Wallace Books

Alan Wallace's book is full of insight for anyone seeking to understand and cultivate bodhichitta. The book is a wonderful resource for all practitioners seeking to walk the bodhisattva path.

This book is so fantastically written - B. Allan Wallace sheds light on the Seven Point Mind Training like no-one else. He uses modern language to explain this ancient wisdom, and shows how the dharma really can be brought into every part of our day, not just the moments when we are sitting quietly in a cushion. Having seen on Amazon how many other books he has written (does this man ever sleep?!)now my biggest problem is deciding which of his books I should buy next...

Realize they are two very different books! If you are looking for something to benefit your practice then "Buddhism with an Attitude" is the way to go. Although repetitive at times, this itself is helpful, and it is written in a more instructional tone. If you feel your practice has fully matured (lucky you) and you are simply interested in a concise, more academic exposition of the seven point mind training, then "The Seven-Point Mind Training" is the one for you. Also, for being more condensed, the "The Seven-Point Mind Training", will be the book you will want to carry around once you are familiar with Lam Rim practice.

I have had mixed reactions to this author's material in the past and so have others. However, I found this book to be extremely practical, well-written, balanced and applicable to a modern context.

B. Alan Wallace has very impressive credentials, but for some reason, I feel he missed the mark with some of his earlier books or at least didn't hit a homerun. This book is one that I can wholeheartedly endorse.

In short, what the intention of the book is to make the teachings and slogans of Atisha accessible to the average aspirant living in the world. It provides a good interpretation of the teachings on training the mind to be more compassionate and provides a context for these teachings.

There is good commentary on various slogans that are the central point of the Lojong teachings and some good direction for performing Tonglen meditation. Tonglen is called "taking a receiving." The essence of it is to experience a flash of absolute bodhichitta (unconditional love, infinite space, emptiness).... and then commence taking in suffering and breathing out light, compassion, love, etc. This is a very crude description, but it's a type of meditation where you focus on particular and specific pain that you can identify with and increasingly make it more universal in order to develop your mind in the direction of compassion.

This is also a very manageable book and fortunately, Mr. Wallace does a better job of explaining Tonglen meditation than I did above! As a companion to this book, I would also purchase Good Medicine: How to Turn Pain into Compassion with Tonglen Meditation or even better The Pema Chodron Collection: Pure Meditation:Good Medicine:From Fear to Fearlessness.

The resources above provide additional information on Tonglen, guided Tonglen practice, lots of useful practical information on developing the mind, compassion and using everyday events as the stuff for a meaningful spiritiual practice. Mr. Wallace's book compliments this material and brings additional depth to it. You can also find additional resources under my listmania lists.

All Wallace books are good Buddhist books. This book is good but its not a starter book. However it is easy reading. The material is covered rather well.

Once in a while an author appears who stands head and shoulders above most other technical authors. Kevin Wallace is definitely one of that rare breed of authors who has the unique ability to impart substantial technical information in a really accessible manner. I found this book incredibly easy to read, having attempted reading some other books on VOIP and not getting past the 2nd Chapter with most of them.
Even though the book focuses mainly on Cisco's VOIP implementation, the information is put across in such a way that you get a good understanding of VOIP principles in general. The chapter in this book on QOS alone is worth getting the book for, as it explains Cisco QOS in a most lucid and user-friendly way. His anologies are excellent and his occastional injection of humour also makes reading the book a most pleasurable and useful learning experience. If you are a newbie to VOIP, then I can't think of a better book to get your hands on. Highly recommended!

Very Good! Easy reading for anyone. If you have no experience with VoIP this is the book for you. I found it also helped with my CCNA study. Anybody who wants to learn VoIP should begin by reading this book first.

For those who are intending to go for Cisco Certified Voice Professional but don't have much knowledge about Voice, this book would be an excellent introduction to general Cisco Voice Networking.

It introduces you to many expects of voice from ground up without giving too many technical details to the point you can get bored. For voice newbies, this book would be a great companion.

Kevin Wallace's VOICE OVER IP FIRST-STEP joins others in the 'first step' series in providing a basic introduction to IP telephony services. You don't need to be a programmer or even a computer whiz to understand the basics as presented here: whether you're a home user interested in lowering a monthly phone bill or a business person using data networks, chapters provide real-world applications using case studies throughout, no prior IP telephony experience is required to learn the basics here. And networking instructor Kevin Wallace knows how to cover them easily.

The title of this review pretty much summarizes my thoughts about the book. This is an excellent, quick-to-read book that provides all the basic info about VoIP, focusing on Cisco's offerings.

