giving people this attention, it will help heal them and encourage them with needed confidence. Volkman suggests we do the same not only with a friend or family member, but with ourselves, each of us giving himself the attention needed, the love we each deserve. From there, the reader is encouraged to give attention to the workplace, culture, and social groups.

Volkman concludes the book with helpful recommended reading and referrals to websites to learn more about metapsychology, Traumatic Incident Reduction, and additional information on life skills not included in the book.

While reading "Life Skills," I frequently paused and concentrated on the exercises, many of which I had not encountered in other self-help books. Volkman's exercises reflect wisdom and a lifetime of learning and teaching others how to learn about themselves. "Life Skills" is a useful and practical book the reader will return to many times and will want to share with friends. If everyone read this book and practiced its exercises, people would relate better to one another and humanity would achieve the greater potential Volkman believes possible. "Life Skills" is highly recommended to anyone who wants to live a happier, more rewarding life.

- Tyler R. Tichelaar, Ph.D., author of The Marquette Trilogy

Everyone wants to improve the quality of their life. In Life Skills, Ms. Volkman helps us to determine what our values are, what goals we are looking for in our life, and how we are going to reach them. I had never heard of Metapsychology before reading this book, and found it to be very interesting. This book will help you feel better, happier and more accomplished. I think everyone who reads this book will learn and gain something from it.

Life Skills: Improve the Quality of Your Life with Metapsychology is a book in the Explorations in Metapsychology Series edited by Robert Rich, PhD. The books in this series focus on the healing of the mind and the spirit using Metapsychological philosophies and methodologies. Several of these books have looked at the philosophy and therapies associated with Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR). These methodologies are particularly useful for individuals suffering from the aftermath of traumatic experiences and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. Though good research resources for individuals suffering from such afflictions, the information within these books focuses on educating therapists about such philosophies and techniques.

Life Skills: Improve the Quality of Your Life with Metapsychology also aims to focus on healing the mind and the spirit. Though this book has a chapter on TIR, this book looks at a wider range of subjects to improve quality of life. These subjects include topics such as the definition and realities of quality of life; the predicting and understanding of emotional levels; relationships; the idea of success; understanding the negative aspects of human behaviour; and becoming more aware of yourself and the world around you.

Likewise, though this book will serve as a good resource for therapists, the general public will also find this book helpful. Topics are discussed in everyday language and explained without jargon or hidden superior attitudes. Furthermore, readers will find that the exercises that accompany each section of this book will not only help further solidify the concepts explained but will also allow the reader to tailor his or her new findings to his or her life and particular situation. This aspect makes takes this book beyond just an excellent reference book Metapsychological philosophies and techniques and brings these methodologies into the realm of self-help for all individuals wanting to improve the quality of their life.

Marian Volkman has created an excellent tool for inner growth. She presents simple, practical, and extremely useful skills anyone can use to improve one's self, relationships, and environment around them. Highly recommended.

On a daily basis I utilize an excellent concept I picked up from this book: I am able to embrace and appreciate the beauty in objects, people, and things around me without having to make them my possessions. This one concept has provided a great deal of serenity and peace. Just this one practical tool has changed my life. Practice all the exercises and reap the benefits that are in store for you.

This book is another in the Loving Healing Press "Exploration in Metapsychology Series." In "Life Skills" Marion Volkman provides models and tools for improving life toward a theoretical ideal. The author introduces and develops studies on the quality of life, traumatic stress, the emotional scale, understanding and improving relationships, a useful life model, success, the dark side of force, and awareness enhancers.

Each chapter contains exercises for contemplation and consideration. These exercises can be used in a group, with another individual, or alone. The time spent working with any or all of these exercises are well worth the time invested. You will begin to see positive changes in your life, your attitudes, and your relationships. The exercises offer practical ways to apply and assimilate the material personally.

The chapter summaries become a valuable tool for an immediate review of the core material of the chapter and for reference at a later time. The charts, sample worksheets, tables, and illustrations are excellent visuals to reinforce significant points or concepts. The book is carefully researched and well documented. The format is well organized and the text presented in an easy to follow natural flow.

