Men's Health Books

The whole thing was just awful, I don't mind telling you. I don't know why anyone would buy the book for the recipes to start with when there are so many "meals in 30 minutes" internet sites...all completely nutritional with different caloric contents. Then there's the advice...it was just as bad, I found. Well, bad in the sense that it was silly. Really quite silly. I must admit that I must agree with the reviewer that said if you are eating an entire plate of French Fries, or Freedom Fries, depending, and you don't know that you are eating something that is going to put some pounds on, then reading this book isn't going to help you. It does kind of sound like the positive reviews are all written by people that know the author personally. Sounds a little bit like the Pentagon's planted news stories in Iraq if you don't mind my saying.

What this book does is show how to eat healthy in my busy life. I always thought I would have to buy fresh vegetables three times a week (frozen is OK, it turns out) and that all red meat was bad (certain cuts are lower in fat than others). And since I ALWAYS eat lunch at work, I now know how to pick the best choices in fast food and restaurants. A few small changes can make a big difference, it doesn't feel like a diet and I'm learning how to make food that tastes better in 15 minutes than what I used to order for delivery (usually takes an hour to arrive anyway).

I read the book, came to this site to write a review, and was flabbergasted by the people that wrote positive reviews. Had they never encountered dietary information before? Was this their first knowledge of how food is processed in the body, and what foods one should eat? Even if that were the case, there are still better guides available. I found this book to be a cheap attempt to earn a little money at the expense of people wanting serious nutritional information. Maybe the positive reviews really were written by friends or by the author's own public relations firm...which advocates napping...induced by reading his own book no doubt.

What a rip off. The recipes in this book seem like they were ripped right out of the pages of Ladies Home Journal. And what's up ladies? Is that what happened? I mean, you can get better, simpler, tastier recipes than this online without having to buy the book. As for the rest of the stuff that the book says, I agree with other reviewers that there is nothing new here. Nothing at all. It's as though it were written by someone taking a writing class for the first time. "Okay class, we are going to write about what's in our refrigerator. I'm going to need your composition to be 1000 words and you're going to talk about what might be in a refrigerator if you were trying to eat more healthy foods." It's blather. If one needs something like this to be healthier, they have many other issues that should be addressed first.

I saw the book in the discount bin at the book store and I thought the title was cute. I thought, well, the guy gotta eat so that's why he wrote a book so he could sell something to dopes and have enough money to eat...that should have been the whole title. The book was awful. The recipes were unappetizing, and the nutrition doubtful. It would have been nice if the author, and I use that term loosely, just like the stools some of the recipes induced, if the author had given us the nutrition content of the paper it was written on...surely it is better for you than any advice they tried to put on you.

The theory of evolution with its emphasis on survival of the fittest and elimination of the unfit would imply that sexual activities ought to be optimized. That's a common line of thought among biologists, and Deborah Blum's book attempts to make that point to the public at large. Now, Blum is not a professional biologist, which would normally not, I repeat not, be a problem - after all, non-scientists tend to explain science better. But in Blum's case, that seems to be an obstacle to a clear explanation, as she spends too much time belaboring the obvious. Many exciting details were not explored further, and the big picture was lost as well.

I found this book very enjoyable with plenty of interesting information on brains, hormones, primates and other species. Though most of it wasn't new to me it is written in a very readable style and is sometimes very amusing too. Some things were new to me - such as the fact that even plants discriminate between mates (pollen) and even broccoli has 50 different kinds of genes for avoiding mating with too similar broccoli.

Of course, when these subjects are applied to humans many humans do not like it.
And perhaps she does present a more positve perspective on female hormones, female brains and female behavior than has been presented to date, but that's not a bad thing in the arena of evolution and evolutionary biology and psychology.

There are references to all the research findings and though things are not gone into in any great depth it is enough for a book of this kind, and subjects can be followed up by those interested in them.

Of course there is much ongoing research and much controversy regarding what any of it can really tell us about humans but Blum makes the point a couple of times that development is two-way between biology and environment.

Overall I found this an enjoyable overview of a fascinating subject and far superior to other 'Mars/Venus'-type popular books.

Blum's style is horrendous. She traipses from one anecdote about her son to the findings of scientists she has interviewed without the blink of an eye. She does not so much advance arguments or conclusions as much as merely advance dumbed-down versions of scientific studies. Matters such as which questions underlie the research and what the research reveals are interspersed with bad puns and Blum's own opinion as to whether something is insulting or disgusting. Her attempts to lighten the fare are patronizing and distracting.

