Health Books

The book starts out with, "Don't read this book if you are pregnant" (or something like that). I was six months pregnant with my first child, yet steamed ahead anyway. I am glad that I did. The description of the insanity, temporary or otherwise, that can be brought on brought on by modern motherhood that Ingman paints is exactly what a parent-to-be like myself needed, because it prepared me for the worst, and let me off the hook from the overambitious expectations that I had (elaborate birth plan that did not go as planned? check. Dreams of cooking my own organic baby food now making way for Gerber jars? check). The writing had a way of taking me to the absolute depths of her experience while at the same time injecting humor and compassion that made me feel like everything was going to be all right. I didn't expect to laugh out loud, but I did many times while reading.

This book is WAY more complex than any review can possibly hope to convey. It's personal, and political; funny, and sad. While reading, you realize that a lot of the problems Ingman faces are not just parents' issues, but women's issues. Are the mothers crazy or is the world crazy? Read and decide for yourself.

I think pretty much everything that the author has to say can be (and is!) said in the first 30 pages or so. After that, it's bits and pieces, loosely strung together but without a goal in sight. Neither a great resource for those dealing with PPD nor a good comic relief.

"Inconsolable" is smart, funny, and heartbreaking. This book should be required reading for any woman considering motherhood--it rips off the layers of Hallmark sentimentality and reveals exactly how agonizing post-partum depression can be. Frankly, it made me want to send my mother a bouquet of three dozen long-stemmed red roses.

This is a brave book written by an astonishingly talented writer Whether or not you're considering having a child, this book will change the way you think about motherhood, pregnancy, and mental health long after you've put the book down. I will never play Nine Inch Nails without thinking of Marritt ever again, and man, I play a lot of NIN.

Thank you for this book, Marritt.

When I suffered from debilitating depression after the birth of my 2nd daughter, I searched everywhere for something to grasp onto. Anything to grasp onto. Somehow I found this book. All of a sudden, here was someone like me - someone else who wanted to drive off a bridge. I felt like I had finally made a connection and I wasn't alone in this anymore.
I can honestly say that this book was pivotal in my (LONG) recovery. It is what ultimately encouraged me to push through, connect with others and reclaim motherhood. Marrit's accounts of early motherhood are real, moving, poignant, and honest. I highly recommend this book to any new mother - if you aren't suffering from PPD yourself, you might be able to understand and reach out to someone who is.

If you are a mom and you think you are loosing your mind, read this book!! You'll find out that you are not alone. I think all moms feel this way at times but most are too worried about what people will think if they admit it. Props to Marrit for being brutally honest.

This book is incredible! I was beginning to think that sleeping poorly was a result of getting older(I am in my 30s). Now I know that you can learn to be a good sleeper just like you learn other things! Read it and enjoy.

I first came across this book at 3 am on another insomnia night and was impatient for a solution. I didn't want any more pills that made me feel drugged the next day. I didn't want any more useless sleep hygiene advice, which worked intermittently. I also didn't want to pay $2,000 for a sleep study that would tell me I needed more pills and better sleep hygiene! Having suffered from insomnia for eight years, I was ready for a real solution.

Two things caught my eye about this book. One, a large percentage of the reviewers were medical professionals who used the method in their practices. Two, the book suggested an approach that would actually relax the body and calm the mind, not drug it or try to control everything around it and hope it behaves. This was what I was looking for!

After trying the methods, I can confirm that they work spectacularly; however, I do have a word of caution on the methods. Follow the steps in the book as exactly as possible, and don't go on memory alone when first doing them. Doing them incorrectly--even slightly so--can give you poor results.

I purchased this book after reading the great reviews. It is wordy, poorly written, and gives the impression the author is just making up sleep advice. The medical credentials of the author and the souces are suspect as well (the author lists GCFP after his name...what is that?). If you think yoga may help you relax then this may be for you. If you are looking for a better written book from a scientific rather than spiritual perspective I would recommend "The Insomnia Answer".

These wonderful tecniques in the book were invaluable these last couple of weeks. My youngest son has been very ill with a virus that completely disturbed his sleeping. We thought it would change, but didn't, so I taught him some of the Mini-moves in the book and he was able to relax and finally get the much needed rest he needed for healing.

As a very tired single mother of two, I have been using this method for a few years. It changed my relationship with sleep. Recently my 8 year old had a very painful infection and was unable to sleep. I did some of the techniques with her as she tried to relax. It worked! We both got a decent nights sleep.
Thank you.

