Community Health Books

As others have shared, I have had this book since the 70s and find it more applicable than ever now. It got me through the lean days putting my husband through graduate school, through raising two kids on a budget (while working full time outside the home), and now I'm sending a copy to my son and his fiance as they start out. As we strive to simplify our lives, be more "green", be more economical in tough times, and be more healthy with our food, this book is a MUST!!

This cookbook is so much more than recipes. It's an approach to food that's gentle, kind, thoughtful and practical. The recipes are great, nothing to out there, just good food my family will love. The ideology behind this book is nothing less than inspirational. Highly recommended for those interested in taking care of our bodies, our families and the entire planet.

When I visited a friend she recommended this cookbook to me. She told me that no matter her circumstances, she feels like she always can come up with a meal with this book. Since we are feeling the pinch of rising prices and less money, I bought the book. What she said is correct. You can make some tasty, substantial meals with pretty much what you have on hand.

The author compiled recipes from frugal people, many of whom were missionaries that had to learn to "make do" what local fare. The recipes are simple, easy to understand and fix, and satisfying.

Over the last 10 years as the global food market has opened up, I've enjoyed access to international ingredients and new cooking styles but have sometimes forgotten that a meal doesn't have to be unusual to be good. More with Less is simple without being pedestrian. It includes international recipes that don't require running to a specialty market. More with Less touches on nutritional and environmental issues as well as eating as a spiritual act. The author calls for "low-cost, low-fat, low-sugar and less expensive proteins." There are eye-opening dietary tables, cost breakdowns and equivalents. It's a very handy and comforting book. I'll be reaching for it again and again.

I am reading the best cookbook I have ever read. It is called The More-With-Less Cookbook, by Doris Jantzen Longacre. The first fifty pages are about food politics, how the food industry developed into its current state, and why what North Americans eat effects the entire world and causes other people to go hungry. This book cuts to the core of these issues better than any book I've ever read, even Fast Food Nation or Diet for a Small Planet. So even if you don't read any of the recipes, it still is worth reading the first fifty pages.
this book has helped me to look at food in a new way. It has reiterated what both of my nutrition teachers have preached, as well, which is: Don't trust the government and certainly don't trust health claims by food manufacturers. They don't have your best interests at heart.

The author of this book was a Mennonite missionary, and wrote this as a church cookbook in the '70's. It became so wildly popular that a publisher picked it up, but even still it is obviously written with a Mennonite community in mind. However, I found the ethics that the author espoused to be absolutely universal- all Golden Rule type stuff. Also, she quotes a Muslim, expresses admiration for Southeast Asian Buddhists, and advocates on behalf of birth control, so I think she must have been a pretty hip lady.

Plus it has spiral binding! All cookbooks should be bound this way. So it shall be when I am in charge.

Anyway, if you stumble across this book in the library, snap it up. It's awesome.

This book was an awsome book.I might be a guy but all these stories just fills your heart with good things. This book has fantastic real life stories that mean alot of things. It was so good that i read this book in 4 days. This book is great for any chicken soup lovers or people who likes touching stories.

I read this book in 2 days flat!! I love it. Brought back some memories of times in my life... made me cry mostly. Who doesn't love a good cry? I'm on track to improving my personal development and have since changed my reading material to awe-inspiring stuff. I encourage all women ages 21-100+ to read this book.

I have grown up with Chicken Soup For The Soul Collections. I can remember buying my first book at a book sale while I was in elementary school. I than moved on to Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul. I recently took a box of books to a book exchange shop and that's where I saw Chicken Soup For The Woman's Soul. I than remembered how much I had loved these heart warming short stories and since I had just turned 20 years old, it was about time I exchange my teenage collection in for the woman's collection. I am 20 years old, married and in college so sometimes I find myself stressed out and emotional so I like to sit down and enjoy a few of these stories. These are great books to own and there is a large variety so that anyone can find one that fits them. My husband and I like to read Chicken Soup For The Couples Soul together and I am looking forward to the day when I can read Chicken Soup For The Mothers Soul.

