B Books

People with epilepsy come up to me all the time at walks, in clinic, at events, and tell me that "Dr. Devinsky's book changed my life." So I read it, and it changed mine, too. I am now working for an epilepsy research study that Dr. Devinsky is leading called the Epilepsy Phenome/Genome Project, and my daughter is a participant. Together, we're working with Dr. Devinsky to try to make better diagnoses and improve treatment for people with seizures.

I'm sure some of our findings will be included in future editions of the book. Anyway, to sum up, an excellent book by an amazing physician, this book is written for people with no medical background. You definitely won't feel overwhelmed with scientific jargon; Dr. Devinsky breaks it down into ideas and terminology that is easy to understand. This book will also make you more effective if you must discuss your or a loved ones' epilepsy care with your physician.

This is a very informative book. I would recommend to both freinds and family members of Epilepsy patients.

I found this book very beneficial and loaded with many important facts and information for lay people to comprehend.

Great for patients/families with a new diagnosis of epilepsy or someone that has had epilepsy for many years.
Excellent handbook to have available.

This book offers a great overview of epilepsy. I found it up to date and informative. I would highly recommend it for anyone who is newly diagnosed or who has a family member diagnosed with epilepsy.

George Harvey Bone has a complicated mental disorder: he has schizophrenia, in which he has a split personality, which comes over him at unexpected times. George is deeply involved with the "Hangover Square" set of Earl's Court, London, where he's in love with the beautiful but dangerous Netta Longdon, who treats him despicably. Her whole set, George included, spend their days in idle dissipation, drinking and carousing all the time, as Europe teeters on the brink of the Second World War. But George has one mission: to kill Netta and her friend Peter.

What's so wonderful about this book is that Patrick Hamilton gets into George's head wonderfully, and he transitions back and forth between George's "moods" easily. Every time that George slides into his second personality, he finds himself forgetting his mission. The tension in this thriller (a word I ate to use because it conjures to my mind commercial fiction) arises from this: will he or won't he commit murder? Therefore, the ending of this book came as a complete, shocking surprise to me. Its easy to see why so many authors envy Hamilton's writing ability; this novel is a nearly perfect expose of lower-class London at the end of the 1930s and the effect of mental instability on one's actions. The travesty about this book is that it's poorly edited.

Hangover Square is centered around a group of young Brits drinking their way through 1939. It has a plot that slowly builds and eventually serves to expose the motives of all those involved. It recalls the tone created around drink in The Sun Also Rises but with deeper character development (and as far as drinking goes- these guys are right there with that infamous group).

At its core is the book's main character, George Harvey Bone. George is obsessed with Netta Longdon for reasons that, I must admit, are completely unclear to me as she is one of the coldest and calculating women imaginable. A true femme fetale, really. She keeps punishing George and the poor sap just keeps coming back for more. In the midst of all this George has bouts with schizophrenia and 'moods' that severely hamper him and ultimately cause him to plot his revenge on everyone that he perceives as ever having wronged him.

Lots of novels have been written around drink with young drunks at their core, but nothing I've read has gone quite this deep into the allures of inebriation. However what really elevates Hangover Square is the manner in which the subtle charms and peaceful bliss of sobriety are unearthed. One character sums it up by wondering if the hangover and the night before occurred in reverse chronology, would we even drink in the first place ? This inner calm of sobriety might be best exemplified by George's golf outing. It is an afternoon that proves to be both his escape from his mates and a confidence builder to be rewarded later by an 'in crowd', that opposed to his clique, actually possess some redeeming qualities. For the time being, he is validated.

I found Hangover Square in an odd way. I read a scathing review of a new novel by the book critic of The Atlantic wherein he blasted the new release that everyone else was raving about. His blanket negativity, in some weird way, fascinated me. So I looked into the guy and saw that he pretty much hated EVERYTHING. The web is a wonderful thing, so I took it on myself to find something- anything, that this critic found acceptable. Eventually I found something that he actually liked and it was Hangover Square, so I thought I'd read it. I am grateful that I did.