She wrote way too much about non-humans. This or that primate species is simply not the human species. The differences between them are so great that their relevance for the human species does not seem to be established.

Most of the research she chose was physiological, behavioral, and anthropological. Evolutionary biology (a.k.a. sociobiology) gets only occasional treatment, despite its recent progress in explaining male and female differences.

Note also that the book was published in 1997. I write in 2005, so the book is eight years old. Try to find something more up to date on the subject.

Overall, the book's faults can most easily be attributed to the fact that the author is a journalist and not a scientist. She sarificed too much to appealing to the general readership and is not well-schooled in the science of human sex differences herself.

Deborah Blum was "raised in one of those university-based, liberal-elite families" and as such, was raised to believe that there were no differences between men and women. It wasn't until she had her own career, a husband, and two boys that she actually realized there were basic biological differences between male and female behaviour. Her son was playing dinosaur and "I looked down at him one day as he was snarling around my feet and doing his toddler best to gnaw off my right leg, and I thought, This is not a girl thing-- this goes deeper than culture."

So begins her book. Much of the evidence that is presented is done as studies of sex in other animals (the birds and the monkeys- yes, literally) and her lines of reasoning as to "how this happened" are based along lines of possible biological evolutional forces- things that she admits are really little more than educated guesses dressed up as theories.

The chapter on the differences between male and female brains was interesting in that she spent about 90% of the time either denying the validity of the studies or minimizing the verified physical results. (Sure, that spot is bigger, but we don't know that it does anything.)

Occasionally, you come across a gem of the absurd. This one is a good example:

"One leading French scientist of the nineteenth century sought to prove the existence and potency of this magical male stuff [testosterone] by injecting himself with pureed dog testes. He insisted that the extract boosted his energy and sex drive and enabled him to pee in a higher arc, a major issue for men, obviously, in contrast to women." (pg. 158, beginning of chapter six)

She is quite open and forthright about her own left of center feminist viewpoint on the whole subject, and freely gives her opinion on what she WANTS to be true (and making it clear that it IS her opinion).

One basic concept to follow underneath it all is that if evolution has made us "this way" (biologically), there is no reason to conclude that it has stopped now... and since we have the ability to change our culture, we may tap into evolutionary pressures to change the biology of our race in regards to the basic makeup of our sexes. At the end of the book, she admits she has no idea if this is really possible, but it's obvious that she feels it certainly ought to be. Given her basic premises, it is a logical conclusion. If you look at the past as having created this current biology from something else, why should the process stop now?

But to sum it up, I have to agree with the comments about tediousness, in particular towards the end. The last third or so of the book was read simply so I could be satisfied that I had read it, not because it still had my riveted and interested attention. It would have benefited either from a better organization of the material into a coherent overall development (aka a plot, if this were fiction) or of simply dropping the last third of the book.

Having read six books on this exact subject in the past week, I feel information is poorly presented in this one. Sometimes misleading, and sometimes even contradictory.

I highly suggest that you read other books and/or papers on the subject before braving this one. Even then, take this read with a grain of agenda-salt.

The problem Socrides faces is that he never is able to explain in a creditable way why homosexualty needs curing. Instead, most of his assertions can also be used to support a view that homophobia has a negative impact on the life of normal homosexuality.

Why not try curing left-handedness, red hair, or some other normal variation in human life? I am sure we can find some excuse for asserting that these characteristics somehow damage those who possess them.

As a licensed psychotherapist, I would like to state that aside from "homosexual activists," the mainstream Psychiatric community has debunked Socrides "research" on this book for a number of reasons. An internet search under Socarides, and especially the work of Dr. Gregory Herek, the preeminent social psychologist, points out the flaws in Socarides work, and "conversion therapy" in general. Good science is not based only on antidotal evidence from one's own clinical practice. Subjects were taken from a pool of patients already in conversion therapy. No follow up is provided as to the end result of his "successes". This methology is akin to the 1950's 'study" that proclamed that all convicts had listened to rock and roll, and therefore rock and role must be the root of all criminal behavior. Socarides has aligned himself with the quasi-professionals who are mouthpieces for the evangelical right. These include NARTH, and Dr. Joseph Necalosi, who aside from being disavowed from numerous professional organizations, has only been published in scientic Journal's that must be paid for publication, a scientific "vanity press." Evangelicals will flock to this book only because it reinforces their "agenda" to disprove that homosexuality is a variance of sexual behavior, that is neither pathological, nor ego-dystonic. Dr. Herek's extensive, and award winning research gives the ultimate rebuttal to this somewhat feeble work. That's what real science is about.