On a personal note, I particularly appreciated the chapter on relationships. I now have a deeper understanding of relationships as well as how to strengthen and nurture them. Frequent use of the excellent glossary enhanced my understanding and the enjoyment of my reading.

This book should be read by therapists and their clients. It is also excellent reading for anyone seeking a higher awareness or for someone who is facing life changing decisions.

The concepts in this book work. The long-term care center where my mother spent her final nine months actually introduced me to the concepts of the Eden alternative, and indicated that many residents were feeling more content and "stable" with the presence of animals and plants in the individuals' rooms and throughout the facility. An indoor fountain was donated to the lobby. My mom was delighted when a parakeet magically appeared one day to become her roommate for many months. There were small birds in various rooms and lobbies, often donated by families or staff. Bunnies and dogs made weekly visits to residents, and each floor had a free-roaming cat. I especially loved one who occasionally cruised into Mom's room to check up on its feathered friend in the cage.

Long-term care MUST change to meet the needs of aging boomers, though they may be aging well for their years; bodies eventually fail as life closes. Mr. Thomas has the ideas and vision to change the course of eldercare so that the wisdom and dignity of the elderly can be recognized in society, enabling them to remain assets rather than burdens.

E.A. Davis, author, Waiting for Wings: Accomanying a Parent to the Edge of Life

As a Regional Ombudsman, responsible for a large county in N. CA, I used this book to inspire people to form a "Family Council" in a sample nursing home and to lobby for the changes that Thomas recommends. The home adopted several of the changes and they transformed the home, once known as the worst in the county into the best. Several people emerged from years of depression, others simply took a whole new interest in life, others simply had whole-hearted laughter reenter their lives for the fist time in years. The Eden alternative is indeed the "recipe" for making one's years in long term care "worth living."

Anyone planning to place their family member in a nursing home should read this innovative book first. They author's insightful, yet relatively simple ideas show how a well designed nursing home can be a welcoming, life affirming place for your loved one to live. I am a legal aid hotline attorney and own an medical supply business and often discuss nursing home related issues with my clients and customers. I found this book eyeopening and educational. If your relative is already in a nursing home, give the director a copy of this book.

The activities director at my mother's nursing home(Tn.) brought this author and his book's to my attention. The nursing home administrator is currently having the entire staff read this line of book's(The Eden Project). I ordered "Life Worth Living" and "Learning From Hannah", because I want to be a part of what will make mom's life and other's a better place to be. I started reading "Life Worth Living" and was honestly amazed about how educational this paperback really was. Not only is this book easy to understand, it's extremely interesting! I can only pray that some day all nursing home facilities realize how beneficial the "Eden Project" really is.

This book will show how to turn a cold clinical facility into a warm, caring home. A place families want to visit, not make exuses to avoid. This truly can be revolutional. Anyone placing a person into a nursing facility should make sure they have Edenized.

All I can say is that this really works! I actually am looking forward to my second cleanse. I feel great and have more energy. My Gallbladder pain has dissappeared. You owe this to yourself to try, you won't be dissappointed! Everything he said would happen did, and I was dubious at first.

I bought the book in January'08. I read and re-read it several times, was
a little concerned: would I do it right, would it work? Finally on May 23rd I did the first one with good results. The second one was June 20th with excellent results. The epsom salts is nasty, the oil and juice isn't bad at all. I recommend it to anyone. I used to have a dull ache on my right side that is now gone. I'm on the fourth day of juice now with the cleanse to occur on the 11th, and have cleanses planned until June 2009. Read the book several times-I still read it over and over.

Absolutely fantastic information. I did the cleanse 4 times and it saved my life! Reset all my OTHER medical issues that supposedly had nothing to do with the liver. All my liver tests were normal and Western medicine had no clue what was wrong. Did this an passed HUNDREDS of stones each time. Thanks Andreas for this life-saving info.

This book is very well written and easy to understand. When the directions are followed the outcome is exactly as the author said it would be. We are recommending it to everyone we know! Thank you for such a timely, informative book!
Thanks, Laura

Andreas Moritz and his advice - specifically the liver cleanse - literally saved my life. Great book!