When I was a happy and healthy 39 years old, I abruptly became the first cancer patient I'd known, with a stage III colorectal cancer. Once diagnosed, I put together the best medical team I could. Then I found myself with many equally crucial needs for help as I entered the strange and uniquely personal terrain of my cancer experiences. How will I get through this? What does this cancer mean for my life? Journey Through Cancer provided excellent questions, stories, and tools that helped strengthen and enrich my ability to navigate through cancer. I found Journey Through Cancer at the library, and it was the sole book I found that understood that cancer patients need more than prescriptions for treatment, diet and attitude. Journey Through Cancer coaches readers through a process of discovering their own best responses to the unique impacts of cancer on our lives. For cancer patients and their loved ones, this is a must-read book.

My father is recovering from his second brain surgery in two months, and will soon begin adjuvant radiation and/or chemotherapy. I've been looking for information for him on what he can do to help the healing process from the inside. I recently checked this book out from my local library along with five others. I returned the other four, and haven't put this one down.

Brimming with inspiring stories of actual patients, facts on cancer types and treatments, overviews of alternative therapies, and many references to other books, tapes and organizations which may help you on the "journey through cancer." I know our family will be referring to this book often, throughout the journey, wherever it leads.

I have been a person with cancer since June 1998. I am one who wants answers to questions about my health all the time. Mild depression sets in when I don't get it. "The Journey through Cancer" is definitely a journey through life as Dr. Geffen states. Take one day at a time. Don't fill yourself with questions and grab for answers. His "gameplan" enables a person with cancer to deal with cancer with less anxiety and makes us more in touch with reality. How I wish there were more Dr. Geffens in this world full of cancer whose compassionate nature and an open-minded understanding about various treatments will make it easier for a patient to relate with their physician.

I highly recomend this book to any person with cancer and their families. For truly understanding what we go through physically, emotionally and spritually will make the steps through healing an easier and less stressful one. It will definitely bring about a more loving and compassionate relationship between the patient and the members of the family. Knowing about cancer isn't enough. How we accept and deal with it contribute far more to healing than all medical practices combined.

My most wonderful gift? Dr. Geffen and I communicate regularly by e-mail. I was so happy to receive a reply to my congratulatory message and through his mail, I can definitely experience his compassionate spirit. Thank you Dr. Geffen.

I have been a person with cancer since June 1998. I am one who wants answers to questions about my health all the time. Mild depression sets in when I don't get it. "The Journey through Cancer" is definitely a journey through life as Dr. Geffen states. Take one day at a time. Don't fill yourself with questions and grab for answers. His "gameplan" enables a person with cancer to deal with cancer with less anxiety and makes us more in touch with reality. How I wish there were more Dr. Geffens in this world full of cancer whose compassionate nature and an open-minded understanding about various treatments will make it easier for a patient to relate with their physician.

I highly recomend this book to any person with cancer and their families. For truly understanding what we go through physically, emotionally and spritually will make the steps through healing an easier and less stressful one. It will definitely bring about a more loving and compassionate relationship between the patient and the members of the family. Knowing about cancer isn't enough. How we accept and deal with it contribute far more to healing than all medical practices combined.

My most wonderful gift? Dr. Geffen and I communicate regularly by e-mail. I was so happy to receive a reply to my congratulatory message and through his mail, I can definitely experience his compassionate spirit. Thank you Dr. Geffen.

Dr. Geffen's book, A Journey through Cancer, was a revelation to me, because it showed me how MY participation in the healing process was vital to the outcome of the cancerous condition that had arisen in my body. Good as the doctors and nurses were, I soon discovered that they were most willing to treat my symptoms, that is the outer reality, but there was no inclination whatsoever to address the inner reality,that is the spiritual and emotional aspects of the patient. In most oncology centers, as far as I can see, the holistic approach is practically unknown, to all intents and purposes.

Dr. Geffen explains the basics of the disease and the treatments in very clear terms, so that we are aware of the various processes. These explanations were very helpful to me when asking questions of the doctors and nurses.

I learned from Dr.Geffen that true healing can only come from within ourselves, once we have been able to overcome our fears and denials, once we have reversed our tendencies to repress and withhold, and to view, or feel, that treatments are ordeals to be borne, instead of envisaging our whole being as coming into action in tandem with the treatments. In "The Hound of Heaven", the poet Francis Thomson says: "Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue" - in order to heal, our goal should be to replace fear with love, and Dr.Geffen illustrates this in a singularly illuminating way.

