Alternative Books

Jessica Blank writes a gritty, raw novel of life on the street for a mismatched group of young kids. Oftentimes graphic and bleak, she crafts a story that reads like a documentary of life on the streets in L.A. Seven individual paths are interwoven with each other, showing that you can touch more lives than you realize.

Eeyore, aka Elly, is the youngest of the bunch. After an embarrassing encounter at school, street smart Tracy takes her under her wing, and Elly runs away from home. Eeyore is not only running from the humiliation of school, but from a horrible home secret that no one would believe.

Rusty is in love with his male teacher, Jim. They were found out and Jim told Rusty to go to Hollywood and he would meet him there once he ties up all the loose ends at home. But it's been over a month and Jim isn't returning his calls and he's running out of money and options fast.

Critter is a drug dealer who has also taken Eeyore under his wing. She adores him and follows him around like a baby bird. Critter tries to protect her from the seedier side of life on the street - drugs and pimps.

Tracy is the weak thread that intertwines through all their lives yet has an unknown quality that captivates everyone. With stringy hair, bad teeth, and empty eyes, Tracy has seen far too much for her young age.

Along with these four and three others, the rough, harsh life of runaways and throwaways is written in a bleak style in ALMOST HOME. Told through the eyes of each of the characters, the reader is left with a new awareness of the realities that can cause young adults to run away from home and family. Many are hoping for a better life from the one they knew, only to find that there are different problems that they will face, such as homelessness, hunger, and poverty.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

Why would anyone choose to live on the streets? There is Eeyore, just twelve years old when she runs away from her priveleged home, harboring a secret she's too ashamed to tell anyone. Rusty is a sensitive gay teen who winds up alone when his older boyfriend ditches him in Hollywood. Squid has gone through too many foster homes to count. There's Scabius, a delusional punk from Utah who takes the "me against the world" motto to dangerous extremes. And Critter is a heroin dealer with movie star looks and a vulnerable heart. Laura should be home studying, but she can't face another one of her mom's boyfriends. And then there's Tracy, the damaged thread that ties them all together, irrevocably changing each person's life she touches. This unlikely band of characters form their own dysfunctional family, complete with love and belonging, abuse and betrayal. Each will make their way home, wherever it may be.



This book really opened up my eyes to the horrible plight of homeless teens out there. I did know that they existed, but I don't think I've ever seen a story quite like this one that really brings it to life and brings the point across so well. Told through 7 different narratives, but all part of one big story, this is one amazing novel. Each character has their own distinct voice when they step up to the plate and tell their perspective on everything going on. Their stories are all unique, and given some twists. This novel should be read by everybody. Two disclaimers I'd make is that it does have some mature themes in it, so be sure you're ready for them, and also if you're one who likes a balance between dialogue and description, this may not be the book for you. Dialogue is very sparse throughout the novel, and relies more on each character's thoughts and backstory than anything else.



Note: Book description above taken from Amazon.com

This is one of those books that caught my interest from the first page due to its subject matter. I work with at risk teenagers, so anything relating to their lives draws me in immediately. "Almost Home" is the story of seven teenagers in Los Angeles, who call the streets their home.

The story is told through the eyes of seven very different teens, with one thing in common. Each of them has opted to leave their abusive (or in one case, boring) home life and try to make a life for themselves on the streets of LA. Their lives consist of panhandling for change, avoiding cops, dumpster diving for their next meal, seeking out safe places to sleep and their relationships with each other, a necessity for some to survive.

The story is written for young adults, and I honestly plan to leave the book at work where the kids can read it if they'd like. It's a story of survival. Rather than romanticizing what life on the street may be like, it is honest, raw and brutal. It's a true account of the day to day problems and dramas that homeless teenagers face, once they take that step and run away from home. Stories of drugs, violence, rape and the things a person is forced to do to survive, not knowing where the next meal may come from.

"Almost Home" is gritty and edgy. Better yet, its REAL. It's a great read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who has any interest in the teenage mind.

"Almost Home" is a terrific novel with great characters, I'd love to see this become a film!

"...but the dirt gets in all the cracks like they're creases in your hands and makes your palm prints filthy, and anything you were trying to find that was shiny gets dull fast." --Laura

Give me a strong cast of characters written with a razor-sharp ear for the subtle details behind their emotions and motivations, and I'll follow them into any setting, no matter how unbelievable or far-fetched. Do the same thing in a heart-breakingly authentic setting, like the unforgiving streets of Hollywood as Jessica Blank does in Almost Home, and you have the makings of a must-read debut novel that will stick with you long after.