I found this book to be one of the most enlightening and informative books available today. So many of the questions I had regarding just what Toni does working with her eight spirit guides,what happens to us when we transition,what these life-times are all about,and much more where answered for me. Since reading this book I feel much closer to God knowing the "Truth" as Toni has given it to us. Piercing the Veil, as well as the entire series, is truly a 'must read' and needs to be in your home library as a daily reference for your peace of mind.

Toni Lynn Wood truly out does herself with this incredible collaboration with her Spirit Family. Toni Lynn's writing style is so easy to understand and absorb. Although in the previous Living in Both Worlds books, Toni's spirit family is introduced to the readers - Piercing the Veil provides a more personal introduction and welcoming to Toni's family. I found Piercing the Veil to be an incredible educating experience about spirit guides, mediums and piercing the veil between the earth plane and our loved ones in the spirit world. I take comfort in knowing that my loved ones are so near me and that when we die there is still so much more to come.

Living in both worlds, Piercing the veil kept me captivated. I have read fewbooks that gave me the feeling this one did. It resonates an energy that sends healing and transformation as you read. It has definately changed my life. I cant wait to read the other two books about this spiritual healer, Toni Lynn Wood. By the way, the message from God, all I can say is "wow". This book is a must read for anyone who is searching for a better understanding of life.

Afer reading the books, A Healer and Her Journey with Spirit and Piercing the Veil,these books are a fascinating account of her life with the spirit world. This is more than a remarkable story, it's insight into how we can better understand ourselves and the spirit world.It's a book you share with someone who may need comfort in a time of need.

Afer reading the books, A Healer and Her Journey with Spirit and Piercing the Veil,these books are a fascinating account of her life with the spirit world. This is more than a remarkable story, it's insight into how we can better understand ourselves and the spirit world.It's a book that could bring comfort someone in need.

This book is amazing. It has helped me realize what this world would be like without the catholic church, the inherent dangers of secularism, and the path to rectify the evil of modernism. By doing this, it has helped bring me back to the catholic church. This author is on par with Aldous Huxley and George Orwell in both his ability to visualize alternate worlds with precise understanding and his ability to write in a eloquent yet succinct manner. It is a short book and I highly recommend it.

R.H. Benson wrote two mystical visions of the future. _The Dawn of All_ is an extremely romantic and improbable 1911 parable of a 1971 world mostly Catholic and at peace, ready for the Second Coming. _The Lord of the World_ came first, in 1907, and was a darker vision. A world of flying craft, major scientific advances, and comfort has become a place of materialist despair. Euthanasia is routine, for the desperately ill and the terminally bored. Oliver and Mabel Brand, a rising young couple, are the golden ones -- Oliver becomes a major political figure, but Mabel chooses the cool despairing end of legal euthanasia. Father Percy Franklin is one of the last Catholic priests in a world hostile to freedom, church, university, and history. Eventually elected the last Pope, he is restricted to the dusty forgotten village of Nazareth. Julian Felsenburgh is a charismatic American adventurer who means to and does become Lord of the World, anti-Christ. Details are less important than the very modern mood. Believing in progress as the only good, people are swept into any movement that promises it. The past is ruthlessly exterminated. The quest for one world government that begins with Esperanto ends with one world dictatorship.

Robert Hugh Benson grew up at the end of the nineteenth century, when it looked like Socialism would sweep over the world and make religious worship outmoded. His father was Archbishop of Canterbury; and he joined the Church of England but later converted to Catholicism. In his introduction to this book he wrote that he took the idea of Man (not the Son of Man) becoming the ideal and 'took it where it would go'.

Knowing that this book was written in 1904, before the Great War and the dissolution of the European Empires, and the nascent beginning of flight, it is interesting to read his views of what the world would look like in 100 years (or about now). He saw the end of poverty and hunger, and the raising of HUMANITY to the paramount position. His views on woman are arcane, as one of his characters dismissed his wife as 'just a woman', and that they make no strides of independence. He talks about inter-city flight at the amazing speed of 150mph, one year after Kitty Hawk.

