5 comments about Why I Wore Lipstick: To My Mastectomy.

1. I loved this book. I am a breast cancer survivor, and I can relate to everything she is saying. It is also so hilarious! I gave this book to my mom and my best friend to help them understand my world. It really helped.



2. I had to have a bi-laterial mastectomy last year and this book was recommended to me by my oncologist. I found it very inspirational and have decided to pass it on to anyone that I know that has battled breast cancer. It was funny at times and sad at times, just like my own experience with this devastating disease that affects so many women.



3. I agree wholeheartedly with most of the positive reviews here. This lady faced her dark hours with a sense of humor about herself as well as those around her who couldn't know what it exactly felt like to be in her shoes. The path of cancer or any serious condition is fraught with faux pas of medical staff as well as loved ones and acquaintances. There is no set script for anyone to follow. The author meets these issues and her illness with a fighting spirit. Well-written,funny and a stark view of cancer victim reality with a empowering edge.



4. please see, "Goddesses Don't Buy Green Bananas" THis is a photographic story about more than one person with cancer... read about their bravery and courage and fear.



5. Geralyn Lucas was 27 years old when doctors diagnosed her with breast cancer. Her career was in high gear. Her marriage to a young physician was solid. Her hopes of one day having a baby were ever-present. The last thing she expected to hear was that she had a diagnosis that she equated with only older women--breast cancer.
   
   The 27 year old was a graduate from Columbia University School of Journalism and had secured a position as the editorial producer for ABC News' popular 20/20 show. She hadn't bargained for breast cancer to threaten her career, her hopes of becoming a mother, or her life. But that is exactly what happened.
   
   In her poignant and refreshingly honest book, Lucas shares her emotional rollercoaster, her physical ups and downs and her walk through the treatment phases of her disease. Complete with the issues of chemotherapy side effects, reconstructive surgery, and marital strains, this book is gut-wrenchingly honest in its portrayal of a life turned upside down and inside out at the pronouncement of a life-threatening disease. It is also a totally life-affirming reflection on how one woman faced down the monster that is called breast cancer.
   
   From 'victim' to 'survivor' to 'advocate' Geralyn Lucas walks us through the maze of a woman who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. While her focus is on the younger population with this diagnosis, this book is a healthy and honest glimpse into the real world of any woman who is dealing with the disease--and for anyone who is helping her deal with it--at any stage. Newly diagnosed women will be inspired, those going through treatment will nod in agreement, those who are disease free will applaud her work with survivors' groups, and family members will thank her for allowing them to peek into what might be going on inside their own loved one's head during the whole process. Geralyn voices for all women what most women do not dare to admit--their own fear, their vulnerability, their ambivilence.
   
   Readers will cheer when she defiantly yet confidently swipes her lips with lipstick as she prepares to enter the operating room. They will continue to cheer as she returns time and time again to her source of feminine power and courage--her lipstick--to remind her of the hope and promise she carries deep within.
   
   This is a must read for anyone whose life has been touched by breast cancer. Having read many books on the topic, I can honestly say that this is by far, one of the most candid and uplifting. Geralyn has become my heroine for she is a champion of the feminine powers in all of us!
   
   After seven years as the editorial producer for 20/20, Geralyn became the director of original programming for Lifetime Television. She is a member of Lifetime's Stop Breast Cancer for Life initiative. She, her husband Tyler and daughter Skye (born after her cancer treatments) live in New York City. She is said to never leave home without her lipstick.
   
   As if the wonderfully inspiring story is not reason enough to go out and purchase the book for yourself or someone you love, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book are donated to the Young Survival Coalition.
   
   by Lee Ambrose
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   reviewing books by, for, and about women

5 comments about Cheating Destiny: Living With Diabetes, America's Biggest Epidemic.

1. While sharing a heartrending tale of a nation's fight against diabetes, the author overlooks a prime suspect of causing the diabetes epidemic: partially hydrogenated oil. Artificial trans-fatty acids replace normal fat molecules in cell membranes and prevent the cells from absorbing nutrients normally, so the body believes it is not being fed enough. Hydrogenated oil is a metabolic poison, every bit as harmful as lead or mercury, and harder to pin down because it spawns a variety of disorders in different people. Sadly, it is still legal to use in foodstuffs in most countries and one can hardly pass a day without consuming it in one product or another. In 2002, Riserus, et al, found that conjugated linoleic acid, a type of trans fat found in both natural and industrial sources, increased insulin resistance in men who were already obese and insulin resistant (Diabetes Care 2002; 25:1516-21). A friend of mine recently adopted a vegetarian diet, unconsciously eliminating even natural sources of trans fat such as beef and cheese from her food choices. Her numbers normalized to the point that within a few days her doctor allowed her to stop taking insulin and only continue with medication. Is that a coincidence? Maybe so, but it merits further study. Ignoring the issue of trans fats is a major omission in a 2006-vintage book about diabetes, and I hope that the next edition will focus on it.



