Long Books

Great book! The exercises really force you to think and clarify the who, what, why and how of yourself and the group you are creating or trying to improve. I highly recomend this one.

With great insight and honesty Michael Jacoby Brown has drawn on his extensive experience to produce a practical and inspiring resource. This book is a must for anyone wishing to organize a group to work for social change or anyone who is part of a community organization which needs to rejuvenate or rediscover its purpose. It is beautiful in its simplicity, addressing its issues in a way everyone can understand, and broad in its scope, addressing every aspect involved in successful community organizing. "Building Powerful Community Organizations" demands engagement by the reader. It contains exercises and the reader gains best value from the book by engaging in the exercises at the point they are presented.

This book should be required reading for hospitals, foundations, public health agencies and people working on any form of community improvement. Michael has documented his learnings with stories and tools that can equip those willing to learn to build powerful community organization, as the title says. There are lots of various community organizing guides but this one mixes stories and tools in an easy to read, nicely laid out style. His wisdom comes from years of community organizing and translates here into practical, easy to access advice. This is the best handbook I have seen in a long time! The author makes himself available with info on how to reach him as well as a website with blog that makes him more than a distant author; he is approachable and willing to extend his teachings beyond the pages of his book. Not may authors do this.

Written by Michael Jacoby Brown, who has more than thirty years' experience in building community organizations, Building Powerful Community Organizations: A Personal Guide to Creating Groups that Can Solve Problems and Change the World is a handy step-by-step guide to creating, strengthening, and revitalizing grass-roots organizations for bringing about social change to solve problems in the community or workplace. From how to effectively recruit (learning to "listen not sell", when short or long visits are appropriate, and how to turn success into momentum) to how to mobilize resources and raise money to the steps for setting change into motion and more, Building Powerful Community Organizations walks the reader through the necessary skills and processes while warning against common obstacles and pitfalls. Enthusiastically recommended for anyone looking to harness communal effort and make a lasting difference.

Author Michael Jacoby Brown has created a book with very detailed information on how to organize, create, and lead a community organization. In it he clearly explains all the steps necessary to create an effective organization that can resolve problems. The various areas discussed include the theory of how a group should work, the chemistry involved, the seven basic steps for building an organization, developing a mission statement, goals, and objectives, designing the organization to last, recruiting others, mobilizing, raising money and taking action. Throughout the book are case studies and exercises to help you not only understand how it all works but also to help you work through developing your organization correctly. If you want to change the world and know you need help to do it then you will appreciate this book. Building Powerful Community Organizations is easily the best book on the market today on this subject.

When I first got this book I had never made liqueurs, but the directions in this book were so easy to follow that even my first batch turned out great. Three years later I'm famous among my friends and family for making great liqueurs! Their versions of kalua, tia maria, frangelica and vanilla are some of my favorites.

This is the best Liqeur book I have been able to lay my hands on. All the ones I have tried have been a success with my friends.

This is an all-round, terrific publication. It is well written, with easy-to-understand instructions and tips. The authors have created outstanding recipes using readily available ingredients with suggestions for numerous variations. An excellent choice for first-time enthusiasts. Following the sections on to liqueur and brandy making, the authors have devoted a third portion of the publication to cooking with your creations. This modest little book is definitely well worth the price!

This book introduced me to the most unique hobby ever. The quality far exceeds what can be bought in the stores and it is very impressive to serve to guests. I've gotten requests for the cranberry liqueur for over 15 years!

This book gives a great overview on the basics of making cordials and liqueurs at home. The step by step intructions to set up and explanation of terms used in other texts and this one make it easy to start from nothing. I have only been working with liqueurs about 3 years and have won both contests I have entered using batches from recipes in this book. For SCA, members this is not a great research book, but it tells you how to make fantastic tasting stuff!

As an Air Force Family Readiness Director, I wholeheartedly endorse these books to use for separations of military service members. They are truly beneficial in keeping our members who are deployed or on a temporary assignment, connected with those family members and friends. Great addition to my library! I give them out to each of my customers!

I am in the Air Force and my children live with their mother 900 miles away from me. This book is an absolute treasure to go to. It has given me so many ideas of fun things we can do together while not being together. Phone conversations are important but we all know they can get monotonous. This book opens a world of activities that my children absolutely love. I hope there's a sequel! The price is such a steal!

