Men's Health Books

I just read this book, which describes the "Dirty 7 Sisters," a collective title for the types of gals whom guys should avoid at all costs--complete with celebrity examples (Madonna, Naomi Campbell, Mariah Carey & many more). The 7 types are: the PMS Queen, Needee Nellie, the Material Girl, Shopaholica, the Wedding Belle, the Mom, & the Psycho Babbler. The emergence of such women apparently was a side effect of the Women's Lib movement of the past 30-40 years.

Don't get me wrong. It's a good thing for women to work the same jobs & earn the same salaries as men. It's just that with every good comes some bad. We guys have to second-guess the motives of the gals we date, just like they mercilessly analyze our intentions toward them. Just because sex is as scarce to us as water is to someone walking in a desert, doesn't mean we should jump at the first sign of water. That water may turn out to be salty or poisoned. Caveat andro--let the male beware!

This is a behavioral treatise on the modern woman, not a pyschological study of how she got that way. When you say she has "issues", she's "neurotic", she has "baggage", shes "insane", all of the "types" are neatly catagorized here for your enlightenment. Of course there's combos and overlap of each variety as she states.

My biggest disagreement with the author is saying this covers only about 10% of all females and if you "try hard enough" you'll find a decent woman within the remaining 90%. Well, you shouldn't have to try that hard if 9 out of 10 women are not a dirty sister. In my lengthy experience with the women of the world I would have say it's the other way around or 9 out of 10 are in some way dirty (by her definition) and you have to work VERY hard to find the "one".

Sorry ladies you're all in there. Exposed in all your wacky glory. The mature, mentally stable, intelligent, balanced, rational woman is an exception indeed. Me, my friends, my relatives and every guy I've ever known; will testify to this. It's not our imaginations. Too many of us who took the plunge with a dirty sister live it every day. It's the reality and it's misery.

Married already? She's in there! Not married yet? Read this!
Life's too short to spend it with a nut case.
You were warned.

If only there were honest, and an accurate review of men for women, there might not be a 50% divorce rate.

Amusing for perhaps just a moment. But we believe that our authoress is of the mind that she has none of the objectionable traits of these Sept Soeurs Mortelles. Mayhap this is true but it would seems that she is the eighth type, the "Felis Domesticus".

Now this is a prefectly delightful book for the self-centered and the in-denial; those who are most likely attracted to the dysfunctionality she so scathingly limns in her pop-culture People-esque style. Analysis by celebrity is right up there with horoscopes as barometer and psychological tool extraordinaire.

If this authoress taught the bitter man likely to purchase this book why he perpetually seeks out unstable women, what there is within himself that needs further examination, this nasty little diatribe would not be necessary. And we The Dirty Sisters would be left alone, in peace, and untroubled.

Unless the reader has had experience with the types of women that are described in this book, it might be difficult to believe that such women exist. Certainly there are women in the real world that share some of the characteristics of the "Dirty Seven Sisters" that are described in gritty and somewhat vituperative detail in the book, but these women can develop relationships with men in a manner which might be loosely described as "symbiotic". Some men in the upper income bracket for example may find the "Material Girl" very suitable for a long-term relationship. Such a woman, due to her need for money and material status, will do most anything that these men need, including engaging in the type of sex they desire and in serving as arm-candy for various outings on the town. The money that they spend on the "Material Girl" is viewed as a mere entertainment expense. Some wealthy men therefore prefer the "Material Girl" and will not heed any advice to avoid them. The same goes for the rest of the "Dirty Seven Sisters": some men, because of their tastes and outlooks, however peculiar to external observers, may prefer being subjugated to "The Mom", or having a temporary fling with "Shopaholica." Personal tastes dictate some strange combinations of partners at times, but these relationships can also evolve in ways that are not predictable, due to the tensions of life and the particular contexts in which they find themselves. In that respect the author finds the personalities and neuronal synapses of the "Dirty Seven Sisters" fixed in time and unchangeable. But it is rare to find a human being who does not and cannot adapt themselves to new challenges and new outlooks. The author though does not admit the possibility of change in these women, who she views as the most despicable of the female human species. This reviewer agrees somewhat with her assessment, but others may not, and again, may view these women as highly desirable, even knowing in full their "wickedness." The author, and the reader, should remember that good character, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.


In addition to the author's purely subjective biases against the "Dirty Seven Sisters" there are other problems with the book. One example is her claim that only ten percent of women qualify for admission into the club of the "Dirty Seven Sisters." Years of research and observation she says, leads her to this conclusion. The largest contingent of these women exist in the developed countries, with only a small number, if any, residing in the "Third World". She does not offer any statistical studies substantiating these claims, and no references are given that would shed more light on her claims. The reader should really not expect this however, for this book is really aimed at those who are looking for the type of woman that the author would characterize as "good." Those who enjoy the company of the "Dirty Seven Sisters", whether this is because of sex or some other form of entertainment, would perhaps welcome the presence of a statistical study in the book. This would allow them to estimate their best chances of finding one of these women, or the best places to find them.