2. I've had Type I diabetes since age 3 and I'm now 54.
   The fact that I'm still alive is a testament to the improvements in treatment of the specific type of diabetes I have. Having said that, the incredibly bad training and lack of understanding of most medical professionals is downright frightening. With my years of experience, I know when a medical professional is clueless and can find one who does have knowledge and experience. What scares me are those parents and patients who don't understand and end up being treated by the uninformed or misinformed. Mr. Hirsch gets it right on that count and that is what I consider the key point of an effective treatment plan...start with the very best professionals you can find. Do NOT settle for wannabes with degrees that mean less than nothing! Find physicians who have the disease themselves and are active in research and have well trained, experienced staffs. If your physician gets excited and starts praising you for your 5.0 A1c...and does NOT warn you about the neurological damage to the brain from excessive lows, it's time to find a new endocrinologist.
   My last two endos are both type I's who teach at major medical schools. My primary care physicians communicate with the endos and coordinate my treatment...effectively.
   Be proactive and research your medical caregivers.
   
   Kudos to Mr. Hirsch for a book that states the truths of diabetes care in our time!



3. As a mother of a Type 1 Diabetic, I was pleased to find a very readable and even encouraging personal story to be your own advocate and responsible for your own destiny.



4. I read this book on the basis of its reviews, but I don't understand why it's been so well received. It is eccentric, episodic, and disjointed, as if the author took a number of shorter articles and threw them together willy-nilly. As such, it is neither coherent nor particularly informative. It is certainly not a book for anyone trying to obtain objective, helpful information about management of these two diseases.
   
   I use the term "two diseases" advisedly. I am a Type 2 diabetic (non-insulin dependent) from a family with a multi-generational history of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. My father (Type 2) and his half-brother (Type 1) both died of diabetic complications. Although Hirsch provides a sop to Type 2 diabetics (90% of all diabetics), it is clear that his primary focus is Type 1. Why not just say so? I am not belittling that focus. But Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are different in terms of cause, mechanism of failure at the cellular level, and treatment options.
   
   Hirsch (in common with many "crusaders" for specific diseases) is also outrageously careless with regard to his usage of the word "cure". The fact is that the more researchers discover about the intricacies of the human body, the farther away they find themselves from a "cure" for many, many diseases, from the merely inconvenient to the life-threatening. Modern research and medicine struggle with a myriad of complex, chronic disease processes - it isn't all about money and politics. Therefore, although "cures" are devoutly to be wished for, "mere" successful management of a disease by a patient and his or her doctor should be applauded, not condemned.
   
   In this regard, I take serious issue with his opinions concerning "tight control" methodologies. His comments on Bernstein's diet are specious (and I don't think he was playing devil's advocate). I don't follow the diet myself, but I do successfully practice a 40-20-40-20-40-20 regime. Further, the reversal of symptoms in early Type 2 diabetics is not a "cure" - it is merely a reversal of symptoms. The person remains a diabetic. This is something of which my "ignorant, income motivated" doctor reminds me every time I see him (and believe me, he has amassed far more than "2 hours" of diabetes education over his years of practice!).
   
   I wish I had something more positive to say about this book - the author can be an excellent writer when he chooses to be. But this type of over-the-top selective information does more harm than good.



5. I LOVED this book! I have had type 1 diabetes for 24 years and I am very well managed and complication free. This book was interesting and informative in so many ways... the history of diabetes treatment; the hurdles and challenges of treatment & research given today's healthcare system, pharmaceutical industry, rewards systems and cultural landscape; and a first person perspective of a knowledgeable long time diabetic. You may not agree with everything Hirsch has to say, but this is a GREAT read nonetheless.

5 comments about Asperger Syndrome, the Universe and Everything.