You can get the second edition that has the same title but different cover here at amazon for the same price. Plus you get over 200 more activities.

At times when I can't dream up a good project to do with my two children who live far away from me, I refer to this book.

Some of us living with the gender biased legal system which allows young children to be moved away from their natural father, have a unique situation with which to contend. This book helps.

It is a simple and good reference source for non-custodial Dads to help with the problem of being separated from your children.

Dads at A Distance is a refreshing drink of hope in the desert of despairing dads who are apart from their kids. As a former Army Chaplain, I would have loved to have a copy of this book for EVERY soldier that was a dad. Great pictures and activities to use even if you aren't a distant dad!

My husband struggled with many health issues . Often he referred to this book . It helped him manage his diabetes better . The part on how to eat and manage when ill is very good.

Although I am a physician and knew alot about diabetes already, I found this book helpful when I was diagnosed with the disease. It is also useful for other family members to read so that they may understand what their loved ones are facing.

I bought this book many years ago when I first discovered I had diabetes. It has been a god send. I use it as my bible. You forget from time to time and it is the best reference book I know of. In fact my daughter just became aware that she also has this disease and I purchased her a copy of this book. She agrees with me. It has helped her as well.

Diabetes Mellitus: A Practical Handbook is an excellent book. I would highly recommend it for newly diagnosed diabetes patients as well as diabetics who are "old timers" at this disease. The food exchange lists are simply fantastic as they are divided into "lean meat" with serving portions, "medium fat exchange", and "high-fat meat" with serving portion sizes. The vegetable choices, fruit choices, bread/starch choices. All of this makes life a little more easier when you are suddenly faced with a new way of eating. The sample meal plans are wonderful too. This book should be on the reference list of all physicians who have or will have diabetic patients. The book is written in a clear and easy format and it is simple to understand. I would also recommend it for the younger adolescent diabetic.

This book has easy to read tables and lists of blood sugar levels and information about foods that diabetics can eat, and how they affect sugar levels. I definately recommend this book to others with diabetes and/or diabetic family members.

This is (by far) the best Prescription Drug guide I've seen. The pros: I do agree with the other customers who said it was easier to read than the PDR. More comprehensive than the PDR. More organized than the PDR, etc. The con: I am a patient who takes many, many drugs. Unfortunately some of them are rare drugs which aren't used for many people such as "Trental" or "Clindamycin." These drugs are listed, but they note that: "This profile has been shortened to make room for more widely used medicines." I understand the book is well over a 1000 pages, but having shortened reviews of meds wasn't the most pleasing thing.--I do need complete info for these particular drugs and was not able to get it from this guide. I did not see this problem with the PDR. On the Whole: What I do like about this book the most is that everything about it is very logical. The saving space bit is understandable, but if you're taking many rare drugs and need complete info. on them, I'd reccommend browsing the book before buying it/or buying the PDR instead.

I worked in a bookstore for many years, and one of the luxuries of that job was being able to order and compare every available book in several reference categories. The Essential Guide to Prescription Drugs is far and away the best of the dozen or so paperback references to prescription medications. It is faster and easier to use than the PDR (which costs $50+), and the information for each drug is presented in the same sequence, making it easier to compare dosage instructions, side effects, drug combinations to avoid, etc. To stay current with your medications, it is worth buying the new edition every year.

I have been buying this book for years. It's better than anything else I've tried. It's easier to read than the PDR. It's much more comprehensive than other books, software programs or information on the internet. In addition to full enformation for each drug it has numerous tables of drug interactions and various types of side effects. A must-have in your home.

This is the lay person's version of the PDR (physician's desk reference). It covers all of the details and and new drugs. It is very user friendly. If you take any kind of prescription drugs it is indispensable.

This reference book is complete, easy to read. Lists side effects, what the drug is used for, etc. For the layperson and the medical professional.