Although I read the book over a couple of days, I believe I put in less than 3 hours to read the entire book cover to cover (over all those days).

The book is very simple to read. The book is ideal for network administrators as well as system/equipment design engineers to quickly introduce themselves to VoIP. The book is also good to understand all the varied VoIP offerings from Cisco and how stuff plugs together to provide an integrated service.

The last chapter of the book goes beyond vanilla-VoIP, by discussing (in brief) Cisco's IPCC and other interesting offerings.

Great book! Read it to quickly and easily understand the fundamentals of VoIP as well Cisco's VoIP equipment.

There's a reason this book is called "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes". All the cookie recipes are really that EASY!
Mother and daughter, Lucinda and Heather Wallace, have combined their talents and created an awesome cookbook just for cookie lovers like us. Everyone loves warm, homemade cookies right from the oven and these are just like the ones Grandma used to make.

I recently conducted an interview with this dynamic duo for the Baking & Desserts topic on [...]. I wanted to know everything about them. How they got into baking, why they wrote the book, are there any other books in their future and what is their favorite cookie? They graciously answered all my questions. They were also kind enough to include a bunch of photos and two scrumptious cookie recipes that were knock-your-socks-off fantastic!

As a former caterer with a wholesale cookie business, I was always on the lookout for not just easy cookies, but delicious cookies as well. I wanted cookies that would melt in my mouth and bring lots of "oohs and aahs" from my customers. I know how many hours, weeks and months were put into each of these recipes. Lucinda and Heather have done all the hard work for us. All we have to do is crank up our ovens and have fun baking!

As Lucinda told me in her interview: "They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and my husband has been walking around with a bigger smile than usual lately." They eat their own cookies, that should say it all!

Simply put, these cookies are To-Die-For! The fact that they're easy is just more icing on the cake! This is one cookbook you need to have in your collection!

If you are a novice baker this book is great for you because the recipes are, as the name implies, easy peasy. But if you are an experienced baker, don't be turned away, as the shear variety of the cookies is the reason to add this book to your cookbook collection. All the ingredients are readily available at pretty much every grocery store out there, no looking for odd ingredients. Clear and quick instructions. The only thing I would have liked is photos. I always like to see what the end product is looking like.

We make cookies at home and as a pastry arts instructor, I am always looking for a new recipe for a fantastic cookie. For my students I baked off a fast batch of the Cherry Coconut Cookies, needless to say they all passed the book around the room to write the recipe(and devoured the cookies.)

Every single cookie we have produced out of this no-nonsense cookie book has not only been easy peasy but really good! Great fun to make with the kids and a nice way to enjoy an evening with friends baking and talking; even the most inexperienced baker can have delicious success.

I lost the book for about a week when a friend saw it and took it. Lucky for me he presented me with a beautiful platter of easy peasy cookies. From the Choco Trio Cookies to the Blueberry Crumble Bars each recipe fast, easy and understandable.

While cook books come and go, this little gem will be the one that stays in the kitchen, close at hand. Whatever your cookie emergency, there is a cure! Lucinda and Heather have compiled a collection of down home goodies ranging from bars to drop cookies, cut-outs and no-bake.

So much better than store bought cookies, you can whip up a fast batch or make up some dough and freeze for a rainy day!

101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes is a compilation of simple cookie recipes that taste and look like they would require an experienced chef to make! Imagine showing up at an event with delicious cookies that took you all of 20 minutes to mix and bake! I AM IN LOVE!

I could easily give 101 reasons why I love this book; each and every recipe. Mother- daughter team Lucinda and Heather Wallace have put together the most amazing little book of cookie recipes.

There's no fluff, no history, no extras (which I miss a little) just recipes - delicious recipes!

I made four different batches of cookies from this book. I set out to make one from each section, but settled on one each. I made Caramel Apple Crisps from the Bar Cookies chapter and made a huge mistake - I thought I'd have time "later" to get a photo, but the cookies were gone before "later" came. We were all crazy about them, even my brother-in- law who stopped in for a visit.

Next was Oranges and Cream Cookies from the Drop Cookies chapter. Man, were these GOOD! If you've ever bought those canned orange rolls for breakfast, you know - the kind you make at home - these taste nearly identical to those.

Then I tried Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies from the No-Bake chapter. My daughter, Megan, loves maraschino cherries and she was in Heaven with this one. Even my husband, who hates no-bake type cookies, really enjoyed these.