1. As a matter of fact, Kenneth, I've never seen such a smart guy like you who can write about developmental disabilities! In Japan, that's out of the question; fewer people know so much about Asperger Syndrome. Even many specialists are unaware of developmentally challenged people.
   I don't mean to be sarcastic, Kenneth, but please take no offense; you're lucky enough to know you are diagnosed as AS earlier than me. On the other hand, I found that I have ADHD, AS, and PDD(=Pervasive Developmental Disorder) when I became 34. I should've noticed that earlier! - that's exactly how I feel right now. I have had a lot of difficulties to keep getting along with other people. So I had to change my jobs thousands of times, which a lot of people in Japan see as a big problem.
   You don't want to live a hard life like me, Kenneth, because you're still young. Your mother, Mrs. Brenda Boyd must feel the same.
   I'm sure to buy the book you will be likely to write next time! Just say hello to Mrs. Brenda Boyd!



2. I am the parent of a 10 year old son with Asperger's syndrome, and purchased this book in the hope that my son could read it and identify with the author and know that there are other kids out there "like him". While I knew going into it that this was written by a 10 year old, I really expected that more substantial editorial or at least parental guidance had gone into the final product. The book is basically stream-of-consciousness writing from a child who tends to perseverate on several favorite topics (as children with Asperger's are prone to do!) So- while it's a fine effort from a child- it was a lot like reading a kid's "Write an essay about who you are" report for 5th grade Language Arts class. Also, the fact that the author is Irish led to some vocabulary differences and cultural references that would be difficult for my literal-minded son to decode. So, by the end of the book I was disappointed that it didn't offer our family what I hoped it would, but also had the impression and Kenneth and his family are remarkable people and wish them the very best.



3. Before reading this book, my daughter would never discuss her Asperger's with me. She would talk about it with my husband, but not me. Now she will. When she was 3 years old, I met with her teacher to discuss her 'quirks' and began to realize that she fit the Aspie profile. After my initial shock and grief, I realized that the labels are only as damaging as we let them be, and they can be helpful, as we found many resources for parenting a quirky kid. We weren't alone; other parents had done this. This book helped my daughter come to that same realization. She knows she's different, but putting a name to the difference and knowing that she's not alone in the difference makes it easier to deal with.
   
   
   
   Kenneth Hall is her hero, and she wants to write a book just like he did when she reaches the ripe old age of ten.
   
   
   
   Only 4 stars because since Kenneth lives in England, many of the resources available to him are not applicable to people in the US, and it is challenging for my daughter to understand that fact.



4. This book was a tremendous disapointment. Ridiculous. A waste of the short time it takes to read - unless you are an ABA teacher and need to read something to build your ego. Other than that - save your money.



5. I thought, overall, this was a unique book. The only negative was the handfull of references to Harry Potter books that Kenneth loves to read. (Christian parents-edit reading to your child as you go.) It had some very interesting insights into the operating personality of a young boy with Asperger's. I have a son with AS who is nine, so I was looking for a book on his level to help provide an explanation and understanding of his diagnosis. For the most part, this book has been a help to him, though it does seem to be redundant and lengthy at times. I definitely recommend that the parents read this book to your AS child with siblings present should any questions arise. It provides a good explanation for the other children of "why" their brother/sister has a hard time with certain things. It also helped us to realize some further, more vague, symptoms of AS that our younger son demonstrates and in which he personally recognized "Hey, Momma, that's me!" So we are in the process of getting him evaluated as well. Overall, this was a good book to begin to teach your child more about his/her uniqueness and the good points about who they were created to be.

5 comments about LA Doctora.

1. During travels to the Explorama Lodges twice, I was able to see what Dr. Smith has been able to accomplish. She is a marvelously dedicated individual. This books is a diary of her experiences, but after having visited the area, I was also able to have similar experiences from a tourist perspective. Dr. Smith, who I have met and talked to is a creative, stong and full person, dedicated to make a difference for the people in this area of the Amazon. She has done that and the book tells her story.



2. Linnea Smith's story captures you from the very beginning. Telling of her experiences as a physician in the Amazon jungle often keeps you on the edge of your seat. Taken directly from her journals, it discusses her experiences over a 7 year period of practicing medicine in the jungle without all the current medical technology. She also talks of the natives, their beliefs and some difficulties encountered because of the disparity of cultures. This book is an easy and enjoyable read.



