Alternative Books

This book should be required reading for all legislators, senators, congressmen, etc. Better yet by all voters. Our leadership has been asleep at the oil company wheel while we have missed opportunity after opportunity to lead on the issue of energy production. Thomas Friedman has recently updated his forward-thinking book "The World is Flat" and is now more direct in his criticism of our current President and his administration. Read these books then pass them on. If they don't make you mad and scared, then hopefully they will make you look for opportunity.

The function of imagination is not to make strange things settled, so much as to make settled things strange.

-- G. K. Chesterton


"Yes, it is possible," says Joseph M. Shuster. Mr. Shuster is a chemical engineer, a successful entrepreneur, and a grandfather. The latter led him to write the book Beyond Fossil Fools: The Roadmap to Energy Independence by 2040 (Beaver's Pond Press, Inc. 2008).

Mr. Shuster approaches the goal of energy independence the way a good engineer would: By studying how our current energy practices will quickly bankrupt us if projected forward, by choosing an alternate path that is realistic and doable, and then showing us that it will be very profitable to do so.

There are many ways to reach the goal of energy independence. Some of them are less controversial than the path proposed by Mr. Shuster, but they will take longer, and be more costly. There is a heavy emphasis on nuclear energy in Mr. Shuster's proposal, and my state of Minnesota has prohibited any nuclear expansion of its power needs since 1994. So this book more relevant for the 49 other states that can act on his proposal.

Mr. Shuster begins with the obvious: Sooner or later, we'll run out of all fossil fuels. All fossil fuels: Oil, gas, coal, tar sands, oil sands -- you name it, and Mr. Shuster will tell you that nothing can stop its depletion. Conservation just postpones the reckoning. So do more efficient cars, better coal- and gas-powered plants, improved appliances and more comprehensive public transportation systems. For the world, he estimates that oil and gas will last less than fifty years, and coal less than seventy-five - forecasts that assume very modest economic growth. The more we procrastinate with changing our energy sources, he writes, the higher the cost will be.

What will be the quickest, cheapest and most sustainable strategy? It will be the one that will not run out, will produce few or no toxic emissions, and will be safe.

Wind is included in Shuster's plan, although he points out that windmills work only 35% of the time, requiring a backup system.

Solar is included as well, but the sun does not shine at night; thus, solar power, too, requires a backup system.

The 24/7/365 backup system he recommends is nuclear energy.

Currently only 6% of U.S. energy comes from renewable sources. Biomass is the greatest of these, providing more than all 75,000 U.S. hydroelectric power plants put together. Together, biomass and hydro produce 92% of all renewable energy (but only 6% in all, as noted in the chart below), hydro providing 2.6% of total U.S. energy usage.

All other potential renewable energy sources cannot contribute much to solving our immediate energy problem, but may eventually become part of a long-lasting solution -- in places where they can safely be exploited. Hydrogen is a special case, but currently costs more to produce and store than the energy it delivers.

Mr. Shuster covers all known energy options in his book: Solar, wind, bio fuels, hydro, tidal, waves, geothermal, hydrogen, oil, oil shale, oil sands and other forms of energy generation. Each approach is carefully considered in light of the urgency of the problem, the cost of conversion, and the potential damage to the environment. He deals with potential nuclear contamination in depth, and I urge you to read about it.

He describes the sources of energy for the U.S.:

U.S. Energy Inputs from All Sources (2002)

% of Total
Energy Generated % of Total Electricity Generated
Nuclear 8.2 21.3
Hydro 2.6 6.6
Biomass and Other Bio 3.3 2.4
Coal
Domestic 22.8
Imported 0.4 23.2 52.5
Natural Gas
Domestic 19.7
Imported 3.6 23.3 14.9
Oil
Domestic 15.0
Imported 24.4 39.4 2.3
TOTAL 100.0 100.0


How our energy is used:

Residential/Commercial 27.6%
Industrial 26.8%
Non-fuel 8.3%
Transportation 37.3%
TOTAL 100.0%

And how much is lost in the system:

61.5%

Currently, satisfying our demand for energy draws 85.9% from fossil fuels. These are the fuels that will either be depleted (oil and gas) or cause massive environmental damage through pollution and greenhouse gasses if they remain our focus for energy generation.

Building upon that set of premises, Mr. Shuster proceeds to electrify the economy through nuclear energy, solar and wind in order to reach his goal of energy independence in 2040. He suggests that the other energy sources like bio-fuels, tides, waves, geothermal and hydrogen may be part of the solution to varying degrees, but not within the time or cost frame that we must follow if we want to avoid early catastrophic results.

Here is what Mr. Shuster thinks we can achieve by 2040 -- and what it will cost:

Transition Capital Costs through 2038

Source % of Total U.S. Energy Production Cost
(in 2008 Dollars)
Nuclear 80 $1.1 trillion
Wind 10 $0.5 trillion
Solar 10 $1.7 trillion
Transportation N/A $0.5 trillion
TOTAL 100 $3.8 trillion

He proposes collecting surcharges on the use of fossil fuels and electricity amounting to $4.8 trillion over 30 years, leaving a surplus of $1 trillion for investment or refund.

What will be the payback to the American people over the 30-year transition from the investments in all renewable energy?