One of Dr.Geffen's most compelling concepts is that of transformation: we are not at war, we are not trying to kill or destroy anything, our wish is to bring harmony throughout our bodies. There is intelligence in all our cells, and our wish is to make all of them aware of their inherent power for wellbeing and joy.

A Journey through Cancer is a masterpiece of a rare order: it is imbued with knowledge, kindness, understanding, and above all it shows that the path of healing, and eventually of being, is through consciousness.

This book changed my life! I've been a cronic dieter my whole life. After gaining over 50 pounds with my daughter's pregnancy...and still having 20 to lose at her first birthday, I decided to do something about it. This book was the answer to my prayers. I thought that I had to starve myself to lose...and even that wasn't working any more! After ONLY Eight Weeks on the diet all 20 of my extra pounds are off and I'm working on those extra 10 that I thought would always be a part of me! I'm happy, healthy, THIN and EATING! You can be too! I hope that you buy this book and stick to the plan. It really does work!

Lean for life is the best diet book i have ever read. I have been over weight my entire life. I have lost 107lbs in 7 months. I continue to lose the weight and feel wonderful. I have energy and now i have the key to live my life with success. Anyone who states this diet does not work has not given it a chance.

I cannot even start to describe how wonderful it feel to look at myself in the mirror and see a new me..... After struggling for years to lose weight, I finally found my answers on April 2001 when my husband's best friend introduced me to the Lindora Diet. He had lost 85 Ibs in 10 months and I was truly amazed. I ordered the book and started the diet on April 7, 2001. The first week I lost 10 Ibs. I never felt better in my whole life. As of today, January 9, 2002, I am now 145 Ibs for 68 inches. I have lost altogether 80 Ibs and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT !.
Nothing comes easy but Lean for Life is worth a try.

I have been following this diet since my mom joined the lindora program in our town. I have lost almost 30 pounds in about 6 weeks and I feel great. I do not get tired and actually feel more energized. I do crave breads and sweets but I have a big sweet tooth. This is an easy way to lose weight and keep it off. Definately recommended.

Over the years I have written a number of diet book reviews ... I am happy to say that LEAN FOR LIFE is the last diet book I will need to review. LEAN FOR LIFE WORKS and I don't need to read anymore diet books!

The book "Lean For Life" has since been updated and retitled. It's now called "Lean For Life Phase One" and is available ... and at leanforlife.com. I would advise purchasing the new version instead of shelling out the extra money for an out of print copy of the original Lean for Life.

Lean for Life Phase One is a book that you do. Each day you are given step by step directions to follow to mentally and physically achieve your weight loss goals.
The program begins with a "prep" period where you buy the items you need for the diet and prepare yourself mentally.

The next 3 days are protein days. You select protein choices from a given list. I was shocked to find that it was easy. I ate cheese, yogurt, drank milk, protein bars, nibbled on chicken, eggs and more.

This is followed by a period where you add vegetables, grains and fruit from a list. The program is designed to get your body in a state of ketosis so you do not experience cravings, mood problems etc. AND IT WORKS!

On previous programs I had cravings for sweets and could not stick with the plan. But with LFL your cravings (if any) are very manageable and you eat so you are not hungry!

Each day adds in new mental concepts to work on to learn to become LEAN FOR LIFE. Exercise is also included - how much to do and when to do it for best effect.

After a cycle of weight loss you go into a period of metabolic adjustment adding in yet more food. Then you can repeat the cycle of weight loss if you need to lose more or you can go on to the carefully designed maintenance plan. Everything is planned out so you will become LEAN FOR LIFE and not gain the weigh back!

I have lost weight quickly, safely and with ease. It's a wonderful program and I highly recommend it! I am finally achieving my weight loss goals thanks to LEAN FOR LIFE!

Our culture tries to ignore this normal and important aspect of life, but this author offers some excellent and practical ways to navigate the uncharted waters of life after loss. Everyone who reads this book will benefit.