Read it yourself. Come to your own conclusions. Socarides offers a mountain of evidence of clear patterns of both behavior and childhood histories. AND that people can be cured of these obviosly dangerous behaviors.

When people have to name call and trash a book they obviously haven't read...your only question should be what is it they DON't want you to hear. if a theory were absurd, wouldn't it be better to give it the light of day and humiliate the advocates? if dr. Socarides said homosexuality was say, causes by space aliens, wouldn't the actvists be pointing out how ridicolous it was. HMM, but supressed books, that's another story.

Really I could care less what gays do sexually. Thats a crude obsession of obscene and literal minded ignoramuses. I am not concerned with the tiny percentage of gays that are paedophiles. And to me the AIDS virus is a disease like any other. No, as a refugee from academia I am outraged by their intellectual dishonesty. By the sheer intellectual destruction they have deliberately visited on nearly every area of learning since they rose as a power group in the 1970's. The representative figure in all this is Michael Foucault, his central tenet was that every human creation was secretly informed by a struggle for social power. For Foucault every writer had a political agenda, every artistic institution was really about coercion and control. Admire Elizabethan theater? Dont! It was simply a platform where the aristocratic classes could propagandize the population! Think of Jane Austen's work as a miracle or English prose? Dont! Whats important is her hidden sexual agenda, the power arrangements of Regency England she suffered under. And on and on and on. during the 70s and 80s homosexuals took over University departments, came to dominate whole disciplines, and in true Orwellian fashion rewrote history to accord with their private neurotic obsessions. Their crime was
nothing less than the betrayal of whole generations of students, eager for poetry and history and music and instead force fed the insane reductionism of Foucault. In classroom after classroom students were told that grace, manners, even truth..none of it exists. Everything is about power and control its all a human invention to gain power. Nothing has any "normality"..thus homosexuality isnt BAD..or an abberation its just different. You wonder why our culture has lost all civility? Why the relations between men and women have been poisoned? Look to what was done to society by homosexual activists in positions of great authority...as teachers of the young. The gays want to believe that
criticism of them is criticism of their sexual orientation, its not, its criticism of a mentality thats made even truth impossible. This is an act of incredible destruction carried out so that a small band of men and woman could escape into claims of "everything is relative" and thus avoid the slightest introspection.

Charles W. Socarides never tells us WHY homosexuality is a bad thing. Why is it bad? What's wrong with it? He just can't answer that question. His reasons for disliking gay people, or thinking gay people are "yucky" make about as much sense as my distaste for certain green vegitables. Who cares if someone is gay? I couldn't care less! Why does a "so-called" straight man spend his entire life studying and obsessing over issues having to do with male homosexuality? Gee, I wonder. Looks like Socarides has his own closet-cleaning to worry about. Straight guys, and I mean real straight guys, don't spend their lives thinking only about gay stuff. Think about it. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's going on here. I'll give you one adjective, the best one adjective to sum up Socarides's whole career (and life): self-loathing.

I was heavily involved in reparative therapy for many years. I was their perfect candidate (virgin, "straight-acting", etc). No one wanted to change more than me, and no one worked harder than me.

Not only does this "therapy" not work, it leaves a wake of misery and self-hatred in its path.

Of course, Nicolosi would never include me or the millions like me in his case studies. Nor does he mention how many homosexuals have committed suicide in direct response to his "therapy".

For those stuggling out there, God made you gay and that is OK. Love yourself.

Read what the professionals have to say on the subject.

AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION

· "The potential risks of 'reparative therapy' are great, including depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior, since therapist alignment with societal prejudices against homosexuality may reinforce self-hatred already experienced by the patient. Many patients who have undergone "reparative therapy" relate that they were inaccurately told that homosexuals are lonely, unhappy individuals who never achieve acceptance or satisfaction. The possibility that the person might achieve happiness and satisfying interpersonal relationships as a gay man or lesbian is not presented, nor are alternative approaches to dealing with the effects of societal stigmatization discussed ... the APA opposes any psychiatric treatment, such as 'reparative' or 'conversion' therapy which is based on the assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder or based on a prior assumption that the patient should change his/her sexual orientation.

· "There is no published scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of 'reparative therapy' as a treatment to change one's sexual orientation. It is not described in the scientific literature, nor is it mentioned in the APA's latest comprehensive Task Force Report, Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders (1989).

· "Clinical experience suggests that any person who seeks conversion therapy may be doing so because of social bias that has resulted in internalized homophobia, and that gay men and lesbians who have accepted their sexual orientation positively are better adjusted than those who have not done so."