Mr. Shuster calculates fuel savings and electricity savings of $8.3 trillion, which leaves a net benefit of $3.5 trillion from an investment of $4.8 trillion -- a return of 72.9%.

To that he adds a cleaner environment, stable energy prices with savings projected at $500 billion per year, an improved balance of payments, a resurgent dollar, and a prosperous and sustainable economy.

If this plan is extended to the world, he sees that oceans will recover, mercury will dissipate, acid rain and toxic gasses will disappear, and human-caused global warming will no longer be an issue.

Finally, he suggests that an energy-independent world will have lost a major cause of conflict, violence and war.

This is Mr. Shuster's plan. I applaud his initiative, although I know it will be a controversial proposal. And it is true that there are many alternative routes towards a self-renewing energy solution for the U.S. Here are some thoughts about these opportunities:

* I have seen a Russian gamma ray reactor that supposedly could reduce the half-life of nuclear waste to twenty-five days. Nuclear energy produces no CO2 greenhouse gasses. If nuclear waste can be stored safely or rendered harmless, nuclear energy can meet all of our baseload energy needs for more that 100 thousand years.

* In South Africa, the most advanced, and most safe nuclear reactor is being built, using small spheres of uranium oxide and graphite. Put enough spheres together and a chain reaction will start. Safety is assured in that the system shuts itself down if it overheats.

* I've listened to researchers who believe that the oil economy could be replaced by a glucose economy. The U.S. could harvest plant matter in the amount of 1.3 billion tons peer year without affecting food production. That is enough to replace 65% of current petroleum consumption. Add algae and new and more genetically appropriate plants and better technology, and tropical countries could join us in the next industrial revolution.

* I've seen the potential of geothermal in Iceland. It is an invisible form of energy, ready for the taking, and my late friend, Dr. Curt Nicolin, heated his home and pool with it in southern Sweden.

* Windmills were virtually absent a decade ago -- soon they will supply up to 25% of the energy of a state or a country. They dot the landscape of the Midwest "wind tunnel." Using intelligent grids and intelligent user technology, the variations in supply may be accommodated so that demand and supply are a seamless fit.

* Solar power technology improves every day -- now a system of concentrated sun energy applied to solar cells has driven costs down to 5¢ per kilowatt hour -- matching the cost of the use of coal in energy production.

* Geographic luck offers certain locations special energy advantages. Waves and tides supply coastal homes in Norway with energy. Abundant waterfalls drive turbines throughout that mountainous country. And under Norway's continental shelf, there are considerable reserves of oil and gas.

* In the Sahara, they have just begun to harvest energy from the sun; the deserts of New Mexico are perfect for solar farms. And Saudi Arabia is sometimes referred to as the "Saudi Arabia" of solar energy.

Those who would like another route to energy independence should propose a plan that will be better than Mr. Shuster's plan. That may not be easy, because I think Mr. Shuster may have underestimated the possible savings from his approach, extraordinary as even those numbers may seem.

Here is why: The moment the U.S. commits to this plan, OPEC will know that oil and gas will be marginalized as future sources of energy. Energy independence is the greatest threat to the power of the cartel.

Immediately, oil prices will start to fall as oil producers scramble to compete for diminishing demand, both current and projected. There are about one trillion barrels of known reserves in the ground; if you were holding them, what would you do between now and 2040?

Prices will need to fall in order to sell the overhang of excessive supply of oil in a rapidly energy converting world.

But, the U.S. must tax gasoline in a more imaginative way than what Mr. Shuster suggests. He proposes a 50¢ tax per gallon of gasoline. A better way will be to guarantee a $3.00 price of gasoline, and pocket the difference between what is likely to be a $1.00 per gallon (or less) market price and the $3.00 guaranteed price. The difference will then finance the conversion costs of changing to an energy-independent economy instead of fueling the profits of oil companies and the OPEC cartel.

The falling market price is likely to generate $280 billion per year in surcharges on gasoline. Add this to the other fees on electricity production (2.5¢ per kilowatt), coal ($50 per ton), gas ($1 per 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas burned) and gas guzzlers, and the annual take will be $450 million per year - enough to finance the entire cost of conversion in only 7.2 years.

I don't know if it is possible to build 277 nuclear power plants per year over those 7.2 years, or 361 thousand 2-megawatt windmills, or the equivalent in solar energy plants. Engineers will have to come up with drawings, technologies and time lines to make it happen.

I do know that it would be the kind of effort that could define our generation. I believe that leadership and steadfastness will be the critical factors in such a gargantuan project, and I believe that we can do it.

I am a grandfather, too.

I read Mr. Shuster's persuasive and brilliant book with a critical eye. I am not a nuclear scientist. I know nothing about fast neutron reactors or the reasons why they are considered to be environmentally sound.

But I know that the ideas underlying the book are simply derived by applying the principles of productivity to perhaps the most challenging problem of our time. And because I know productivity, I took the liberty to speed up the transformation by 22.8 years (317%).

Even I am probably underestimating the gains from succeeding in this extraordinary quest; the returns from having our children grow up in a clean, safe and just world, a world in which they are educated and cared for, will exceed any projections Mr. Shuster and I could dare offer.

Mr. Shuster is 74 years of age. Consider his perspective when he sat down to write this book. He wrote it as a message to a future that he thought he would never know but that his grandchildren would. And that fueled his efforts.