The journey is the reward here. 'Literary thriller' is an overused term, but here it is a very accurate description as plot, characterization and a life outlook all combine brilliantly. Patrick Hamilton's writing style is a direct one and a pleasure to read. The book grabbed me from the beginning. It covers all the bases and contains some wonderfully euphoric passages, but know that in the end it is a sad tale with a sad ending.

A great book - read it.

Patrick Hamilton's 1941 novel, Hangover Square, is confirmation that hangovers form the foundation of alcoholism. Palliation of symptoms is only a drink away. The main character, George Harvey Bone leads the reader into a world of drink-inflicted physical illness, and we understand it as a way of life for all the important characters. But, George has an additional illness, schizophrenia, that creates another world available only to him and to the reader. Hamilton's writing is seductive, and the reader accepts and wants to enter this second dimension. We want George to go beyond the hangover and "click" into his special psychotic state. It is in this state that George achieves a peace he cannot get any other way, safe from the chaos of hangover square and his obsession with Netta. Safety, however, is governed by evil, and readers are confronted with the peace of their own evil desires.

Hangover Square is a novel of physical and mental sickness that shows parallels with the so-called normal lives of readers. Hamilton's wonderful insight into the human comedy/tragedy makes this novel come to life even though, on the surface, readers do not feel that they have much in common with the characters. This insightful style is evident in another Hamilton novel, The Slaves of Solitude (1947). I predict that when readers enter George's two worlds, they will discover that they are only one drink and one click away from illness and madness.

Criminally unknown and unheralded stateside, this book ranks alongside Julian MacLaren-Ross' "Of Love & Hunger" as a 20th century classic and, on the evidence currently cluttering up the bookshops and Oprah's club, will probably remain an unchallenged classic throughout the 21st century.

Set on the eve of WWII, "Hangover Square" is the story of a seriously disturbed man, George Harvey Bone, who's fallen in with a bad crowd. Bone is a solitary gloomy man who lives in a hotel in Earl's Court, London. He has no family--except for an elderly aunt in Hunstanton. George doesn't work--instead he lives off of a modest nest egg and spends his days and nights hanging around a small-time actress, Netta, and her set of male admirers. George is obsessed with Netta, and although he originally impressed her with his ready ability to stand for rounds of drinks, now he's relegated to the status of lowly 'hanger-on.' He is one of "the class of men who desired her, who sought her favours, and to whom she intended to give no favours." He's tolerated--barely--for his money alone.

George is subject to 'moods.' When exposed to an unbearable level of emotional distress, his damaged personality copes by mental escape. He hears a "click" in his head, and then he 'wakes' up with another personality. Whereas George is normally quiet, gentle, and unassuming, his other secret self is cunning and violent. George is aware he 'blacks out' but has no memory of exactly what he does. Once he hears the 'click' he emerges into his other, fractured self, and he's momentarily confused until he finds his bearings: "it was as though he had dived into a swimming-bath and hit his head on the bottom, and was floating about, bewildered and inaudible to himself in hushed green depths."

Netta and her unpleasant friends constantly humiliate George, and in retaliation, during one of his moods, he plots her murder. Netta is blissfully unaware of this, and treats George abominably--using him to bolster her non-existent career. The novel tracks George's existence as he pathetically hopes for a crumb of attention from Netta and also records the episodes in which he flips from one personality to another. Patrick Hamilton's novel is atmospheric and tense as the story reveals George's boozy social world in the grimy smoke filled pubs of London. Netta is a fascinatingly bad yet strikingly beautiful character--a woman who is "sinisterly, devoid of all those qualities which her face and body externally proclaimed her to have--pensiveness, grace, warmth." "Hangover Square" is a gripping story of one man's descent into madness, and the act he deems necessary to gain escape from the unbearable torture of loving a woman who has no conscience. If you like the novels of Patrick Mcgrath, then you'll enjoy "Hangover Square" and its sad, lonely and ultimately complex protagonist. And if this Patrick Hamilton novel grabs your attention, I'd also recommend the DVD "The Charmer" which is based on Hamilton's novel "Mr. Stimpson and Mr. Gorse"--displacedhuman

Gene Zion's Harry books are all classics, including this one. I greatly appreciate clever stories for young children. The illustrations are good as well. Books like this should make every child a reader.

