Death Books

This game is the BEST. It is a lot of fun for all ages. It makes car rides much more interesting and fun. I would recommend this to anyone that likes to lighten it up once and a while.

This game is awesome! It makes the time fly by for our ADHD son. The whole family gets involved. After a long trip, we find ourselves still looking for items for a few weeks after we are home. Sometimes we let him make up the rules of the game.

This was definately a good purchase. My 9 year old twin girls loved it. The game challenges you to find certain road signs, types of cars, ect while on your road trip. The best part are the cards that ask you to get the attention of another car near you. The object being to wave or do some other instruction and get the other car to acknowledge you. It was a good time and did make the trip go that much quicker. It's great just to leave in the car even when you are on short trips.

Rubberneckers is a great game to keep in the car for longer rides. The cards tell you to look for various things - types of signs, license plates, cars, businesses and restaurants, etc.. Wave at someone in another car and see if they wave back at you, see if you spot a police car that has pulled someone over. You score points based on what you find. Our nine- and eleven-year olds love it!

My son (9 years) and I (don't ask) just got back from a road trip. Twenty-six hours of driving over ten days. We played this game until the last eight hours - then we switched to a book on tape (we were real tired by then). Anyway, it kept us entertained for the first 18 hours. Although the driver is not supposed to play (because some of the challenges require you to interact with other drivers), I could still join in the fun (by waiting until we were at a stop light, etc...). Most of the challenges were finding things such as a dog in the car, a person on a bike, a college decal, and even someone picking their nose. Combine this with the Ultimate Sticker Puzzles: License Plates Across the States: Travel Puzzles and Games! (Ultimate Sticker Puzzles) and you're good to go!

This book continues, along with An Adopted Woman, Twice Born and other titles the ever-thrilling story of a birth mother's reunion with the child she was forced to give up as an infant because she was unmarried and underage, usually from the 1940s, 1950s,or 1960s. Looking back on this practice it seems so cruel to both the mother and the child. I was wondering what becomes of these young pregnant girls today, and it hit me: abortion. How very sad in a totally different way. Society has its ways, often brutal when looked at from a distance, even a very short distance. Both ways of dealing with unexpected/unwanted pregnancies are obviously devastating to the mother, but at least adoption affords an opportunity to become acquainted with the child who was given up. In this story, the author has a rocky few years as we all do in one way or another, but always has the love of her children, and always has the hope of finding her baby. When she finally does, it is very exciting to read of the thrill the mother feels and of the slow awareness of the found child, now a grown woman who had never had any plan to seek out her birth mother. While being excited for Susan, the mother, my heart went out to Joanne whose entire life was instantly changed by this meeting. She was a married woman with a job, friends, and a loving family. Now, she was justifiably afraid of this woman entering her life, claiming to be her birth mother, who was pitting her entire happiness on Joanne's returning her love. Susan never quite goes over the line relative to stalking or smothering or demanding love, but she gets close. In any case, it is a very satisfying book and it is nice to read about such nice people who can have such a happy conclusion to a heart-breaking (for the mother) beginning.

I just LOVED this book! I can't say enough about it. I am an adoptee and it was really great to hear a birthmother's perspective. She told an honest, heartwarming story that flowed well and was easy to read. I couldn't put this one down!!! Grab your box of tissue, warm blanket & enjoy!!! It was EXCELLENT!

I very much enjoyed reading this "fantastic" read! I have been in the adoption searching business for over 13 years now and this is one of THE best adoption search stories ever - not kidding. The way Susan expressed herself and that oof her family members shows such genuine love and affection, considering what she had to go through.

Jan Bowyer

I attended High School with Susan Mello Souza but we were never friends. I knew who she was, but always considered her to be one of the "popular" girls and she always seemed to just be bursting with confidence... little did I know. I reconnected with Susan just this past year as I was surfing the net doing genealogy ... our last names were the same and that is how it came to be that I found a former classmate. After I read about the loss of her daughter, Jackie online and the story of her being pregnant in High School and giving that daughter up I contacted her via e-mail. She was very gracious and we e-mailed back and forth several times and I ordered a copy of her book.
The story is very well written and for me personally it showed me the "other side" of the adoption story. You see, while Susan was struggling with giving a baby up I had my own personal struggle. My parents were getting a divorce and I decided to give up my Dad and allow a step-father to adopt me. Like Susan this decision would haunt me for many years.
I thank God that I too had the chutzpah to correct a decision that was in may ways made for me and I was reunited with my Dad.
After reading Susan's book I came to realize how much pain I had inflicted on my own Dad.
Susan lost not one but two daughters in her life and you feel her pain, but also know that hope is what carried her through the dark days. This book I believe will inspire not only those birth mothers still looking for their child, but also those who may have given up on people that loved them.