Weaving together seven different overlapping narratives, each chapter a vignette offering one character's perspective in their own distinctive voice, Blank does for Hollywood what Richard Price does for the Lower East Side in Lush Life, digging below the glossy surface to shed a harsh, revealing (but not unnecessarily graphic) light on individual experiences, the overall plot (solid as it is) less important than the people living through it. Tracy, the hard-shelled center of the story who leaves an indelible impression upon each of the others, is an enigma until the final chapter when she finally speaks for herself and all of the threads coalesce, but fittingly do not wrap up, around her.

Blank's prose is brisk and riveting, getting into each character's head to varying degrees while spicing their haunting narratives with precise bits of dialogue, never sainting or damning any of them for their actions, or inactions. Don't let the "Young Adult" label or the misleading cover fool you, either; this isn't High School Musical or an After School Special. What it is is highly recommended.

[Full Disclosure: Blank is a friend of mine from years back when we were both active in New York City's poetry scene. If Almost Home wasn't actually good, though, I'd simply not review it.]

David Spero wrote a helpful and positive book for anyone facing life with illness. It was well written and covered all the key issues for living successfully with chronic illness. He offers a wide range of solutions to help others improve their quality of life as well as shift their attitudes about illness in general. I could see my own journey in the book and thought it captured the essence of illness as a powerful spiritual teacher.

The Art of Getting Well, by David Spero, is a very informative, enjoyable, and inspiring book for those of us with chronic illnesses. David has included many helpful examples, from his own and other's lives, of what works and what doesn't. He describes standard and alternative treatment options for the reader to consider. He also gives many valuable ideas to help the chronically ill have better lives whether or not their condition improves. I highly recommend this book.

One reviewer mentioned that the authors writes in a chatty, conversational tone--that's an accurate description. I found this book an easy read and very insightful and useful for helping me get on track to recovering and caring for myself, as well as preventing future relapses.

The author recommends useful tips for recovering from an illness: put your life before your illness, listen to your body, conserve your energy for healing, change the things that harm you, and get the help you need. His recommendations come from what's worked for patients, friends, family members, and a lit review of what other authors have written.

Thanks to the tips in The Art of Getting Well, I feel better equipped to recognize when I feel stressed, to calm myself down in a soothing way, to recognize the signs and ask for help when I need it, and visualize healing and becoming the healthy person I want to be, to honoring myself by putting myself first without negatively impacting others.

This is a book I will keep on my shelves to reflect upon for years to come.

Genre: Health/Self Healing

Title: The Art of Getting Well

Author: David Spero, R.N.

"Illness is the best teacher, awareness is the best medicine, self care is the best care." David Spero's health-coaching motto.

They say timing is everything, very true of the arrival of this book for my review. After lying awake most of the night with my throbbing limbs, hands and feet, I opened my package and thought "Oh no, not another self help book." Ultimately I quickly changed my mind as I started to read this practical and informative guide to a 5 step program for recovery. The aim of this book is to provide a key to improving our quality of life and even possibly improve our overall condition.

The book is based on science and medicine and readers will find references in the back of the book. David Spero's own professional and personal experience provides the background and basis. It has been written for the millions of people suffering from a "chronic" or "progressive" condition and all caregivers. I believe anyone that reads it would benefit.

Included are true stories, easy to identify with, where to get help, how to ask for it but most importantly, the book encourages readers to take responsibility for themselves. Educate yourself about your condition, identify your body's signals and be proactive in the course of treatment. Perhaps the first step is to understand that we DESERVE to be able to take the time to help ourselves, slow down and enjoy our lives. Pain is a personal experience and to each individual it is `very real.'

The author, David Spero R.N. has devoted over 30 years as an R.N./Health Coach, specializing in chronic illnesses. His goal is to maximize the quality of life of his patients. He was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis approximately 20 years ago. He has personally experienced illness and has learned how to help himself and improve his situation. His book is well written in a warm and caring way, inspiring readers to live their lives as successfully as possible. In this reviewer's opinion, he has achieved his goal. He shares his depth of knowledge and confirms his motto. After reading Chapter 1 your will want to finish it quickly, then reread it in detail as you set up your own program for wellness.

I Thank you David, for setting me on a realistic course and highly recommend this book. Reviewer: Cheryl Ellis, Allbooks Reviews

You don't have to have a chronic illness to get a lot out of Spero's "The Art of Getting Well." Maybe that's because living in our fast paced and relatively crazed culture qualifies all of us as chronically ill. Whatever the case, the accessible style and reassuring tone of this book give you the confidence and motivation to make real changes in your life. I'm especially pleased that Spero does not fall into the "blame the victim" camp. Getting sick is not our fault, although we can have a say in how or whether we get well, up to a point. Sometimes our luck runs out, but our spirit can still remain strong, furthered along by the compassion of bonafide healers and primo storytellers like Spero. Get two: one for yourself and one for a friend.