To face: to confront directly and boldly, to meet bravely. This is what eight women did when their husbands were stricken with dementing illnesses. Not only that, they agreed to be interviewed by Sebastopol author Patricia Brown Coughlan, to share their words with others facing similar chalenges. These women, and their insights and experiences, stand as role models to others in Coughlan's book, "Facing Alzheimer's." Coughlan's personal experience began 16 years ago when her grandmother's behavior began to change. There was the afternoon she got lost during a walk near Patricia's home, the day she held a garden hose but could't find the water faucet, the time she couldn't find her way to the bathroom. Coughlan's interest grew while attending an Alzheimer's support group in connection with her gerontology studies at Sonoma State University. It was through this group that she met the eight women who form the backbone of her book. "Facing Alzheimer's" strikes me as an indispensable resource for anyone who has a friend or family member with Alzheimer's, for the disease can be a web of confusion, not only to the patient but to the caregiver as well. The book discusses the often frustrating dealings with the medical profession. It covers nursing home placement and how to choose if placement becomes a necessity. It includes financial and legal considerations. But it also gives specific, helpful advice on how to manage day to day and this may be its most

beneficial gift. With all the information contained in its pages, the book is never overwhelming. It feels like a support group between your hands or a conversation over tea with a dear friend. The sensitivity with which Coughlan writes and the honest words of the eight women should give renewed faith to those dealing with Alzheimer's and other dementing illnesses. Coughlan is careful to point out, however, that although there is wonderful support learned from others' experiences, the road

of caregiver is one you must travel yourself. Finding your own way, making your own decisions, and having faith in your judgment may be frightening at first, but as the women in the book share, these are eventually empowering. As one support group leader said, "People... have within themselves the skills and knowledge to problem-solve... they just need encouragement and some guidance." That's exactly what Coughlan's book gives. Our community doesn't lack for creative writing talent, but I'm particularly impressed by the dedication and diligence shown by our own Patricia Brown Coughlan. She's taken an intimidating subject and made it accessible.

My mother was so amazed when she saw that she was on the internet. she prefers to work in smaller ways. She recently assumed a position on the Marin county, CA alzheimer's association board of directors. She is currently working on nursing care reform, and is trying to get another writing project going. She has been involved with alzheimers research since I was a child, and her passion has grown no less. She admits that if she were to begin writing her book now, it would be different, but I believe it is still valuable to those who need it, or even those who are just interested.

The fiber of this excellent book is woven together with the voices of experienced family caregivers. In chapter one, we are introduced to eight such family members and follow them throughout the pages; examining different aspects of the disease process and individual coping skills for the evolving issues. For instance, during a discussion on sexuality, caregiver Bonnie responds, "As far as the body next to me in bed, my main concern was that he not wet it!", while Mary is quoted as saying, "There's the void. The feeling that there's a huge chunk of your life that's been plucked out, and has ceased to be a comfort and joy. It becomes either something that's mechanical, or nonexistent, or an added frustration."

This book is never preachy and always compelling. It is a warm marriage of factual information and anecdotes that are at once witty, emotional, and realistic.

In "Facing Alzheimer's", Ms. Coughlan has presented us with a clear outline of disease stages while taking a step beyond the usual textbok approach to caregiving. Her commonsense outlook in a chapter addressing "The Basis of Coping" is typical of the entire text. Coughlan states:

"A person who insists that everything must be done in a certain way will have a harder time dealing with a dementia patient than someone who is willing to be flexible and overlook unimportant things. If the dementia patient is sitting quietly in a chair looking at a book that is upside-down, the flexible caregiver will forego acting on her own response. She will not risk a bad reaction by going over and turning the book right side up. The more she is able to overlook, the more contented everyone will be. Finding new ways of doing things, and working with the patient, rather than against him, facilitates daily management."

An omnipresent theme is the need to care for oneself in order to be the most effective caregiver possible. The families herein openly discuss methods of dealing with stress in order to caregive more salubriously. The personal accounts are interspersed with Coughlan's text:

"At that time Louie was very combative. In the middle of the night he would, if I would get up and say, "Louie, come back to bed", he would just grab my shoulders and he'd say, "What are you doing in my house?" He thought I was an intruder... Oh, it was terrible. And my son thought maybe one night I wouldn't be able to get through to him who I was, and he might hurt me..."

"In order to do what is truly best for her husband and for herself, a dementia patient's wife must develop the ability to rely on her own determination of what is correct. Perhaps what makes placing a spouse in a nursing home the hardest decision of all is that she must learn not only to rise above the judgments of others, but above her judgments of herself, as well. She must grant her own needs as much legitimacy as those of her husband, and this is something that is virtualy impossible to do in any rational, systematic way."