When reading Susans and Joannes book...It brought me to a place I once was. As I shared Susan's life, her love, loss, reunion. I felt as though I was there. Sharing, hurting, caring. It really IS a MUST read. Whether you are a part of the adoption community or not. If you are...it helps the healing process. If you are not..you will learn we are not horrible. Just loving mothers searching for our lost children.

Michael Vines pulls you into the story, and doesn't let go, ever!! The unpredictable twists and turns capture your imagination and challenge your own belief system. This book will evoke your emotions and connect you with the main character like never before. The best part about this book was that I didn't have to work for it. Easy reading at it's finest!! I would highly recommend Theophany, and I anxiously await Mr. Vines' next book.

I read too much. I sleep poorly so I read, and I read so much I often feel I have read it all. I abandon most books long before I am finished because my attention has wandered elsewhere. When I do bother to finish a book, I seldom remember it. But I do remember Theophany, and Theophany still bothers ME! You don't forgot Theophany.

I literally read Theophany in one (very, very long) sitting because I just couldn't nail it. It was extremely interesting but it kept me totally off balance through the the entire experience. It is a rollercoaster ride of emotions toward the characters, from a fascinated adoration of Sarah, the heroine (an awkward, inadequate term here) and her family, to an intense hatred of the villain, whom I will let you meet for yourself. Michael Vines, the author, ignores the usual limits by allowing things to happen to his characters that just aren't allowed to happen elsewhere. The plot never goes where expected and the ending is not what you allow yourself to anticipate. One thing you cannot do while reading this book is relax. Or forget it after. I will be rereading it some day so I am keeping my copy. I strongly recommend it, but you will have to buy your own.

Michael has touched my heart with his story line and characters to complete the story. I'm a firm believer that we here on earth ARE fighting good vs evil everyday and "Theophany" develops that beyond what we "see"...it actually could be TRUE!! I would highly recommend this to anyone with a belief in God (or their version of a higher being) and a heart.

Theophany is a riveting book that takes a basic tenet of Christian belief, that God will return to take care of His flock, and turns it on its head. The reader follows the heroine of the story as she answers the call of God and is in turn fair game for the forces of evil. Author Vines creates a story that is both at once good reading and great entertainment. Filled with twists and turns, the reader is left wondering what the final scenario will be...just which side is the side that will win..and what side the sides actually are!

The book, Theophany (The life and death of a girl prophet), by Mike Vines is nothing shy of amazing! Vines' style, and use of language allures and captures the reader taking them right into the heart of this book. Mike Vines has a way of writing that endears you to each of the characters while he intertwines spiritual truth's with the human psyche.

Savor this book with a hot cup of tea and a soft blanket for it will surely warm the heart and soul of the reader.

My hat's off to Michael Vines who proves through this book that he is a completely gifted writer.

This book is well written and easy to read and understand. The literary quality is not lost in the scientific terminology. A must read prior to a trip to the tropics. A good written explanation of why we should save the tropical forests.

I just loved this book. I have always been fascinated by tropical forests, and this book did a great job of presenting lots of factual information about them and at the same time giving a really good feeling for the aesthetic pleasure of being in one. Forsyth and Miyata are excellent writers, among the best pop science writers I've come across.

I just wish I had read this book before before or during my recent Costa Rica vacation. it would have made it all that much more enjoyable.

It's much more readable than a textbook but still provides a lot of detail. It's probably an excellent way to actually gain some understanding of tropical nature, and the many types of inter-relationships. I'm a biologist by training, but knowing nothing about tropical nature I wanted to learn about it before going on a tour in Panama & Costa Rica. It's easy to read a chapter at a time. I recommend it if you're really interested in nature or if you're going there or been there.

I first read this book when I was on a jungle trek in Ecuador - it was available in our lodge. This book perfectly reflected our experience of life and death of the rain forest. It's an essential first read for someone who wants to truly understand the basic concepts of the rain forest. I happily read it over again whenever I return to the rain forest whether it's in Borneo, Peru or Costa Rica.