Now, we both might live to see it.

Will the leader of this all-important energy quest please step forward?

Shuster has hit the nail right on the head! We have to get our heads out of the Arabian sand as quickly as possible. This book is the alarm clock ringing a wake up call to Americans specifically, but to all humanity in general. It should be a must read for all our political leaders.

He succinctly describes our current energy consumption problems, describes "clean" and "popular" alternatives, explains why these will not and can not play more than a minor role in our energy independence and then talks in detail about THE solution.

THE solution is nuclear power. Not the nuclear power that the media likes to demonize but new, safer technology using Fast Neutron Reactors. Reactors which use existing nuclear waste as fuel and are 99% efficient rather than "Light Water Reactors" which are only 1% efficient, virtually eliminating the existing waste. These reactors also emit NO carbon dioxide, mercury, nitrogen oxides or other harmful pollutants. He also brings to light the important new agency called the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) which has as it's agenda the nonproliferation of weapons grade nuclear material and the sharing of Fast Neutron Reactor material for power generation.

He offers a "timeline" and costs for implementation, which always seems to be missing in books of this nature. The sources and details are very well researched and documented. The bibliography reads like a "Whose Who" of the scientific and engineering world.

A remarkably important book arriving exactly at the right time. Read it. Call your Congressional Representative or Senator and demand a nonpartisan "Call to Arms," for the sake of our country and its future.

This book by Joe Shuster says it all! Read it and use it for a reference. Get 2 copies and pass one on!

This book is comprehensive in its scope and provides a good solution which will work if we get some things changed in congress soon.

We need to get the fast neutron reactors on line ASAP! This will work!

Pass it Forward!

M. Allison
Lakeville, MN

This book is something you need to read if you are the least bit concerned about diminishing resources and your life in 10 years. The book addresses a series of concerns - scarce resources, pollution, and costs of energy - that you may have had in the back of your mind, but haven't articulated.
It walks you though what the energy - and that's really our lifeblood if you think about it - outlook is for the next thirty years with some hard data. And the outlook is not pretty as population increases and - even with massive conservation efforts - we'll need more energy than we have now. And the stuff to make energy - oil and natural gas - is running out as current prices seem to demonstrate. And coal is a really really dirty fuel. Did you know for example, that a coal fired power plant gives out many more times nuclear radiation than a nuclear plant does?
The author proposes the means to get to energy independence - or energy neutrality - within 30 years by a combination of wind, solar, and nuclear power that can be done with current technology at relatively little cost. Heck - if we can spend 70 billion on a police action in Iraq, we certainly can do this. The proposal is well researched, and gives facts and figures that make sense.
It's easy to read at any level and amazingly persuasive. Go buy it!

BEYOND MEDICINE: Exploring a New Way of Thinking by Dr. Richard A. DiCenso is a rewarding guide to personal change and improved health. Readers will explore the realms of Vicious Cycle Disorders (VCD) impacting health and wellness in today's society.

Not feeling well is not normal. Unresolved symptoms could indicate a life out of balance. How strongly do these words resonate? You, may be suffering from VCD. BEYOND MEDICINE, teaches why VCD develops, common signs of VCD, how to identify the symptoms of VCD, and what you can do about it.

Dr. DiCenso details the three primary realms in which Human beings function: the physical, biochemical, and psycho-emotional-spiritual or "virtual". Insightfully explaining that, "Unless balance exists among and within the realms, day-to-day life reflects discrepancies in the form of physical ailments, physiological dysfunction, and/or emotional distress."

Learning that our thoughts, which exist in the virtual realm, can perpetuate VCD was profound. Accepting responsibility for an out of balance life is a hard truth. As individuals, we literally are what we think. The book serves as a wonderful resource for individuals desiring improved health and also for those who are proactive in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The importance of the mind-body-spirit connection and overall health is significant.

By changing our thoughts and "Exploring a New Way of Thinking", BEYOND MEDICINE, it is possible to improve your quality of life. I highly recommend this powerful and inspiring book.

Beyond Medicine: Exploring A New Way Of Thinking by Dr. Richard A. DiCenso is an interpretive study of the mind, and the effectiveness of neurological and psychological order over drugs and surgery. Offering the reader an invaluable body of knowledge from years of experience with Vicious Cycle Disorder, Beyond Medicine informs its readers of the most frequent reasonings for the cause of VCD, common signs of VCD, identification of normal symptoms of VCD, and how to create a healing mentality and alteration of the pains which VCD causes. Beyond Medicine is very strongly recommended to those who are struggling to identify health issues arising from the condition of VCD.

Ever more clinicians are recognizing the limitations of the biomedical model of illness and the importance of considering not only the psychological, social, subtle and spiritual components of the human organism, but also how they each change over time.

This time factor is critically important. Time runs at different speeds and even in different directions in each of these five domains. It is also important because a good healer soon learns that time management is considerably less important than energy management: time provides the structure but energy provides the dynamic power that enables our lives and the lives of our patients to flourish. While time is limited, energy is not. Or rather it should not be. But sometimes we do our best to sabotage it. Instead of relying upon contacting and using our inner energy, we steal it from other people or rely on the quick fixes of caffeine, sugar or a hundred other suboptimal solutions that leave their tracks in each of the five domains.