I bought this book because I heard Dr. Z on The Opie and Anthony Show on XM radio and thought she was very cool. In all honesty, I do quite well with women as it is, but it's always interesting to delve into the mind of an intelligent, sexy woman such as her and get her point of view on dating and relationships.

This book is highly recommended. Don't waste your time with The Game, my friends, that's a gimmicky, lame book. This book isn't just all about helping you "get laid"...it's an inside look into the mind of a quality, attractive woman who you would not only like to have sex with, but to date long-term. It helps with your confidence and articulates well what quality women look for in a man. And not in a shallow way, either.

The paperback is cheap enough and it's well-worth the money.

This is an excellent, excellent book filled with funny and informative ways for "average" guys to date hot chicks...coming from a Playmate herself - Victoria Zdrok.

An easy and quick read, you'll get addicted from the very first page.

For the price, I highly recommend you pick up this book!

For me personally, it reaffirmed a lot of points and theories. Maybe that's why I decided to get into glamour photography! LOL!

Cheers, Simon!
www.PinupAllStars.com

There are some really great tips on how to improve yourself and your image with the ladies.

If your looking for a book that will allow you to truly how to approach, entertain and please women buy this book. It is filled with a lot of tips and pointers that men don't know. I think men go for the usual, straight forward approach only to crash and burn. Dr. Z does a great job to approach all aspects of dating - from the conversation starter to pleasing her later ;). Don't look at this purchase as a question to your inabilities with women - It is way more than that and the information is priceless!

Most of the book seems to be a rehash of the pick-up books that recommend you just be yourself and not act creepy. This, of course, is one of the two major types of "how to pick up women" books. The other is the "outsmart 'em", "use them before they use you" contemptuous approach.

And telling men not to twitch, have bad breath or dirty clothing, etc., shouldn't be necessary. Really, that's just padding the book. If the answer is "It's not padding. You'd be surprised how many men don't follow these suggestions", I still think that someone who needs to be told this isn't going to be helped by the book. I can't imagine anyone saying, "I have to bathe before I go out to a bar? And wear clean clothes, too? Huh! I never knew that! Thank you, Dr. Z!"

Then there are the obvious observations, such as "Hot women tend to be more promiscuous than other women." I don't know if I agree with that, but, assuming it's correct, if someone is reading this book, it's because he wants to know HOW to approach women, not which ones to approach. It's only half an answer to say, "The hot women are the most likely to sleep with a man." The answer to that is, "And the hot women only want the hot men. So what am I supposed to do?"

What isn't a rehash, padding or obvious is just plain bad advice - and it isn't even consistent with the "just be yourself and don't act creepy, and women will like you" approach.

For example, she suggests you hang around women's shoe stores or clothing stores (that's creepy, isn't it? Unless you're going to use the transparent, "It's for my cousin/niece/sister" dodge).

She also recommends ploys such as waiting until you see an attractive woman check the price tag on a dress and, with a sad look on her face, put it back on the rack. Then you go over to her and buy her the dress! Now, that's setting a bad precedent. Not to mention that you might have to buy a lot of expensive dresses before you get a date out of it!

With this book you can:

Shop the duty free perfumes without fear.
Find several perfumes that are simply gorgeous on you.
Have fun testing likely perfumes at your next trip to the mall.
Learn about classic fragrances like Chanel #5, Shalimar, Joy and many others.
Reduce the chances of making an expensive mistake purchasing perfume that doesn't work for you.

I've really enjoyed this book.

It's a field guide to buying perfume, for beginner and scent addict alike. Fragrances of the World by Michael Edwards is way too expensive for me to buy, but this book gives me much of the information I'd be looking up in Michaels' book anyway.

I am very happy with my purchase, and plan to keep this book as a fun reference guide/coffee table book for years to come. My friends who've seen it are enjoying leafing thru it too.

The first bit is interesting, but the bulk of the book is the individual profiles, and that is where it shines for me.

Each profile is a good enough description, to allow me to decide whether I want to spritz a tester on myself in my next trip to the mall.

So far I've tested about 20 different perfumes, many of which don't agree with me but a few have been absolute winners.

Without this book, it would have been much more difficult to find a group of about 5 or 6 really good perfumes for me that my husband likes too.

I also found out that perfumes that work with my chemistry have certain things in common which is another headstart at the perfume counter. And I found out that most of the scent my husband and I like on me is the floral oriental, not the floral variety that I'd originally thought.

I just always thought that I liked floral scents but that I could never quite find the right one.

Using this book taught me that I really prefer a light oriental base, with floral overtones.

And because of this book, and my test spritzes in the local mall, I have a list of perfumes to look for the next time I have an opportunity to shop in a duty free shop instead of being overwhelmed by the choices, unable to choose.

Love the book, very helpful guide!

As I was reading all the reviews for 'Fabulous Fragrances II : A Guide to Prestige Perfumes for Women and Men,' I notcied a common 'mild disappointment' with everyone. Since I just happen to be "in the biz" myself

[....]

I wanted to share a little factoid about Moran concentrating on certain fragrances as opposed to .... well the rest of them.

In the title of this book, the words " Prestige Perfumes " are used. Prestige is owned by Coty [...]