The stories bottom line is that once Man begins to worship himself (in the guise of Julian Felsenburg), he not only has no need for idealized religion, but that the persecution of anyone who disagrees will become an act of Sedition and punishable by death. Religion is represented in this story by Roman Catholicism (all others having given in and disbanded, except for a few 'elderly jews wandering in Palestine) which fights a peaceable rear guard action against the forces of HUMANITY.

The language is a little difficult and flowery, while the ideas are interesting but sometimes the catholicism is hard to comprehend, but all in all it's worth reading.

Robert Hugh Benson (born November 18, 1871; died October 19, 1914) was the youngest son of Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury, and younger brother of Edward Frederic Benson. Benson studied Classics and Theology at Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1890 to 1893. In 1895, he was ordained a priest in the Church of England by his father.

His father died suddenly in 1896, and Benson was sent on a trip to the Middle East to recover his own health. While there, he began to question the status of the Church of England and to consider the claims of the Roman Catholic Church. His own piety began to tend toward the High Church variety, and he started exploring religious life in various Anglican communities, eventually obtaining permission to join the Community of the Resurrection.

Benson made his profession as a member of the community in 1901, at which time he had no thoughts of leaving the Church of England. But as he continued his studies and began writing, he became more and more uneasy with his own doctrinal position, and on September 11, 1903, he was received into the Roman Catholic Church.

He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1904 and sent to Cambridge. He continued his writing career along with the usual elements of priestly ministry. He was named a monsignor in 1911.

Lord of the World is one of his more exemplary works and well worth reading.

"A Century before Left Behind there was Lord of the World," reads the cover blurb in the striking Wildside Press edition. But while both books deal with end times, that's where the similarities end. In Benson's vision, Catholics are the last remaining Christians. The Left Behind books, named for a line in Larry Norman's song, "I Wish We'd All Been Ready," on the other hand, follow the idea of the rapture popularized in Hal Lindsey's bestselling book, The Late Great Planet Earth.

I ordered this book from Amazon after reading Gwen Watkins' essay in Charles Williams: A Celebration (also available from Amazon) comparing Benson and Williams as writers. Williams being my favorite author, I was very excited to come upon a similarly gifted novelist. Benson wrote Lord of the World in 1907; it takes place in a future about a century later (around now). That's also around the time that Chesterton wrote his novels. Both he and Benson write so colorfully that it's sometimes hard to know what's going on. Whether people were more imaginative then or that was the style at the turn of the century I don't know. But having read GKC helps one read Benson, and vice versa.

Williams is often held to be obscure for his descriptions of supernatural and occultic ritual. Benson's obscurity lies in his pre-Vatican II Catholic vocabulary and bits of the Latin Mass, which will not be familiar to many readers. That aside, this is an absolutely gripping story. Having once started, I couldn't put the book down. Uncannily, in this 1907 novel, Benson prophesied a dark future that became reality, first in Germany and then in the USSR. Writing in the then new genre of science fiction, he envisioned a technologically advanced world nevertheless rushing headlong to destruction. It's amazing how contemporary he sounds as he looks forward in time to our present and his future.

As an artifact documenting the group and their history, this most assuredly rates 5 full stars. The chances of there ever being something else even remotely close to this exhaustive about the group can pretty safely be put at slim to none.

Having said that, you should know what you're getting. This should be looked at as more of a rambling scrapbook than a strict "bio" type book. (Although lest that give the wrong impression, while there are many pictures, this is a *very* text heavy item! The majority of the book has additional info and annotations running down the side of each page.)

As a readable entity, though - as in, you start at the beginning and work your way to the end - it is in many ways a bit of a trainwreck (though a charming one, I hasten to add.) I found it easiest to digest by finding a certain section, reading that part, taking a break, then going back to find another. While the book does proceed in a chronological order, there is a tendency to sometimes veer off that path a bit. (Though again to be fair, sometimes this is noted in advance - but not always.) And in any case, if you're already a fan (which presumably anybody who would buy this is!), reading it in a precise chronological order is not necessarily such an important thing. (If you're like me, you know you'll want to go straight to your favorite bits/periods, anyway!)