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

· "Even though homosexual orientation is not a mental illness and there is no scientific reason to attempt conversion of lesbians or gays to heterosexual orientation, some individuals may seek to change their sexual orientation or that of another individual (for example, parents seeking therapy for their child). Some therapists who undertake this kind of therapy report that they have changed their clients' sexual orientation (from homosexual to heterosexual) in treatment. Close scrutiny of their reports indicates several factors that cast doubt: Many of the claims come from organizations with an ideological perspective on sexual orientation, rather than from mental health researchers; the treatments and their outcomes are poorly documented; and the length of time that clients are followed up on after treatment is too short.

· "In 1990, the American Psychological Association stated that scientific evidence does not show that conversion therapy works and that it can do more harm than good. Changing one's sexual orientation is not simply a matter of changing one's sexual behavior. It would require altering one's emotional, romantic and sexual feelings and restructuring one's self-concept and social identity.

AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

· "Most of the emotional disturbance experienced by gay men and lesbians around their sexual identity is not based on physiological causes but rather is due more to a sense of alienation in an unaccepting environment. For this reason, aversion therapy (a behavioral or medical intervention which pairs unwanted behavior, in this case, homosexual behavior, with unpleasant sensations or aversive consequences) is no longer recommended for gay men and lesbians. Through psychotherapy, gay men and lesbians can become comfortable with their sexual orientation and understand the societal response to it."

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS

· "The psychosocial problems of gay and lesbian adolescents are primarily the result of societal stigma, hostility, hatred and isolation. The gravity of these stresses is underscored by current data that document that gay youths account for up to 30 percent of all completed adolescent suicides. Approximately 30 percent of a surveyed group of gay and bisexual males have attempted suicide at least once. Adolescents struggling with issues of sexual preference should be reassured that they will gradually form their own identity and that there is no need for premature labeling of one's sexual orientation."

Joseph Nicolosi, shame on you!

Homosexual recovery is a mixed blessing. It allows a conflicted human a choice, but not a choice per se about sexual orientation. The recovery is similar to the alcoholic who must live a different life not drinking, but one drink can ruin the whole new pattern. I do not think a person who accepts "gayness" as okay can appreciate this. Furthermore if the theory which underlies reparative therapy were not sound I do not think there would be results. No one is not going to become totally straight, but with the conflictual pressure relieved there is a new opportunity for choice. Those who work hard enough to reach that place choose not to be gay. If what one desires is not making one happy, then work on new things. This is very hard to do, and makes it seem like the problem IS genetics. I like Nicolosi's work because though there is a religious tone, it is not the basis for the work or change. Also Van Den Aardverg's work is rather factual. I think people who realize they are not going to pray themselves to wholeness for any problem and who are willing to work can handle these works well. Prayer is no substitute for therapeutic work. I think many have ridden on this issue for fame and gain with too much of a religious slant. I don't think Nicolosi has.

WOW,
I am in reparative therapy right now and when I read Joseph Nicolosi's book it was like reading my life story. Not in the details, but in the descriptions.

Definitely NOT for those who don't feel the angst of trying to live a homosexual lifestyle, but definitely for those who feel they can no longer be happy in the lifestyle.

For one to benefit both from this book and reparative therapy one must be willing to look deep within and stop fighting life.

I find his argument, explanation, and methodology to speak directly to my life condition. I am grateful to find an outline that indicates and points me within, towards health growth and change.

A most excellent book!

I am currently dealing with my homosexual urges and am finding Nicolosi's books very, very helpful. This book, and the one dealing with "Reparative Therapy..." have hit so close to home that I feel like an autobiography could have not done much better.

As to the American Psychological Association and their claims regarding the biological factor; it must be acknowledged that it is no more than an institution. Any governmental institution is subject to a power struggle and politics, which is a perspective I have come to understand by my degree in political science.

Nicolosi's explanation that politics and a power struggle within the APA and the media makes sense. The gay liberation movement gained freedoms alongside other civil rights movements, especially from black empowerment. Although Nicolosi did not expressly say it, the gay liberation movement made the source of homosexuality seem as inherent as one's own skin color. For sure, it is shame that is has been so.

It is my opinion that for some homosexuality is biologically based. But, based on my own research, there is a legitimate movement of individuals whom feel homosexuality is not their ideal life style.

The APA believes in a biological explanation of homosexuality. My therapist had to come to terms that I am bisexual and have found a very coherent and clinically provable alternative explanation for homosexuality.