3. It wasn't so long ago that I had the privilege of meeting Linnea in Peru. She was just coming back from a fundraising journey to the States, where she received a prize of recognition for her selfless work in Amazonia. I was with a tour group that was to stay at several Amazonian jungle lodges. The Amazon was in it's annual flood stage and the only way any of us could get around was by small boat. La doctora Linnea had her own dugout which she paddled to and from the clinic, the lodge and her patients all by herself, in a dress. She wore skirts almost entirely because of the humidity and local custom. The only women who wear shorts or pants in Amazonia are tourists and scientists. Every evening Linnea would come to the lodge for a bit of relaxation and conversation with whomever was staying there, but one couldn't help but notice how more comfortable she was in the company of the locals and guides. The Ribiernos [local river dwellers] didn't ask rude or probing questions. They were friendly without conpromising her privacy.This ingrained need to keep part of herself to herself comes through in the book she's written. She's happy to talk about her work and her love of the people, but reveals little of her previous life. I recommend this book for the incredible story, the sense of place, to learn about people we would otherwise never know. She may not speak book-learned Spanish, but communicates fluently with her friends and patients. As she writes, she arrived in Peru speaking no Spanish.



4. This is somewhat of a minority viewpoint in comparison to the previous five customer reviews already written. I read this book because of the local publicity it received here in Wisconsin, the fact that I have been in Peru and in Amazon region (though not the same part as Dr. Linnea), am interested in Latin American culture, and speak fluent Spanish.

   Dr. Linnea doesn't. The one complete Spanish sentence in the book contains a major grammar error that most students wouldn't make mid-way through their first semester of college Spanish. Of the isolated Spanish words she uses, she gets a couple wrong. She can be forgiven for this. She obviously managed to communicate adequately with her patients and she's a physician, after all, not a linguist. I'm aware this seems like nitpicking, and this is not my reason for a mere 3-star review.

   What I find lacking in this book is emotional engagement with the reader. I liked this book passably, but wanted to like it so much more. Dr. Linnea is really the only character in it and she seems to be a rather private person. She gives us her opinions much more than her feelings. Maybe this is typical of the majority of physicians. We never really get to know her patients or any other person in the book. If she develops close relationships, we don't learn of them. Some patients improve and survive, some die, but it's a bit like a catalogue of people who barely have names or faces and come through her office (or she goes to them). I'm also interested in medicine and geography in general, and a book in a similar vein, that of a doctor practicing "backwoods medicine" that is truly wonderful (and that I'd hoped this one would resemble) is Dr. Abraham Verghese's MY OWN COUNTRY. (He treats AIDS patients in Appalachia in the mid-1980s.) Perhaps he's atypical in the way he becomes personally/emotionally involved with his patients or in the way that he is able to put human faces and lives on a disease and write about it all. Dr. Linnea, in spite of being a wonderful person who has done dangerous, extremely outstanding work, is not able (or chooses not) to do what Verghese did in his book.

   Unlike another customer who reviewed this, I definitely don't think this was ghost-written. Dr Linnea is right there, revealing not one iota more than she wants to. I think the "problem" can be seen right in her acknowledgements, when, regarding her publishers, she writes that they "gave me unlimited latitude in what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it." Sorry, but this book needed much more editorial guidance. She's a physician, not a professional writer, and though this effort is quite passable, it could have been so much better.

   The book is informative, educational up to a point, gives a good perspective on "jungle" medicine" vs. the US mainstream practice thereof, and is culturally sensitive. (Though at one point I winced, when she said that the inhabitants, almost all of whom live in abysmal poverty, "seemed happy." This made me think of 19th century slaves in the US who, many contended "seemed happy.") There are a few funny moments, especially when Dr. Linnea describes w/ dead-on accuracy her encounters with the Peruvian bureaucracy, redtape and corruption.

   All in all, well worth reading, but don't expect great emotional engagement or gripping human drama.




5. I met La Doctora just as the book was being written. (I believe it was ghost written, which is probably not unusual.)

   Jackie and I spent a few days at Explorama and talked at some length with Dr. Linnea. This book is not embellished in any way. This is an accurate account of life in that part of the world.

   Her descriptions of places were perfectly clear to me, since I've been there. It's hard to know how these descriptions will play out in the mind's eye of other readers. The beginning of the book was particularly fascinating.

   Our face-to-face meeting left me with the impression that she is not trying to run away from society, not trying to crusade for the underprivileged, not trying to be "holier than thou". She really likes what she is doing. The book confirms this.

   When you read this book you are looking inside La Doctora. Nothing is hidden. There are no pretenses. She is simply good people.

   Incidently, she wanted the book named "At the River's Edge" and the publishers wanted "La Doctora". The publishers won.

5 comments about Sailing Grace.

1. I wanted to read a book with the experiences of a skipper who had completed long offshore sailing voyages. What I got was the story of a skipper that was suffering from heart disease and his battle to beat the odds and stay alive. I do have to admit that I only read about half way thru the book and that was enough for me so maybe the second half was better than the first.