I read and loved all of the Harry books when I was a child. Harry is a delightful character- he's cute, full of personality, usually well-intentioned, and prone to getting into ridiculous situations. The illustrations are adorable, too. These books still make me laugh when I come across them as an adult! I'd recommend them for any child, whether they love reading or hate it.

There is something about continuing the tradition of reading the Harry Books to my grandchildren. They enjoy knowing that 'daddy' read these books when he was their age.

Harry gets into another of his adventures, this time turning into a seaweed monster at the beach. The illustrations are delightful and it's a fun read.

The "Harry" series by Zion and Graham remain monumental fixed images in the memories of my youth. I teach rhetoric in a Japanese university and stumbled upon these books in the children's reading section of our school's library. My seven-year-old daughter had fished "Harry by the Sea" out of one of the shelves and brought it to me. What a stroke of serendipity! In seeing the cover, I was immediately taken back to my youth. Wow! The story of Harry invited me so often to its pages that I can still remember all of the details. These books represent a brilliant blend of narrative and illustration. Graham's ability to capture the level of expression on the faces of the characters in pastels is amazing. Zion's introduction to simple, compound and complex sentences is a perfect primer for young readers. In their ability to arrest a young reader's attention, these works are easily on the level of Seuss's.

Life saving information is in this very well written book. I learned smokers can develop bladder cancer besides the norm such as heart disease. Get this book if you are past 40 and/or avoid seeing a doctor for checkups. There are many easy to read articles in this book which you may feel too embrassed to discuss with your doctor.

This book is packed with information on men's health. It covers everything from diet and exercise, through men's maladies (prostate, bladder and problems of the genitals). It covers everything in an easy-to-understand manner that includes many charts and diagrams. In particular I appreciated the section on exercise and stretching, and have revamped my exercise regimen based on this book. I am glad I got this book, and recommend it to all men.

My husband I found this book to be very informative. The material was presented in a lucid and engaging fashion. We found the chapters on diet, exercise, and prostate especially helpful.

This is an excellent medical reference book for men. The information is very well organized into three separate parts: 1) what makes men different, 2) what makes men healthy, and 3) men's main diseases, how to prevent them, test for them, and treat them. The book is quite long at 470 pages. But, it reads easily. And, it makes for an excellent medical reference to go back to when you want specific scientific information on various men's health topics.

The best part about the book is that it is based on extensive medical studies. The advice provided is the result of statistically significant conclusions derived from these studies. Thus, the objectivity, integrity, and intelligence derived from this book is so much greater than from any of the medical authors positioning themselves as the current diet or health care guru.

The book confirms the value of EFV. The ultimately healthy lifestyle consists of a lot of Exercise with a diet that includes lots of Fruits and Vegetables. These three factors (exercise, fruits, vegetables) appear to be universal protectors against all age related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Similarly, the high risk factors regardless of the health risk considered seemed to be always the same, including: smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, lots of saturated fats and trans fats in the diet.

The book has a ton of information besides the self-evident basics mentioned above. There are lots of tables, graphs, and summaries that make the information easy to retrieve. These include info on BMI, PSA test levels, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, recommended frequencies of screening tests, recommended dosage and toxic levels of vitamins and minerals, Glycemic index, life expectancy charts, and lots more interesting stuff.

With the medical knowledge derived from this book, you will be in a far better position to take care of your health and initiate a mutually productive dialogue with your general practitioners and specialists. The World is getting increasingly complex. Technology and science evolve rapidly. Nowhere does this increasing complexity have a greater impact than on healthcare. This book will help you understand your health, risk factors, relevant testing, and cures to be considered.

As we age, we will invariably be faced with some challenging options and decisions. This book is a great road map to help us out along the way. If you are well informed, it takes a lot of anxiety out of the equation. That takes care of a major health risk already [stress and anxiety]. This book is good for you!

Along the same line of excellent health related information, I also strongly recommend another great book from Harvard Health Publications: "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy" by Walter C. Willett. It is the best book on diet and nutrition I have ever read. And, that is also because it is based on scientific studies, and not on subjective opinions from egocentric blowhards.