The author (of whom there is no real info about given anywhere in the book) is quite obviously not a native English speaker. While by no means a sin, this does lead to some rather perplexing (and usually humorous) passages. Also, this reviewer found it a touch disturbing that, while the majority of the facts about the group, especially in their earliest days, were heretofore unknown to me, a few of the things that I *did* know about them and their activities were not mentioned accurately (or sometimes at all). This could suggest a lack of proper research, though again, with the wealth of information that is provided here, one can easily forgive the occasional error or omission.

So - don't go in expecting the most readable tome you've ever come across. But if the idea of a truly warts and all, minutiae-filled catalogue of the band's activities and history - and for that matter, a general impression of the times that surrounded them - sounds good to you, do not hesitate to grab this. You'll be most pleased in the end.

To hold in my hand this beautiful book is to hold Pandora's box. I lift the lid. I take a peek. And what I see inside this wonderfully designed object- bound as a book and yet radiating out with a strange collage-like power, are spokes to other times, other states of consciousness and people I have known. And loved. Worked with. And lost.

I was present and highly visible in the era when Tuxedomoon came into being. I ran parallel to them as a poet, as one of the Angels of Light and as one largely responsible for Victoria Lowe moving to California. In fact, she lived with me when she moved into San Francisco. I also got to see the strange confluence of talents drawn to each other as she met Steven Brown (also in the Angels) and Winston Tong. They performed in small shows the Angels did and, for a brief period, there was a sense that Tuxedomoon was growing out of the Angels of Light just as the Angels had been birthed from their own prior incarnation: the Cockettes, a glitter drag queen theater that perished in late 1972. Unlike many organic transformations, however, I don't recall any sense of breaking away but, rather, a 'metamorphosis into'. Perhaps this is because the fable-oriented and magical Angels, outrageous and fabulous as we were, fused many classical but familiar elements of theater: masks, puppets, stage sets, costumes, songs, mime and a diverse range of formal dance forms: Chinese, Indian, Balinese and Western jazz, tap, ballet, tango, etc.

Tuxedomoon, however, embarked on a mysterious journey of its own: something poetically yet radically different. In fact, it was this 'differentness' that was so captivating and alluring. It was essentially un-decorative and seductive, not sentimental in the least- austere and self-assured rather than deliberately pleasing. And in that strange moment of the mid-1970s when the hippie and glitter ages were passing into history with their referential nods to Old Broadway, Vaudeville, Burlesque and a bit of Guignol, Tuxedomoon surfaces as an enchanting alternative to the hard-edged and gritty Punk rock stance.

For we who lived in that time, it's almost impossible to recollect, let alone articulate, the multi-dimensional quality of existence. Life was aquatic. Free-form. There was a sense of listlessness and drift as the certainties of the counterculture forged in the Civil Rights and Anti-war movements of the 1960s hit the doldrums in the aftermath of Nixon's resignation; the end of America's tragic misadventure in Vietnam; the slow acknowledgment that San Francisco was not immune from the crippling economic effects of the Arab Oil embargo of 1973-1974 and that even Nixon's resignation under threat of imminent impeachment had not brought about a renaissance or cleansing for which we'd all hoped so desperately.

A certain oppositional certainty had been lost when the Angels hit our political, outrageous and socially pointed zenith in 1975 with 'Paris Sites Under the Bourgeois Sea," (a free show which I scripted, and which was staged at the SF Museum of Art) where the greatest illustration of totemic and imperious bearded drag queens used to symbolize Social Order and the ancienne regime fell to an invasion of giant rats and the Plague. No one could have known it at the time that we were not paying homage to Anotin Artuad, as we believed, but announcing the advent of the New Black Death which would lay waste to our shining city, and the culture of liberation that we had forged at such great personal and individual risk and, yet, with such pride and love.