Lastly is the Shaped Cookies chapter from which I made Shortbread Raspberry Kisses. Truly delectable.

I have to say, I have a cookie cookbook form a very big-name baker and I have yet to make a recipe from it that actually turned out well. It was a huge disappointment for a book full of colorful photos. 101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes, on the other hand, hasn't let me down one bit. None of the ingredients are exotic or hard-to-find. The baking methods are easy to follow, and the results are absolutely perfect!

My 6 year-old said it best. When asking why I was making all these cookies, I explained to her a book review and what went with that and then she said, "They make good cookies! I mean, they have good recipes!"

The greatest variety of living things in the world inhabits the 17,500 islands and million square miles of ocean in the East Indies.
In "Archipelago," Effendy Sumardja, Indonesia's hard-pressed minister of environment, claims 15 to 25% of all the species in the world. That includes 7,000 kinds of fish -- about 10 times as many as in Hawaii. More than 6,000 plant and animal species are "used on a daily basis."
And in danger of being used up, which is why the Nature Conservancy sponsored this book, written by historian Gavan Daws, who wrote the Nature Conservancy's "Hawaii: The Islands of Life"; and Marty Fujita, a Smithsonian Institution researcher and founder of the Nature Conservancy Indonesia Program.
Many of those species are found nowhere else in the world. And many, like the clouded leopard, are found only in small parts of the thousand-mile-long sweep of islands.
That fact provides a springboard for the authors to place Indonesia in its proper context, both in today's politics and in the history of natural history. Indonesia is bisected by Wallace's Line, the first boundary ever recognized as dividing two "biogeographical provinces."
Most of the islands were connected to a continent at times of lower sea levels, the western part attached to Asia, the eastern part to Australia.
There is deep water between, and many species could not bridge it. On the west, there are monkeys. On the east, tree kangaroos, which lives much as monkeys do.
The man who recognized the concept of biogeographical provinces, Alfred Russel Wallace, had a happy, lucky life. And it is his account of eight years of collecting in the East Indies, 1856-62, that forms the framework of "Archipelago."
Lucky because he lived: There was no more dangerous job for a European in the 19th century than natural history collecting in the tropics. Wallace was sick a lot, but he survived for years in the Amazon and even more years in the East Indies.
Lucky also because he was most interested in animals, particularly birds, butterflies and mammals. Fujita and Daws note that Wallace's "line" is much less apparent if you are counting plants.
If Wallace had not thought up the concept of evolution by natural selection (which he did during a malarial fever, which he said induced his best thinking), then Charles Darwin had already done it. But the concept of biogeographical provinces was his alone, and it has become more and more valuable in natural history research over the years.
A lovable person, though not fond of society, he represents better than any other individual remembered by history the virtues that Victorian men were supposed to embody: He was amiable, scrupulously honest and very, very diligent. Among other things, he wrote 50 books.
To his even greater credit, he also lacked the color prejudice that infected most everybody in those days.
For him, growing up poor, Victoria's age was one of opportunity. Collectors wanted rarities and would pay for them. Wallace took his guns and insect pins to the places that had the rarest of the rare.
In the Indies, he particularly wanted birds of paradise and orangutans. It was tough work. He was often sick, in danger on the sea and sometimes starving. At one point, he ate the pigeons whose skins he prepared to send back to his broker in London.
"Collecting, travel, wide reading, deep thought, solitude -- this was the Wallace formula for a life of original, productive work," write Daws and Fujita.
Today, in an atmosphere of political uncertainty, 206 million Indonesians are pressing hard on their natural heritage. Forests of 300-foot-tall dipterocarp trees are being clearcut, farmers shift from slash-and-burn to permanent cultivation, dynamiters blow up reefs for fish.
Like other Nature Conservancy books, "Archipelago" is a call to action, this time disguised as a coffee table book filled with photographs of butterflies with seven-inch wings, unbelievably decorated birds of paradise and incomparably colorful reefs.

this is a great book. It covers in detail the jouneys of that great explorer/naturalist/thinker Alfred E. Wallace through Indonesia and addresses the current state of affairs and threats to its natural treasures.

The books goes through all the major parts of Indonesia and shows plenty of well-selected pictures of amazing flora and fauna of the archipelago. Pictures are 70% of the book, but it also provides a good scientific description of how the archipelago formed (10% of the book), explaining how so unique species developed and survived untouched. Around 10% of the book is devoted to the explorers, like Wallace, who first discovered the uniquness of the islands and tried scientifically describe what they found - some early maps of the region and pictures of explorers are presented. Last 10% expresses the concerns about the impact of the modern Indonesia on the nature of the region. Book is published by UC Berkeley/LA, which can only be a further recommendation.