There are so many Inspiring and touching tales that fills our hearts with emotion. One wonders 'why' things happen as they shouldn't or 'How' do miracles change the course of our lives. There are moments in everybody's life where at a point you encounter obstacles, where your self esteem gets low, attitude differences opine or whatever be, awe-inspiring stories of this book glues you to stir your heart to be more wiser. It rekindles the spirits undoubtedly when we read the emotional narrations of others and wonder - We too come across lot of experiences in life. Should we not pen it down? Easy it may seem, needs inspirations like these stories to share alike tales. This book sure is a great 'light up spirits' book for woman, self inspirations you can say. Topics on Love, Attitude & self esteem, Special moments, Dreams, Truth & wisdom n more are widely covered which makes it a special read. I cherish this book and read n re-read at times. Good pick

I read this book in 2 days flat!! I love it. Brought back some memories of times in my life... made me cry mostly. Who doesn't love a good cry? I'm on track to improving my personal development and have since changed my reading material to awe-inspiring stuff. I encourage all women ages 21-100+ to read this book.

Professor Emeritus Harry Gottesfeld has done a lot for mental health in the USA and in Europe. His programs have literally helped hundreds of thousands of people. This book is a classic reference and everyone in the field should have a copy.

Sometimes a book is written that is insightful and helpful. Harry Gottesfeld, the eminent scholar, professor, and Director of Mental Health is at his best in this tome. No one else comes close to presenting this information so well.

Dr. Gottesfeld's book is the classic work on this subject and well worth buying if you are lucky enough to find a copy. It always seems to be out of stock due to great demand. I really like the way this famous professor, clinicial pyschologist, and former Director of NYC's 28 Mental Hospitals presented this material so anyone can read it and "get it" right away!

This book is used in Universities, Social Agencies, Government agencies and Courts. It should also be used by every American family who faces this problem! The book is written by one of the most fruitful and wise clinical psychologist's of our time.

The best book I have ever read on this important subject. This book is written by one of the most brilliant psychologists of this era, the humanist and clinicial psychologist, Dr. Harry Gottesfeld.

This is a great book for introducing the concept of eating foods that are in season. This practice supports local farmers, saves on fuel, and helps us to stay in touch with the earth. The recipes are a great bonus.

This is an excellent cookbook for anyone who cares about good food, health, the environment, and who wants to eat more locally-grown foods. It is arranged by season, with the main seasonal ingredients listed down the side of the page, and is VERY useable! If you find yourself with an abundance of tomatoes, say, you can easily find (in the summer section) all of the recipes that use tomato asa main ingredient. All the recipes I've tried have been very tasty, and not labor intensive. I also enjoy the little blurbs on different pages about sustainability and good stewardship of the earth.

Simply In Season (World Community Cookbook)

I purchased this book after seeing it at a sustainable agriculture conference. It has some great recipes for eating foods that are in season.

I really have liked the recipes I have tried so far. Also a great book just to flip through and enjoy. I enjoy the way the book is divided up into different seasons and color coded for easy reference!

Having reached the half century mark and adding too much to my middle I am trying to eat healthier and I think this book will help me to do that.

This textbook by the eminent scholar Professor Emeritus Harry Gottesfeld has been used in the USA, Europe, and Africa. It remains the best ever textbook on abnormal psychology ever written. I have benefited a lot from having this book.

This textbook helps us all find out about the kinds of mental diseases found in our society. The author, the eminent Professor Harry Gottesfeld, shows us how to master this subject with the greatest of ease.

Professor Gottesfeld's textbook reminds us that the community is an important element in the mental health equation of us all. This is an important contribution to the mental health field.

This text book is one of the best written books in the world on the subject of abnormal psychology. The charm of the book is that it points out that what is "abnormal" changes as the culture changes. It helps you to understand what & why and what will be. This text is really loved by all my students at the university.

I have often wondered about what was abnormal, and how it was defined in capitalsim. Well, this professor, Dr. Gottesfeld, has a thing or two to say regarding the subject. Even my mother loved read the text and loved it. We both learned so much. We recommend this book to all those with an interest in abnormal psychology.

This is a beautiful book and I feel it is so wonderful for family caregivers who have just "gotten the call." It has so many personal insights and helpful tips, and I feel it gives a lot of strength and empowerment to caregivers. Please read this. You will be so glad that you did.