' Coty Inc. is the largest fragrance company in the world and one of the leaders in global beauty with annual net sales approaching USD $3 billion. Coty Inc. operates in over 25 countries and sells its products in broad and select distribution channels in over 80 markets spanning the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Coty Inc., comprised of the Coty Beauty and Coty Prestige divisions, has a diverse portfolio of over 35 distinctive celebrity, designer and lifestyle brands. Top sellers include Calvin Klein, adidas, Rimmel, Davidoff, Lancaster, Jennifer Lopez, Jil Sander, Joop! and Kenneth Cole. Additional distinguished brands include Aspen, Astor, Baby Phat, Calgon, Celine Dion, Cerruti, Chopard, Chupa Chups, David & Victoria Beckham, Desperate Housewives, Esprit, Exclamation, Isabella Rossellini, Jette Joop, Jovan, Marc Jacobs, mary-kateandashley, Miss Sixty, Miss Sporty, Nautica, Nikos, Pierre Cardin, Sarah Jessica Parker, Shania Twain, Stetson, the healing garden, Vanilla Fields, Vera Wang and Vivienne Westwood. '

Of course Moran would have to add in other fragrances such as the famous Chanel No. 5 & other scents from Chanel... Mostly due to fact that most ever fragrance book attempts to cover at least some of the FAMOUS and POPULAR lines that everyone knows of.

So that be all this fragrance guy has to say about it.

[...]

I bought her first book, "Fabulous Fragrances", which was a great book. However, I really feel like "Fabulous Fragrances II" should be called, "Fabulous Fragrances" and then state, "Revised edition" beneath it. Imagine my dismay at reading the first book and then excitedly ordering the second one, shelling out my 29.00 only to find it is the same exact book with some new things added. I was extremely dissapointed. The first book was soooooooo good. This second book has most of the same text word for word, which in my opinion makes it a revised book. THey added some more perfumes (while still including all the old stuff), and added a section for men. There are SO many other NEW perfumes that couldve been listed in place of what was in the previous book. Really dissapointing. There was NOT enough new material in this for it to be a seperate book. I hope others read this before they buy an almost identical version of the first book.

As a fragrance addict with some basic knowledge of perfumery, I felt that Moran's book favored style over substance. I prefer descriptions that give detailed information (including subjective assessments) about the character of the fragrances, their history, and the quality and origin of the various notes (the way some connoisseurs would describe wines, for example) rather than the marketing-style flourishes ("a fragrance for making love, and making love last") that characterize most of her entries. For newcomers to perfumery, though, or consumers who want basic information on fragrance classifications and a wide variety of brands, this is a good starting point.

As a veteran beauty editor, I recommend this book to all new writers covering fragrances. I also keep a stash of copies for last-minute gifts and dinner party hostesses. Jan Moran is a well-known fragrance expert who writes with authority and passion. Elegantly written and deceptively simple, her book is modestly priced for anyone who spends $50 or $100, or more, on a bottle of fragrance.

To shed light on prior comments, the term "prestige" is a common term used in fragrance retailing. It has long been used to distinguish more expensive luxury fragrances from less expensive "mass market" fragrances.

Recently I traveled to Los Angeles to cover the opening of the Annette Green Perfume Museum at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) where I had the pleasure of finally meeting, and later interviewing, Jan Moran.

Her book is not biased toward Coty Prestige fragrances and she has never for worked Coty Prestige, although Coty Prestige is a company with a fine lineage. If you take the time to read the Amazon Product Review section (above), and you'll see that the book contains quite a few Chanel fragrances, including No. 5, No. 22, Allure, Gardenia, Coco, and others.

The Amazon Product Review information states: "Discover the scents of Chanel, Guerlain, Gucci, Armani, Lauder, Klein, Patou, Arden, Revlon, and others, such as the specialty houses of Creed, Jo Malone, Trish McEvoy, and Penhaligon's." And many, many more. Just look at the cover material. True, Fabulous Fragrances II is a revised edition (also stated in the Review), but be glad for it, because the first book is out of print, and then you'd miss all the classics this one still contains.

This book is beautiful, yet practical. If you want technical information, there are plenty of fine perfumery books for professionals, but they can also be quite expensive. Fabulous Fragrances II is a great read for most people who simply love the magic and passion of perfume, and want to learn more. The fragrance descriptions are engaging and evocative. In my opinion, this book is a real treasure.

I just received this book from Amazon and was greatly dismayed to find that pages 119 - 150 are missing, and pages 89 - 118 are repeated in their place. That's like Ford shipping a car with the engine installed in the trunk - what a basic mistake! Now I have to go through the effort to return the book and wait 7 - 10 days for a refund after they get it back!

If you are a beginner or someone returning to fitness after a long absence, this is a great book that really does a good job of emphasizing the importance of doing anything other than sit around. If you are someone who is familiar with working out or who is already fairly healthy this may provide you with some few hints, but I would stick with Getting Stronger for the strength training and Stretching for flexibility. I'm a half-way in shape 35 year old that exercises somewhat regularly and this book was just a little too rudimentary for me. I was looking for more involvement with the Lifelong Fitness portion of the title, but found it to be more towards getting people started.