Archipelago is an excellent book on several levels. First, as a photo essay of the biota of the Indonesian islands it must be beyond compare. The photos are simply awesome, leaf through it and see for yourself. Second, it tells the story of one of the worlds least known but greatest scientists, Alfred Wallace. Wallace was just as responsible for developing the theory of evolution through natural selection as Charles Darwin. If you are interested in the history of science or a biology student at any level you should be aware of Wallace's work. This is as good a book to learn about it as any. One slight complaint, in reading this book I felt that the authors felt that Wallace received a raw deal from Darwin and the rest of the scientific community. I don't know if it's true or if the truth will ever be known. I know that Wallace didn't feel that way so why include it here? Third, this book is so much a trip through time. Each chapter on Wallace in the islands is mixed with modern essays on life in the islands and what is happening to the environment there. As an environmentalist "call to arms" it is great, because it is backed by better science through a broader range of disciplines than any I have seen.

I'm not a big fan of the "Coffee Table Book" but this is an exception. While it might be tempting to only look at the pictures, the text is in such a interesting format that reading it turns out to be such a breeze that you will be done before you notice.

This beautiful coffee table book goes far beyond presenting the tropical and exotic beauty of this complex archipelago. True, outstanding photos highlight the natural splendor, rich culture and exotic architecture. But the authors also explore its historical significance, beginning with Wallace's 19th century discoveries in biogeography, continuing through the current, looming ecological crisis wrought by exploitation of the islands' natural resources. For those who have traveled to Indonesia, or have ever wished to, this book is a must.

An beautiful presentation of Denise and Samuel Wallace and their work. This is definately a coffeetable book.

fabulous book, with amazing photographs of this work!

We really enjoyed the book. The illustrations are wonderful. Just another great job from Louis Sherr Dubin. The book is a must have. The pictures are the highest standard of photography and the explanations are outstanding. Arctic Transformation is for all ages and highly recommended.

Gabi Barat

You won't disappointed in this book. It reads nicely about how Denise and Samual have collaborated to create their unusal jewerly. This is a extraordinary book with fold-out photos of their beautiful belts. They desribe their creative process and how Denise's cultural background has influneced their work. She shares imagaes of her family. Each pieces take many hours to create and they are a very driven couple and this is a must have books for folks who love native influnced jewlery and folks who enjoy jewelry.

I am usually interested in art books more focused on painters and it didn't occur to me that such beautiful artistic expressions could be achieved in jewelry.
In this book, Lois S.Dubin, lovingly and with extremely interesting cultural context, lays out these amazing artists that I wouldn't have otherwise come to know about.
I enjoyed looking at their art and at the same time learned a lot about the culture from which they emerged.
Many thanks to Lois S.Dubin!

Very rarely do books come out that can be instantly realised as classic pieces of our culture. History of The Game is one such book, carrying you through over a hundred years of the most memorable, most mindboggling, most stunning baseball moments. When you read this book, when you gaze at the pictures, you will be taken back to a time when you sat up with your father to watch the late-night west coast game, when you waved with the crowd in Fenway, when your heart broke with the Sox in '86; when you leaped for joy for the miracle of '69; where you were for McGwire or Maris or Dimaggio. This book is not only full of simply baseball memories, but the memories of our life. It is a must-have for any true fan of the game.

A review of the book Baseball: 100 Classic Moments in the History of the Game

WOW! If one word could summarize this incredible book, this three letter word, Wow, would be it. You know someone who loves baseball? Go out and get this book for them and they will always be in debt to you. With over 400 photos, and over 300 pages this book, sponsored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame, is a beautiful tribute to America's sport.

Every one of these 100 mystical, classic moments leaps off the pages as the reader is seduced by subtle photographs and masterfully poetic writing by the editors. Of course we see Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Dizzy Dean, Satchell Paige, Ted Williams, Joe Dimaggio, Willie Mays, and more recent baseball greats Hank Aaron, Pete Rose, Cal Ripken, Mark Mc Gwire and Sammy Sosa. These are but a few of the baseball super stars in this book. But how about Johnny Vandermeer who pitched back to back no hitters for the Cincinnati Reds in 1938. Or how about Jim Bottomley of St. Louis who in 1924 set a record by getting six hits with six at bats. These six hits, three singles, a double, and two homers of which one was a grand slam home run resulted in 12 RBI's in one 9 inning game.