Beth has been there for all of us as the head of our "Caregiving" support group. Her experience and knowledge has helped us through, and her beautiful book has helped us know, why she is so caring of others. A must read for all CAREGIVERS.

Beth Witrogen McLeod's book Caregiving The Spiritual Journey of Love, Loss, and Renewal is a must read for any person taking care of an ill loved one, whether they are a child, spouse and/or aging parent. My interview with Beth revealed a strong woman with a fierce detrmination to help other caregivers make the most of a very painful situation. Beth includes her own personal journey along with the stories of hundreds of people she has met online in her chat groups or in person during her many public appearances in her incredible book. As the creator and editor of HotFlash! a woman's online perimenopause/menopause magazine and online support group, I have found women in the same place as Beth. She has described so well in her book the guilt, the pain, the sorrow and yes, at times, the joy of taking care of a sick loved one. In attempting to find hope and love in a truly difficult situation, Beth guides us to make good decisions not only for the person needing care but for the person herself. She pulls back the curtain on this often overlooked yet important topic.

This is a must read for anyone taking care of a loved one and for the rest of us who will one day be in these extraordinary shoes.

In an ideal world, we'd all have parents who we would want to help in old age, and it would be our honor to help them in their old age as they have helped us in our youth.

However, for the children of substance abuse parents and/or mentally ill patients the answers do not come easy. Things are much more complicated than simply finding a place to live, and deciding how much time you can spend with said loved one.

I'm not trying to over simplify, because all decisions dealing with older loved ones are difficult, but I was kind of hoping it would have given me more direction as to when its important to protect yourself as well. Its easy to get caught up in the caretaker role, feeling like a matyr without thinking about wheither or not this is the best desicion for you and your immediate family. Especially, if its puts you at risk for other health issues.

This is a fascinating book. I highly recommend it, although I was hoping it would have more concrete ideas for caring for an elder. I would recommend something like the Fourteen friends Guide to Eldercaring if you are looking for comcrete suggestions and a unique support group.

Paul's caring and poignant sharing of his journey across the continent and through the years with Faith in Action is one that will warm your heart and hopefully inspire you to look closely at your own community. I will guess that you won't look far to find your own Mary, Gracie, Harold or Eddie Mae. But stop and look farther. Find what it is you can do in your own community and with your own neighbors to help - with or without a Faith in Action project. Paul will tell you from his own experience as a Faith in Action volunteer for many years, that you will get so very much more than you give.

Thank you Paul for writing this important anthology once again proving what a small group of very committed people can do.

PROMISE TO MARY is a gem. With a narrative style that rings true, the very real characters are as complex and interesting as any in a work of fiction. The author's genuine, but realistic, empathy provides a welcome antidote to the "kumbaya"-tinged works common to the genre. It is enough to provide even the cynic with at least a modest insight into our shared humanity.

Promise to Mary is an evocative travel log, from the bayous of Louisiana to the beaches of Sitka, Alaska and many stops in between. Faith in Action is built on the simple concept of neighbors helping neighbors. Paul Jellinek provides an opportunity for the reader to peek behind the scenes where relationships can be life changing. No government grants, no grandiose plans, just modest folks who extend friendship as a way to provide kindness to those who need it most. We meet individuals who are luminous but largely unknown to others and learn about the healing power of friendship as each chapter unfolds. Thank you Paul for reminding us how simple acts of kindness are within everyone's reach.

What a great storyteller! And what stories worth telling!! The underlying truth of this book--demonstrated by the dedication of the program organizers and volunteers, as well as the profound needs of the people they serve--is how much we need "community." It shows more compellingly than any sermon or polemic or politician's platitudes how necessary it is that we serve each other. The author's road, as he traveled in New England, the South, and Alaska, visiting Faith in Action projects was full of bad weather, wrong turns, and logistical problems--a metaphor for the difficulties involved in organizing and maintaining a volunteer program in stormy financial times, recruiting and retaining volunteers who are pulled toward many other paths, and overcoming the challenges posed by the elderly and disabled clients themselves. Yet, in places across the country, it's being done! An inspiring read!

Paul Jellinek has managed in this easy read to capture the heart and soul of people who struggle every day with the challenge of living independently in their homes. Faith in Action, a national interfaith, volunteer, caregiving program, helps people with a ride to the doctor or a regular visit from a "friend." This book isn't about the program, however, it's about the people who make it such important work.