An excellent primer for a psychotherapist who uses art for evaluation and treatment in psychotherapy.

This is an informative book for Art Therapists or those interested in learning more about Art Therapy. It is written in a easy, readable manner. I am an Art Therapist and I used it a lot when doing research for a presentation and found it very helpful.

Having found myself a little out of depth as regards people needing release from pain and stress, I have found the practicality of this book invaluable. It has opened my eyes to understand a lot more of the history of art therapy, and the exercises are helpful. I found the pictures included also enable one to grasp some of the concepts within the text and the layout of the book makes it exciting reading.

Usually these types of books are theoritical (for example why art therapy works) while this one is practical with many activities to work with.

This book is very useful for the beginner of art therapy.

Most of us believe that emotions have an impact on health--emotional stress often leads to illness and bad environments definitely changes our moods and our health. But...just how do immune defenses work, does the brain really send messages to our body to protect it from the impact of stress or lead us to get sick? How do we get the balance of healthy performance and stress right? This extraordinarily well-written book describes the mechanisms relying heavily on current research and does so with exquisite references to history and descriptions of real situations. Sternberg writes so well that many of the emotions she discusses are evoked for the reader. It challenges mainstream linking without promoting simple-minded extreme new age therapies. It shows how a balanced life can be the healthiest lifestyle. This delightful journey through the body is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand how stress and immune responses really work.

This is a beautifully well-written book. Mind body-books can be arrogant or too ethereal.
Dr Sternberg succeeded to write a thoroughly researched and referenced book that is also a fun book to read. This book is really helpful to understand how your mind functions. It is worth reading and re-reading.

I am a writer who is currently at work on a book on my living through colon cancer. I was diagnosed at age 47 with Duke's C-3 colon cancer. Because of the early onset of my disease, I was three years too young to be considered for routine colon cancer screening, which doctors are supposed to offer to patients when they reach age 50. I was lucky. Even with one year of chemotherapy (due to minor lymph node involvement) medical textbooks and doctors said my chances of surviving five years (a five year colon cancer survivor is considered "cured") were about 35 percent. Now, seven years later, I can say that Esther Sternberg's work validates some key elements of the survival strategy I developed for myself that links health and wellness and emotions.

Sternberg flies in the face of conventional medical wisdom by providing proof that stress can make you sick. She provides evidence that the immune system can be trained, citing the work of Bob Ader and Nick Cohen. And she offers evidence that nerve chemicals or hormones can affect immune-cell function in a physiological way.

This is ironic considering that when you ask a psychiatrist or even a psychopharmachologist how the latest generation of SSRI anti-depression/anti-anxiety drugs (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa etc.) work, the answer is that they are not exactly sure.

The medical establishment in the US tends to hive off the debate about health and emotions (the mind-body connection) to the area of alternative medicine. New age healing and some of the Eastern approaches tend to overlook the scientific connection. Sternberg taps history and science to frame the issue and if it were simpled down to the level of a mass market audience her book would be a best seller.

This well written & interesting book became my bible in learning how stress can influence and/or cause an autoimmune attack. Understanding the connection between mind and body, and learning to cope with stress, is paramount to a complete recovery, so well explained by Dr. Sternberg.

This book is useful for students, scientists, and those who are otherwise interested in integrative medicine. Sternberg augments her explanation of the stress-immune connection with interesting and relevant research studies. I found it useful as a student studying neuroscience and as an individual trying to understand and manage stress in my life.

Dr. Ali is a brilliant doctor who understands chronic fatigue and the human "canaries". This book gave me peace and reassurance that non-drug treatments are the only way to treat this disease. There are so many options and drugs that medical doctor's may prescribe for chronic fatigue, only because they do not understand. This book eliminates the confusion surrounding those looking for answers. His explanations fit with all that I have experienced in my journey of healing. Thank you Dr. Ali for your wisdom and your willingness to share with the rest of us.

I have had ME/CFS for 13 years now and for the first 4 life was bad. I read everything I could and this book provided the best solutions for me!
Even so it took me 5 more years for things to work as it took me that long to find a doctor in New Zealand that agreed to try and help - finding a medic to help is the most differcult task. Even then we had to agree on a modified treatment but at least he read the book as well and it helped.
Dr Ali provides a detailed solution to the problem. The solutions offered will not apply to all but they will provide a strong basis to find your own

We CFS sufferers are going to change the face of medicine. This book explains why and how. If you have CFS you must stop going to any doctor who prescribes a drug to relieve your symptoms. You must stop going to an allergist who is still giving shots using the useless RAST test. They are just making your coffin more comfortable. Get to a holistic physician who knows that treating and reversing CFS requires nondrug nutrient therapies and effective allergy treatment. Parents should especially read this book to realize the extreme importance of identifying allergy problems in their children now - before they develop autoimmune disorders and emotional disturbances when they get older.