In 1996 after I went to US from India, within a year, I was overweight and then the fitness blues started. I went thru several cycles of extreme exercising, dieting, pain and give-up. During the same time I wanted to find a no-nonsense fitness literature. One of the criterias of my search was to avoid the books boasting photographs of ideal bodies. When I saw this book, I trusted my instinct and bought it. For four months I followed the programs (from this book) from "program before program" to "basic program 2" and reduced several kilos. During this time, I did not clearly follow very important advise from the book about increasing the training progressively. I had to give up because I was doing too much after getting encouraged by initial results.

It is 2006 now. Almost 10 years are over and the book itself stayed with me all these years. At the back of my mind a dream stayed to complete first 5 basic programs from this book. The authors claim that after completing the fifth basic program, a person will be physically fit as per the American College of Sports Medicine's guidelines for an healthy adult.

From Feb-2005, I started following programs from this book again (from the beginning). I was then 82 kilos. I had promised myself to write an amazon review of the book after losing 10 kilos. Now after one year I have lost 12 kilos. In November, after completing "the basic program 5" and after getting in good shape I took up serious running as a sport/hobby. Recently from Amazon, I bought a copy of this book as a gift to a friend.

If followed methodically by listening to all the advise by the authors, this literature has capacity to build a foundation for serious athletic capability in a person. The programs are designed with purpose of letting you focus on performance (training) without letting you worry about what next. Every exercise is explained in easy to understand words with crisp clear illustrations. The illustrations and explanations are precise and it is strongly advisable to follow them correctly for best results.

As I started losing kilo after kilo, I developed interest in nutrition, general fitness and subsequently invested into other related resources. Everything is paying off now. I have told myself to continue the training as I have realized that fitness is always a journey and not a destination.

From last November, I started preparing for marathon and have already run couple of road races with lesser distances. These days, I feel euphoric when I hit the road or when I go to the gym and follow the last set of programs named 'fine tuning' from this book. While following the book, I have also developed great respect for the authors.

In my opinion, the front page (cover) of the last edition was better than the latest edition. The front page of the last edition has coloured illustrations by Jean Anderson who also made the illustrations for the entire book.

Lots of specific workouts, and specific topics like advice for pregnant women, those with arthritis, etc. Very little background or general topics, like how many reps is best, etc. It felt constraining. Also, virtually nothing on weight machines - the workouts use free weights only.

Whether you are a couch potato or ex-jock, Getting in Shape presents a straightfoward, descriptive, illustrated guide to fighting the battle of the bulge.

Filled with nearly three dozen workouts, the authors competently provide a considerable amount of information in a concise, 200+ page format. Drawings help take the guesswork out of how to stretch and lift weights properly. Health related topics including diet, exercise and anatomy are easy to read and informative.

My only real knock against the book is that its binding is the standard paperback type. I'd prefer a spiral-bound book that can be layed open without weighing down the ends. I have found it helpful to open the book to the particular workout I'm doing to help me keep track of the stretches and exercises. Granted, this is a minor gripe, but I'd buy another copy of it if they had a better binding.

I would encourage anyone who is looking to improve her/his health to give Getting in Shape a look! Best wishes for a long and healthy future! Don't give up!

Ladies, get your credit cards out (or borrow a friend's), get your car to the mall (or catch the bus), buy this book now (do what you must)! I am not even kidding you for one second. This is a beautiful book. This book will make you proud to be (check one): 1. Black 2. An admirer of black beauty 3. Female 4. Male 5. Visually adept. All I got to say is Gary Dourdan, my dear, God Blessed You. God Bless You. All the other fine young specimens and the infinitely talented stylists, editors and photographers, "y'all GO"! (Specifically, GO directly back to the drawing board and do this again...serially,pleeeeeease!) Love... me.

D'Angelo, the cover man, is not to be found inside. The title is much too broad; a more accurate title would be, "Fashion Styles of Some Rich & Famous Black Males." As for bodies, they are mostly clothes hangers here; the amount of skin on the cover is misleading. The contents rate as PG because of a couple behinds and a few covered crotches; there is no full, frontal nudity whatsoever. I don't know how anybody gets any soul out of this book, unless they see it in the eyes of some portraits or glean it from scattered quotes of fashion magazine staffers, usually a phrase or single sentence each, as the quotes, along with some other one-sentence observations by the author, are the only text. Therefore, the cover and title are cheap, bookselling tricks, but the book price is not cheap. A used copy, however, IS cheap, as buyers turn into sellers. Although a book about men of color, I am surprised that black & white plates out-number color 3:1, as I count about 90 b&w and 31 color photo's. I am a fan, too, of some of the people featured, but, to me, this is no reason to gush about the book as a whole. Although I could ooh and ah about some of the photo's, there are a like number of dogs and mediocre shots. What could form a pop-culture chapter itself is the number of celebrities who must have paid a lot for elaborate fantasy scenes shot by highly-paid photographers. I would not feel good about seeing this sort of arrogance if I shelled out a lot for their books, CD's, magazines, ticket prices, etc., the profits of which finance such folly. The author sees Black male fashion from a mainly GQ-type perspective, which may be right in-step in certain parts of Manhattan, but, from here in 'da hood, its seems like he's in an ivory tower. He has a new book coming out, with a similar cover and title, of which I will be suspicious. Except for a few unkwnowns, I expect that everyone involved is highly paid--subjects, photographers, fashion industry, etc.--and I wonder if people paid to be in this book, either in the form of their likeness(es) or their work; it would explain a lot.