Family caregivers, support group leaders, dementia specialists and listeners... all would benefit from adding "Facing Alzheimer's" to the bookshelf. Remember to pull it out frequently as a quick reference as to why he behaves as he does and as written validation of your own caregiving skills.

A man with Alzheimer's disease was making his wife crazy, every night getting out of bed and dragging his pillow and blanket to the floor. Awaking several times throughout the night to return him to bed was ruining her sleep, she said, as well as his.

Finally, another woman in her support group spoke up to say she saw nothing wrong with him sleeping on the floor, if it made him happy. The exhausted woman thought about it and, gratefully, agreed.

Anyone who has ever scoffed at a support group doesn't understand that such a gathering may be the only place where a person in crisis can get advice like that. It is also the only place you'll come across a collection of people like the eight women profiled in "Facing Alzheimer's" by Patricia Brown Coughlan.

People whose worlds have been turned upside down by a loved one's dementia learn that coping calls for creative and unorthodox measures, often different from what medical professionals might suggest or the neighbors approve of. The best instructors are often people with 24-hour experience, like the ones in this book, women who took over the primary care of husbands diagnosed with the progressive brain disease.

The book grew out of Coughlan's graduate studies in gerontology at Sonoma State University and her personal experience with her afflicted grandmother.

Coughlan's women talk about how it is to suffer the loss of a mate to Alzheimer's disease, what some call a "never-ending funeral."

"He's here, but he's gone," says Angie, of Hugo, her husband of 30 years and a once-successful businessman. Bonnie, whose husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at age 60, shares the despair of being with a partner who still looks the same, but whose personality has disappeared. "I still wanted him to talk to me, and the poor man couldn't. And I'd just plead, you know, 'Please, Henry, talk to me.'"

But, just as the women counsel others in their situation, they learned how to move beyond despair and dread in order to care for their husbands and save themselves. They represent a generation of women raised to be "nice" and "not complain". Yet, when their husbands got sick, they got tough. They became ferocious advocates, taking on unfeeling doctors, surly nursing home attendants, rude health insurance processors. Caregivers, says Coughlan, eventually recognize that they know better than the professionals how to individually handle thier Alzheimer patients.

Sonoma County readers can take pride in this book, not only because the author lives in Sebastopol, but because her eight wonderful subjects also live in the region. The agencies and programs they turned to for support are local, including the Sonoma County Alzheimer's Task Force, Catholic Charities Alzheimer's Respite Center, and the Sonoma County Ombudsman Program. Surely there will be many people across the country who will read this book and wish that they had the same kind of services in their community.

All the caregivers in her book are women, and Coughlan explains that reflects reality. "At the present time, caregiving is still something that falls most heavily upon women." She does, however, note that there are many men who provide care for their sick wives and parents, including her own grandfather. No matter who does it, it's a full time job.

Not only is Coughlan respectful and admiring of her subjects, she obviously likes them. So will the reader. After all the nightmare years ending with her husband's death, Bonnie wishes her late husband well. "I hope Henry's in a great body somewhere, having great sex."

The women were obviously willing to speak frankly, on just about every subject. "Have I ever had self-pity? Yes. I felt cheated, and abused, and all the other unpleasant emotions", says Mary.

As much as the women show great sensitivity for their husbands' tragic changes, so does Coughlan sympathize with the women. "If Hugo's vision of his future self was destroyed by the specter of an incompetent man being pushed in a wheelchair, then Angie's vision of her future self was destroyed by the vision of a woman pushing one."

Coughlan also interviewed leaders of Alzheimer support groups who offer special insight into how this memory-robbing disease is different from ordinary forgetfulness. "It's not: 'I've lost my keys'; it's 'What do keys do?'"

The book includes a list of Alzheimer's organizations, how to do a living will, financial planning strategies, and a good bibliography of other resource books on Alzheimer's.

There's also a reminder to enjoy the present, because while these eight women are very special there is nothing exclusive about a disease that affects more than 4 million Americans. Aileen's advice: "Take time to do what you want to do. My neighbors, ever since Louie got sick, and they saw what happened, they go on a cruise every year."