I got the book to restore peace to my health club workouts. As my friends have turned 50, many have been asking "Dr. Joel" about prostate cancer. I'd be glad to answer, but it's not exactly my end of the body, since I'm a dentist. I read the two chapters on prostate cancer, but then I went back to read the rest of the book. I don't want to be an instant expert, but I now have a quick answer to all of the questions: read The Harvard Medical School Guide to Men's Health for yourself. It's really an excellent book.

Ironically, I picked this book up at the bargin bin in a St. Petersburg, Russia. Starting out in Oklahoma, it shows the progression from state college football, to OCS, through Ranger and Airborne training to the jungles of Vietnam. Two brothers, taking different paths through the Army.

The horrors of the Vietnam War come to life in this novel. You identify with the characters, and almost feel like you are with them. Being in the Army, this book scares me. What if it was me there? Could I be so courageous? Would I survive? It scares me to think about it.

I have read them all from Clancy to Brown and LtCol.(Ret) Scott is by far one of the best military writers to date. My father served in Vietnam and after he came back my mom said he was never the same and I always wondered what it was like, why men like my father and Col Scott, why they went when they were called knowing they might not return and those that did would be forever altered. I joined the infantry at 17 to see for myself and after serving in Panama and Somalia I understand. Col. Scott says it best in the books with way he connects you to the characters you come to realize they did it for the men to their left and their right, not so much for America, but the men who represent America. Sad to know that he won't be writing anymore books but the four vietnam books he wrote are some of the greatest military fiction ever written and in my opinion should be required reading for all young soldiers and leaders.

Leonard B. Scott writes another excellent book probably relating much of his own personal experience in Viet Nam. Again he sets up his main characters detailing what they left behind only to have everything they knew and understood here in the U.S. tested and in many instances left in some far off jungle in Viet Nam. Mr. Scott, though he was an officer, describes Army life among the enlisted troops with great clarity and understanding. He may be a Mustang (enlisted later becoming an

officer) whatever, I have enjoyed reading all of his Viet Nam Era Army books and would rate this one just as good as The Expendables. The vocabulary he uses is of that era and adds in his effort to recreate life back in the late 1960's. A Must Read if you like Scott's writings.

The way that Scott writes the story to the hill is extravagant. Not only do you see the one side perspective from the Brothers you also get to see it from the Vietnamese side. As one knows you need to know the two sides of the coin in order to get the real truth. This book like SCott's others is truly something else.

I find this book to be a great source and guide which covers many topics in a concise and helpful way. My husband and myself just started teaching recently and use this book along with other resources when we are preparing lessons. We have Bible software with resources such as commentaries, dictionaries, etc. and quite a few other written source books, but find this book helpful as a quick guide to clarify a question we might have. D.Curran

This book is an excellent and simple resource for knowing what you believe and why you believe it.

This is the best and most interesting book on Christian Apologetics I have ever seen. It is clear and concise, methodical, but not dry and boring. It is well organized and right up to date with illustrations.
I would reccommend this book as a "must read" for everyone! It's also a book you want to keep on hand as a reference and one you want to give away to those seeking truth!

This book covers philosophical arguments for the existence of God, and then gives evidence for the God of the Bible. The quality that sets this book apart from other apologetic books is the full color pictures used liberally throughout the book. This is a good book for you if you feel threatened by the secular attacks against the truth of the Bible, or if you want a good book to lend to a "seeking" non-Christian. The book covers philosophical arguments for the existence of God and physical evidences (such as archaeology) for the truth of the Bible, and discusses how we know the Bible today is essentially the same Bible as what was originally written. The one weakness I saw in this book was that the author claims "The big bang remains the best explanation for the current state fo the universe (p. 44)." He goes on to show this model still requires a creator, but it is unfortunate that he refutes atheistic causes for the creation of the universe, and then apparently tries to merge the atheistic philosophy he just refuted with the Biblical description of creation. The rest of the book is great, especially effective with the use of many pictures.

I have a sizeable collection of books on apologetics, but Doug Powell's wonderful book is the best compilation I've seen of all the major work in this field. The book is written in a style that is easily readable and usable for lay people and has beautiful graphics that add greatly to the content. The progression of his argumentation is excellent: he begins with traditional arguments for what we can observe about the Creator from the creation and then describes the "glass slipper"(made up of these observations) that must fit any religion that would claim to offer a true interpretation of our existence and the universe. He then proceeds to make very sound arguments for why the Christian position is the only worldview that can account for the reality of the universe and of man.
I would recommend this book very highly to anyone interested in Christian apologetics.