Still in print and selling well 23 years after its first publication, this is a classic book about the beauty and importance of rain forests and their many inhabitants, both plant and animal. I read this book for an undergraduate class that included a trip to Costa Rica. It's an interesting blend of history, organismal biology, and plea for conservation. It also contains practical information about how to hike around in a rain forest. Overall, a very pleasant read told in a conversational manner. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

I own this book, my sister gave me this book after the death of my son who passed at 18 1/2 weeks. Some of the topics don't pertain to my situation, but the overall book is a blessing. What a wonderful idea. I know when I am old and there are certain things I can't remember I can go back and read my journal and will be able to smile. It is also great to know that someday, my other children will be able to read about their brother and read about memories they don't have or can't remember. This is so great to give as a gift as well. Beautifully done!

Having lost my husband recently I was drawn to the idea of Angel Catcher. I purchased three of the journals, one for myself and one for each of our children, who are adults and live away from home.
I plan to purchase the books to give to family and friends who lose a loved one in lieu of flowers or other forms of expressions of sympathy.

I only have one problem with the journal. I am 62 years old and don't see as well as I used to. The print is so small and light in color that I cannot see unless I use a magnifying glass in addition to glasses to see it. I have had others look at it and they have to strain to see the print also. I hope this can be improved in future editions.

Susan McCarthy

this is an excellent book for anyone who has had a loss. I run a support group and highly recommend this book to help work through the hard times experienced through grief.

One of my friends gave me this journal after the death of my father in 1998. It has helped me "cleanse my soul" of the grief and heartache and pain of losing someone who your world revolves around. It has helped me so much so, that I have purchased large quantities of these journals to give to people as my own personal ministry to them. Somehow the "giving" of these journals makes my father's death a little easier to live with - in fact almost 6 years later - it still does. There are days I just go back to read the things I wrote and am conforted by my progress in healing and hope others I have given them to along the way are as well.

The greatest thing about this journal are the open ended questions and statements for you to fill in with whatever your feeling and thoughts are right then. And it leaves enough room for you to come back later and write more - it gives you a look over time of how you WERE feeling versus how you ARE feeling. The REALNESS of this journal is what draws me to it. Personally though, I hope you never need it.

A few weeks after my mom died, I ordered this book. I reviewed it in the book store and decided it was a fit for my loss and mourning process.

It has been a great source of comfort and relief for me. When I write in the journal, the words just flow and the pages fill; sometimes I continue writing on subsequent pages. Not all of the headings/topics fit the subject or reflection I am writing, but I find a fitting topic and the words flow.

Since her death, this journal has helped me through the entire year to express my inner feelings. At first I would cry a little after competing a segment. Now, it's a comfort and like a friend to go to--a solace away--hidden garden away from the world who doesn't have time or the empathy to hear my inner thoughts (I wouldn't share these thoughts or reflcetions with just anyone). They are private reflections and thougts for the book, my mom, and myself. The results: I am free to live, love, and be myself again.

If I had the time, I could sit and write in this book for hours. I am a believer in journaling and I have written on a professioanl basis.

i bought this book when it first came out, but just read it a couple of months ago. this is a really good book. i felt it was a page turner. it was well written and the story had a nice flow to it.

This was the best book I have read in a while. C-Murder is a great writer and I am looking forward to more. I have a 15 year old cousin that is captivated by the street life and I will be purchasing another book for him to read.

This book was interesting but at first a little confusing since I thought the book was about C-Murder. This book goes into the life of a boy playing a man's game in a grown up world. I found myself wanting to know what was
going to happen with the character in the book. I find that I would recommend this book to my friends. It's a must read.

A Letter to My Sisters: The Way Out
I must say I was very reluctant to read this book when it was suggested by my book club president. I was surprised at the content and life lessons shown. I had difficulty wading through the language, but I was not so narrow minded that I failed to see that there was dissapointment, intrigue, love, family failures and many societal failures taking place in the life of the characters.I realize that obcenity and profanity are very prevalent in the life of certain segments of society. I so much wanted the influence of the grandmother to dominate more, but that didn't happen. There was definitely a battle between evil and good taking place. I felt Daquan's pain as he attempted to struggle with the issues life threw at him. The book came to an inevitable end.

In an instant, young Daquan Watson's world was turned upside down. One act of violence has shattered the family life he once knew. Now living with Grandma Mama in The Calliope Projects, Third Ward, a notorious, drug-infested housing projects, it's just a matter of time before the lure of the streets is too much to resist. With death around every corner, will Daquan escape?