This book also touches on how technology such as radio and professional lighting changed the dynamics of baseball and vastly increased the total attendance in all ballparks. One is easily lost in time by quickly becoming absorbed with the easy style and the dramatic photos of this book. A great book for baseball lovers everywhere. `

America has been having a love affair with baseball for over 100 years. Reading this book is a way to relive the nation's collective memory of baseball through its best and worst moments.

Readers will be guided through the highlights of the game and will see over 400 stunning photographs from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum photo archives. This hall of Fame is a not-for-profit educational institution dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of baseball. Over 350,000 people travel to Cooperstown, NY each year to enjoy the museums exhibits and special events.

Nolan Ryan played for 27 seasons in the Major leagues and he was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1999. He has written a foreword filled with his memories of the game.

"I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I've spent most of my adult life making a living doing something I love." -Nolan Ryan

The text tells of little-known details and legendary records.

All I have to say is..."Do men look good in baseball uniforms or what?" Now, if my grandmother sees this book, she will steal it from me. We enjoy going to Mariner games on occasion, but if there is a game you can bet she is listening to the radio while she is cooking in the kitchen, will be found sitting in front of the TV, or is at the game.

I can't think of a better gift for a friend or relative who wants to reminisce over the classic moment in baseball. You can learn more about "The Curse of the Bambino," World Series games from 1903-1999," "The youngest Major League ballplayer," and ""The House that Ruth Built."

This is the definitive story of baseball and is told in a way no other book has told the story before. This is a chronicle of baseball's greatest conquests and defeats, its triumphs, heartaches and joys.

~The Rebecca Review

for the baseball fan this is a must.great plays captured here in there full essence&texture.when you see or read the impact of these plays you think what was i doing? the images are forever timeless you feel like they were all yesterday.so much joy&emotion from seeing them.that's why this is AMerica's Greatest Game ever.it has it all&more.the game has forever changed but it's impact is History always in the making.a great book.

The strength of this book is found in the many detailed and interesting essays about the evolution of professional baseball over the last 100 years. The essays are emotionally highlighted by some of the best baseball photography you can hope to see. The book was done in cooperation with the Baseball Hall of Fame in conjunction with its 1997 photography show.

Clearly, many people will receive this book as a gift. I suggest it especially for youngsters who are developing their first interest in baseball. At that age, there is an insatiable thirst for knowledge that this wonderful volume can help to quench. Experienced fans will also enjoy receiving it, so keep it in mind for birthdays and occasions like Father's and Mother's Days.

The book is divided into five chapters:

1900-1919: A Sport . . . And A Scandal

1920-1941: The Home Run Saves the Game

1942-1960: The War and Post-War Period

1961-1974: Expansion

1975-1999: Today's Game

Each chapter begins with an essay about the entire period covered. Then the chapter highlights 20 events from that period. A brief summary begins each of the 100 events, followed by a detailed essay with numerous photographs. So you can quickly scan the book to find something that interests you (the index is good for finding your favorite players, teams, and events), and leave book marks on sections you want to return to.

The choice of subjects is varied and interesting. You get great moments in baseball (Babe Ruth "calling" his home run in the World Series, Bobbie Thompson's shot heard round the world, Roger Maris's 61st home run, and Nolan Ryan talking about his 7 no-hitters). In addition, you get historic moments like when Jackie Robinson first played for the Dodgers, the trading of Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees, the first night game, and the first World Series. Beyond that you get the serious challenges to the game such as the Black Sox scandal, the evaporation of attendance after television coverage started, and teams moving onto new cities. You also get the oddball events like Bill Veeck's continuous promotional activities (including a midget coming to bat), the New York Giants refusing to play in the 1904 World Series because the American League was made up of "minor league teams," and games being lost because of "bonehead" plays (like a baserunner failing to touch second base on a winning hit).

I also considered the book from the perspective of someone who has been a Dodger fan for 47 years. Every moment that I most cherished from that period is highlighted somewhere in this book.

One thing that surprised me was that I had no other books about baseball as a whole before acquiring this one. I wonder how I happened to miss this way of enjoying baseball? If you are like me, you too will be glad you have a chance to enjoy your memories and acquire new and interesting information about baseball. In my case, I was fascinated to see the baseball parks in Boston that preceded Fenway Park, that were used by the Red Sox and the Braves.