I believe that this is a book for those who find themselves wondering if their parental upbringing (i.e. overdominating mother and absent/neglectful father) or other factors may lead to their current angst about homosexual activity and want change.

I was extremely disappointed with this book.

I am currently pursuing a PhD in psychology, and as part of an ISU (Independent Study Project) I decided to produce an analysis of how so-called "reparative therapy" groups operate.

When I came across this book I was quite pleased, because it seemed that much of my work would be easy to refrence.
How wrong I was.

In order to reference a book I must be able to substantiate its claims. `Fine,' I though, `that should be a piece of cake.'

As I delved deeper into the murky world of "ex-gay" groups, I learned that they are very poor record keepers. Specifically speaking, the stories in this book could have been pulled out of thin air.

These groups do not have any type of prerequisites for their clients. No client is given a psychiatric examination, nor are they sexually classified. Most of the people who seek these groups would seem to be better called "bisexual," rather than homosexual. The bisexuals can be trained to repress the `other half' of their sexuality, but this is not a "cure."

Furthermore, I learned that these groups do not monitor their clients during, or after their "therapy" has ended. There is no record keeping or accounting of what happens to these individuals. How can any organization that wants to be taken seriously make claims of "curing" people without being able to substantiate any of it?

Also, these "ex-gay" groups do not offer any type of "cure" to being gay. Indeed, they seem to believe that emotional or physical castration is a "cure" for sexuality. That is to say, according to their philosophy, as long as a person abstains form sex they are no longer considered that type of sexuality.

Ridiculous! Does a heterosexual stop being heterosexual simply because they don't have sex for a while? Of course not. The entire premise upon which these organizations are founded is without merit.

I was thoroughly disappointed by my research into this book, and its presentation of the material therein.

On a final note, I was shocked to learn that stories of "conversions" are still used by these groups even after the members commit suicide. "Ex-gay" groups have one of the highest suicide rates among any "therapy" group in the country.

I started out my journey of learning on the fence. Now I am firmly against any type of "reparative therapy." God does not fix what is not broken, and neither can man. All these "ex-gay" groups do is offer false hope and lies to vulnerable people. Repressing your sexuality is not a "cure," and does not fool anybody.

finally the truth about aerobics vs. weight training for fat loss. Poliquin explains all the science behind his programs.

Is there anything this guy produces that is not helpful??
Practical, masculine, humorous, and to the point. Coach Poliquin trains the best and is excellent in communications. My only complaint? The book is too short, and I really wanted more...Also: Write more books!! 5 stars to this, Poliquin Principles, Arms Race, and Trends!!

Anyone who has had multiple overuse injuries from aerobics can certainly appreciate this book--and the message that it is possible to be healthy and in shape through proper weight training techniques. The training routines and background in this book are very good. The overall nutritional message (low-glycemic carbohydrates and ample protein) is also right on, since most weight-loss diets are woefully protein deficient and emphasize refined carbohydrates.

On the down side, the majority of the menu plans are nothing more than an advertisement for a supplement company. Most nutritional meal replacements and supplements are so laden with artificial sweeteners and chemicals to make them palatable that their health benefits are suspect at best. Also, the workout routines in the book are good, but it would have been better for the author to provide information for the reader to custom-design their own routines--in this respect you're left to your own wares. He doesn't explain the method behind his madness...

The machismo in the book is WAY over the top--but if you can overlook it (and the rather high price for such a thin book), I think the exercise routines are worth checking out. I was looking for something to change my exercise routine around, and especially get out of doing endless amounts of cardio which was aggravating my lower back and plantar fascia and generally not doing anything for my weight loss. I've only been doing the routines for a week and I can already feel a difference.

The only downside with the routines is that they require you to superset two or more exercises--which can be impossible in a crowded gym. My recommendation is to do the best you can--if you absolutely can't superset a block of exercises then just do straight sets (all sets of the first exercise, then all sets of the 2nd, and so on) in the order presented and don't take long rests; you'll still get most of the benefits from the program. But if you can do the supersets you're in for one heck of a workout.

This book may get you results as charles is at the top of his field, however this book is a typical recipe plan weight loss book. It is also obviously biased towards certain supplement companies products. If you are totally in the dark on exercise and weight loss maybe this is the book for you, but anybody with a knowledge of exercise and diet should skip this one. I cant speak highly enough about charles, but this book is not on par with his other publications.