On a personal note, I'm familiar with the Santa Rosa Alzheimer's support group and recognize some of the women in this book. The first time I met the group I was a reporter doing a story on the disease and how it affects families. A year later I was back, sitting in the same circle, minus my notebook, not a journalist but the daughter of a newly diagnosed Alzheimer patient. I'm not sure if it was Mabel or Mary, but someone very kind passed me the kleenex.

In the fall of 1988, Patricia Brown Coughlan enrolled as a graduate student at Sonoma State University, and found herself drawn to classes dealing with gerontology, the study of aging. As part of her studies, she began attending meetings of a Santa Rosa-based Alzheimer's support group.

A dozen years before, Coughlan's grandmother had begun to show symptoms of Alzheimer's, a neurological disorder with psychological fallout. Already sensitized by her own personal experience, Coughlan was touched and inspired by the compassion, bravery, humor, and sheer practicality that characterized the women in the support group.

She requested permission to interview some of them for her master's thesis on women in the caregiving role. Her extensive interviews with eight of the group members eventually became "Facing Alzheimer's", a remarkable mixture of oral history, demystification, and practical information for anyone dealing with the disease. Although the book deals primarily with women, specificaly wives, as caregivers, much of the information it contains is applicable to anyone placed in a similar situation.

In spite of its sobering subject matter, Coughlan's work is never grim nor gloomy. In fact, once one has taken the mental step of deciding to "face Alzheimer's", the book is pretty much of a page-turner, as the reader connects with each of the eight storytellers, becomes familiar with her situation, and begins to understand the indomitable spirit that, in spite of varied life circumstances and personality differences, characterizes all of these women.

On one level, this is a rich emotional document, with the words and stories of Aileen, Mary, Bonnie, Helen, Irene, Edith, and Angie woven throughout the text to give the reader a deep and personal look into the actual life of an Alzheimer's caregiver. In chapter after chapter, we see through these women's eyes, following their stories from the first appearance of symptoms in their husbands, through diagnosis and attempts to learn abot the disease, through responsibility-shifts and mutual emotional turmoil when a once-independent spouse can no longer drive, deal with finances, find his way home, use the toilet. They speak of their own struggles with practical matters, their own emotional changes, their widowhood, their grief, their healing. Their words are ordinary, their spirit astounding.

On another level, by means of text that interacts with these stories, Coughlan traces the emotional and social factors that affect Alzheimer's patients and caregivers, and offers information and coping techniques for every step of the way. There are clearly laid-out sections for identifying early signs of the disease; dealing with its advancing stages and gradual physical and mental degeneration; managing day by day; handling friends and relatives; understanding changes in marital roles, sexual relationships and fiancial responsibilities; and maintaining through death, bereavement, and beyond.

On yet a third level, "Facing Alzheimer's" is a practical and accessible handbook for caregivers, providing informatin about dealing with doctors, nursing homes, family complications, financial matters, and legal considerations. It includes overviews on coping strategies, information on support groups, interviews with support-group leaders, an appendix of resources and recommended reading, an exhaustive bibliography, and a comprehensive index.

While there's a lot of information in the book, Coughlan emphasizes that "I'd like to make it very clear that this was never meant to be a scientific or sociological study. There are plenty of those out there", she says, "and while they serve a valuable purpose, most of them really aren't that helpful for people dealing with the disease on an everyday basis. I wrote this book primarily as a way to pass along the enormous quantity of information these women had acquired just by making their way successflly through the Alzheimer's scenario. I wanted to write something that other people in the same situation could use, and that someone unfamiliar with Alzheimer's could learn from."

Typical of Coughlan's approach is one of the more telling chapters that reveals the limitations of the medical profession in dealing with Alzheimer's. Since there's currently no cure for the disease, many doctors feel defeated and frustrated by Alzheimer's patients. In addition, Coughlan notes, they are often dealing not only with harrassed and bewildered caregivers, but with patients who may be in full denial and whose grasp on reality may vary widely from visit to visit.