Next to the Dr Kubler-Ross book ON GRIEF AND GRIEVING, this has been the most helpful book I have read on the subject of grieving from a deep loss. The book gives the reader the permission to grieve that our larger society has often denied him. Emphasized over and over again is the theme that: "Going through the experience is the only lasting and healthy way out of grief." The book advises those who grieve: "Never apologize for grieving. Remind yourself as often as needed that the very worst kind of loss is always yours" and to "Learn to acknowledge that your loss is worthy of grief." The griever can further admit to himself: "The loss I experienced is a major event in my life. Perhaps it is the worst thing that will ever happen to me. But is not the end of my life. I can still have a full and rewarding life. Grief has taught me much, and I will use it to be a better person than I was before my loss." In this way those who grieve can be left a sense of hope, not to be forever devastated. The book concludes with some valuable appendices on the role of nutrition in grief recovery, words that describe feelings and information on how one can form their own support group. Not only was it deeply comforting to read this book, (I lost my own father to aortic stenosis five months ago) but I also can see where it could be immensely useful for mental health professionals to use in their practice. I have been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker employed by the Department of Defense for over twenty years most recently working with a number of those individuals who lost family members in Iraq. I can see suggesting they read this book themselves and it being of great comfort to them. I would strongly recommend this book to all who have suffered a significant loss in their life.

This book was recommended to me by a co-worker, so I could learn to live with the idea of an unforeseen divorce hitting me like a speeding freight train. My life took a turn I NEVER saw coming and totally threw me into a deep depression and one of dispair. When the book arrived, I jumped into reading it immediately, so I could find help for my raw emotions, and try to get myself out of my very low funk. Although death is a greater challenge, divorce can be equally challenging when you don't have the opportunity to work things out with your spouse. The book provided a wonderful "support system" for me, as it reminded me that I was NOT alone in my feelings and how much the loneliness hurts - every day. Yes, you truly cannot see that things will get better when you are in the moment. People can tell you that, but until you experience it for yourself, you cannot believe you will get there. I do recommend this book for people who are experiencing a drastic change in their lives - whether a death of a loved one, divorce, moving or job change. It can provide you some semblance of strength to help you move forward!!! And when your emotions are so very raw, strength is certainly a good choice to help you on your journey.

Finally! A book that understands that Grieving is a process and no two people grieve the same way. Having encouraging words and sharing anecdotal stories really makes this book one that should be given to everyone who grieves. I have done many of the suggestions and it helps. It really helps. God bless Paster Deits for writing this!

This book was given to me after my husband died. I could not believe what it was telling me as I made my way through my troubled time. The book provided a timeline for me, a way to look ahead or back to see if I was "on track" to my new "normal" life. It provided a pathway for me to follow. The book kept reassuring me along my path. I have given the book to many people, just to let them know that they are alright in what they are doing. I keep buying a copy for myself but the book keeps leaving me to "help" another person. I am so glad that my friend found this book for me. I highly recommend this book. It is an excellent book to help someone who is dealing with grief. It also lets you know that "you are not alone."

New Indian Home Cooking is a winner!!! Have prepared at least half of the recipes and there is not a bad one in the bunch. I was fortunate enough to take a cooking class from Madhu Gadia - well after I had purchased her book - and she was delightful. Once you purchase the spices, which are very inexpensive, you are in business. Cannot go wrong with this purchase!!

Ms. Gadia tells in clear, simple terms how to cook authentic tasting recipes that are low-fat to boot.

I'm relatively new to Indian food. Fortunately I live in Chicago where I have access to so many great restaurants. But I can't eat out all the time. I try to eat healthy but that leads to pretty bland meals. I am so happy to see Madhu has my same focus on healthy eating. All the flavor comes from the spices. I almost never cook with spices but this book is changing me forever. If you are new to Indian cooking too, you will need to spend about $30 on spices (and I shopped at Whole Foods so you can probably find them cheaper elsewhere). But I was glad to pay it after I made my first meal. I swear, just like at a restaurants. I made curry chicken, naan, green beans, and rice pudding. I love how she lists each recipe by an English name and the Indian name. That is really the best part of the book, it's so accessible to someone who is not too familiar with Indian language or ingredients. I really love her concise but vibrant introductory sections. It really got me more excited to run out to the store and get what I needed to begin cooking. It's only like 8-10 spices that you use over and over in all different combinations in the recipes. And a little bottle of each will go a long way. The rest of the ingredients as so basic: chicken, onions, tomatoes, flour, vegetable oil. Yes the recipes are generally for 6 people (it's just my husband and I) but so many of the entrees are great to make in large quantities to have for a couple meals. One other great thing is that she indicates where the hot spice is optional. My husband and I had a great time cooking our first Indian meal and my mom is coming over next weekend to do the same. Thanks for such a great book Madhu!