And with that, DEATH AROUND THE CORNER heads off into a violent, complicated, gritty and fascinating storyline. Books about the hood appear in a steady flow today and the flow just seems to continue to increase. However, quantity does not make up for quality. DEATH AROUND THE CORNER beats the odds. C-Murder's gripping account of one young man's experiences adds immeasurably to one's understanding of the challenges faced by many of our black youth. Its setting is rich in local color and local characters. DEATH AROUND THE CORNER proves to be exciting, with a jaw-dropping climax. Multi-platinum rapper C-Murder takes a gamble and wins, so does the reader. Maybe he can do for New Orleans literary what his brother Master P has done for New Orleans ' rap scene. Highly recommend. Looking forward to Tru Publishing.

Reviewed by: Toni

I cannot begin to describe how much I love Weis and Hickman's writing - while I will be first to admit that, on a most basic level, Martin, Jordan and Tolkien definitely outshine them in certain areas, I find Weis' work to be more readable on a base level. I -enjoy- reading her work. At times Martin can become a pure chore, and Jordan's dangling plot threads are a monstrous beast of their own - he even spent an entire, HUGE book going over the happenings of a 24 or 48 hour period. It was disgusting. And Tolkien was amazing, but he's unrefined iron in the face of good steel - he was great for his day and age, and is still great - but these authors have learned from their predecessor's mistakes.

I often see people ranting about Zifnab, and his seemingly out of place remarks and references to the past. While I'm not quite convinced Zifnab IS god, I would deeply believe that he is a very, very old Sartan, perhaps one of the first to be born/imbued with their power after the nuclear war that ended what we know of as contemporary society. Zifnab was undoubtedly one of the first Sartan to challenge the Council, because they found the omniscient being their leaders wanted to deny. When you're thousands of years old, probably living only because the Higher Power wills it, you're allowed to be insane, you're allowed to see the nature and pattern of the Wave, and work to correct it - and you're allowed to make references to the ancient past, like to George Lucas (and the Raistlin remarks just get a chuckle every time!).

An amazing writer, Weis will always be in my top five. Forever and always. I hear the words 'cliche' and 'regurgitated' thrown about in reference to her work - so what if they all follow the same staple characters? I find it makes the books more readable in a leisure sense. The first time I read this series, I started on Book 2, read book 5, book 6, Book 7, then went back and read them all. Years later, I've come back and am rereading them, all over again - and am greatly enjoying myself.

No, there is no doubt in my mind - Weis and Hickman will forever go down as some of the best fantasy authors of our time, even if people wish to deny it.

The finest series this side of Dragonlance Chronicles. However hey never gave the series much credibility and for that I wish they had. Deathgate has the best character development, best storyline and a great mixture of comedy and interaction from other worlds, Got to love Wiess and Hickman. Highly Recomended.

This series like all the works of Wies&Hickman are outstanding. They show a great deal of the characters thought procession. The magic is also ingenious and aslmost entirely different than the magic of Dragonlance. After reading all the Dragonlance Chronicles I was reluctant and wary of many of Fantasy Series, though this one was amzing.

I've read the entire Death Gate Cycle and it was great. The system of magic is complex and powerful. The characters are very well written. Not much else to say except you need to READ THESE BOOKS.

Let me first state that this was the first 'series' of books I've read. Now, on with the review: This really was a great collection of books...too good, in fact. I read them twice just to feel the emotion from them. I was unfamiliar with the works of Weis and Hickman. But, I bought them at my library for 10 cents a piece so I couldn't resist them. I blazed through them; the plot grew with my favoring of the books. The last page was turned a few months later, while propped up in bed. I closed the book, and smiled. No works in literature would ever touch this series...ever. I pondered on the books for a while longer, thinking about the characters, climax (which I never saw coming). And thought the authors deserved a five minute hug and large sums of money to compensate for the sheer greatness of these books. And if you find them for 70 cents altogether, take it.

The day I got this book i couldn't put it down. It was very interesting and had a great history of the science of finding time of death. It's a great intro book if this is something you like to read about. Great book, can't wait to read her other book! Read this book and I promise you will enjoy it.

Not for those with weak stomachs, but great for those with any interest in death investigations. Pin pointing time since death has always been a thorn in the side of many a prosecuter. This book gives a very nice detailed history of how we started trying to determine T.O.D to where we are now. I recommend this book to anyone in the field of forensic science or with a interest in criminal justice and death investigation.