Acknowledging the sources of both doctors' and patients' frustratons, Coughlan writes: "What is necessary for effective caregiving is not an adversarial relationship with medical personnel, but a recognition of the inherent limitations of available treatment." She does point out, however, that it is often in dealing with doctors and nursing-home personnel that women begin to emerge from frightened and passive roles and begin to take charge for both themselves and their spouses. Helen, faced with her doctor's unfeeling attitude, finally took action:

Helen: I reported her. I did. I just thought, I didn't want anyone else to get that sort of treatment. I can remember thirty or forty years ago I would have been a whipped puppy, with her attitude. Not any more.

The chapter suggests ways for caregivers like Helen to become the patients' advocates, asserting temselves appropriately when necessary and working with doctors as partners, rather than adversaries. It also includes such information as standard procedures for a good and complete diagnostic work-up for Alzheimer's.

Equally eye-opening are two chapters dealing with the heartbreaking issue of putting an ill spouse into a nursing home. Once again, Coughlan lets her narrators tell their own tales of making decisions and surmounting difficulties, and then quietly supplements them with the kind of information and criteria that can make those processes much easier to deal with.

Coughlan is, in fact, the ninth remarkable woman in this book. her clear and compassionate eye, her extremely readable writing style, and her crisp and cogent presentation of facts and information surround and reinforce her interviewees' stories without ever overwhelming them. In the end, in spite of its practical nature, "Facing Alzheimer's" has an almost tribal feeling to it, as the voices of these kind, strong, and very human survivors unite to pass on the hard-won knowledge that will enable others to survive as well.

This review concerns the new (revised) Doubleday edition of the book, published in 1999.

Here is a book that is quite unique in my experience. I don't think I have ever read a book that has offered so much initial frustration, which has ended up turning out quite so well. In the first couple of chapters I was sure I was not going to be able to finish it. I put this down largely to poor editing, but I think there may be the added factor that this edition involved a major revision of an earlier work and that the two were not married very happily together. Yet the book soon strikes out on a new path, and on another level, as we leave the Manx and Cumbrian origins of Fletcher Christian behind, and begin to learn some of the details of that murky event known to history as the "Mutiny on the Bounty." One thing is obvious and it is to the author's credit, as he is a direct descendent of Fletcher Christian (and, something which will appear obvious given the nature of life on Pitcairn at the time of the first settlement, of several of the other mutineers): he makes a very bold attempt not to hoist Bligh on too high a yardarm, in spite of the man's obvious and well-established shortcomings. Indeed, he allows Bligh to hang himself in the book, which is something he seems to have tried very hard to accomplish in real life.

The book's last section of three concerns the personal odyssey by author Glynn Christian back to Pitcairn in search of traces of Fletcher and a greater understanding of some of the legend which grew up around him and his fellow conspirators of over 200 years ago. It is well done, and if we are a bit frustrated by the results, it's not because the author didn't try hard enough. In fact, this is a very successful project from every point of view, even if I did think at first that it was going to be "another island book," like the one on St-Kilda I read many years ago and still haven't digested to this day. Anyone interested in the Bounty story must read this and all those interested in the history of the Pacific, or even just plain family history, will probably enjoy this very much. After initially wanting to almost burn it, I now find myself giving it my highest recommendation. It's quite unique. By the by, it's interesting to reflect on the book's title. Ordinarily, one would think it referred to Pitcairn, the ancestral home as it were; but I rather fancy it refers to Tahiti instead, that fabled place from which some of Glynn Christian's other ancestors sprang.

I found FRAGILE PARADISE to be one of the best biographies I have ever read. The amount of research GLYNN CHIRSTIAN gathered about his famous descendent was just mind blowing. I often wonderd about FLETCHER CHIRSTIAN'S life before his days on the bounty. Having seen all of the movies based on the mutiny I never really felt that hollywood told his story with any accuracy at all. We never really get to know who CHIRSTIAN was and why he did what he did and the price he had to pay for his actions. Also I discoverd while I was reading this book the information about his family in ENGLAND and thier roots which hollywood often chooses to forget about when telling the story about the bounty muntiny. All in all if you like the story of the mutiny on the bounty you'll love this book.