2. Several months ago, I attended a lecture and book signing by John Otterbacher in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
   I was expecting some exciting, but predictable swashbuckling tales of adventure on the high seas but instead, I ran into a very compelling story of a person, and family, overcoming a difficult medical challenge to pursue a dream. The sailing voyage in itself is very compelling, but the blending of personal struggle, blue water adventure, and poetry of writing style made the book a real joy to read. I have purchased several additional copies for friends.



3. "Sailing Grace" is a gripping and beautifully written saga of courage, determination, fear and exileration.
   
   Amidst a terrifying awakening to his mortality John Otterbacher pushes forward into life, facing the challenge of a trans-oceanic cruise. But this is not a man-victorious-over-nature story. Ultimately it is a story about acceptance of life (and death) on its own terms. Without so much as a syllable of preachiness or corniness the author tells a story of transformation not triumph. There is an honestness and authenticity about this author that you can't help but love and admire.
   
   Yes, the adventure of sailing is in the book, but it is really about the adventure of life. Read this book.



4. John Otterbacher proves that simply making the decision to LIVE makes it a possibility in the face of all odds.
   
   More than a simple recounting of his heart problems and his adventures at sea, Sailing Grace is a love story about a man and his family. A tale of obstacles overcome and the determination to live life on his own terms, you will sail through this book.



5. I began to read Sailing Grace on a flight from Chicago to San Diego. Over the next 4 hours I was transported into a world of sailing, high adventure, courage and living life to the fullest while staring into the eyes of death. I was disappointed when the plane landed and drove home, poured myself some lemonade and finished the book on my back deck before I could go to bed. If you like true stories that make you feel like you're there, read this book! - Terry Hunefeld, San Diego

5 comments about Afternoons with Puppy: Inspirations from a Therapist and His Animals.

1. Very impressed with the work that Dr. Aubury has done with his therapy work with the help of animals especially dogs. Interesting and fun to read his life's work. This book is an inspiration to do therapy work using animals.
   Thank you Dr. Aubury for your work in therapy and sharing what you have learn that helps you and patients.



2. I'll never look at a golden the same way again! Not a pet, but a family member with unique contributions to make! What a beautifully written, flowing account of how lives can be enhanced and made truly better with the wisdom of animals.



3. What a great insight into the world of animal assisted therapy! You get a genuine sense of the love and compassion Dr. Fine has not only for his animals, but also for his patients. His animals are lucky to have him!



4. What an inspiring book! Dr. Fine delights the readers with stories that demonstrate the compassion and intuition of animals in a therapeutic alliance with people in pain. The healing and growth that occurs as a result of the collaboration between Dr. Fine and his 'assistants' serve as a reminder to us all of the powerful positive impact of our four legged friends.



5. Afternoons With Puppy leaves you feeling uplifted! Fine allows the readers to get a glimpse into how he incorporates the animals in his therepy. The stories in the book are truly heart wrenching. As I read the book you could see how important a role animals can play in our lives. So many lessons can be learned from them (which Fine helps us understand). The book is well written and should be read by all pet lovers!

5 comments about Welcome to My Country.

1. Lauren Slater presents a vivid tale of a therapist' s sojourn, examining mental illness from both an insider's and outsider' s perspective. Slater takes us on a journey through her own work in hospital settings, culminating in a personal coda. She confronts unbelievable countertransference at Mount Vernon, the same place she was hospitalized, with a client suffering from a similar constellation of symptoms. She is unique in the mental health community, populated by professionals attempting to abstract themselves from their clientele in the name of objectivity. Although, my psychoanalytic frame dictates an objective stance, I was deeply touched by her sincere humanism and willingness to explore the subjective world of her clients' alien worlds.
   
   Before exploring the clients, their illnesses, the therapist and the treatment interventions, I feel compelled to comment on Slater's unique writing style. Her prose is the result of the ability to paint from a diverse palette of lexicon, style, theory and foremost, metaphor. I was whisked through her world, experience and firm theoretical grounding, giving way to a clear image of her thought process and orientation as a therapist. Her writing style is lush and sensual, like her unique approach to therapy, crossing boundaries rarely trespassed by the orthodox therapist. At certain points, I was left questioning whether this was bravery, or a misguided foraging into the taboo realm, which leads to dual relationships.
   