"Hup", is a very good book to read to teach the reader how to train their dog the correct way. I'd suggest to get and read before you get your puppy so you do it correctly the first time. Well written and explained.

I purchased the second edition since I have the first. Unfortunately, unless you are into the recent changes in the cocker spaniel field trials and field bred cockers, there is little or no changes. It is practically the same book. Since the first edition can be found in hardcover, and is a top gundog book, I would recommend buying that one unless you are interested in the cocker spaniel as a field dog.

This is the main flushing spaniel "handbook" that we send off with all our puppy clients. Mr. Spencer has a wonderful knack for spanielling and explains the ins and outs of a working American spaniel, minus the politics, in a simple manner that even our British cousins can appreciate. It is a book that will never go out of style and should sit on the shelf of every flushing spaniel owner's bookshelf.

This is a must have book for all spaniel, or hope to be spaniel owners. It is exceptionally easy to follow and even fun to read. Anyone with some time, patience and this book can train a very good dog. The first part will help anyone who is undecided on which spaniel would be best for them.

Now in an updated second edition, HUP! Training Flushing Spaniels The American Way is a practical, user friendly, and very highly recommended instructional guide written by James B. Spencer, an award-winning dog and outdoor writer with over 500 magazine articles to his credit. From an examination of different types of flushing Spaniel breeds; to training a Spaniel from puppyhood in various retrieval and hunting techniques; to working certificate tests, and much, much more, HUP! Training Flushing Spaniels The American Way is marked by especially straightforward instructions and advice, based on years of professional experience.

I bought this book on Friday and had it read by Sunday. I picked it up in the store looking for something for our church's Sr. Highs, and was fighting back the tears in the store. I was amazed by BJ's devotion. He was so totally spirit filled. Just to let others know if you use this in a study group there is a free study guide to download on the publishers sight www.revellbooks.com. I had emailed BJ's dad to tell him how great the book was and he e-mailed me with this news.

I purchased this book on a Thursday, started reading it, and finished it at 2am on Friday. I could not put it down. BJ Higgins' life, and the way he lived, is a battle-cry for those of us who call ourselves Christians to step up, even if it's just a little. I realized as I finished this book, that, although my life may not be called to be a missionary, I can certainly do more than just go to church on Wednesday and Saturday. I didn't feel guilty, I was just touched that this young man made Christ his sole focus, and a relationship with God is what he sought. A true modern-day David, I shudder to think about all of the times I've squandered when I could've have taken an opportunity to share the Word with someone. Here is a young man who was truly used by God and who's story should be told over and over. Who will take BJ's place? I will....

I ordered this book for my youth group and we have had a great time reading it so far. We are about half way through the book and the youth is very excited about finishing the book. My group has commented on being able to connect with the authors (mom and dad) as well as BJ himself. It has been a phenominal tool God is using to tug on our hearts!

Seeing into this young man's heart was exactly what I needed. When I think about what God did through him in 16 short years, I am inspired. What would God be able to accomplish if I let Him use me?

This book will definitely challenge you to be the person God intends you to be. Get several copies and share them with others. It won't only inspire Christians, but it makes clear salvation-- what a legacy BJ left behind.

This book ROCKS!! I do not read much and I couldn't but this book down. A story of a young man and his passion for the Lord. We should all live this life seeking, obeying, and putting our lives down for the Lord. This book helped me through God's Amazing Grace to draw closer to the Lord. I highly recommend you to read it.

Learn how to twist and bend wire to make pretty wire jewelry with INSPIRED WIRE, a jewelry maker's guide using techniques perfect for newcomers to wire jewelry. A minimum of equipment is needed to produce the most complex of designs and eye-catching blends of wire and beads, making this an outstanding pick for any library strong in crafts or jewelry-making books. Large full-page color photos and easy instructions contribute to a winner.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

The artist explains everything in detail and the pictures are extremely helpful. I would highly recommend this book.

I first checked this book out from the library. I liked it so much, I purchased it. There are several fresh new designs here. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys wire work.