But underlying time and the five domains, there is a timeless, dynamic, intelligent blueprint - often called the Informational Matrix - that constantly generates the plans and strategies that keep us alive. When we lose touch with that Source we either become sick or die. Physical medicine, herbs, nutrition, postural work and energy medicine are all essential components of treatment and health maintenance, but over the last three decades, ever more therapists have been interested in doing more than treating people who have already "fallen off the cliff:" Nobody wants to move the deckchairs on the Titanic! So in addition to physical and energy medicine, there has, since the early 1980s been growing interest in "Information Medicine."

If it is indeed possible to influence the Informational Matrix, then we might be getting at the root of the problem. And that should in turn direct the subtle systems of the body. That does not mean a "get out of jail free card!" Our efforts could yet be thwarted by poor lifestyle choices, though those choices become less common as we work with people's information systems.

There is a second observation that has been known by specialists for many years, and that is the concept of the pain cycle. Many people with chronic headache or intractable back pain may no longer have any obvert physical pathology, yet the pain will not budge: they have entered a chronic pain cycle, that is probably mediated by some precise circuits in the thalamus of the brain. But you can be sure that these chronic problems have also left their imprint in the other systems of the body. The pain is not solely psychological or psychosomatic. It is as real as having a pin inserted into your forearm. It is surprising to find how few therapists have been taught about or discovered these pain cycles. And it is not just pain: many pathological patterns can establish vicious circles in the body or mind that are similar to obsessive ruminations, obsessive-compulsive thoughts or an ohrwurm that has occupied someone's mind.

The trouble is that these vicious circles can sometimes be very hard to break.

This book by Richard DiCenso is an extremely important contribution and propels the whole field of information medicine forward, with what he calls "Vicious Cycle Disorders," and his novel approaches to treating them.

Richard starts by speaking of his initial frustration about trying to treat the 20% of the population who have chronic symptoms for which there is no readily apparent cause. Sometimes these people are given an array of diagnoses or interpretations of their symptoms such as "chronic fatigue syndrome," "sub-clinical hypothyroidism," "adrenal fatigue" or "Candida infections," all of which may be present, but the underlying problem is of a life out of balance. The cutting edge of medicine is not molecular biology or brain science. They are important and knowledge about them essential. But the real progress is being made in a new science: the science of re-integration. The reintegration of mind, body and spirit.

Richard has an ambitious goal: "to develop a working mode for behaviors that lead to a life of conscious co-creation and fulfillment."

Yet his novel approaches have made these goals attainable in a unique way. First the book contains a great many useful techniques for dealing with problems like repetitive thoughts and nutritional deficiencies. Second he has devised something called a "Matrix Assessment Profile" that helps pinpoint some of the precise disturbances in the body that are causing symptoms. He has created a very informative website containing a lot of information about the evaluation and how to get it done.

Richard DiCenso has created a wonderful healing system based on the essential truth that the future of the healing arts lies in whole person therapy.

Highly recommended.


Richard G. Petty, MD, author of Healing, Meaning and Purpose: The Magical Power of the Emerging Laws of Life

Dr. Richard Dicenso has written a very thought provoking book that explores healing and illness from a truly holistic model. His perspective encompasses not only the physical manifestations of imbalance, but also the too often ignored realms of emotion, consciousness and spirit. This is a book that you will want to read more than once because it is filled with wisdom and insight. I found this book very inspiring and a source of hope as well as practical guidance for all those seeking to achieve balance and wellness in their lives. Dr. Dicenso's book is one of the best books on healing that I have ever read.

Beyond Medicine is THE BOOK for our times and especially for the doctors and patients of the USA who have been brought up to believe that fixing illness is no more sophisticated than treating symptoms much as "Click and Clack the Tapet Brothers" might listen to the symptoms of a dysfunctional car and come up with a diagnosis on their National Public Radio program. It is vindication for all of those suffering from symptoms for which there seems to be no overt cause. It affirms the incredible complexity and mystery that is the human experience and gives hope to sufferers by outlining a matrix of considerations and activities that may treat the causes of disease instead of merely addressing the complaints. If you are interested in health, either yours or others, this book is a must read.

This book was recommended to me by my Doctor's nurse. Excellent information to help with yeast issues. It is small enough to carry in your purse for quick reference or keep in your car for those spare minutes. It has helped me kick start my new life without yeast.

"The Bible Cure for Candida and Yeast Infections" by Dr. Don Colbert was given to me as a gift, and since it is such an excellent book I have bought numerous other books by Dr. Colbert. Having already read a number of books by other authors about allergies, environmental illness and yeast overgrowth, I was very surprised this small book provided information I had never read elsewhere. In particular, I am happy the book tells how to heal a "leaky gut". Recently I was tested to be allergic to only three or four foods, after years prior having been tested allergic to 70% of foods. I knew that candida had made holes in my gut, then food protein went directly into my bloodstream, and was fought against by my immune system, resulting in many food allergies. After rarely eating my allergic foods and taking a particular amino acid Dr. Colbert mentions in this book, I have become much less sensitive to many foods. This is an excellent book for anyone who has ever taken antibotics and is now experiencing any of the many problems that go along with intestinal flora imbalance. For more information about the types of problems that are associated with candida albicans overgrowth, I suggest you also read Dr. William Crook's "The Yeast Connection".