It was out of this strangely unknowable, ill defined time that Tuxedomoon arose. Isabelle Corbisier captures it beautifully in her book, She writes magnificently in English (her second language), and in some miracle of cosmic osmosis or sympathetic magic, the fact that she was not here and not on the scene has given her just enough creative distance to observe brilliantly and capture what I wonder if anyone closer in towards the center could have pinned down so accurately. Not only is her prose clear, her thoughts are perfectly arranged- a tribute to the organization of a legal mind trained and disciplined to a fine polish. A mysterious order exists in this book, one complemented by the design itself, which is also her creation. The book is an object. Small side bars and inserts, the way photos are displayed, the collage like elements and, concurrently, the sense of a visible film-script caught on paper all contribute to a book that, itself, is a work of art even as it celebrates the vagabonds and slightly remote poetic souls who came together and created a unique and compelling group. I salute this book as one who, having been present at Tuxedomoon's inception and as part of the subculture from whence it sprang, knows what is real, or not real, honestly representative (or not) from that era.

This book is true to the time, true to the artists and, in its very presence, an accurate reflection of the aesthetic that avoided the too easy postures of Punk, circumvented the elaborate but subject-oriented dreamworld of the Angels of Light and vaulted into another dimension. I wish I could explain that world to the readers of this piece. The truth is: I can't. I perceived Tuxedomoon, and some of its members (especially Victoria Lowe, whom I loved very much, and the equally beautiful Steven Brown, whom I liked and respected) from my side of a smoky glass. We could not inhabit the same worlds and be true to both. Being true, each sphere was its own universe.

Fortunately, I don't have to struggle for the words or attempt to usher the uninitiated into Tuxedomoon. Isabelle Corbisier has done it all for the fortunate souls who go on the journey with her. As one from that era, and from that world, I can say that it is next-to-impossible for anyone to do what she has done: provide a compass and enough clear markers to serve as guideposts to illuminate a sphere that was mysterious yet compellingly binding. This book and the consciousness that informs it represents an amazing tour de force. My congratulations.

Adrian Brooks
(former Angel of Light and author of 'Flights of Angels')

This book is almost as thick as the Bible. Most questions and facts about anyone involved with Tuxedomoon from the early days until now are answered.
I felt the book to be honest in approach. Nothing seemed to be held back for the sake of vanity. A good read for any Tuxedomoon fan.

For fans of Tuxedomoon and those with an interest in the group, this exhaustive biography is perfect. What Ms. Corbisier has done with this book is extraordinary. Over years of interviews she has compiled a unique history of one of music's unique voices. It is the best companion in music biography that I have yet to see. Even if the reader has just a passing curiosity in the band, I highly recommend getting this book. Ms. Corbisier's prose is easy to read, the pictures are lovely, the side comments are fantastic. Highly recommended.

Tuxedomoon is an hybrid of a band that persevered and triumphed against all odds. Their score for choreographer Maurice Bejart's Greta Garbo inspired ballet Divine, thrust the band into the international spotlight.
Prior to that they had long inhabited the dark corners of the continents through tireless navigation of the nightclubs and performance art venues of the US and then as expatriates in Europe. So to an early fan like myself it was sweet to bear witness to the arc of success of these prolific recording artists as they developed a huge following in Europe even before their work with Bejart.
Isabelle Corbisier's book charts this arc of success with élan and devotion. Through story telling interwoven with gritty oral interviews and music reviews, Corbisier adeptly deconstructs the convergences of the pertinent movements of the times; new wave, no wave, goth, dada, anarchist, etc.
This is a must read for anyone intrigued by the petri-dish that was punk and new wave in the 70's and 80's. That Tuxedomoon is still a poignant and working band today in 2008 which the book takes us through, is a testament to the old saying that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. - Daniel Nicoletta

I just started reading this book. If you were wondering what supplements might help your cancer, and why, this is the one to get. I was always baffled by dosage, but it helps with that too. That's not to mention the great biological information on what cancer is and how it works. You can download this for twenty five dollars from the publishers website.

No hoaxes, no magic bullets, no promises. Natural Compounds in Cancer Therapy, by John Boik, is an up-to-date, scientific compilation of the state of research in the field of natural products in cancer treatments. This book is very important due to the tremendous growth in both research and interest in natural compounds over the past several years. The author is able to explain the how and why of over three dozen compounds that have confirmed anti-cancer activity.