Some of the other reviews seem to focus on the nature of the book and not the workouts, which is why I bought the book and why Poliquin wrote it. I have used the plan for nine weeks and lost 18 lbs, while also changing my diet. I find that the work outs are well thought out and for the most part well-explained. The science of the plan is aimed at high-reps on different muscle groups to achieve weight loss and conditioning vice bulking up. The criticism of Poliquin for endorsing supplements is well-founded and inexcusable. I almost threw the book away. How can we take his advice seriously when he endorses a particular supplement supplier? Some of the supplements are now much more controversial than when he wrote the book a few years ago--which shows why we should hesitate to pop pills--even if they are not steriods. In sum, I think he knows what he's doing but I'm not sure he has our best interest at heart.

The idea of weight training for weight loss is still counterintuitive for some people and the author does get credit for attacking this head on. He has convinced me.

Couple of other points. Don't even think about buying this book unless you are a member of a very well equiped club, or have access to the Nebraska Cornhusker weight training facility. Many of his exercises call for exoctic equipment and no substitute is suggested-you're not doing this in your basement.

Excellent material, specialy if you are a gynaecologist and have all your patients complaining about their husbands. It gives you an insight of what a male can be going throu. Why 4 stars? Would be nice from Jed to have more practical approaches to some practical solutions. Nevertheless you should read it.

It puts 'men' back into menopause and substantiates the reality that certainly in midlife, women and men are more alike than different. I particularly liked that definitions were clear and there was a specific program for men and women to assist men in moving through this difficult passage.

Male Menopause written by Jed Diamond is the first book to seriously and completely alert men and women about this very real phenomenon - Male Menopause. As the editor and founder of HotFlash! the perimenopause/menopause web site and online support group I know first hand the effects of hormonal changes in women. They can be very devastating and change a woman's life. The same is true for men. I applaud Jed's work because he takes a subject, male menopause and drags it out from the "taboo" closet and forces us to look at it. I have had the pleasure of interviewing Jed and have found that there are millions of men and their partners suffering in silence about this change of life. Male Menopause, hallmarked by lowered testosterone levels, can leave a man depressed, scared, anxious, moody, lose sexual interest and have problems getting and sustaining erections ( this is very distreesing for men). Jed's book alerts us to this health issue and we all must take this seriously. His book speaks to the problems men have with lowering tesosterone levels and bodily changes; we must recognize this as seriously as we do for women in perimenopause and menopause. In talking with hundreds of women every day and through my media appearances and articles, I find that men too are going thorugh "something" as women are experincing perimenopause and menopause. Many people think this is just a phase or "mid-life" crsisi" but it is more. Like perimenopause male menopause must be discussed openly and with intelligence; Jed Diamiond does just that.

When the author published this book in the nineties, the oldest among the leading-edge baby boomers were still in their early fifties. Today, millions more are confronting and crossing the 55 marker, and this book has much greater relevance to an aging and influential cohort. Men in my network have been realizing the significance of andropause in personal and profound ways, and most are now searching for answers to the complex male questions about midlife. This book answers questions that barely surfaced ten years ago and provides men with knowledge and encouragement. The author's sensitivity to this passage is profound, and he gives readers many reasons for optimism, as well as strategies to manage a significant life stage. To those who criticized this book as mere pop psychology, I say wait a few more years and then you'll get it.

While Americans seek to find all the answers to behaviors through scientific methods, we cannot ignore the master designer of all humans. Absolving anyone--women OR men--of their behavior simply because their hormone levels fluctuate with age and other factors shows disregard for common civility and decency. There is nothing wrong with attempting to explain the "whys" of menopausal symptoms, but what each of us does with that knowledge and how we use it to control our behaviors and be responsible moral human beings is the critical issue.

Oooh, Ooooh I wish I would have not destroyed my copy of that book. I purchased it back in the 90's for like under $20 now look @ the price. Yep, it was an excellent book unbias information.

I truly wanted to like Griffin's text. After a thorough read, however, I found Griffin's text to be far from anything considered academic. The author's "research" is based on his private observations (which I consider invalid without further published data or photos), the solicited accounts of other people with no connection to the medical field ("My friend saw Mr. X's penis when he was next to him in the men's bathroom, and it was big!") which is called hearsay everywhere else, and the author's "private collection" of photos, which is not included in the text. Why, if Griffin felt comfortable publishing basically a big book of pictures, would he not include the several photos in his own collection, even though he makes textual reference to them?

If readers have feelings of inadequacy before they read this text, I feel sorry for them after coming away from even a quick read. Strangely, although the author has not problem spouting off about the size of many of his friends' and celebrities' penises, he never mentions himself; feeling inadequate, Griffin?