If you want to know the latest in the field of forensic sciences, this is your book. Sachs follows the roving eye of those scientists who, most seemingly accidentally, get roped into murder investigations where time of death determines everything: from the indentity of the victim to that of the killer. The liquid in the eyeball, bones, fatty acids, maggots, weeds, germs and pigs all come in to play. More entertaining than CSI and Kay Scarpetta put together.

I couldn't put this book down. It is a must read for anyone interested in science, death, anatomy, or just the bizarre aspects of decomposition! Really interesting stuff in here and the writer is at turns witty, serious, and altogether a prolific story-teller. A definite favorite in my own collection of books to read and re-read. GREAT!

Learning the time of death is crucial in many cases of unnatural death, yet it's still not an exact science. Jessica Snyder Sachs handles the grisly topic with confidence and a conversational tone. The book takes you through the history of determining time of death and then details the recent and current science of it without once slipping into dry academic style or overwrought drama. She uses many anecdotes that bring the topic to life (if you will excuse the expression), and her word sketches of the scientists involved shows the human side of science. Sachs is an accomplished science writer, and it shows. The book is fascinating, not for the faint of stomach but not deliberately grisly either. It's an excellent, readable work, one you'll find hard to put down.

I met Ms. Sachs last year, and interviewed her for a review of the book on another website. We sat in her back yard, talking about death and writing. She is gracious and knowledgeable in person, and her personable manner comes through in the book. As someone who has studied criminal justice in various forms for over 20 years, I highly recommend it.

I enjoyed this book. It reminded me a lot of "Grey's Anatomy" only it takes place in the early 1970's so it's interesting to see how many things have changed since then (women in the surgical field, major technology differences, etc.) Good character development, I felt like I really knew the characters by the end of the book. Sequel! Sequel!

The struggles, challenges, and rewards of being a medical intern are realistically and graphically portrayed in Pierce Scranton's "Learning Curve". The vivid accounts of medical conditions and procedures described in the book are offset by the constant reminders that doctors are, after all, human! The downside of that humanness is that medical mistakes can and are made, resulting in adverse affects on patients...sometimes in death. The upside of the humanness of doctors is that most of them really do CARE deeply about healing their patients, and they work so very hard toward that end.

The author has given us a very honest and insightful account of the everyday high drama that surrounds our physicians as they practice and learn how to blend their professional skills and knowledge with their humanness and love and respect for life.

Thank God for duck hunting!

I read Death On the Learning Curve while recovering from ankle surgery and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, someday in the future, I plan on reading it again! It was a hard book to put down and I couldn't wait to see the outcome of the medical drama. I now understand how hard it is for interns to make decisions that could cost another's life. While reading this book, I often gasped, laughed, and got teary eyed. You won't be disappointed if you invest your money and time into this book.

This review was written by Linda Gardner.

A really excellent book for anyone interested in the medical field. A true insight into doctors in training.

Dr. Scranton's book is a candid and realistic portrait of internship in the 1970's. Although some things have changed, many more things have remained the same. His attention to details makes this story very real and delightfully entertaining. This is a wonderful read for anyone in the medical profession, but medical knowledge is certainly not needed to follow the story line and thoroughly enjoy.

This book is a great book on the history of prions. Max easily illustrates how prions are connected to other important diseases such as alzheimers and diabetes. He flawlessly goes from past to present, connecting the two times with the venetian family who has a defective prion gene. It is really amazing that prions don't affect more people. It is also a wake up call for the beef industry in America.

This is a fascinating medical 'thriller', only it's real! it was nearly impossible to stop listening to it and i think anyone who likes medical thrillers or anything related to the medical field, would love this.
The book focuses on prions and their role in disease, especially 'mad cow disease'.