   Often, clients with Axis Two disorders, such as Peter, have a wide repertoire of tactics at their disposal, testing the boundaries and weaknesses of the attendant therapist. I conferred with one of my colleagues, and they agreed that some of her sexual imagery, in describing herself as well as Peter was a bit much, to say the least. For example, she states, "I imagined myself in sequins, my crotch sprayed silver, as I, nude, gyrated to the beat of his voice" (p. 53). Later, she asserts, "in his admission of pain he was now naked; he had pressed himself against me and I wanted to celebrate, not violate, this stance" (p. 59). The list of sexually charged metaphors is simply too long for this brief review. However, a few more examples might help to make my point. She goes on to say, "and I, well, I grew to love him and love the strength in his slow surrender" (p. 61). Sometimes, I was overwhelmed with laughter, writing in the margins "this is too much". For example, try this sentence on for size: "it is a dangerous thing for us, we people who grow up sucking the steel nipples of this country's missiles, many think living in the world is living in war, women who think their bodies are Molotov cocktails that must be detonated, destroyed, before they are munched up by their own metabolism" (p. 62). In the words of George Orwell, "The writer either has a meaning and cannot express it, or he inadvertently says something else, or he is almost indifferent as to whether his words mean anything or not"(Orwell, 1950). Simply stated, although she is an Ivy Leaguer, her metaphors are mixed as "people sucking steel nipples" clash with munching metabolisms. This is not an isolated example of where I felt metaphors mixed, and poetry superseded the message. Frankly, my impression of Peter was summarized in the margins as, "he is a sociopath", "she's turned on" and "he's got her where he wants her". Perhaps, this is too simplistic, however this was my reaction.
   
   Nevertheless, her work and description of the schizophrenic clients is noteworthy. It helps the shed light on the discombobulated world of the schizophrenic, and her daring and adventurous discarding of the banal "activities of daily living" foisted upon her clientele. I think there is a connection between R.D. Laing's views on insanity and Slater's subjective willingness to voyage into the mind of madness. Perhaps, it is because they both have a grain of insanity within their own minds. However, as Aldous Huxley once stated, "sanity is a matter of degree"(Levy, 1997). I found the hospital settings, frightening, rigid and mundane, until Slater injected some humanity into their sterile milieu. Perhaps, this comes partially from her being a former mental patient and seeing things from the inside looking out as well as the outside looking in.
   
   In contrast to Maslow, Slater's vision as well as her life is circular, not linear. Like so many of us, she finds herself walking down the same path and confronting the past and its ghosts. Emotionally, this resonated with me on a personal and intellectual level. Her client, Linda Cogswell, is described as bulimic and borderline among other things. Slater courageously admits, that she to was diagnosed with an eating disorder and a borderline personality as well as hospitalized at the same facility in which she treated Linda. Lauren Slater allows the reader to catch a glimpse of her unique beauty, and talent as a therapist and person, readily admitting identification with the client. Vis `a vis identifying with Slater as a multifaceted human being, I was able to readily accept the notion that borderline personalities and mental illness involve people as opposed to categorical descriptions. Lauren Slater renews a sense of humanity in writing about her clients, their illnesses, herself as a therapist and her unique approach to therapy. I enjoyed this novel a great deal and was enlightened, entertained and invigorated by her refreshing memoir of madness.
   
   
   
   
   References
   Levy, D.A. (1997)., Tools of critical thinking: metathoughts for psychology. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
   Orwell, G. (1950). Shooting an elephant and other essays. London: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.



2. Her work is not a work of non-fiction. She admits that she has changed the identities she has written about and confounded their settings. Therefore "Welcome To My Country" should be regarded as a work of fiction. But that is nothing to spit on.
   I must confess that I feel a sense of dread and perverse anticipation when I look back on my reading of this book. Doctor Slater engages in what can only be called the art of vulnerability. She peels back the petals of many, many roses until we find, with a bit of shock, that the most central rose is both hers and our own. Her prose is cool but her spirit is warm. The theme of the erotic is constant through out this book and in all of its episodes. I was bewildered by this until in a sequence that lies near the end of the work she reveals exactly what country we are being welcomed to. Her own confessions are gut wrenching and are the kinds of expostulations that make me cringe as if I was being compelled to pay ear to the screechings of fingernails dragged across the surface of a black board.
   There is a great beauty in this book. There is also something slightly clumsy and sweaty as Doctor Slater strives to make sense of the madness of her clients and her own madness.
   A memoir of madness. Whose?
   I will return to this book often.