Unlike most of the reviewers here, I got to meet some of the guys here either in concert, from the 'hood etc. All left a bad impression on me, so to see them so marvelously pictured here is confusing.

I agree Shannon. Gary Dourdan is SWEET! Someone should do an entire book on him!

Have owned this book over six months but just had to get my twocents in on a review. My purchase was based solely on the frontcover showing the gorgeous black rapper- D'Angelo. Since his MTVvideo titled "Untitled" was one of the hottest & sensual videosever to hit the TV screen, I naturally assumed Mr. Thomas wouldtreat all his purchasers to a D'Angelo collection highlightinghis extremely buffed 'bod. Or maybe he could have given us JamieFoxx instead spoofing D'Angelo on his syndicated weekly program.I salivated alot at the other photos- many too small but in the end it galled me that MY MAIN MAN was really a "no show!"

I really enjoyed this book. We as woman know what we are feeling those 9 months of pregancy, its nice to see it from a man's point of view. It was fun to compare Alan's experience to that of my husband's. I think it takes a lot of courage for a man to put his pregancy thoughts and fears down on paper for the world to read. This book just show's another talent of the multi-talented Alan Thicke.

I thought it was a good book, Alan showed the man's point of view which most of us woman can't see during the 9 months of pregancy. We know what we as woman are feeling but in this book we can see the man's side. I also enjoyed the quotes from other celebrities. This book show's another talent of the multi-talented Alan Thicke, he's a great author too.

I got this for my husband. Alan Thicke is kind of consistently and gently slamming or joking about women and thier behavior while pregnant. It is humorous most of the time... so I didn't have a problem with it. But, If you're looking for a book that is really educational or filled with knowledge about pregnancy-this isn't it. Like the title says, this book is more about teaching men to cope with thier wives while the are pregnant than it is about pregnancy.

After reading so many books that are filled with facts, statistics etc. It was REALLY fun to sit down with a lighthearted book that really made me laugh. I already knew the odds of a pregnant woman over 40 giving birth to a baby with Downs Syndrome, and why it's not OK to drink while you're pregnant. This is not the reason I went to a book by Alan Thicke. If you just need to be entertained and relate to the stories he tells, buy this book!

Funny and informative. Bought this for hubby but of course read it first. Thicke is in great comedic form, lots of interesting facts, and although he has lots of physiological/medical info it's not overwhelming...Also a very quick read- laughed aloud alot and then passed it on to my better half.

I purchased about 10 books from Amazon on abs in order to compare them. This one has kind of an odd program based around walking rather than resistance exercise. As a chart in one of the other books shows, a hard walk is only about 1/2 as effective as an easy run, and only about 1/4 as effective as a hard run. I think this is why the author came out with "The Fat Burning Bible," which recommends a Bill-Phillips-esque diet and exercise plan. If you're looking for a good book to help you with your abs, here's my conclusion from comparing books...

If You Want to Trim Your Waistline: You can't trim your waistline without losing fat, and you can't lose fat around your waist without losing it everywhere (focusing on a muscle group like the abdominal muscles doesn't burn fat in that location, just a little bit of fat from everywhere on the body). So, if you want to trim your waistline, skip the ab workout books and go with a good, proven overall weight loss and fitness book like Bill Phillips' Body for Life. The Abs Diet is a similar program, but like all the Men's Health publications, it advertises a 6-week transformation, which is just a little unrealistic. Plan on more like 12-24 weeks to see really noticeable changes if you are fat.

If You Want Sculpted Six-Pack Abs: If you are overweight at all, see above--you can't get a six pack while you're overweight, and you can't lose abdominal fat by doing an ab workout, so go for overall fitness. However, if you are already lean, see below.

If You Want to Strengthen or Build Your Ab Muscles: If you're trying to improve for work, play, or rehab, you might consider the following books: The Body Sculpting Bible for Abs Deluxe DVD Edition contains decently up-to-date information and tells you exactly what to do and when to do it, based on a six-week fitness course. If you're looking for a similar book with more information, you can choose from The Complete Book of Abs or The Complete Book of Core Training. The Complete Book of Abs (1998) is a little out of date in terms of its dietary/nutritional recommendations, but it focuses more on exercises that develop the external abdominal muscles (the ones you see in a six-pack), including lots of variations on leg lifts, bicycle motion, and sit-ups. It will also give you more resources for creating your own program, and, if that's what you want to do, go with this one instead of The Body Sculpting Bible. The Complete Book of Core Training (2006) focuses more on the functional body core, including internal abdominal muscles, legs, etc., and includes more trendy exercises using medicine balls, exercise balls, yoga, etc. A different sort of book is Stronger Abs and Back (1997), which was written before the current fad of selling "core training," but contains the elements of core training because it gives good functional sports-focused advice. Its dietary recommendations are out of date, but it recommends a 24-week workout plan, which is much more realistic than the 6-week plans advocated by many of the other books.