This is by far one of the best books about the infamous mutiny on the Bounty. Glynn Christian is a descendant of Fletcher Christian, the leader of the mutiny. His researches into the family history is fascinating (if a bit overwhelming at times), but it's the new information about the voyage of the Bounty, the behavior and character of Captain Bligh, the nature of Tahitian society, and the mutineers on Pitcairn Island that makes this book a treasure trove for fans of the Bounty story. While it does not replace any of the previous works on the subject, I can say that if you have read those but not "Fragile Paradise," you are missing out on a very important piece of this amazing story.

A new edition, by the same author, is due out in 2000. New research gives a clearer picture of the tension aboard BOUNTY after sailing from Tahiti, there is more evidence about Bligh's method of captaincy and, for the first time, a full chapter on the Tahitian women, who they were, how they thought and how, even though overlooked for two centuries, they are crucial to the survival of Christian's remote settlement on Pitcairn Island.

As someone who has a great interest in the history of this strange adventure, I ordered the trilogy book on The Bounty and loved it . Afterwards, I ordered this one and I'm really glad I did. As informative and well written as the original book was , this one seemed to fill in some important insights and details about the personalities and the everyday life of the sailers plus a lot of the Tahitian customs . It started out pretty dry and dull to be honest but once it got going, I couldn't put it down. This guy has done his homework and then some ...it truly is an impressive book. Totally recomended !!

Since I first became aware of the Hunza, I have been fascinated by their simplicity and long life. As a teenager, I began my search for every available piece of information about people who live long and healthy lives. I was, and still am, willing and prepared to incorporate healthful living into my own lifestyle. That is why I have kept my copy of this work at my bedside for many years. It reminds me, daily, of the vigor and health I intend to maintain throughout my long life. This volume carefully and succinctly instructs the reader to follow the approach to life as the Hunza live it, as best one can in western society. Be happy, enjoy the happiness of others, eat well but not too much, exercise vigorously, preferably on hills, avoid envy, keep busy, love your friends, don't worry, play. And my addition, read more books!

I read this book over 30 years ago and it spurred me on practice a natural hygiene lifestyle. (eating predominately fresh uncooked fruits and vegetables, free of all animal products including dairy products) I had spent the next 30 years in the pursuit of nutritional science research and completed the nutritional science program taught at The Life Science Institute formerly in Austin TX. After 30 years of research and practicing a similar dietary lifestyle as described in Renee Taylor's book I can say that I owe my sound health, free of illness and disease for over 30 years to this book! This book is an excellent introduction into the miraculous world of illness free living that can be enjoyed to well over 100 years without medical doctors.

the reports on the hunza tribe in the north of kashmir (north-pakistan)are from 1964, and they still teach us(the modern cultered people) how to eat,drink,behave,in order to live a better life in the sense of the health matters.the book is more facinating then a science fiction book,and the most important thing is:this book is a reality, wich we can make it real for us (the modern people)today at the year of 2000.learn the secretes from a true living legend tribe that in his living area in that specific way of life, to pass the age of 100 in (good health), is not just a wishfull thinking, and not the prevelage of only one person.

Great book about the Hunza. The book is basically 2 parts. The first part deals with the authors travel to the Hunza valley and the Hunza way of life. It's like a journal and very enjoyably written.

The second part appeals a little less to me [that's why "only" 4 stars]. It tries to explain why the Hunza are so very healthy and the author does an excellent job of listing all the factors, but especially in the big "Diet" section some explanations don't sound allright to me. [but I am a raw foodist and disagree with the author saying that americans should take artificial supplements] Besides that it is an excellent book. The book also features a section with Hunza recipes, though some of the recipes use sugar, which is stated in the journal section that the Hunza don't use sugar. Hmm, as I said, the diet section is a little weird. =]

Why do the Hunza people live to be well over 100 years old? They hire out as high mountain trekkers in their 90's. They also father children in their 90's. The Hunza valley is said to be the most beautiful spot on earth. From great yoga exercises to the actual food these people eat. This is the western lady who "discovered" these amazing people.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves poetry. Mercado's use of imagery and music in her work is new and inspirational. She is one of the more exciting new Nuyorican voices on the scene. Honest, clear and down-to-earth, there's no pretention here. Buy this book, you won't be sorry.

In clear, passionate and moving poems Nancy Mercado brings us the full flavor of life. She speaks on a personal and universal level for people who are on the outside; people of all colors.