This is a very scary book. The Family that Couldn't Sleep by D. T. Maxd was a very thought provoking study of some of the neurodegenerative diseases that have eluded our understanding. Most of those that the author mentions are truly horrific to the individual who suffers them and to their families. I started my nursing practice on a neurology ward where I encountered many of the maladies the author describes. What was particularly disturbing to me was that years later many of these insidious diseases are as little understood as they were when I first encountered them. The sufferer of ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis--often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease" after the baseball player who died from it--still finds medical science unable to offer much more than they did when it was first described. Huntington's Disease still devastates families that carry the genetic misprint. While the treatment of myasthenia gravis has progressed to some degree, that of Alzheimer's disease (the old organic brain syndrome or pre-senile dementia) and Creutzfeld-Jacab Disease (formerly referred to as Jacob-Creutzfeld's) are still in their infancy. The similarity between the latter disorder and Kuru has been known for years, but understanding and treatment elude us. According to the author, even the prion concept has its detractors. If nothing else the author was certainly able to capture the devastation that such disorders cause their sufferers and their families. In my early practice I met a man who came in with mild neurological symptoms; he received a diagnosis of Huntington's, and within months he became a changed person because of the unrelenting course of his disease. He ultimately ended up in a nursing home, more or less "insane." Worse yet was the fact that both of his children had a 50-50 chance of having the disorder or of passing the disposition on to their own children. The heartbreak of his wife in witnessing his decline and than recognizing the symptoms anew in her son was awful.

By bringing these disorders and the agonies of the sufferers to public attention Max may well spur more intensive research into these many disorders. And it's about time.

This book does a lot to clear up the story of prions, what they are, what they do, how their threat is real. The Italian family who gives the story its title is but one instance of prions affecting human and animal life. The research is impeccable, and particularly interesting is the process by which medical and veterinary sciences came together to begin unraveling the prion mystery. Because, to be accurate, documentation on how livestock has been affected by prion disease had been, until recently, far more complete and detailed than human prion disease.

The author tells the story unemotionally, which is good, but the reading is far from arid or too technical. The human factor -- how scientists competed for the credit, sometimes damaging other professionals' reputations and careers -- makes it even more interesting. All this makes "The Family That Couldn't Sleep" a fundamental work for anyone who wants to understand these proteins better, and also for people curious about the inner workings of scientific research.

You may find yourself staying up all night to finish this fascinating book. Just be glad you don't share the wrong genes with the family of the title.

This account of prion-based spongiform encephelopathic diseases covers a lot of ground: the Italian family of the title suffering from FFI (fatal familial insomnia), the mysterious epidemic of kuru among the Fore tribe of New Guinea, eventually linked to the practice of eating their dead ancestors' brains, the rare genetically transmitted Creuzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD), various animal spongiform encephelopathies, from scrapie in sheep to mad cow disease to chronic wasting disease in deer. All of these diseases share a common feature - they are transmitted by an infectious agent of a kind thought until recently by scientists to be impossible, and the incubation time from infection to manifestation of disease symptoms is remarkably long. The culprits are *prions*, which are a type of rogue protein. The idea that a protein could act as an infectious agent flew completely in the face of scientific received wisdom to date when first introduced and the science underlying this class of degenerative brain diseases is both complex and controversial.

The author's exposition is clear, but ultimately I think he does not do complete justice to the material (which is really fascinating). It may be that his scope is too ambitious - with so much ground to cover, the exposition occasionally lapses into sketchiness. To be fair, there can be no single "right" level of detail that would suit all readers, and D.T. Max generally shows good judgement about what to include to keep the exposition intelligible while moving his story along.

That said, the material related to kuru, cannibalism among the Fore, and the linkage to scrapie, CJD, and mad cow disease has already been presented in the 1998 book by Richard Rhodes, "Deadly Feasts: Tracking The Secrets Of A Terrifying New Plague". I preferred the Rhodes account - his exposition of the science was clearer, and I thought he told a better, tighter story.

However, there's not that much to choose between the two, and Max's book does have the extra material about FFI, which is interesting in its own right. Max does make one misjudgement, in my opinion, which is to include an account of his own illness (he has been diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease which, although it is a neurodegenerative muscular disorder, is neither prion-related nor an amyloid plaque disease). Inclusion of this essentially irrelevant material is a distraction, which just muddies the exposition.

One final criticism is that Max includes an unquestioning discussion of putative geographical "clusters" of CJD cases, based solely on their identification by patients' family members, whom he refers to as "Creutzfeldt Jakobins" (a hideous, tin-ear coinage, which he seems to think is clever). These so-called clusters are almost certainly spurious, based on an incorrect application of the relevant probability models and Max's failure to identify the error detracts from his objectivity as a science writer and contributes to a presentation of disease spread scenarios which are unduly alarmist. The discussion of possible treatment options in the final chapter also struck me as weak, an over-interpretation of what are essentially just anecdotal data. One sees this kind of over-interpretation all the time in the popular press, but I would have expected better from a science writer as experienced as D.T. Max.

However, these are minor criticisms of this well-written account of a fascinating subject.