If You Have Back Pain: See your doctor, and if he prescribes abdominal/core strengthening, see above.

My one-book recommendation: Body for Life.
My two-book recommendation: Body for Life + Stronger Abs and Back.
My three-book recommendation: Body for Life + Stronger Abs and Back + The Complete Book of Abs.
My four-book recommendation: Body for Life + Stronger Abs and Back + The Complete Book of Abs + The Abs Diet.

Hope this helps!!

This is an excellent book if you have are overweight, have not exercised in a long time, and are looking to lose body fat. I can definitely believe the before and after pictures of those participants who followed this program. Unlike those pictures shown in Bill Phillips Body For Life Book, these pictures do not look doctored. Although he has certain core exercises for toning that you must engage in, I believe that you can substitute pilates and get the same effect. As for walking 45 minutes a day at a moderate intensity 6 days a week, walking is one of the easiest things to do, so you would have no excuses. I think that you can maximize the benefits of this program, my including some resistance training. The recommended eating plan, which focuses on eating low glycemic carbohydrates is excellent. Despite allowing myself a "cheat day" once a week, where I eat whatever I want, I have noticed a 4 pound loss in weight and 1 percent reduction in body fat in one month by adhering to the recommended nutrition plan 6 days a week. While this may not sound like a lot, I am willing to bet that I have probably retained more lean muscle mass than some who has lost significant weight in one month, following another program. If you lose weight too quickly and sacrafice muscle in the process, you will only gain more weight and fat over the long run and it will become increasingly difficult to loose fat because you will have drastically slowed down your metabolism. The really good thing about this book is that the program is not so strict that you would likely be inclined to give up after one to two weeks.

Mr. Shilstone became famous for training atheletes and in particular helping them GAIN weight. While the diet and exercise portions of the book are very sensible and there is a lot of good information on heart disease, this book will not help you lose body fat in any reasonable amount of time. One of his "sucess" stories has a man losing 5lbs and 3% body fat in four months! He should hit the healthy range in about 5 years. The lack of resistance training is the main weakness. I suggest "The Nautalis Diet" or "Fit or Fat" if you are serious about your health and weight.

Mr. Shilstone's three steps can be summarized as follows: (1) shift your eating habits permanently, in a minimally restrictive way, guided by the glycemic index, (2) accomplish a full hour of aerobic exercise at a good intensity every day, (3) perform a serious but short core strengthening routine every day. That's the program.

The dietary portion of the program (certainly not a conventional "diet") is minimally restrictive both of the sort of foods you might be allowed to eat and the quantity of food you might be allowed to eat. You could eat like a lumberjack (if you wanted to do that) and still be well within the program. The key observation is "glycemic index," which Mr. Shilstone explains in more detail and more correctly than I could here. This is an important and very healthy suggestion, which was new to me. It is, in a sense, the natural and appropriate correction for most of the diets that are usually suggested, even the low-fat diets suggested by physicians for heart patients. More scientific basis of this is explained in Dr. Schwartzbein's books (The Schwarzbein Principle and her cookbooks), and related information appears in Cheryle Hart's book on Insulin-Resistance. This is a very good idea that I found in Mr. Shilstone's book first. My only criticism is that more information is really required than Mr. Shilstone has room to include in this small book.

The section on aerobic exercise for your hour a day is excellent. While power walking will certainly suffice, you are in no way limited. Very good and useful information is given for you to substitute any number of activities that might suit your changing interests. He gives detailed information here about the time of day when you can most usefully exercise (late afternoon, an hour and a half before going to supper) and what criteria must be fulfilled for your body to be able to burn fat (you only start burning fat well after a half hour of exercise). These insightful details will help a lot in monitoring your own effectiveness easily and without worry. He gives you that extra knowledge to know when you're done.

The core strength workout is given in two forms. Either form, when learned, can be accomplished in some time ranging between fifteen and thirty minutes. The simpler routine uses only a weight, something like a medicine ball (although a middle sized rock would do the same job). The more advanced routine requires a Swiss ball and some tubing. Both are efficient and well constructed routines.

The bottom line to a book like this is simply whether it works or not. My situation is not like every person's. I'm reasonably active, a little more active than the usual "weekend warrior," neither a total couch potato nor actually in good physical shape. I've carried between 10 and 14 pounds of extra weight that I couldn't lose for more than 10 years' time. I've tried a lot of ways to make it go, including bicycling and some moderately serious running (two miles after supper every night). Nothing has worked. Now, I don't do the cooking or the shopping in our house. According to the guidelines, our eating habits are neither exemplary nor totally wrong. So, as I count it, I am simply non-compliant with his step 1). From the start, I have been totally compliant and vigorous in step 2) via power walking. I am learning his step 3) slowly and integrating it into my routine (the bigger step) slowly. So, I would consider myself about half compliant with step 3) at this stage. So, according to my guesses, I am about half way doing his program. Happily, in this half-way mode, I'm systematically losing both inches and pounds. Now, if I said that I am losing about a pound every ten days or so, that would not be in the spirit of the book. Mr. Shilstone doesn't recommend the use of scales to monitor your progress. He asks you to use the tape measurement of your waist. So, I should say that I am losing something very roughly like an inch a month on the waist. (My estimate is rough since I am non-compliant and prefer to use a scale.)