You will see yourself and the people you love in the stories he tells. The lines between volunteers and care recipient blur as the "helper" and the "helped" trade places. Expect some surprises along the way. I couldn't put it down once I learned about the promise that Paul made to Mary.

Thank you for this miracle of a book. This is a beautiful and honest story about a very special family. The author has done a huge service for the autism community with this exquisitely written work.

This was one of the first books I read after discovering my son had Asperger's. Valerie Paradiz's insight, vulnerability, and unswerving truth have helped me every day in dealing with my children... The joys and miracles, and the difficult, difficult challenges. I truly love this book and recommend it for a strong understanding of the human side of asperger's an the challenges a family faces.

Valerie and Ben are devastated when their then 2-year-old son was diagnosed with autism in addition to epilepsy. Ben has trouble accepting the diagnosis and in time the marriage dissolved.

Instead of condemning Elijah to a life of labels and misperceptions about autism, Valerie Paradiz educated her small upstate New York community as well as the world at large in this book about her personal experiences with autism. Her son and father are both on the spectrum and this book is one of many that points out the genetic basis autism has.

Elijah was enrolled in special programs from the age of three and his greatest progress is made at home and with a friend he and Valerie meet. Sharron, an independent artist is herself struggling with Asperger's, the spectrum partner to autism. She recognizes in Elijah similar traits and experiences she contends with and finally receives a diagnosis. She bonded immediately with the boy and was his regular sitter for some years.

I like the way Valerie worked with Elijah; I like the way she taught him more appropriate ways of responding to peers, such as Trevor in the chess club. Trevor came away with empowered with knowledge and a chance to be more accepting of someone he sees as being "different" and Elijah understands what he can do to regulate his behaviors and move more comfortably in social circles.

I like the conversations mother and son had; I also like the outdoor programs for people on the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum that are described in the book. Best of all, having autism is CELEBRATED!

I've banged on the different drum for a long time about how being on the a/A spectrum is something to celebrate. People on the spectrum have novel perceptions and unique insights that many neurotypical (NT) counterparts do not. One misperception is that people with autism all think in pictures, which simply is not true. Ben Levinson, co-author of "Finding Ben" and Sean Barron, co-author of "There's a Boy In Here" are not picture thinkers and neither are many other people on the a/A spectrum.

Meltdowns due to sensory overload are not uncommon among the spectrum. Sadly, the NT world often looks askance at those on the a/A spectrum simply from a lack of understanding of what people with autism contend with on a routine basis. Elijah, for example would vomit during thunderstorms as the noise upset him. I like the way another reviewer said in re a/A, "Vive la difference!" Wave that banner of interlocking puzzle pieces proudly - autism is NOT something to be ashamed of having!

Two songs seem to underscore this book so perfectly - Herman Kelly & Life's "Let's Dance to the Drummer's Beat" and Linda Ronstadt & the Stone Poneys 1968 song, "(Beat of a) Different Drum." With more drums beating, you get quite a tune! With more drums being beaten, you have different drummers!

People on the a/A spectrum enrich the world tremendously. The contributions are NOT limited to Temple Grandin, Andy Warhol and Einstein and other public figures. People with autism also provide ample opportunity to learn acceptance and realize the world is for everybody and not just the NT population. All too often, people on the a/A spectrum are expected to make all the concessions, especially social concessions to the NT world and try to keep track of the Tacit Social Codes & Rules, which always seem to change at the whims of the NT world.

Now let's all march to our different drummers.

Elijah's Cup is not ony a superb read that I would recommend to all teachers of children but also an adventurous journey into what it is to be autistic as well as to have aspergers syndrome. Paradiz writes beautifully, bringing her story to life in graphic detail while informing her reader in a broad and comprehensive manner concerning both Autism and Aspergers. She has a comprehensive index, bibliography, and reference section that will be of help to many. Tasha Halpert

This is an extraordinary, rare and unique book about an autistic child. The thing that makes it this way, is his mother's pure and loving acceptance of him, just the way he is. His mother's creative solutions to make living with him the best it can be. Everyone having anything to do with an autistic child, should read it, if only for the different point of view. The view that every child has value, and there is something to be said for treasuring him just for who he is.