I purchased this book because of the rave reviews and I do like it. I liked reading about the history of Indian cooking, even though 55 pages seemed a bit much.

The only negative is that I am cooking for myself, and all the recepies seem layed out for big families. Three pounds of chicken? I would have to eat the same thing for a month! If I was a more experienced Indian cook, maybe I could figure out how to reduce the amount, but as a beginner I like to stick to the recipe at the beginning.

If you are single, buy a book that maybe cooks for smaller portions, not to serve 6.

I probably wouldn't have bought this book if it had still been under its hardcover title "Lite and Luscious Indian Cuisine" (or something like that). I am suspicious of overtly health-conscious food (and cutesy misspelling), although Indian food tends to work pretty well even when low fat. It is pretty easy to adjust these recipes, though, by using full-fat yogurt, ghee, etc.

The strength of this book is that it provides many non-main course recipes, such as snacks, breads, drinks, etc. This is home cooking, not restaurant cooking.

There are a few drawbacks. The book barely has 100 recipes, so if you buy a big bag of toor dal, there are only a few things you can do with it. I would have preferred more recipes and less advice on healthy eating (but others may disagree). While the recipes are generally easy to make, this isn't a book that does much hand-holding. Other cookbooks provide step-by-step instructions; this does not. A few times I've wondered whether my dish was supposed to come out a certain way, but there are no pictures.

Some of the recipes worked for me, but some seem under-spiced.

I just finished reading this book and thought it showed an interesting insight into this mental illness. It is clearly a poignant depiction of how this disease affects the individual herself as well as those around her.

Am I the only one who thinks there's something wrong with Sonny Kramer? I did not like either one of these people in this book. I kept reading this book, even though I hated it from the beginning, because I kept thinking there would be more to it than an egotistical man justifying his stalker-type behavior.

I heard a lot about her physical beauty over and over, but I did not see that beautiful person he kept saying she was. I'm sure she probably is a wonderful person when she's healthy, but he spent more time describing her physical attributes than the beauty inside.

He tells a mentally ill person that he's dating someone she's jealous of in order to hurt her and make her come back to him? Then he kicks out his boarder the night she randomly calls and says she's coming back? And we're supposed to feel like he's a hero for his obsession with this woman?

Please tell me I'm not the only one that feels something is terribly wrong here.

Two years after the publication of their poignant book, Sonny and Linda's bond is stronger than ever, despite the tests to which it has been put. But it would be an injustice to attribute Linda's psychological resiliency and Sonny's physical toughness to doctors and medication. Every time a doctor told them that Linda's case was "hopeless", and every time a new drug cocktail made her worse instead of better, Sonny was there to work tirelessly until he could coax a smile from the woman he loves. And Linda's underlying devotion to Sonny, whose life she could and did turn into a living hell over and over again (to keep him from dying of boredom),he knew to be rock solid. Together, in this beautifully told and riveting chronology, they tell us how they left no stone unturned in researching bipolar disorder, and tried every treatment recommended. And therein was, perhaps, their only error...overreliance on "experts". Louis Nizer, a great lawyer, said it well: "Words of comfort, skillfully administered, are the oldest therapy known to man". Hubert Humphrey said it even better: "The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love". Sonny and Linda are living proof that a professional degree is no match for a true heart.

I loved this book - it was well written and I enjoyed both Linda and Sonny's perspective. This is an excellent depiction of the course of the illness and how it affects the lives of those around them.I highly recommend this book, not only for those with Bipolar Disorder, but also as an educational tool to help families recognize the disorder early so more people will seek treatment.

In reading this simple yet complex story of this couple, it was very easy to finish the book and come away with wanting to know more. It was sad, but yet funny. Her friend and partner, Sonny sure had a rude awakening in his life, yet was able to keep his humor, and not see this through angry eyes. I mean, making arrangements for burying him before he even died was truly humerous. Maybe he didn't think so. But this was only in her EXTREME concern of taking care of him. I am sure that there are many things we don't know in this life of Linda and Sonny, and the many others who suffer this terrible disease. I also truly believe that we all may have some of bipolar in us. The other misfortunates' have the extreme as Linda has. I had a very good friend once that I alway knew had this more serious than most and just all of a sudden I never heard from her again. Even through the help of her mother, our friendship just ended. As Sonny says they don't mean to do the things that they do, and do not mean to hurt anyone. It is just one of those strange diseases that takes over your life. I believe if it wasn't for Sonny caring and loving Linda the way he did, Linda would be in a Mental Institution, medicated and sedated living on a different type of edge. I commend Sonny and his dedication and love to Linda, and to Linda for seeing what Sonny has went through for her and trying to make right by taking medication and staying away from that most delicate edge. THAT MAKES THEM BOTH HEROS IN MY BOOK!