The author is very concerned about homosexual issues, but he, once again, is hardly academic in his approach. The author writes in a style that suggests he is not yet comfortable with his sexual identity and really, really needs to assert that he is a bonafide man! His voice could be summarized as this: "I'm no homosexual! I'm a real man, and I do manly things. Let's look at some pictures of naked men and make fun of the guys with small penises!" This text seems like Griffin's way of playing a joke on truly interested readers.

Griffin suggests dangerous and idiotic ways of changing genital size. Vacuum tubes? Stretching? Weights? Surgery? Consult a doctor, NOT Griffin. Unless, of course, you want a stretched, permanently impotent penis. Sexuality is not a joke, and Griffin's suggestions are criminal and dangerous to the healthy functioning of the genitals.

If you like pictures of penises, look here. He has a lot of them, including gross enlargements. My favorite is a picture of a 6" penis enlarged to fit an entire page (this is a large/wide book). Very juvenile. No pictures of "Long Dong Silver" or discussion of his condition of impotence, either. Readers can see an African tribesman with a stretched penis (purported to be 16"), but I doubt the poor thing works anymore, and the photo appears to come from an ancient copy of National Geographic. Griffin includes an obviously doctored photograph of one of his friends, "a true horseman," whose penis would rival Arnold Schwarzenger's forearm in length and girth; cut and paste, anyone? Most of the photos in the text are of poor quality, none better than a photocopy of a photograph.

If you like racial stereotypes, look here. Griffin says blacks have wider (more girth) penises. He says Asians do not have large penises. How nice. Perhaps he can say in future texts that blacks are naturally good dancers and Asians are naturally good at math. These are just stereotypes, not truths. Griffin just has not done enough homework.

If you want a non-serious book that you can read and laugh at with friends, Griffin's text fits the bill. Otherwise, skip it. If you want to read a serious bunch of hearsay on celebrity sizes, take a gander at this text and put it back on the shelf (and don't believe half of it; John Dilinger was not the endowed man he is reputed to be. This rumor was started by the newspaper photo of his corpse, and it is his arm, not his penis that is in the final stages of rigor mortis, holding the sheet up. Do your homework, Griffin).

Be happy with who you are, not how much you are. Live a healthy lifestyle, practice a healthy sexuality (free of repression), and learn to appreciate and love yourself and all the mysteries you hold; follow these simple rules and your self-esteem will grow larger than any penis Griffin can photograph and enlarge. Our brains are ultimately the sex organs, and we are all blessed in one way or another. You might not be able to get bigger, but you certainly can be better!

The message of the book is this: A big penis is everything. Without a big penis, you're less than a real man.

The book is filled with a lot of pseudoscience and useless techniques. The book fails to mention about how use of the penis pump can result in a serious medical condition.

The part about the legendary endowments of famous men makes the book mildly amusing to read.

My bothers always said I had a small penis and I believed them!Then I read this book and I know that I am totally normal! Thanks alot!

If you like such disgusting attitude and a lot of gossiping about mainly past celebrities this book can be of some interest for you. For a serious and respecting himself and the others man it is 0.5-star collection of poor quality photos.

I've read a lot of books about dating.

I rarely give one star to a book. But this one deserved my coveted special award.

TWO THUMBS DOWN!

I bought this book thinking it would have helpful pointers with women, but this 'complete guide' is nothing but a bunch of fluff. 16 pages into this book i come across a sentence that should have been on the BACK of the book. It says, this guide assumes that you have read our other two books, blah, and blah. At the start of every chapter they shamelessly plug thier other books, "in our last book, blah, we taught you how to blah, now continuing on from that point..." Do not buy this book, it is very misleading and has little helpful information in it.

This book is extremely remedial. The book is mostly fluff with about 4 solid concepts. The guys in the book do not appear to be 'nice guys' either, but horny toads with poor social skills. the book does nothing to address actual relationships beyond the introduction and the bedroom.

Conclusion: pretty much garbage.

I don't know how this book even made it to publication! What a bunch of useless drivel. I DID read it front to back though. It constantly, and I mean constantly, references the author's previous two "works," which gets extremely annoying. This is merely an "add-on" to their last two books, which, if this one is any indication, must be full of useless information as well. Stay away from this particular volume in any case.

If you want a good book on how to approach people (yes women too) and keep conversation flowing, I'd recommend "How to talk to anyone" by Leil Lowndes.

If there was an option for 0 stars, this book would definitely deserve it. The two fellows who wrote this book are scammers. Please do not buy this book unless you want to waste your money. If you use any concept from here, you will make every girl run for the hills because there will be no attraction.