I thought this book was VERY helpful. My sister-in-law was overweight and sick from candida and when she followed the plan in this book she lost a TON of weight and she feels better than ever. I recently found out that some of my health problems are from candida. This book has been helpful to me also. I especially love the scriptures and the prayers. They have helped me through a hard thing. I have also lost ALOT of weight from following this plan, but more than that, I feel awesome physically. Also, several people in our church have been following this book and are doing great! DR. COLBERT HAS JUST RECENTLY RELEASED A NEW BIBLE CURE BOOK FOR CANDIDA WITH RECIPES FOR THE CANDIDA DIET. I THINK IT MIGHT EVEN BE BETTER THAN THIS ONE.

If you think you might be dealing with candida or yeast, then this is the book for you! I highly recommend it. It has truly changed my life.

This book is very small, but has so much great info. I have so many books that I got rid of mine after I read it, but now I wish I would have kept it as a reference guide. A must read for any suffering from Candida.

My best friends wives have never been happier now that I have found this book by the remarkable Dr. Don Colbert. This author has graced us with such other wonderful books as the Bible's way to cure depression and has also educated the masses as to just what Jesus ate and how he cooked it. Jesus liked tabasco sauce by the way...at least he called for it in his recipies. At any rate, on to this book...I would have thought that the Biblicial way to cure such a pesky problem could have been gotten to faster than 96 pages, but apparently not. I'm just glad there's a Holy and Biblical answer to such a thing. And to think, all these vendors spend millions advertising all types of creams and insertive devices on televsion. I should like to think that if this book could reach more people, we could end those commercials and my dinner time could be interrupted by commercials for 4x4's, televisions and fried chicken rather than women speaking about burning and itching. Maybe someday, it will. Thank you Dr. Colbert, and thank you Jesus for showing the way to alleviate the problem of such yeasty devils.

This book serves as a usefull in office guide for quick reference on alternative therapies. I find it useful for myself as well as my patients.

There are a growing number of books on Complementary / Alternative Medicine (CAM) on the shelves, and a reliable resource on CAM therapies is imperative for conventional Western medical doctors as 50% or more of their patients are exploring these potentially helpful / potentially harmful therapies. This book distinguishes itself from the pack by providing the 30,000 foot view of each practice buoyed by bullet points highlighting the essential information a clinician needs to know to advise patients. This is a wonderful resource for busy clinicians who have only a few minutes of spare time to devote to counseling patients on CAM. I would recommend this book to any physician or other health care provider who sees patients; such a book should be provided to medical students and / or residents at the start of their training.

This is an informative and very readable guide to medical modalities currently used in lieu (or more frequently, in tandem) to treat many medical conditions. This book provides information on basic concepts of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine), including political and economic issues. More than a dozen modalities are reviewed, including acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis and homeopathy. In addition, more contemporary interventions such as aroma and music therapies, therapeutic touch and guided imagery are explained. The approach is straight-forward; with each topic written by a specialist in the field. Authors (most are physicians; but several are nurses with extensive experience in the field of particular study) describe each topic; it's history, indications and hopeful outcomes and (in effort to assure a balanced review) limitations of treatment. Certification and licensing requirements are also addressed; with a sampling of nationwide hospitals and clinics providing CAM programs provided. This book is an excellent tool for both the professional and layperson seeking to understand alternative treatments and their effective integration with more tradition medical care.

This is an amazing , easy to read text that is for everyone. As a medical doctor I would recommend that everyone buy one for themselves as well as their own physician to help educate them on what will be the fundamentals of wellness of our future. We will need to use all these therapies in combination with western medicine to ensure the wellness of ourselves and our future generations...........

This is complementary and alternative therapies in a nutshell, easy to use as a quick resource when you don't have time to read any of the many books and articles on CAM's. It is systematically organized for easy access to essential information. This light weight paperback is a must for any busy health care professional who wants to be able to advice patients on the therapies they may be using or considering.

This is a wonderful resource for everyone who can benefit from massage. We all need an "occasional tweeking" to keep ourselves feeling great. This book helps you figure out what massage is best for you!

I am a teacher, and so when I read a book, I'm always very aware of how well-organized and well-written it is. I picked up "Bodywork" because I've had lower back pain off and on for years. I was interested in trying some hands-on therapy to help it. Bodywork helped me find some relief for it. My pain is not completely gone, but I am better able to alleviate and manage it than with pills.

What struck me most about "Bodywork" is that in addition to being very informative, it is extremely well-organized and well-written. This makes it a very handy reference book. I found it educational and inspirational, without being "preachy". I recommend this book to any other readers who are interested in learning more about how hands-on therapies can help them.

We are certified massage therapists in the San Francisco Bay area. When clients ask us about lesser known or unfamiliar modalities, this is the book we reach for. It is concise, well-written, easy to understand from the layman's point of view. It has even helped us in the enhancement of our own practice by providing a guide to further studies and research to improve our practice.

This is the best book on bodywork I've read. I love massage, but was confused by all the diffrerent styles that are out there -- Swedish, Alexander, Reiki, Shiatsu -- to name just a few. I've read a lot of books on massage, but it was Thomas Claire's BODYWORK that helped me find the massage that was right for me -- and make the most of it. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in finding out more about massage and bodywork.