As i turned the pages of this book, i felt that for the first time in 9years someone knew exactly how my body was functioning, and could explain why! This was such a relief. So many books are about personal experiences of the condition, but they do not answer any questions. This common sense presentation, backed with clinical research findings and a human face in holistic medicine, was so refreshing! Congratualtons on your pioneering work, would love to know if you have any recent findings or publications or how i can find a practioner in the UK that follows and treats patients in line with your philosophy. Reading the book, for the first time made me realise that Chronic means now and forever, a hard fact to swallow, however what it did do was show me a way of managing the symptoms so that i might have some quality of life in the future. From my lowest point when i contemplated ringing the Samaratians i picked up this book and it has given me Hope! Thank you so much

Like many others in this group I felt much the same. I read this book 5 years ago and I still look at it as a book that guided me in the right direction. Today I live a normal life but follow many of the guidelines laid in this book. One important rule to getting better is to look for problems and not expect sympathy. Don't expect a wonder pill this sickness is a wakeup call you will appreciate in the future if you make the commitment. This book along with an open attitude and continuous changes & education will help you get back your life if you suffer from the pain of CFS.

Reid's book is great. I read it, and tried the Breathing exercises....WHAM! I felt so energetic since! FUll of vitality! I applied his advice on diet & food too, and my past digestive disorder and stomach bloats and aches are history! I listened to him and start conserving my 'jing' if you know what i am talking about, and I feel on top of the world! READ THIS BOOK!