The depth of this book is impressive in many ways, as well. For example, if someone did something remarkable . . . like pitch the first perfect game, that section will also list the others who have duplicated the feat, who they played for, and who won the game. Some of the great players are covered in several ways. Babe Ruth is fully displayed as a Red Sox pitcher, then as a Yankee slugger. Seeing him age and gain weight make this seem almost like a biography of him. Several Yankees get similar treatment, like Mickey Mantle.

After you have finished enjoying the book, I suggest that you find other fans who can expand your knowledge about the players and events that interest you. You can use your new-found familiarity here to probe for better information. For example, what happened to old so-and-so after he retired? What was the greatest radio sportscast of a baseball game? In that way, this book can be the beginning of more fun with baseball, not the end.

I also suggest that you take up any chance you get to play some baseball (or softball if that is more available). It's good to exercise your body as well as your eyes with baseball!

It goes beyond talent. Stafford captures your heart as each shell he finds opens a new passage way for the reader to explore. Stories which cause us to question our beliefs, our thoughts of people, and our inner most feelings. I've read and reread this book and would highly recommend that you do as well.

Fifty years ago Anne Lindbergh inspired us by drawing analogies between found sea shells and the role of womanhood. Now, Richard Dobson Stafford has done the same for men. He reminds the reader that the world has changed for both men and women. This would make a great Father's Day gift. Wit and good sense! 50+ Magazine, Raleigh, North carolina

There is wit and good sense in what Stafford writes as he shares how his spirit was reawakened while examining his newly found shells. If there is one word to sum up this book it is "grace." This would make a splendid Father's Day gift, so forget agonizing over another tie or aftershave lotion. Women, too, will find the book to be compelling. A thought provoking book! It would make a good read for a book club. Mae Woods Bell- Rocky Mount Telegraph

This book offers a look into a man's life of whom we know nothing. It allows us to hear his life story through an interesting comparison of sea shells. This book is great for all ages, but especially good for moms and dads whose son(s) or daughter(s) is about to go to college. A definite "Must read" book for the whole family.

Looking for a new way of understanding your life? Beyond the Beach delivers a powerful message for every father, grandfather, and son. This is a wonderful companion piece for Anne Morrow Lindbergh's Gift from the Sea. A must for your summer reading...see you at the beach! Mike Fitsko, New Braunfels Herald New Braunfels, Texas

A MUST read! This information is powerful. It's our responsibility to take care of ourselves. This book gives us the information to educate ourselves about the prescription drug industry.
www.gianotti.usana.com
In good health!
Rose : )

This book was recommended to me by a nurse. I was having terrible side effects to cholesterol medication, and my doctor kept urging me to stay on it, despite the side effects. This book informed me that these side effects were nothing to mess with, and could cause serious harm to my liver and kidneys. I just hope I didn't find out too late. I use people to use this, when a doctor gives you a new drug, or one that doesn't agree with you. I really believe if I hadn't stopped the zocor when I did, I'd be dead.

This is an important book for anyone who takes prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs or herbals. The first part examines the relationship between drug companies and the FDA, which has changed significantly since the early 1990's. Much of the funding for new drug review now comes from the drug manufacturers. The approval process is faster and testing time shorter. The author details how the public increasingly plays a role in "testing" in the form of "post-marketing surveillance" and that the adverse drug reactions encountered are under reported. Marketing includes massive distribution of "free sample" to physicians, many of whom may not be familiar with precautions -- and hence do not alert patients to warning signs and symptoms. Also, advertising of prescription medications has increased greatly in the last few years, which has greatly increased drug use and pressure on physicians to prescribe medications.
Other sections of the books discuss similar concerns with nonprescription medications (many of which recently required prescriptions) and with herbal medications.
The book is "spiced" with case histories that are real page turners. The author has done a real service to the public by describing the scope of the adverse drug reaction problem (#3 killer), and by describing several of the reasons why this has become such an overwhelming concern.
This review is written from the perspective of someone who has been in nursing for over 20 years and who has seen lots of people on lots of medications. The author, a physician, is not suggesting that people stop taking medications that may be important to their health. But he provides guidelines and tools to help individuals evaluate what they need, including the use of a pharmacist and internet resources.

When you go to your Doctor, one of three things are for sure. To treat your illness you will either be drugged, or cut, or hospitalized. Never mind Doctors are the 3rd leading cause of death in America (As reported by JAMA) we put a lot of trust in these people.

Most drugs are hostile to the body, and have very negative side effects, and have little more than a placebo effect on what ever your illness happens to be. Akind to going to a doctor with a broken leg, and all he gives you for a treatment is a pair of crutches. This instead of getting to the cause of your hypertension, or diabetes, or heart disease. They throw a bunch of pills at you.