This book is easy to follow with great ideas and good pictures. After recieving it I took a quick trip to the bead store and I am inspired!

I own many jewelry books of several types and this book is BY FAR leaps and bounds above the rest in all the important areas. It is gorgeous to look at and ALL of the projects are inspirational - meaning that they lead your mind to other applications of the techniques shown. It is an excellent teaching tool: it details particularly well the materials and tools you will need to be successful with this type of jewelry work, and the instructions for each technique and project are so well outlined and easy to follow. I truly am blown away by this book! (in case you can't tell!) Most books I've found to be somewhat disappointing, and not always as well-written as you might hope for. But to find all of that PLUS to love EVERY project... WELL! What an accomplishment!

This book is a gold-mine of practical information about the application of Policy Governance®. Boards will find a wealth of wisdom from former issues of Board Leadership, as well as a number of articles published in industry-specific journals that were not previously easy to find, now all in one convenient, easy-to-use package. Articles are short, easy-to-read, and of practical "hands-on" value. The FAQ section permits the reader to zoom in on particular areas of interest. As a consultant in Policy Governance® , I find the book to be a very user-friendly reference. For boards using the model, it is an invaluable resource. This is a book that can be read cover to cover, or can be "dipped into" to address specific issues facing a board at any given point in time. A must for your board's reference and on-going development.

While there are more and more books available on making boards effective, no other author seems to bring together anything more than miscellaneous ideas. John Carver, on the other hand, lays out a full system for board clarity and accountability.

I read his "Boards That Make a Difference", and was thrilled to see someone finally offer a way to make sense of boards. As a consultant, I've become an avid advocate of his Policy Governance model, which when used, virtually assures elevated governance.

With this new book, Carver continues to impress. Rather than a conceptual text, this collection of over 100 articles addresses nearly every conceivable structural issue boards face, as well as the myths surrounding Policy Governance.

To have all of this relevant information in one place is an incredible gift, another great addition to Carver's contributions to the nonprofit world, and any others interested in making boardroom activity meaningful and productive.

John Carver On Board Leadership is a collection of articles that demonstrate the Policy Governance (R) model in board leadership, as written by its creator, John Carver, a man who has over twenty years of experience working with a variety of corporation boards. Addressing how to use the model of governance to improve communication and overall effectiveness, the role of committees, means for resolving disagreements, and much, much more, John Carver On Board Leadership is a solidly written, reader accessible, and effectively useful title recommended for anyone charged with the often difficult and complicated task of coordinating or leading a governing board.

WOW! This compendium of more than 100 of John Carver's articles would be useful enough if it only collected these important articles on Policy Governance into one volume. This publication goes several steps further - by starting with a Frequently Asked Questions Guide, the reader is directed to his or her most urgent concerns. These FAQs appear throughout the book along with pull-out quotes that focus the reader's attention on key issues in the section. Both these features make the book easy to navigate and consequently, a richer resource.

It's great to have these articles combined into one resource since many have been previously published in hard to access journals. This will be a great resource for those new to Policy Governance as well as to experienced practitioners.

If you have read John Carver's books and watched his videotaped lectures, you have just begun to scratch the surface. In addition to "Boards That Make A Difference," "Reinventing Your Board," and "A New Vision of Board Leadership," Carver has produced an amazing array of short pieces designed for those who want to use Policy Governance. This book, "On Board Leadership," is a convenient compendium of these articles. It's well organized with a reliable index, an understandable table of contents and a list of "frequently asked questions" with references to the articles.

What this means is that my frequent trips to the file cabinet to riffle though my file of Carver's occasional writings are a thing of the past. From now on, I'll grab "On Board Leadership" and turn right to the article I need. If, for example, I am struggling with the concept of "cost," the index sends me to page 96 where I read that a board can only do so much. So the board must satisfy itself that by giving up end X in order to accomplish end Y, it is doing what its "owners" would want. The only tool I now lack is a "Carver Concordance."

Wide ranging discussions well organized. Just what every Policy Governance advocate can use. The book belongs in every association executive's library.

Gary Davis
Executive Director
Illinois Community College Trustees Association
401 E. Capitol Avenue, Suite 200
Springfield, IL 62701