This is an excellent overview of the fascinating world of massage and body-mind healing therapies. I've always been interested in massage, but had a hard time figuring out what all the different types are. Thomas Claire's BODYWORK helped demystify this world for me. I especially liked the fist-hand account of the experience of different kinds of massage -- they were really helpful. For instance, the first-hand account of a reflexology session helped me understand what foot massage is all about, and to know that I would like to try it.

This book is fascinating! It belongs on every Herbalist's bookshelf. It details the herbal history of certain herbs used over the centuries for treating cancer & salves used for enucleation & escharotic treatments. Ingrid is a brilliant Herbalist & her book carefully details the necessary details needed to proceed with this type of treatment. I highly recommend this book!

This book can be purchased from the author at her web site brand new for 42.50. I do not understand why Amazon and the other sellers are selling used ones for 74+ dollars. I come here often for books and this is the first time I feel taken advantage of. I will buy the book because it is highly recommended for anyone who wants to formulate cancer salves, but I will buy it directly from Ingrid this time.

[...]

Cancer Salves is a fabulous reference resource and a truly fascinating read. Dr. Naiman has accomplished quite a feat in this book. When I got my copy, I literally could not put it down and as I read more and more of it I became more and more in awe of the amount of research that obviously went into this less than one inch thick volume.

Throughout the book, Dr. Naiman has referenced her sources and outlined all the cautions that one must be cognizant of when embarking on any healing journey. Think of this book like the old Portuguese Pilot Books that were so highly valued as the only reliable navigational aids prior to the sextant. Like them, this book will aid you in navigating through the physical and spiritual journey that is healing. It tells tales of both success and failure, it gives further resources, points out pitfalls in science as well as philosophy--a truly epic ode to healing and the reform of our philosophy of health.

Although Cancer Salves is obviously and specifically focused on cancer, I found that the information provided on individual herbs is very useful generally and not just for cancer. The appendices, especially the suggested reading list, and the bibliography alone are worth the price of the book. Dr. Naiman's musings on the philosophy of health and healing will be echoing within me for some time to come.

Finally, I would like to add my own cautionary note: Do not attempt to put any of the programs outlined in Cancer Salves--or any other alternative medical resource--into practice unless you are prepared to take full and complete personal responsibility for your own health and healing. This book is a map, an atlas, a Pilot Book, not a guarantee. It gives you resources to make your own educated alternative medical decisions. What comes of your decisions is your own responsibility, just as it should be. I for one am very grateful to Dr. Naiman for this invaluable resource.

Shortly after I received the book, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Naiman. I was just as impressed by her knowledge, presence, and integrity as I was by her book.

Dr. Naiman writes an amazing and giving book detailing the use, the formulas, and protocols for working with herbs to remove tumors. The reasearch on the book is scholarly and exhaustive; the prose style light and angelic. I read it in manuscript form and was so amazed by the book's generosity - the author even provides recipes for creating the salves - and its clairity that I bought a copy for my Naturopathic Doctor. He is equally impressed.

As a cancer patient I heard hints and whispers about the amazing salves, like blood root and the black and yellow salves, but could find no one truly versed in the art of making or using the salves. All of the practitioners I consulted knew of the existance of the salves but knew nothing of how to obtain them or the proper way to apply them. With this book, Dr. Naiman gives anyone who believes in alternative cancer treatments a virtual howitzer to use in the battle against this killer disease.

I paid nearly double the low Amazon.com price for each of the books I bought and believe that I got an incredible bargain. If you have cancer, if you love anyone who has this dread disease, or if you treat cancer patients, you need this book. The herbs are a gift from the earth. The use of them is our legacy from generations of countless healers from decades and centuries past. Certainly we owe Dr. Naiman a debt of gratitude for putting it all in our hands via her very readable and accessible book.

When I heard of a woman who had pancreatic cancer and who had been sent home to die, but had managed to save herself with these salves (self-administered under the guidance of a Naturopath), I was incredulous. I was told she actually had the growths in jars and was always happy to share her story with others who might benefit.

I made a point of meeting the woman and found her the picture of health, running a vibrant business, working harder than any of the men under her employ. She showed me the jars containing some evil-looking growths. She showed me an unusual scar where the cancer had exited her side. She told me how much it had hurt and how hard it was to kick the morphine they had her on in the hospital. And she told me of other "terminals" who had survived.

I got to know this woman well and I trust her implicitly. When I got the book "Cancer Salves" and showed it to her, she was ecstatic. Somebody had finally gotten it in print! How brave!

The value of the internet is that you have access to information that would otherwise be banned. With the bad (pornography, etc.) comes the good - voices long silenced by the heavy hand of institutional authority - facts about effective cancer cures that have saved many lives. Search the web for the life history of Royal Raymond Rife. Get the video "Hoxsey - The Quack(?) Who Cured Cancer" (Also renamed "Hoxsey - How Healing Becomes A Crime").

Make up your own mind, however incredible it all may sound at first. And get this book while you still can! Many less-threatening items have been banned by the AMA/FDA. If one out of every four people in America will get cancer, this may save you or someone you love. Knowledge is power.

I bought this book for my girlfriend and she said that if she didn't have it she never would have passed some of her college classes last quarter.