The FDA has the manufacturer's best interests in hand, that is keeping the billions of dollars the snake oil garners each year flowing, regardless of whether it kills you or not. The costs have been weighed, and the patient loses.

This book "Tells It Like It Is", and everyone who takes prescription pills on a regular basis needs to read this book for your own well being.

Billions of pills are swallowed every year in the U.S., and billions more are consumed worldwide. Yet, pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and physicians downplay the risk. Many consumers, oblivious to the real danger, risk their lives each and every day by taking 2, 3, 4, or more drugs with potentially deadly consequences.

If you're taking prescription drugs - you need to read this book. If you want a primer on the inner workings of the pharmaceutical marketing machine - this book is for you.

The author's compare and contrast the role of the FDA before the 1990's and the 1990's & beyond. Before the 90's the FDA / Pharmaceutical industry relationship was adversarial, with drug safety dictating long, tedious clinical testing. In 1992, the world changed with the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). Then in 1997, the Food & Drug Modernization Act (FDAMA) really blasted open the doors for the pharmaceutical industry. FDAMA allowed actively promoting off-label drug use and fast-tracking of trials.

Death by Prescription also breaks down the inner workings of the pharmaceutical marketing machine, whereby medical knowledge was hijacked by the pharmaceutical (and medical device) manufacturers. Statistics are skewed by blinding people through relative risk as opposed to the real picture shown by absolute risk.

Death by Prescription is an absolute page turner, peppered with case histories and heart-retching stories that blow apart the industry's efforts to conceal the real dangers posed by drugs.

Opportunity is in the air. Pharmaceuticals are facing huge uphill battles as they confront dwindling drug pipelines, devastating lawsuits, and are struggling to cope with the dawn of genetic medicine which will destroy mass-markets.

---------------------
Michael Davis - Editor, Byvation

With terrifying grace and measured telling, Derick Burleson brings us what none of us, despite the news, could know from the Rwandan genocide--how "the cows of the dead are counted," how "mourners shave their heads and keen," how "the only water she found/ was a puddle in a thorn tree's hollow stump./ It didn't quench her thirst./ It was lion piss." Understatement and restraint bring this book into its power as a necessary book to set beside the other volumes that have brought us poems concerning the most severe atrocities of our time. Like Reznikoff's "Holocaust" with its ferocious accuracy and detail, Burleson take us into the landscape of a human life, a human face, and shows how, by our own hands, it suffers. A hard, true book.

Derik Burleson's brave and terrifying book about genocide in Rwanda broke my heart.As a PCV in the seventies, I knew many of the places he loved, Lake Kivu, Virunga National Park, and the touristy visit to the gorillas who seemed bored with pounding their chests. Burleson's poems remind this reader of the pain of growing to love a country, then seeing its people destroyed in a bloodbath. Worse yet, destroying one another. One tribe played off against another, thanks to the Belgians and their colonial preference for the Tutsis' aquiline features. His use of imagery seems to draw all of nature into the violence,"the pale and carniiverous orchids," the chameleon's tongue "like a bullwhip," "the thin-featured woman/who sold bright fruit door to door,"--now gone. And everywhere men "fingering their machetes" and bloated bodies in the lakes and rivers. Burleson's use of African folktale, as in the woman who can turn herself into a hyena("Nyavirezi"), is charged with premonitions of what is to come. Most powerful of all for this reader were the Remera poems, written from an African point of view, and recounting sorrow after sorrow. Burleson draws on every poem he ever read, and every moment he spent in Africa, and maybe every experience he had as a human being to write this book and help us to understand what happened, and how it happened.

Burleson's poems keep pulling me back with thier elegance, their depth of vision and their travels through human existence. I am thankful that he has the courage to write these poems.

This is a strong book of poems. It is particularly interesting to me as a linguist. Remera's poems echo the origins of language in a fascinating way. Burlesson is on to something fundamentally human with this work. These are images that CNN never brought to us.

Burleson uses language - standard and idiomatic English with occasional lapses into French and Kinyarwandan - as a painter manipulates color; blending and texturing until you can see and feel and taste his Rawandan experience. His mature voice and steady hand cast him as an expert witness to life before, during and after the massacre. I have not often experienced so deep an emotion divorced from experience. Ejo defines that phenomenon.