3. Read this in the library of Slater's secondary school when I was in hs, but didn't know it was by a graduate. Looked at it from that perspective of knowing who it was by this time w/out knowing that I had read it. I knew that I had read it because I remembered Marie's cracking peach nail polish. I have remembered that image forever; it has been echoing in my mind. I think that I was skimming the book, and hadn't read the personal part before too. So, if I remembered parts of the book after probably 7 years, this has to be an extraordinarily poetic book. After I read the book, I remember thinking maybe I should become a psychologist (i really don't know what i am going to do yet, but the book really did make an impression on me nevertheless). So, this book deserves really to be in any library, and not on the basis of the author graduating from that school! The author comes across as being very compassionate and well spoken. She writes like an angel.



4. Lauren Slater has guts. We've had decades and decades of first hand accounts of mental illness by those who have worked with the afflicted, but Slater is singular in her unwillingness to spare the layman's sensibilities.
   
   Slater's book is a first hand account of her journey through life with a house full of schizophrenics, some doomed and some just in the reach of redemption. She herself is driven to the emotional brink trying to bring something whole out of these irretrievably wounded people. In one scene she practically breaks down trying to convince a group of schizophrenics that the imaginary UFO they want to take off in as a group simply isn't there. She works with a borderline sociopath male chauvinist, every inch the ruthless alphamale, who brutalizes his girlfriend and in his spare time watches sadomasochistic pornography films--all symptoms of his underlying terror of the feminine. Miraculously, despite her disgust with this guy, she gets somewhere with him.
   
   This is not light reading but necessary reading.



5. Welcome to My Country is a beautifully written narrative about psychotherapist Lauren Slater's challening work with mental patients in Boston. She goes to greath lengths to get inside the minds of each patient, following their schizophrenic dreams and fears, their history, and treatment. Her prose is vivid and poetic, albeit a little overwritten at times. Her metaphors are far-fetched, but the language is astounding. The ending is a bit short, but works well. The reader does not get a true grasp of Slater's own private struggle with mental illness, but it is touched on enough to show how her compassion and experiences set the groundwork for her entrance into the mental health field. It is more lyrical essay than psychological text. For all intents and purposes, this book seems to have more to do with Slater recognizing her own voice and self in her patients (much countertransference) than the patients themselves. However, the memoir, at its most basic point, is a fascinating study into Slater's own psyche.

5 comments about Rapid Response: My inside story as a motor racing life-saver.

1. As someone who has followed open-wheel racing for a long time, I had heard about this book. I just got through it and was amazed as to the coverage and insight in the book. There are some really sad stories, but I was also laughing some as well (you AJ Foyt fans will love the "cooler" story!)
   
   Excellent book and an easy read. A bit "graphic" though, so be careful with kids.



2. This is almost certainly the best book ever written about motor sport safety and the tremendous advances made in the last 30 years. Olvey and Trammel not only raised the bar but in reality invented a whole new concept



3. If you followed Indycar anywhere from the 70s to the late 90s you will remember most of the sad stories in this book. However it is very interesting to read first hand how safety has increased in our favorite sport over the years. Dr. Olvey gives great accounts of the highs and lows of his career as an Indycar doctor.



4. This is a fascinating book about the development of safety



5. Dr. Stephen Olvey served as Championship Auto Racing Teams' medical director from 1979 to 2003. This very moving memoir of his years leading the charge for motor sports safety in the series at the pinnacle of open wheel racing in America recaptures an exciting era in the development of technology, both in motor racing and in sports medicine. With professionalism, sincerity, empathy and humor, Olvey recounts the challenges, rewards and devastating losses of forwarding safety in the sport.
   
   On a personal note, I have had the distinct honor of knowing Olvey during most of his tenure with CART, and have heard many of these stories directly from him and Dr. Trammel. Many of the people he writes about are friends of mine and I was present during most of the racing accidents he describes (and several he doesn't mention). For me, it is a bittersweet reminder of the history of my own life in motor sports.

5 comments about My Father's Heart: A Son's Journey.

1. I heard about the book, "My Father's Heart: A Son's Journey" during an interview with the author, Steve McKee. The reason for the interest was loosing my husband suddenly last July 30, 2007 to a massive heart attack.
   We have 4 children, 2 boys then 2 girls. They range in age 41 - 47 years old.
   
   The children have become very conscious of making sure that they are getting thorough doctor examinations every year, something that, especially the men, have not been faithful in doing. They all do exercise. So this part is good. However, they are all having a very difficult time in the grieving process because of the closeness to their father. He was a very animated and loving man, so the void is great.
   