This book is nothing short of spectacular, and this is because it motivates to start doing some of what Daniel Reid. explains. Reid, a Westerner living in Asia since the 70's, comes with Western scientific explanations (where possible; modern science isn't yet developed enough to understand and acknowledge nature of some things) of why Taoists do things the way they do.
Books subtitle is "Guarding the three treasure" - and by that he means the body, energy and spirit, he touches all of them. After reading it I understand a lot more things about the world in general. A lot more...
I first started reading his other book - "The Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity", and I would recommend starting with that one, because it is more basic and easier to chew by the Western mind. This books is also very clear, and you don't need other explanations, but reading the other one first would make some things easier. Personally, after I finished this one book, I understood some of his teachings in "The Tao..." that I had skipped at that point and started doing them now. One good example of this is to do skin brushing every day. Why? Stimulate lymph movement, especially helpful for people living sedentary lives every day. I intend to reread both of them many times, and hopefully pick new good habits with each pass. I'll probably look into his other works.
So, what's in the book?
It starts with explaining the Taoist cosmogony, starting with the One source, Tao. You probably already know its mark, it' that circle with black and white "tears", each having a small spot of the other inside it.
They are the two poles, Yang (male/active/warming/ascending, white with with black spot) and Yin (female/passive/cooling/descending).
There are three powers - heaven, earth and humans, the latter mixing the treasure of spirit and awareness from the heaven (whose laws are named "destiny") with the nourishment and essential building blocks of the body.
There are four foundations -blood, energy, nourishment, and resistance (e.g. immunity), and you need to develop all of them. They depend on each in many ways, and each could be overactive or underactive. They should be balanced for a vibrant health. There are remedies for all of them. While everyone is more likely to know that that chlorophyl is good for blood, did you know there are energy supplements? Yes, such as air ionizers, and, suprise, crystals (wear one around your neck), plus modern stuff (pulsed field generators, cranio electro stimulation and others).
There are five energies (water, wood, fire, earth, metal), and each is associated with some colour, foods, vibration, season, bodily organs, taste, time of day, feeling, and more. For example, this fits with the Western knowledge that each organ is most active at a specific time of the day. BTW, looking at some list of symptoms, I figured that I have underactive kidneys, and inspired by this I went to an acupuncturist/chinese doctor and he confirmed it. Now that the problem is confirmed, I know what foods to emphasize, what breathing exercises to do, etc.
There are six evils (of environmental energies) - wind, heat, dampness, dryness, cold and fire, each more prevalent in a specific time of a year, and could combine (e.g. cold dryness). BTW, I should tell that in Chinese medicine body is treat as a whole, except for injuries, it's your lifestyle that's the problem, and several symptoms that seem totally unrelated point to the same thing. Alcoholism creates 'stomach fire' and 'liver fire', heavy smoking, sugar creates 'internal dampness', exposure to electromagnetic pollution creates 'internal wind'. Everything fits together, with easy to understand words, yet all having Western scientific equivalents, albeit way harder to follow.
Seven emotions (Joy, Anger, etc.) - for Chinese healthy and non-excessive thoughts lead to physical health. This is harder to understand - in the West people are referred to psychiatrist for mental issues, yet there are many cases of curing psychological problems by diet, and, reversely, get sick by thinking negatively. I would suggest Deepak Chopra's books (e.g. Quantum leap healing) for an scientific explanation of how this works. Basically it's a positive (as in self-enforcing) feedback between nervous and endocrine systems.
Eight indicators: Chinese doctors follow a four stage process: interviewing (remember, everything matters: chills/fever, stool/urine, diet/sleep/sex), observing (way of moving, talking, breathing, skin color; tongue and face analysis are true arts, both having parts corresponding to internal organs), and ends with touching (flesh, internal organs, accupresure on vital points which become tender in sick people, and taking pulse, which is again an art). After the initial state is evaluated, different remedies might be prescribed (massage, accupuncture, diet, breathing), looking for the eight indicators (yin/yang, internal/external, cold/hot, empty/full). Symptoms come and go during treatment, change one into each other, and so do the remedy but at the end the body and internal organs are balanced, the evil energies are removed. It's very hard to be a good Chinese doctor, you need to learn a lot, because everything relates, from anatomy to nutrition to breathing to environmental exposure to lifestyle.
This was the first part of the book, and there were three of them.
It then talks about diet and nutrition, what foods go with with elemental energy (and thus with what organ), talks about food profiles and effect on the body (sugar, meat, fats, etc.), about gradually improving the diet and how to watch for detox signs. Avoid unhealthy fats (such as (partially) hydrogenated vegetable oil), pasteurized milk (not even calves can live on it), eat lots of fermented foods, drink pure water, and other sound advices on food combining (don't eat meat with potatoes or bread, for example). He talks about enzymes - spark of life - and how overcooking destroys them.
Regarding the energy "treasure", he explains about the bioenergy and the bioenergetic model of human body as determined by ancient acupuncture practitioners, how Western researchers have confirmed and validated them (look for Robert Becker - he rediscovered acupuncture points and proved that we are influenced by planets through the endocrine system) and then talks about electromagnetic pollution. He emphasizes chee-gung (chi-kung/qi-gong) - "energy work", slow movements synchronized with breathing to balance endocrine and nervous system, improve the energy stored in the body and thus build immunity etc. There are even specific chi-gung exercises for each elemental energy imbalance (read: affected organ). There are special sexual yoga solo exercises.
Finally... meditation. All the above can help with meditation. He explains why one should meditate, and from this chapter I understood what hermites in caves, enlightened monks, yoga gurus, taoist masters, martial arts experts all have in common. It is hard to explain, and reading the book might not be enough. In short, you might not be prepared to accept it. This is it... it's like religion. Suffice to say that the meditation chapter changed my life. I hope it will change yours. I actually preffered to write only about the meditation chapter in this review.

The books also has food recipes (balanced according to the teachings), herbs and some herbal recipes, plus lists of suppliers to get products from.

Dan Reid has an approach so that both Eastern and Western knowledge should be used and combine to create a better life for all of us. He certainly does combine them - Eastern trued and tried practices with Western technology (e.g. herbal remedies with vitamins, enzymes, cofactors and nootropic; modern energy supplements.

This is just a one page review. Of course the book is much more thorough. Just go get it, study it and practice from it even as you are still reading it for the first time. You'll never regret it. Mark my words.

I happened across this book in a bookstore and bought it on a whim. I was not before interested in Taoism, but fairly open minded. THIS IS THE BEST, MOST INSPIRATIONAL BOOK I HAVE READ IN YEARS. I don't want to go too over the top or I'll lose my credibility, but this book quite simply has changed my life (ok, that's over the top). If you enjoy cooking with fresh ingredients, the book gives great advice about food combining and which ingredients are most healthful. Reid also gives a few recipes at the back of the book that he considers "healing" recipes. The recipe for Hunan chicken was worth the cost of the book. I have been cooking for a decade and that recipe is the most delicious dish I've ever made. I really can't say enough. I am less interested in the sections on Chee-gung, but they are still useful as a way of understanding the importance of quieter, less strenuous stretching/activity. I bought this book 6 months ago, but I would say that I pick it up to read sections at least once a week. I have lost 15 pounds, am full of energy and feel more positive and refreshed than I have since I was 21.