My congratulations to Mr. Shilstone. I think this is a uniquely useful book and one that most people I know could usefully read. There is no question that this is a very good and completely adequate program to manage the "love handle" problem. The cost of this is the work of integrating the suggestions into daily life. Not everyone will want to do that (it costs about an hour and a half a day, and whatever trouble it takes to changing your cooking and eating habits). The results are a significant boost to good health, vigor, and a sense of well being. Not everyone will choose that. My suggestion is that you should only buy the book if you intend to do the routines systematically. While a useful outline, it is not really the best entertainment reading. I gave it only four stars because I consider it incomplete in the nutritional section. I still need to buy other cookbooks to help me become "fully compliant".

This book was so amazing! It totally changed the way i eat and live! Im 15, 5'11, and weigh 160, i used to weigh 260! This book really works!

I work in a prison based sex offender treatment program. I provide court mandated individual and group treatment to offenders in the last 18 months of their sentences. Until recently the majority of my clients have offended against children; however, I was recently assigned 2 rapists whose victims were adults. My supervisor recommended Men Who Rape as a jump-start text for addressing these clients' needs.

The text is very useful in that is provides general classifications for the major types of rapists. It addresses the motivations inherent in each type. It explains the concept that rape is far less about sex than it is about anger, power or control. It uses clinical interviews with both perpetrators and victims to illustrate concepts.

It is a useful basic text. Published in 1979 there is some dating apparent in the language used, most especially in the interviews. But it is worth the money, for the paperback edition anyway.

This book constitutes the best text in its field, providing a conceptual framework for understanding the dynamics of sexual assault on the part of the offender. It has stood the test of time, having been in print for over twenty years, and remains as relevant today as the day it was written. [It will be reissued in a paperback format by Perseus in December 2001.] MEN WHO RAPE is essential reading for everyone whose work brings them into contact with victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse. It remains the classic text on the psychodymanics of rape.

This book constitutes the best in it's field providing a conceptual framework for understanding the dynamics of sexual assault on the part of the offender. After twenty years it remains relevant and fortunately will be reissued in a paperback format in December 2001. It essential reading for everyone whose work brings them into contact with victims and/or perpetrators of sexual abuse.

This text stands above most others in providing a depth, an intimacy, and a science to the perplexing question of men who rape. It even suggests, against all pc correctness, that men may also be victims of tragic circumstances that lead to their criminal acts. Provides good science, with little politics.

Although Dr. Groth wrote Men Who Rape in 1979, it has remained the definitive source for information about male sex offenders for all these years. Here he dispels myths about rape through careful documentation, delineates his basic and enduring classification of rape, and explains the psychological dynamics that drive each offender: the Power Rapist, the Anger Rapist, and the Sadistic Rapist. Professionals working with sex offenders, as well as victims of sexual abuse and those trying to help them, need to understand these basic concepts.

Any mental health professional working in the area of sexual abuse of children or adults should be thoroughly familiar with this book, now once again in print and available in paperback. Its academic style makes it difficult for the general public to read easily, but well educated non-professionals will find it worthwhile. In my own work with sexual abuse victims I draw heavily on this resource to help them answer the question, "Why did he rape me?"

-Dr. Lynn Daugherty, Bestselling Author of the Award Winning Classic Why Me? Help for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse (Even if they are adults now), Fourth Edition

This book is not one of my favorites but is a great resource. This book has a lot of great ideas but in my opinion does have some flaws. There is a section on cardio and eating which is good, the workout programs in the book are good but not my favorite. Over all I would say this bood is a worth while book on strength training and most people would learn at least something from the book to make it worth your money.

This book is full of useful and accurate information. It is well-organized and well-written. The book is full of useful advice such as "the fastest way to lose weight is to spend a lot more time in the weight room." p. 314). (As opposed to cardio).

I love the magazine and the book is no different. Packed full of usefull information. I've been into fitness and bodybuilding for years so I was familiar with a lot of this stuff from the get go but still it is quite the handy little guide. Anyone looking to better their body will appreciate this book. I am a RN and found the anatomy lessons in this book were right on and should be easy for anyone to understand. Truly a great tool to add to anyones workout.

This training manual will teach you everything from how many calories you should eat each day, to overall healthy habits.