These are celebritory poems that affirm the ability of the human spirit to servive. As Piri Thomas has said of her work, "Nancy Mercado has learned that words can be bullets or butterflies, that one must say what one means and mean what one says."

Maria M. Gillan
Executive Director of Poetry Center

Passiac Community College

It concerns the madness was real. I lost myself behind the author's passion for poetry, and her fond memories of Puerto Rico. The rhythmic flow of expressions reached down into my soul and took me "home"....

I enjoyed reading It Concerns The Madness.It really brings you back to your roots. It made me remember a lot of things about my grandmother and grandfather. I feel Mrs.Mercado writes from her heart and life experiences. I recomend this book of poetry to everyone. I know everyone could relate to it one way or an other. To Mrs. Mercado keep up the good work.

This book was well written and interesting. The author has an understanding of the madness faced today. Latinas have come a long way and this author shows that we will continue to grow and prosper as women.

This volume is just as good as all the other Steinbeck volumes within the Library of America series -which is to say that this collection of stories and novels is second to none. Steinbeck was a force and the guy will change your life. Read this and people will actually smell you becoming smarter.

It is surely a shame that Mr. Steinbeck forever will be confined to the archipelago of socio-economico-political literature. Too often a smug reviewer writes of Steinbeck's "moving" portrayal of the Joad family and their struggle against a growing America. "Oh, how I can 'identify' with the Preacher!" HUMBUG. Mr. Steinbeck wrote words, not ideas. His art is exquisite and melodious and stock-full of imagery. His structure, even in the volumunious Grapes, is compact and economical. His style, even in the scientific Log, is artistic and exact. And his ideas, even in the idea-ed Harvest, are irrelevant. Buy this book. But don't buy it because the blurb on the back says something about the Joads being an American archetype of the twentieth century; instead, buy it because it is literature - American literature - at its finest. Every sentence. Every word.

Political statements are always dangerous: one either completely convinces a reader of one's argument or forever alienates them. And, unfortunately, the end result is rarely dependent upon the quality or force of argument made by the author, but rather entirely dependent upon the notions with which the reader entered the "discussion".

Knowing this, it seems that one has to be of a particular mindset in order to enjoy the novels collected in "The Grapes of Wrath and Other Writings 1938-1941". The novels of this compilation attack many of the ideals upon which this country was founded -- and they do so by looking closely at those who have never really benefited from those ideals. This attack is carried out most effectively in the most prominent of the packaged novels: Steinbeck's classic "The Grapes of Wrath."

At an abstract level, this particular novel is an impassioned plea for change ... one that left many readers at the time of its publication both angry and frightened, and resulted in the book being placed on many academic "Banned" lists, and caused Steinbeck himself to be branded by some as anti-American.

That said, it is my opinion that "The Grapes of Wrath" is one of the best novels ever written, because it tells the story of those most affected by the Great Depression - those who never had much in the first place. In particular, it focuses on the Joad family as they are forced to relocate to California, to try to find enough work to put food on the table. Along with thousands of other displaced sharecroppers they are lured by colorful handbills advertising great jobs for all. California becomes Mecca to the families, many of whom have literally been forced out of their homes. Desperate, the families sell all of their belongings, buy cheap cars, and begin the arduous journey. Many do not make it, and those who do find to their dismay that all is not as promised.

This is an extremely powerful novel. The reader comes to know the members of the Joad family and their friends as people, not just as characters in a story. We are able to identify with them as they suffer hardship after hardship. Written in an accessible style, and spellbinding throughout, this novel is certainly a deserving classic, and it dominates this excellent new collection of Steinbeck's fiction.

grapes of wrath is a great book. it is about a family that goes through ups and downs every chapter. and a man who wats to get his family back on track, cause his father lost his farm land in Oklahoma. So they head to California to find new jobs but there new jobs arn't the same as having there own land, cause when they had there own land they had no boss but when they head to Cali. they are not happy cause they are bossed around.

I, like many, first read this _The Grapes of Wrath_ in high school. Then, it piqued a great curiosity about recent (this century) American history that my teachers could never satisfy. A recent re-reading, however, has shown me the great depth that I missed the first time. Read it slowly, savor the dogged, determined hopelessness that was life for many of our immediate ancestors. From the sad beginning to the desperate ending, it will teach you, and reach you.