I do not know who to thank for curing me of a chronic digestive disorder whose underlying cause had eluded allopathic physicians and Western nutritionists for the past 30 years: Daniel P. Reid or the ancient Taoist masters?

Mr. Reid's books are truly gifts to the modern Western world and to those who sense that there is something more to life than a mass-produced culture and lifestyle. Ancient wisdom does have a wealth of knowledge to impart today in order to live a better tomorrow. If you are a newcomer to Taoism, spirituality, and traditional health practices, this is an ideal book to help you begin your journey towards enlightment. Those with a little more experience will also benefit from reading this book and adding its little gems of wisdom to their library of ever-expanding Taoist knowledge. Somehow, years of higher education and exponetially expanding university tuition never taught me the beautiful, life-affirming, and liberating simplicities expounded by Taoism. Begin your journey with these books.

I also highly recommend Mr. Reid's "The Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity" as an excellent companion to "The Complete Book..." However, I caution you to exercise maturity, responsibility and personal accountability as you read and practice the ancient Taoist arts. You should be fully aware that there is no way for the author to be familiar with your particular ailments or life-situation. In this regard, I recommend that you pursue your studies under the guidance of a qualified instructor and to seek health advice from a Traditional Chinese Medical practitioner. If you heed the caution and advice you will gain tremendously. There is genuine gold in this ancient wisdom. You will find yourself asking the question: "Why doesn't the rest of the Western world know about this?"

Good luck to all of you as you travel the Tao of life-enrichment through ancient wisdom. I encourage you to pursue this seemingly miraculous path towards a better life. Learn from it and spread the word. You, and others, will never regret it.

There are thousands of books published about Chinese Medicine,but none come close to this one for readability, enjoyment, clarity,and detail. While I don't agree with every single interpretation that Reid makes, I find that I am constantly referring my patients and students to this book.

It is a great place to begin your exploration of Chinese Medicine in its broadest scope. Reid writes intelligently, and yet simply, about the full range of Chinese Medical practices and the foundations of Energetic Medicine too.

His format takes the reader, step-by-step, along the path of understanding this rich tradition of self-care, personal evolution, and natural healing. You will find plenty of personal stories in this book and a fair share of scientific findings which support the understanding presented.

Perhaps most importantly, you will be able to apply the basic principles, as described so clearly here, in your daily life. This is truly a book that can help you get started on the path of natural healing in your own life.

If you are in the healing profession, you will discover a world of refreshing insights, challenging questions, and beneficial protocols to explore.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is sincerely interested in Chinese Medicine or Qigong.

I read it 30 years ago and have ever since wondered why it is not at the top of every list of XXth-Century novels, and certainly as the undisputed No.1 of those out of Latin America. Do yourself a favor and read it. Then you can ponder why you've been steered away from it by critics and professors and have been directed instead to the so-called magical realism of GGM and his myriad imitators.

When one of the best contemporary Latin-American authors says "If I could only save from the fire one of the novels I have written, I would save this one", you know that the experience of reading this work has to be invaluable. In this novel, the author explores, through the use of some fictional characters, the effects of the dictatorship of Manuel A. Odria in Peru. One of the aspects that shocked me and that I still find surprising is how well the impact of these terrible events translates to other dictatorships that occurred later in the Latin American history.

Vargas Llosa uses a very difficult style throughout this novel, since he jumps back and forth through time and space, and also changes continuously among the viewpoint of different characters, without warning the reader about what is going on in each case. It does take some getting used to in order to fully enjoy the novel, but once you achieve this, the rewards are abundant and leave us satisfied. In this regard, it may help to read "The Time of the Hero" first, since in this book the author uses a similar technique, but keeping it a little simpler.

I have heard some of my friends and family complain about Vargas Llosa's style in this work, saying that the author is just trying to be fancy with his writing when there is no need for it. I do not agree with this; I think that the point the author is trying to make through his convoluted technique has to do with the frustration that people feel during a dictatorship and he wants you to feel some of it too when you are going through the experience of reading about it. But also, the author knows that you are going to have to give the book your full attention if you want to understand it, so his style helps assure that you will grasp his point.

In my opinion, there is only one other book that can compete with this one for the best Latin-American novel of all times, and most people can probably figure out pretty quickly that I am referring to "One Hundred Years of Solitude". I am not sure which one comes on top, but I know for sure that I would not want to have to make a choice in terms of which of the two to save from the fire!

Another example of screwed up Latin American politics and corruption with a required lack of understanding for the first hundred pages or so.

If you aren't used to non-linear story telling: linear - this happened, then this happened, then.....;
non-linear - this happened (sometime); this happened (some other time - maybe earlier, maybe later); this happened (could be later, could be sooner than anything else, could be any time in between, maybe). Simple - after 600 pages if you haven't figured it out it doesn't really matter - you've had a hell of a trip anyway.