Elijah is a fascinating child. He has been able to absorb much comprehension about the world, and his own disability, and how to cope, through his endless questioning of his mother, and her amazingly patient, honest, and encouraging replies. He will be an adult with a tremendous advantage over other children like him, for having had Valerie Paradiz for a mother.

Brilliantly photographed. The sheer joy of yoga shows on all of the little faces. I plan to use it as a teaching tool and hope my little yogis find joy in my classes.
Namaste

"Fly Like a Butterfly" is truely exhilarating and simply FUN! The photos are absolutely beautiful.
I have nine nieces and nephews and practice yoga with them weekly. They LOVE the "Frog". Because of your book we have a new found love.... YOGA!
Thank you Shakta for bringing "Children and Yoga" into my life.

This book is great! I like to do a lot of fun things with my kids and this book helps me to "instruct" the under 3 crowd in my house. The kids love it and everyone laughs when we do it! A definite must buy!

This was my first children's yoga purchase which I still use today when teaching young ones. This book gives many different stories to tell as you are teaching children to move their bodies and breath within the poses. A great tool for educators and parents of children preschool through elementary age.

Out of three Children Yoga books I bought off of Amazon, this was far the best! it gave me a lot of ideas to work with and was able to build up a lot of lessons to teach the children. Children love the chanting meditaions and acting like the animals in the jungle story.

This is a wonderful book. I am using it as a resource in leading an ILEAD class at Dartmouth.
Institute for Lifelong Education At Dartmouth

Most books about networking, dating, and making friends start at the point of contact: They assume that the user knows where to go to make friends. Thomas starts with the basics, from roaming your neighborhood to meet folks to the handy rule of thumb that it takes 7 visits to a new group for others to feel that you're one of the crowd.

I teach interpersonal communication, and this book has the best pointers I've yet read on how and how much to personally disclose to a new acquaintance, as one tests the waters and works toward building stronger ties and friendship.

Thomas avoids jargon and writes fluently in a down-to-earth, easy to read style. The book is well-organized. The chapter summaries and resources are a plus. Marvin Thomas has performed a much-needed service in offering this book to as a how-to manual for meeting and making friends in our fragmented society.

This is an excellent book. It woke me up to the importance of having people in your life. I am not a particularly outgoing person by nature, but after having read the book, I realized I already had a group of people around me that I can call my "personal village". The book made me realize how lucky I am to have these people in my life and to try harder to maintain these friendships, but also to be open to making connections with new people.

This book is so amazing. I have never written a review of a book. However, this is one that anyone that might be in the midst of "reinventing" their life as I am should read. I will soon be relocating to a new state and city and at the age of 59 that can be a little overwhelming. I am really looking forward to this new start and more than ever since reading this book and using the workbook. I have plans to start a study group after I am settled.

This is the kind of book I want to share with everyone I know. A "where have you been all my life?" book. It speaks to my heart in countless ways.

Two weeks ago I was struggling with the winter blues/cabin fever. It was bitter cold out, and I felt housebound and lonely. I told my partner "I have to get out." He's said "Let's go walk around Green Lake." We bundled up and drove all the way from Kirkland and began to walk. Within 5 minutes we ran into some dear friends, who had also been feeling housebound (she said she'd woken up crying that morning, and her husband had said "Let's walk around Green Lake!"). Three miles flew by, and before we knew it we were hugging goodbye. I drove home feeling a warm sense of contentment.

When we got home, I opened up Personal Village to my bookmark and began to read. It was the chapter that discusses limbic resonance. It was as if it had been written just for me on that day, as it spoke to exactly how I was feeling: I had needed a people fix!

I have spent my whole life looking for, and being a part of, communities, and feeling frustrated when I'm not involved in any that are currently working well for me. This book is inspiring me to put more effort into finding what I want. I have often wished I lived in Paris during the salons. This book is inspiring me to create one!

I am extremely involved in my neighborhood, and I love what Marv says about why there is value in picking up trash and caring about the people and place where we live.

His lists of books, films, and other resources are fantastic.

If you have longed for a greater sense of community in your life, or if you have felt that something is missing, read this book.