I own the hardback edition of this book and am very pleased the paperback edition has arrived. Sent it to a good friend looking for the pressure points of the horse, which Mary does a great job of showing in the sketches provided. This is the best alternative medicine book I have found for the horse.

As I am coming into more holistic approaches to life, I have found this book to be a Bible!! As it covers so many topics, giving guidance to directions for all of us, I can easily understand the value of this book!! Amust for all readers who want to keep their Equine healthy and sound --Naturally!!

This book serves as a wonderful reference for the health of my equines. It gives very descriptive things that can be done. Recently when my warmblood foundered, I found the suggestions very helpful and empowering. I got to implement some of them right away and therefore made my girl more comfortable in this hard situation. I highly recommend this book as it takes the mystery out of many different approaches of equine care and gives one the opportunity to make informed, well thought out choices.

This comprehensive volume addresses dozens of concerns for the horse owner, covering traditional and alternative health practices. The book is very complete in covering the health care options in two sections.The first part dealing with health care is an overview of traditional and holistic options. The final section of the volume is a comprehensive listing (with photos) of typical horse ailments with specific recommendations for each one. The entire book is written in a style easily understandable by the novice, but not too simplistic for the experienced horse owner. Photos and very complete appendices round out the coverage for this topic. Additionally, Brennan includes a comprehensive horse management section which is equally impressive in its scope, covering topics such as diet, grooming, tack and trailering.This book is truly a "must have" for the concerned horse owner.

I've been seriously interested in the spiritual aspects of my life for many years. I've done a great deal of reading and some formal study, to learn about the connection between my mind, body and spirit. This book is loaded with practical and readable information about every aspect of spiritual healing. I've never found such a gold mine of spiritual information in one book. It doesn't try to tell you everything about every subject, but it does make it possible for you to browse through a smorgasbord of techniques and practices from all over the world. You can decide what appeals to you, and follow whatever path you choose. Dr. Gregg provides a roadmap for any spiritual journey you might wish to take.

This is a great primer about spiritual healing and healing modalities.

Don't let the title of this book put you off. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Spiritual Healing by Dr. Susan Gregg has the simplistic layout of the "Idiot's Guide" book so it's easy to navigate. Dr. Gregg was a student of Don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide To Personal Freedom, and his Mother, Sister Sarita, before becoming a Toltec Nagual.

The very first page sets the tone and intent of the book: a cheerful orange reference card that spans the entire page. On it are suggestions for creating a daily routine, making a list of nurturing things, and a list of affirmations called Talking to Yourself in the Mirror, which Dr. Gregg encourages you to add to with your own positive statements.

Illustrated "bubble" boxes are sprinkled throughout the book, and include Snake Oil (pitfalls you may encounter on your spiritual quest), Clarity Corner (definitions and more in-depth explanations of key concepts), Sage Advice (quotes and short vignettes to uplift and keep you on track), and Spiritual Shortcuts which includes exercises, meditations, and other bits of information that will help you move more rapidly on your path.

And this isn't even the bulk of the book! There is information on alternative healing modalities, altered states of consciousness, body work, inner guidance, eating mindfully, emotions vs. feelings, exercise, life purpose, surrender (which doesn't mean giving up!), dominion vs. domination, nature as healer, relationships and intimacy (into-me-see, as she cleverly writes), planetary healing, channeling, spiritual traditions of healers (Native American, Mexican, South American, European, African, Voodoo, and Huna) and a whole lot more. The great thing about this book is that it doesn't read like a boring New Age 101 Textbook full of pure theory. Dr. Gregg presents herself as having her feet planted firmly on the ground--yet she brings knowledge from Grandmother (the Divine Feminine) to the table in a blend that is both practical and "beyond the dream".

The subjects covered are broad in scope, but specific enough to get your general questions answered. If it's not, there is an indepth section in the back called "Additional Reading" which lists books in specific sections, and even includes a section on Organizations and relevant contact information.

I just finished reading this book and was amazed at the amount of information it contained. Now I am going to go back and do the exercises!

Having dealt with depression for six years, I found this book to be a very useful eye-opener; I don't think anything I've read has helped me heal as much as Dr. Gregg's. It will enable you to find and deal with the root causes of many of the issues that worry or upset you and to raise your self-esteem. There were a couple ideas in the book I didn't entirely agree with, but then it's also a question of interpretation. Highly recommend.

This book was filled with lots of valuable information and wonderful guidance. This book is a must for anyone wanting to improve the quality of their life!

We've been trying to find the paperback versions with no luck. Thanks!

This is the first book, alt time travel? not much on details but has a good story line. Really liked it.

I'm a scifi fan and this is the only complete series I've ever read. At 700+ pages I assume this volume contains the whole thing. It's about an engineer/soldier mysteriously transported back centuries and how he changes history with his knowledge and initiative. Very thought provoking.

This series is a real favorite of mine. Great story line, great characters, and unique ideas. Now (as of Summer 2005) the latest Conrad book, "Conrad's Crusade" is now available from [...], on line! It is solid action on par with the best in the series. [...], and I recommend it highly.