Sound like I'm being negative? I'm not - it was a blast. There are some real stinkers in here - and I liked some of them, disliked some and pretty much didn't care about the others.

This book is pretty heavy and bleak. You can read the Amazon description. If you are already in a bad mood, save this one for later. Imitation of the characters is not a healthy form of flattery or living.

Llosa is a genius and this is one of his very best. As all other reviewers mentioned, it is difficult to get the drift initially but once you do it is a great feeling. The characters, plot and dialogue ring true throughout the entire 600 pages. The only problem for me was the translation. Several Peruvian and Limeñan phrases are translated almost literally. Although this slapped me in the face whenever it occurred it did not manage to spoil what is a wonderful book.
Anyone who perseveres with and enjoys this should (if they haven't already) read 'The War of the End of the World'which is also a haunting novel.

Mario Vargas Llosa is one of the most important living writers, and undoubtedly deserves his reputation as one of Latin America's two great novelists. Conversation in the Cathedral is the first book of his I've read in several years. Like most great works of literature, this book is not a quick read. First of all, it is 600 pages, and second, Vargas Llosa writes in a style that is difficult to get accustomed to at first (more on that below). Conversation in the Cathedral is a book that requires a major time commitment, but the ultimate payoff is worth it.

As far as the story, it takes place during Peru in the 1950's during the Odria dictatorship. Ostensibly the story revolves around two old acquaintances who accidentally meet and over beers discuss their lives over the preceding years. These two characters are Santiago and Ambrosia. The former is a young journalist whose father was a senator and member of Peru's upper crust elite. He has turned his back on his family's wealth and connections, flirted briefly with Marxism at the university, and now works as a newspaper journalist. Ambrosia formerly worked as one of Santiago's father's servants, but was forced to leave Lima for reasons that become clear only very late in the book. The novel's structure is somewhat complicated. First, it does not follow a linear narrative path. It frequently jumps around chronologically, and even after finishing the book I am not completely certain about the chronological order of events. Second, the story is told from multiple perspectives. Part of the story consists of the actual conversation between Santiago and Ambrosia, as the two interrogate each other about what they've been doing over the previous decade or so. Most of action is live, however, and it is told in both the first and third persons. The thing that makes this book (indeed, most of Vargas Llosa's books) so slow going at times is his use of alternating dialogue. This often makes it difficult to ascertain who exactly is talking to whom, or what is happening. Especially for those readers who are reading Vargas Llosa for the first time, the first part of the book will go pretty slow, but the pace picks up considerable over the second half of the book.

This book is powerful on many levels. First, Vargas Llosa is one of the most politically astute novelists around. Not only is he a passionate observer of politics, he has soiled his own hands in it, having unsuccessfully ran for Peru's president a while back. Much of this book's action revolves around political intrigues among the ruling establishment. One of the most intense and quickly paced sections of the book details a plot to overthrow the country's hated security chief. Santiago's own father, being an influential Senator, plays a central role in these conflicts. Overall, Vargas Llosa makes penetrating insights into the nature and functioning of authoritarian regimes. He realistically portrays the cynicism and moral corruption of authoritarian leaders, as well as the mechanisms for maintaining power. This book also explores the complex dynamics of race and class through the character of Ambrosia, a black man who has moved from job to job but knows Santiago from working for his father the senator. Another character through whom the issue of class is explored is Amalia, who also worked as a servant for Santiago's family in the distant past and who later develops a relationship with Ambrosia. The depiction of this relationship provides some of the most heartrending sections of the book. Various parts of the book are told from her perspective, and they provide a very nice balance to the parts told from the perspective of high ranking political officials. Finally, through the character of Santiago, Vargas Llosa explores a number of themes. I even suspect that the character might have been inspired by the author's own early life. Santiago is initially impelled by a rebellious impulse to dabble in Marxism and renounce the bourgeois lifestyle of his family and the politics of his father. He is soon disillusioned by Marxism, however, finding himself unable to commit to a single ideology so totally. At the time of his meeting with Ambrosia, he is a fairly cynical, albeit content low-profile journalist. Vargas Llosa writes powerfully about the conflict between Santiago and his family, who despite their aristocratic outlook are generally kind people and regard Santiago's rejection of their lifestyle as a slap in the face.

This far too lengthy review doesn't due justice to the scope and power of this novel, which is populated by fascinating characters from all walks of life and which explores some of the most salient themes of modern life. I heartily recommend this work, although those who are looking for a somewhat lighter read might want to consider some of Vargas Llosa's shorter works.