This book was recommended as a gift to a pre-med student. She was excited to receive this as it dove-tailed with a course she is currently taking.

This "classic collection of award-winning medical investigative reporting", published in 1988, is an excellent book. Each of the 25 case studies originally appeared as an "Annals of medicine" piece in the New Yorker, and there's not a dud in the bunch.

Most of the cases happened in the 1950's or 1960's, when sophisticated, CSI-era analytical techniques were unavailable. Nonetheless, there is no sense that these stories are dated. Roueche is a natural storyteller and has the rare ability to present technical aspects in a way that is intelligible to the non-expert reader, at just the right level of detail.

It's like 25 "House" episodes, but without the gratuitous obnoxiousness, condescension to the reader, or the ridiculous constraint that only a limping, misanthropic painkiller addict can be right.

This book is amazing! I love it and recommend it to my friends. The author formerly wrote for a New York magazine, and his stories cover decades. It is interesting to see how some diseases such as Lyme's first became known and how the tools available to the medical profession have both changed and some have remained the same. Read it, you will love it!

I was given this book by one of the epidemiologists that was featured in the book. He had great respect for Roueche and loves his articles. I think these stories a very well written and really hold your attention. They also give you a good history of diseases and conditions. Great book!

Berton Roueché wrote for the "New Yorker" magazine for almost half a century, and was winner of the 1950 Albert Lasker Medical Journalism Award. His many volumes on physicians and medical detectives, including this book, were collected from his articles in the "New Yorker."

"The Medical Detectives" volume II is great bedtime reading, because the good guys, i.e. physicians and epidemiologists always get their villain (whether it's a germ, poison gas, or a disgruntled boyfriend). Volume II's twenty-three case histories date from 1947 to 1984, before the days when Big Insurance dictated how long patients would stay in hospitals and what kind of treatment they would receive. Some of the doctors in this book actually made house calls! A couple of the cases really stayed with me, because the patients were kept in the hospital for weeks at a time just to track down a diagnosis. In one case, a man had the hiccups. In the other, a woman had a headache. Can you guess what would happen to these patients if they went to an emergency room, today?

Anyone who is interested in medical detection will be both engrossed and instructed by Roueché's careful, detailed true-life mysteries. The cases contained in this volume range from the man who hiccupped for 27 years through the deliberate poisoning of a family. One of my favorites from 1948 is called, "The Fog". This does not refer to John Carpenter's famous 1980 horror movie, but a true story that is in some ways even more frightening than anything Hollywood could produce. It takes place in Donora, Pennsylvania, a gritty mill town along the Monongahela River, which is infamous for its fogs: "They are greasy, gagging fogs, often intact even at high noon, and they sometimes last for two or three days."

The Donora `Death Fog' killed 20 people and left hundreds injured and gasping for breath. Roueché tells this story of America's worst air pollution disaster through the observations of eye-witnesses, one of them a physician. London usually comes to mind when Death comes stalking through a thick fog, but this story is every bit as atmospheric as one by A. Conan Doyle, and "The Fog's" detectives are real people.

This collection of true medical stories starts off a bit slowly, but you will end up wishing for Volume III.

I want to congratulate Amelia Davis on creating a book that is different from all of the other MS books. Her book reaches into the lives of people living with MS and shares some of the feelings that caregivers and friends experience as well.

This is a wonderfully unique look at the amazing people who are challeged by this disease and how they live extraordinary lives in spite of it. Amelia's photography is a window into this world, her work is "present" and revealing of who people are.

Davis reaches the inner soul of the reader--regardless of whether or not you have MS. Her photographs capture the essence of the folks who share their stories. I was touched and inspired by this book!

Ameila Davis is a documentary photographer, diagnosed with MS in 1998.

Though titled "My Story", this book is really "their stories". In this book, she uses her trained eye to illustrate 32 essays personally portraying the lives of men and women with Multiple Sclerosis.

They range from 17 to 70, across a spectrum of ethnicities, genders, occupations, socio-economic backgrounds and family circumstances.