I am so grateful that Carolyn Mein's book came into my life. It did take a while for me to figure out what I was, but the search was well worth it and FUN. I really admire and respect what she has done. I am a person who is very focused on health. I have read EVERYTHING and know lots.If you eat the way she recommends, you will be healthy for life. My digestive system is now in the best condition it has ever been in. Thank you Carolyn Mein for all the hard work you did. For those who "understand" and have a real desire for optimum health........you're amazing.

i'm a western herbalist and student of chinese medicine. because of my background, i can surmise some of mein's basis for her conclusions, such as meridian pathways and their associated organs, endocrine hormonal influence, etc. i also think that she came up with the diets for each type via muscle-testing.
my primary interest in this book is as background material. as far as individualized diets, i recommend that people find what works for them, regardless of what they read in a book. mein's other pitfalls include not taking into account degenerative diseases, environmental stress, digestive disorders, etc. the biggest value in mein's suggestions is rotation of foods, as it is in most other diets-by-type.
we are all biochemically unique individuals and while typing ourselves may be fun, it's just one tool among many and not every tool is clinically useful in every situation.

It was fun looking through the book, reading descriptions and trying to find my body type. And it has a value in increasing one's body acceptance after looking at page after page of different body constitutions. I could not determine my "type" exactly, and got it narrowed down to three possibilities (that is after following all steps and reading psychological profiles). Next I look at the dietary recommendations, thinking that I could maybe blend them....but they were quite different and did not provide rationale for the promation of healthy vs. food to avoid.

I would find it hard to make some of the seemingly bizarre diet choices when the author offers no explanation for the "bionutrition" , either by research or by client experience. "Eat Right for Your Blood Type" is so much easier and understandable, plus the author attempts to explain/support his recommendations.

As with others I found this book difficult to follow and much prefer Dr. Abravanel's "Body Type Diet" in which one only deals with 4 distinct body types and a lot more guidance in the diet/exercise sections. However, having decided my body type through Abravanel, I found Mein's book to be great supplemental reading. And I am a firm believer that most of us are combinations of types - dominant and subdominant...............so that one needs to really get to know oneself to categorize and sort out what will work best.

Very confusing book. Found it difficult to find my "type". None of the types matched me and the personality traits were not me at all if the body type remotely fit me. I couldnt decide what type i was at all. The menus were somewhat constrictive unless you can live on nuts and beans for some. Basically if you follow a healthy eating plan with excersize you will lose weight no matter what "type" you may be. WELL, duh.

This book is like a primer, giving only the most basic level of information. You could find out the same information for free on any medical web-site. The authors have a patronizing tone; they do not seem to realize that most people want more detailed information at an intermediate level.

Every chapter encourages the reader to ask his own doctor for more information. Why not just include that information in the text? If you get this book, you have to ask your own doctor, because Dr. Pryor and Ms. Glass do not tell you anything of substance.

The illustrations are amateur. The title tries to be cute; but this time the check is not in the mail!

Definitely do not get this book.

This book is like a primer, giving only the most basic level of information. You could find out the same information for free on any medical web-site. The authors have a patronizing tone; they do not seem to realize that most people want more detailed information at an intermediate level.

Every chapter encourages the reader to ask his own doctor for more information. Why not just include that information in the text? If you get this book, you have to ask your own doctor, because Dr. Pryor and Ms. Glass do not tell you anything of substance.

The illustrations are amateur. The title tries to be cute; but this time the check is not in the mail!

Definitely do not get this book.

I found the book extremely helpful. It addressed serious issues in a light hearted but insightful manner. Each chapter is well organized, easy to digest, and presents the main points to remember for each topic. Men's health is sometimes a difficult subject to broach, but the books straightforward approach makes it easy to confront difficult issues. It's a perfect read for anyone with specific questions or just wants to know more about men's health.

This book is like a primer, giving only the most basic level of information. You could find out the same information for free on any medical web-site. The authors have a patronizing tone; they do not seem to realize that most people want more detailed information at an intermediate level.

Every chapter encourages the reader to ask his own doctor for more information. Why not just include that information in the text? If you get this book, you have to ask your own doctor, because Dr. Pryor and Ms. Glass do not tell you anything of substance.

The illustrations are amateur. The title tries to be cute; but this time the check is not in the mail!

Definitely do not get this book.

My mom got this book for me because she knew I was worried about some health issues. After reading certain chapters, I stopped worrying. The book is well organized and explains basic anatomy first and then explains more about specific problems. When I went to my doctor, I was not embarassed and knew what questions to ask. I highly recommend this book to boys and men because there is alot to know about it. I think it will be useful in my future too.