The book is great but I hate to have to type all of this new way of saying the product was good and service great. But having to go through all of this mess is too much!

sooo much information. subjects on everything. i have over thirty books on natural and alternative medicine and once in a while i get one that is so
thorough and easy to understand, thanks to james a duke.

I really like this book and have learned a lot from it. I recommend this book for anyone who deals with herbs.

So you're looking for an alternative to pill popping ? Now that's a change! I'm in awe of people who think it it's ok to take a pill to prevent something that they think is going to happen - for example, a friend mentioned that she needs to take a strong pain pill (I won't mention the name here) because she "may" get back pain. That's not what pills were made for. If you worry about the side effects of even the mildest drugs, then this book is for you. I hate taking any kind of medication, and am always on the lookout for alternatives to medication. Give me an herb or a fruit, or vegetable, and tell me to take that for a medical problem, and I'll happily give it a try!

I like this book because it's filled with information on various natural remedies. There's a reason God created these herbs and plants - for us or the animals to use them to cure ourselves. Sure, we can't cure everything, but this book certainly shows you how to "cure" or control many, many problems. I highly recommend it!

Another one I love is "Back to Eden" by Jethro Kloss.

One of the best guides i have seen,covering 180 herbs and a reference on a lot of common ailments.

grickle is nuanced and subtle. it gets down to gritty reality, but is colored with optimism. there is a difference between cheese that you get at some crappy supermarket in the bronx, and cheese imported from switzerland. this is like real swiss cheese. or greek yogurt, or austrian chocolate. it is chockful of wholesome homicidal urges, and faces reality with a wistful, dreamy, yet quirky longing. grickle, boy am i glad i found you!

Annable's fresh humor and honest wit shine in this collection of short comics. You can't help but relate to his endearingly odd characters. Somehow, Annable conveys more than just emotion in them, which is an impressive feat in itself given the deceptively simple artwork. But he manages to portray their conscience and their deep-rooted fears and hopes as well. I love how adeptly such subtle themes of loneliness, self-doubt, relief, and satisfaction are packaged into such an enjoyable work of twisted humor. Do yourself a favor and read it more than once. It is at once leisurely, funny, clever and insightful, so you might not be able to catch all that the first time around.

Reading this book is like hangin with a good friend. There are things about him (the book and its diverse characters) that make me think of me. Other things make me think, I'll never fully understand why he does what he does? Would I find myself in similar situations? If I had a cupcake, would I hand it over to wee man? Is every diversion from the norm a fulfilling life experience? Sure it is. And so is my friend Grickle.

It's got range, it's got scope, it's got depth, it's got grasp, it's got cute fuzzy aliens, it's got charming homicidal ghouls, it's got pathos, it's got instant photography, it's got a fish.

There's this knock on the door, so I go and answer it, all right? And there's this copy of Grickle standing on the mat looking really pissed off. It doesn't even say "Hello" or "Hey you!" or nothing. It just jumps on my chest and starts wailing on me. Bam! Bam! Bam! And so I'm, like, "what the f*ck?" I try to tear it off of me, but I just get a bunch of paper cuts all over my hands. Paper won't tear. Too tough. Next thing you know, I'm on the floor crawling around trying to get out my lighter, but it sees me reaching for my pocket and it kicks it away. I gotta tell you, I was scared. Anyway, just when I thought that was it, lights out for old Alphonse, the book sees the copy of Grickle I got last month ago off of Bruno. It hops off of me and kind of grunts an apology. I could tell it was all embarassed and sh*t. Then it just takes off. Never seen anything like it.

There is a lot of wonderful information packed inside this little book. It is worth the investment to see how color actually affects our everyday lives.

Full of good things to teach you
and for you to learn.
This book is full of good information
for those interested in color and all
that color means.
Highly recommended.

Great book.. When I received the book I was surprised that it was so little. But, do not let that fool you. For such a little book it is jammed packed with great information. I LOVE the book. I have so many book marks in it. Can throw it in my purse and go off and do a healing.
Thank you Ted for another great book.

I ordered this cheap little book thinking it would be like a basic introduction to color and having different colors to enhance or affect different frames of mind. Boy was I pleasantly surprised! There is a mountain of information in this little thing! Not only does it cover basic color concepts, it goes into Chakra, Reiki, Pendulum, and more. What a wonderful source book! I will be reading this again, and using it for reference.

Do not let the number of pages deceive you, there is a tremendous amount of information concerning color and the metaphysical significance. This work shows the application of color in several different ways to be used in spiritual clearing. This work can lead you to more in depth study of several disciplines. Enjoy the study.