Through her book, Amelia captures the unique approach each person has used to frame their chronic disease with, not only a positive attitude, but with a positive approach to life.

She also includes the caregivers ... those frequently forgotten in the struggle with MS and all chronic disease.

Her essays help others to see, through the stories of real people, the different possible treatments and therapies and the techniques for coping (such as exercise, yoga, creative activities and competitive sports).

Her photographs capture the people behind these essays, putting a real face, a personal face, on what is often discussed in impersonal, clinical terms. You don't just read their story; you are drawn into a human connection with them.

This is a book to buy and read. And it is also a book to buy and display, a coffee table book.

Discussing MS with friends and family can be difficult. Chronic disease can create a "distance", a separation. This book can help to bridge that gap.

As someone picks up this book to browse and becomes captured by the photographs, it can crack the door to an open conversation about MS, about what it means and about how lives continue after diagnosis.

I happen to have MS and one of the problems of having a little understood illness is the distance it creates in one's personal relationships. Even with friends and family.

I now have a copy of "My Story" on my coffee table and I'm truly amazed by the number of people who, because of the presence of the book, are finally able to speak and ask questions about MS . They glance through the book and suddenly a dialog window opens.

The photos are superb, respectful and celebratory at the same time and every person's essay is different. I highly recommend the book.

I was fortunate to have been photographed by Amelia Davis in her new book about Multiple Sclerosis. Amelia traveled all over the country interviewing physically challenged individuals and their care givers. In doing so, she composed an enlightening yet very touching collection of stories, all through the eye of her camera. Her choice of black and white photos added another dimension and increased the already dramatic content. I was very skeptical that photos could capture the anguish I sometimes feel or capture the love and concern my care givers provide but I am now a believer! Her artistic eye caught the underlying emotions and all while we quietly talked and laughed among ourselves.

Many of Amelia's photographs portray some of the more difficult aspects of the disease, how many young people have learned to live with what is often a chronic illness. Her photographs also show how indiscriminate MS really is and how, like myself, you too could walk up one morning numb and tingling from head to toe. For me, the most healing aspect of the book was how others handled their emotional difficulties. Early on, I felt as if I was being punished for mishandling something in my past. I felt lonely and isolated due to my new differences. However, like many of the other biographies, I too have learned that 'attitude is everything' and that you alone are capable of taking the 'limits' out of limitations.

The book's addition of the often forgotten care giver was an extremely refreshing aspect of her book. I always thank my husband for having made the decision to stay but so little credit is given to these unselfish individuals. It is easy to take others for granted until your welfare is suddenly out of your control.

I gave Amelia a five star rating not because I was included in her book but because her photographs speak for themselves! Even if you are not faced with a chronic illness, the biographies will touch you with their uncensored frankness. Amelia walked in and out of my life but her pictures captured a fleeting glance, pose or emotion that explains to others the essence of that particular moment in time...

Great work, Amelia!!!

I am a polio survivor, having had both bulbar and spinal polio at age 10. I am one of the fortunate who learned to walk again and seemed to overcome many residuals. Like many polio survivors, I am someone who has refused to acknowledge that something is impossible - I rarely give up, and this quality enabled me to endure all the physical therapy that resulted in what passed for recovery. I have a trach scar, weakness in my right leg, left arm and a gradual onset of back pain and fatigue. I have had a post-polio assessment, but wasn't certain until reading this book that I should be resting more than overdoing exercise. I feel so incredibly lucky when I see the many who are back in wheelchairs - brings the whole nightmare of the iron lung, the rocking bed, the tube from my nose to my stomach for sustenance, the suctioning of the trach tube, etc., etc. I hope that everyone who has suffered will read this book and gain a better quality of life.

This book answered many questions we have had. It is very clear and informative. I plan on giving a copy to my family doctor so we can improve my health care. The author truly understands what former polio suffers experience years later.

This book is very enlightening for anyone who has had polio and their extended family and friends. People who have had polio (and other diseases that affect muscles) need to understand that the traditional approach of "use it or lose it" is detrimental....they need to take a "conserve to preserve" approach to life activities. This requires a change in mind set....which, of course, is the hardest thing for these Type A personalities to accomplsh.

This book was very informative. There was so much I didn't know about post polio. With some systoms I have, now I know it's the post polio.

This is a very helpful and informative work for Polio survivors AND their families. Believe it or not, there are some informed professionals "out there."