I loved this book. I've worked in oncology clinical trials for years. I picked up this book to review for a friend, and admit that I was initially skeptical. But it's a wonderful book, well researched, well thought out... I was really impressed. Made me remember that half of the stuff we put in patients today originally was discovered when the NCI screened natural compounds for anti-cancer properties. Let's hope that this reflects the future potential of cancer treatment.

This is simply an outstanding book. I loved it and think that it can help lots of people whose oncologists just don't get it. The subject matter is fairly technical for the layman, as it is written by a first-rate researcher in the field. I think that this book was written for people who are comforatable reading slightly technical material (e.g., the Scientific American crowd). The author's explanations are very detailed. It is one of the best basic references that I have on general cancer biology. In a few places, the author seems to assume that the reader has taken at least introductory or even organic chemistry. If you haven't taken chemistry, I would still buy it. It is packed with great information, some of it taken from the author's own research. Also, the literature references are very new and relevant to the subject matter. A few areas could have been explained a little more clearly (the explanation of drug synergy was not the book's strong point).

John Boik's Natural Compounds In Cancer Therapy is a meticulous, scholarly, comprehensive, invaluable review of the actions and potential clinical use of more than three dozens carefully selected natural compounds. Nearly 4,000 references are included as Boik comprehensively and systematically examines the actions, pharmacology, toxicology, and potential clinical use of natural compounds as anticancer agents in the biological processes involved in cancer progress. Also very highly recommended is Boik's earlier work, Cancer And Natural Medicine: A Textbook Of Basic Science And Clinical Research (0964828006, $...).

I have bought several books, tapes and DVDs on Qigong. This book seems to have combined a lot of the movements from the other media. Unlike the other media I own which cover only a few movements (18 the most), this book covers 36 movements, which for me great. I am always skeptical in learning movements coming from a book since I find it difficult to follow the written instructions without seeing the actual video demo, but I was suprised this book is easy to follow. I do have previous know how on some of the movements, so maybe that helped. And the exercises are grouped in 6 sections, making it easy for me to remember them. A great Qigong book!

This is a wonderful book easy to use and incorporate its exercises and principles. The diagrams of exercises are easy to follow. The book contains extremely useful information about qigong and other aspects of
Chinese medicine.It is well-written and highly recommended!

I just started practicing Lian Gong in 18 Forms about a month ago to finally get rid of all the tension, back pain, tightness, and inflexibility that western exercise such as weight lifting, aerobics, and rowing machines has caused me! I am completely amazed that in only one month I can feel it all fading away! I purchased every video available on Liangong, including the $100.00 set from the actual inventor himself! The videos are all great, the books are all good, except for one MAJOR flaw!! None of them offer breathing instructions!! The most any book or video will tell you is that you breath in when expanding and stretching, and out when relaxing. Except in certain cases, there are exceptions, which they never explain. Well, this book tells it all! If you purchase any of the videos, you MUST, I repeat MUST buy this book! Not only is it well written, but it gives you all the secrets! Buy it NOW!

One of the strengths of Lian Gong Shr Ba Fa is that it is the sort of exercise system that actually can be learned from the printed page if you are reasonably well coordinated and are good at learning from books. Even without a teacher, you can get major benefits from practice on your own.

This book is a clear, well done presentation of the exercises. Anyone interested in learning the system would get a good start from this book. I would only recommend Wen Mei Yu's version over this one because a) WMY's book explicitly announces that it is a Lian Gong with its title on the cover, and B) the layouts, photographs and book design are somewhat more effective and pleasing to my eye, and c) the accompnaying instructional text is a bit clearer and more helpful to the beginner.

But if you want to get started, and you see this book on the stands, don't hesitate to get it and get started.

This book is a wonderful introduction to not only the Qi Gong excersize but also Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It will give you an easy to understand overview of TCM concepts so you can understand how practicing the excersizes described in the book can improve and maintain your health for years to come.

The descriptions of the movements and multiple photos for the different movements make it easy to learn and practice. Of course the best way is to join a group of people who are practicing (http://www.taichihealing.com) and practice the movements along with the group. In any case, this book is an excellent resource for people who are interested in improving and maintaining their well being and good health.

Be well!