I bought this book over a year ago and have read and followed it ever since, and right now I'm in the best shape of my life so far. I believe I'm in a good position to write a review for it. What I like about the book is that:
- It describes a large number of exercises in great detail (along with "make it easier" and "- harder" versions)
- It included traditional as well as newer exercises
- Useful for beginners as well as advanced lifters
- Includes topics like nutrition, cardio-workouts, sports specific fitness etc. in reasonable details
- The book doesn't make any unrealistic promises. (The results you achieve depend on the efforts you put in; a book can only guide you along the path)
- Gives injury prevention tips
- Makes an excellent reference guide
- Although the title says "Men's health", it can be used by women too (My wife often looks up exercises from it)
- Offers advice based on science-backed wisdom
- Useful if you want to do strength/weight training (as opposed to ONLY bodybuilding)
- Doesn't promote any brand-named products

This book helped me a lot when I was a total beginner and I still look it up when I feel like changing my routine or to check if my form is correct. Although I have used other fitness books, this book remains the backbone of my lifting plan. Over all, I'll highly recommend this book if you are serious about fitness and weight-training, even if you are a beginner.

This is an excellent book by a talented writer with the purpose of telling people that, after the age of 50 "there is a lot more time left than they think." (page 273). Many will find it enjoyable and helpful. The advice given, such as "the secret to the search for meaning is to find your passion and pursue it," may be inspirational for some readers (and I'm not knocking that) but is too vague and generic for its utility to be testable.
The following criticisms concern the work's scientific methodology and may not be relevant to its literary merits. I think it falls short of being a useful text for students of gerontology. The basic idea is similar to that of Erik Erikson and Vaillant (two authors whom any professional in the field SHOULD read, although they have their faults). They believe that, just as there are identifiable stages in childhood, such as learning to walk and talk and completing school, there are stages in adult life. Shakespeare also had the same idea with his seven ages of man (in "As You Like It" I think).
One of the problems with identifying such stages is the wide degree of variation. Children learn to walk and talk at fairly definite ages, and failure to reach these milestones on time is a red flag for the parents or pediatrician. Things are less definite in adults. One age-related change, for example, is male hair loss. This is definitely age-related, but may start at 30, or not be evident after 70. Some workers retire at 50, and some never do. Some couples have an empty nest at 40, and some never have a full one. Alzheimer's disease (which the book barely mentions) can hit at 60 or never.
Sheehy's methodology was to obtain census data and to meet with focus groups and administer questionnaires and conduct interviews with a large number of subjects recruited by word of mouth and advertising. This can be a useful way of getting preliminary data on something that has never been studied before, but it means that she did not get a valid population sample. One example of biased sampling is that her "Vietnam Generation" contained not a single Vietnam veteran. She says that the characteristic effect of the war was to make men stay in graduate school. The validation and reliability testing of the questionnaires is not described. Memory was not tested.
Some of her biological/medical data are inaccurate. (Obviously everyone SHOULD read my "The Psychiatry of Stroke" about the effects of testosterone levels etc} To some extent this reflects the 1995 publication date, which preceded Prozac and Viagra.

I found Sheehy's second "Passages" book almost as good as the first. As an aging baby boomer, the issues of recharting my life direction at middle age has been daunting to say the least. Second Passages provided the structure for this process. I also suggest "The Second Journey" by T. Athey as another good book - more focus on the issues of the Baby Boomer generation.

Platonix

The most interesting section of this book for me was right at the beginning where she describes the "endangered generation," those born from 1966-1980. While, I don't usually like to be called endangered, I could completely relate to the description of the troubles our generation is going through- how we have it worse off financially than our parents did in their twenties, and how that explains why we are floating in this in-between stage. This is happening just at the developmental stage in our lives when we'd feel a lot better if we had more financial freedom and didn't have to ask our parents for help. The stresses of dating, not being able to afford more than a cheap apartment (or worse- having to move back in with our parents), and being educated but in a competitive job market, take their toll. At this age, our parents were already married, owned their own home, and had a stable job. So things have changed a lot, and it helps to know that! It frees you to accept society as it is today and make the most of it. She ends the section with a positive prediction that our generation, expecting the least out of life after our disappointing start at adulthood, will end up very successful and appreciating what we have more than other generations. Sheehy is very insightful.

Conceptually excellent, but a dismally dreary read.

Ever been at a cocktail party where you meet someone who tells an interesting story, but takes half an hour to do it, because of all the needless peripheral information. Sheehy personified. She fails to hold my attention with tediously drawn-out examples which lack pith and focus. An good editor would halve the length and double the value. The content is not bad, it just takes so damn long to get to the point.

Very Ameri-centric.

"New Passages" gave me added enthusiasm as well as an explanation for what I, a woman at age 50, am feeling and experiencing. How wonderful that I am metamorphosing into a "second adulthood!" That the last few years of culling out what I don't want to do are leading towards a powerful purpose: living the rest of my life with ever-greater meaning and enjoyment. As with "The Silent Passage," which has given so many men and women a healthier perspective of menopause, "New Passages" has helped define a brighter and more exciting future for all of us who are growing into our 50'and beyond. Even my 86 year old mother understands better where she has been in her "2nd adulthood," enabling her to define the significance of her continuing life....to just live in integrity and serve as an example for all those around her. Sheehy quoted research which shows that our genetic heritage profoundly affects us until 60-65....but, after that, what we think and beleve is what most profoundly affects how well we live. As in golf, "the game" is controlled by the 6" between our ears....