This uniquely humanist play is brilliantly argued and sensitively written. It takes place in an imaginary land where Marxist principals are dominant. The authors language is not spoken there and the sense of isolation and alienation is palpable throughout. However it is a play of revelations and relative values. It's about us and them, the rich and the poor, the have and the have nots, the chambermaids and the hotel enjoying luxury seeking, book reading ruling classes. It's really about where conscience begins and responsibility ends. Shawns highly articulate language never talks down to us and never leaves us in any doubt about our debt to the developing world. Never has a play made me feel so compelled to do all I can on an individual level to live a good and decent life. The irony is, and this is his skill as a dramatist and political analyst, even this is not enough. We are so steeped in blood as to be all to blame for the suffering and pain involved in the cost of putting even the most basic of things like a cup of coffee on our table.

Shawn holds a special place in American theater as a parlor artist for friends and family whose talents have made him a star. He does staged readings of his new work at Lincoln Center with Meryl Streep and the like. Hyper elitism. Still, his talent is there and it is unlikely to go global any time soon. "The Fever" is an interesting distillation of some of his concerns as a playwright. One is his moral concern for the relationship between wealth and our dependence not on oil but on poverty to sustain our lifestyles. Another is our belief that we are better than that other group of people who don't care as much as we do. In other words, we not only don't do anything, but we feel smugly satisfied in our belief that caring is a form of action. Finally, he indicts liberals in particular for suffocating all serious discussion out of our guilt and shame, so that nothing ever happens. He writes in a high-pitched, feverish style and possibly makes his point, although I couldn't say he is overly optimistic, knowing as he does that only the rich can afford his kind of theater.

I have just finished The Fever. I feel guilt, and awe. I am smitten by the images of wealth I know and images of suffering and poverty I know. What are these sights? Has my original reaction, when I first saw them changed? Do I know how life works? Where are my ideals?
This is a silent walk out of the theatre. That is, assuming I ever saw The Fever performed. Knowing Wallace Shawn as an actor I figure a flurry of humorous and bizarre moments would sustain my attention, because of his distinct personality, whether they were called for or not. But then a weight of truth and alienation. The Fever is not funny. But it is vividly alive, and if you think everything is okay, then it is dead. With The Fever, nothing is okay.
A necessary piece of moving socio-political theatre.

As an actor, I heard about The Fever while reading a diary by playwright David Hare, about his writing and performing a one man show. He kept mentioning Wallace Shawn's work, including The Fever, so I bought a copy, as I am very interested in one man shows, which this book is. From the opening paragraph, all the way through, this is one of the most emotionally searing pieces of theatre that I have ever read. I have read the opening few pages to a teen drama team that I coach and they had never heard anything like it. It's not what you normally read in high school English class. I showed it to a woman who is a Christian counsellor, someone who resonates with emotional pieces and she was very moved. I found this one man play so powerful, that I have decided that I want to perform it in the future--I have started memorizing it. The Fever is so well written, it's full of material for an actor to want to perform, it's a very strong example of the quality of writing any actor wishing to write and perform a one man show should look up to. It is a gut wrenching story, a powerful piece of social theatre. I recommend it for all actors and playwrights if you haven't read it. And it gives you plenty of things to think about as you interact with other people all over the world.

Author Wallace Shawn wrote "This piece was originally written with the idea in mind that it could be performed in homes and apartments, for groups of ten or twelve".

This provacative, creative and revelatory monologue is based on several periods of participant observation by the author in Central America. He witnessed much suffering as a result of poverty and oppression. But after his return to the States, he had difficulty describing his emotional reactions to his Central American experiences. Hence, he wrote this play as a vehicle to get across the felt environment as opposed to a sanitizing description-by-words. And it works.

The narrator of Shawn's monologue is a Yankee traveling in a third world country who becomes violently ill and nearly incapacitated on the floor of his hotel room's bathroom. From the view of his bathroom floor, he recounts his privileged life and his eventual realization that his standard of living is maintained at the expense of others less fortunate than him. The narrator narrates that "We need the poor. Without the poor to get the fruit off the trees, to tend the excrement under the ground, to bathe our babies on the day they're born, we couldn't exist. If the poor were not poor, if the poor were paid the way we're paid, we couldn't afford to buy an apple, a shirt, we couldn't afford to take a trip, to spend a night at an inn in a nearby town". Certainly an Amishman, Mennonite or other farmer might feel that Shawn has gotten carried away in his delirium because most farmers are thankful that city people can't be bothered with growing their own food.

In conclusion, the reader (or listener) is left feeling that poverty and oppression is not merely unjust, but is bothered if he or she does not to do something about it. An intriguing dramatic method to promote social action.