It's rare I reread a book yet Frankowski's I have, discovering subtle insights and deep thinking underlying fast-moving exciting stories full of humanity, humor, well-drawn characters, rousing action by ill-prepared people wildly improvising, a little-known setting (medieval Poland just before the Mongol invasion, and a very well done reworking of Twain's "A Connecticutt Yankee in King Arthur's Court" with more real laughs and far more purpose. There's a thousand lessons on history, technology, science, religion, economic development, warfare, trade, Playboy Clubs, time travel, project management, and politicking, so it's well worth an adult's time while a ripping yarn for an adolescent. Robert Heinlein, Neal Stephenson, Eric Flint, and S.M. Stirling would be in this caliber.

Lewis Mehl-Madrona reveals insights into traditional and non-traditional medicine. He is an interesting multi-faceted medical practioner. It is impossible to sum up his contributions in a sentence or two. He breaks the bonds of traditional medicine by incorporating ancient medical practices into his healing work.

Great book if this is the first book of this author that you read. However, it is an extraordinary book if read after reading Coyote Medicine. As a follow-up read, the reader has a greater understand of the "whys". If you are a Native American or have worked in the field of mental health/ psychiatry -- or better yet both, you find yourself going, "Yes, you are so right!" often times as you read. Such a moving book. It touched not only my mind, but also my heart and soul. I could not put it down until I finished it.

Lewis Mehl-Madrona, M.D. has written one of the best books on healing ever to be published. This book should be required reading for all cancer patients and survivors, for anyone suffering from chronic physical or emotional disease, and for therapists in all disciplines. Dr. Madrona's stories are poignant and will linger with you long after you've finished the last page. This book offers hope. It teaches that health truly is a mind-body-spirit phenomenon.

Dr. Mehl-Madrona's magnificent first book, COYOTE MEDICINE, was seen through wide-eyes: a young doctor discovering his own roots and shedding illusions about the omnipotence of science. By contrast, COYOTE HEALING reveals a sure sense of purpose and conviction in his approach.

One senses a mission- that this book is more than an account, but an active attempt to spread the word. No longer exploring, Dr. Mehl-Madrona has become the guru; here he is at the height of his powers and conviction and acts as advocate.

Operating from the perspective of a shaman, Dr. Mehl-Madrona respects the patient's ability to cure himself, but also "straddle(s) cultures," drawing on his varied expertise. As he explains, "Activating the inner healer is the most important aspect of what I do... I use herbs, diet, vitamins, exercise, drugs and a myriad of other techniques, but I recognize that the inner healer makes all these approaches work."

Because of the success of his first book, many people seek him out, and we hear their stories. They have usually been told their cases were beyond hope. Working with the author, some patients do recover, others sadly, do not. But Dr. Mehl-Madrona refuses to speak of "failures," nor does he use cases to argue for or against shamanic or complementary approaches. Rather, he sees the healing process itself as the miracle. As he says:

I build hope. I don't help everyone [in terms of cures]...I help them to show their true humanity, their true spirit, despite adversity...Each of my patients told me what a difference I had made in their lives. All I did was to recognize their true selves and coax those to the surface, despite everything else that was happening... Hope- not despair, not denial, not giving up, not demanding success...It comes from knowing that the Universe cares about us, even when our desires are not possible... The peacefulness of integrating these apparent contradictions is truly a miracle.

Much of his work involves Native American storytelling, using characters in stories to shed light on the patients' struggles. So, a woman who helps many people but is now undergoing chemotherapy is told a story of the "Gatherer," a Native American woman who collected healing plants, and was kidnapped and tortured, but made it through. Another woman who has been ill for decades is told a story about a young woman who was kidnapped, who had to throw away some prized items in order to escape. Here the doctor was showing his patient how to discard illness as an identity.

Some major themes emerge. A loss of community is said to cause disease, and one violently schizophrenic man finds his way back to sanity by being made an "honorary Indian" on a reservation. Another theme is illness as sublimated negativity in one's life.

But the doctor does not "blame the victim." Instead, he defines "disease" as literally that, dis-ease. In the eyes of a shaman, cause of illness is everywhere, and awareness of imbalance will lead us to finding "ease." In the author's words, "I can no longer imagine a physical problem that is not simultaneously psychological, spiritual and social..."

But we are not being punished by our illness, only being told that something is wrong. Gary Null echoes this when he talks about the fires burning in our (physiological) houses, and how often we ignore these fires, whether stress, abuse, self-hatred, etc.

Whether you believe in complimentary healing approaches or not, COYOTE HEALING helps define what it means to fight for wellness with dignity and peace. Having met Dr. Mehl-Madrona at his healing circle, I know his real voice: soft, thoughtful, nonjudgemental, and mischievous. In these pages this voice comes through, and brings comfort. Thank you again, Doctor.

COYOTE HEALING is an interesting book which describes an approach to healing which is based on the experiences of the author who is a practicing physician and a graduate of Stanford University School of Medicine. The main thrust of the book is to reveal the characteristics of exceptional patients who beat the odds against killer diseases such as cancer. Many inspirational stories are included.

The healing strategies used throughout reflect Dr. Mehl-Madrona's own childhood exposure to a mixture of Christianity and Cherokee spirituality. A strong emphasis is placed on the need for the patient to think positively. Any feelings of personal blame for having the illness are eliminated and replaced with a sense of hope. This step leads to peacefulness which in turn sets the stage for a potential miracle. The patient next tries to locate the inner healer before starting on a healing journey. The latter emphasizes a radical transformation of oneself and one's relationships. The journey itself ultimately becomes more important than the destination.