   When I listened to the interview on the Today Show, I thought that this book might just be something that the children should read to help them in their loss. I purchased 4 copies and gave a copy to each one on Valentine's Day.
   
   I have started to read the book and have found many similarities that I know they will be able to relate to.
   
   I was very happy to have found the book on Amizon.Com. The cost was a lot more reasonable then if I had bought these copies at a book store. I received the books 3 days after I ordered them.
   
   This book depicts the love of family and the loss of a very dear member of that family, even though the father, knowing his condition, did not take care of himself as he should have.



2. The number one killer in the United States has a personality. In Steve McKee's family odyssey--as with most people's--heart disease is very personal. It can snatch the life of your father, turn your world upside down, make you obsessively interested in your family tree, drive you to swear oaths of healthy eating and exercise, wring your worried hands over living long enough to see your own children make it to adulthood, curse the universe because you got what your father got, and finally understand that the life you want is up to you. "My Father's Heart" is as much about healthy hearts and loving hearts as it is about hearts under siege.



3. A touching book that brought me back to my own childhood...I am thankful to the author for impressing on me a very important lesson, that is, even though our fathers may pass on physically, their memories continue to live in our hearts forever influencing us in very important ways. Even though I was fortunate to have my father until he was 84 years old, it will always feel that he too was taken from our family too soon. My father's death, like the author's, from a heart condition, taught his children how very important it was to take better care of ourselves physically before it was too late. I especially appreciated the author's depiction of his childhood years, growing up in a neighborhood similar to my own in suburban Detroit. The author brought it all alive for me. This book is a GREAT read and I highly recommend it...



4. As a teenager author Steven McKee watched his father die of a heart attack in their living room, part of a family chain of heart disease and death caused by lifestyle and family heritage. Disappointed by his father's ignoring of his disease, the author vowed to keep his heart in top condition - yet a lifetime of dieting and exercise didn't change his own diagnosis of serious cardiovascular disease. McKee's probe into a family heritage of illness makes for a moving story blending health and genetic insights with his own discoveries of motivations for change and health, making for a moving, engrossing survey hard to put down. Both health libraries and general-interest collections will find it involving.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



5. Steve McKee has written a touching, nostalgic and informative book that will appeal to everyone.
   My Father's Heart is about Mr. McKee's family's experience of his father's fatal heart attack that came in the prime of his life. The book explores the personal and biological legacy of Mr. McKee's father's death. Cutting back and forth in time and geography Mr. McKee creates an engaging story that weaves themes of family and community relationships, coming of age and how he has come to terms with his father's heart attack and death.
   The book is also very informative about the current state of medical arts concerning healthy heart care and healthy living; the interplay of biological predispositions and the impact and control we can have on our own medical destinies. Mr. McKee leaves us with the reaffirming message that we are capable of influencing the course of our physical wellbeing and our life outlook.

5 comments about Doctors: The Biography of Medicine.

1. I teach the history of medicine and anatomy at a U.S. medical school and I spend a lot of time reviewing the available books so that I can sharpen up my lectures. I'm not going to claim that medical history is the most electrifying topic for first-year medical students, but when it is presented properly it can be very engaging. This is exactly what Dr. Nuland has done with this book.
   
   Doctors is a well-organized and readable text and Dr. Nuland has done a great deal of research but more importantly, he has obviously practiced how to deliver the stories in a way that is suspenseful and satisfying. He starts chronologically and moves from Hippocrates, through Andreas Vesalius, William Harvey, Rudolph Virchow, Helen Taussig, describing the individuals responsible for the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of the history of medical practice as we see it today.
   
   His narrative relates strictly to the history of Western medicine and the influences that have shaped it. He does not go into any details regarding Eastern medicine or other medical practices since this is not directly related to the main theme of the book. The only topic I wish he had spent more time covering was the Islamic physicians of the middle ages. Western medicine (along with all the sciences) were maintained at a high level in the Muslim societies of the middle ages before passing into the newly-founded European Universities.
   
   By following the history of medicine through the persons (and extreme personalities) that influenced it, Dr. Nuland is able to educate and entertain. I have listened repeatedly to the lectures that he has produced with the Teaching Company and it is nice to know that he writes as well as he speaks. I have reviewed other books on the topic but so far this is my undisputed favorite.



2. The book was in good condition. There were a few red lines for emphasis, but not many.



3. With many of my physician colleagues rushing to turn medicine over to PAs, Nurse Practitioners, all armed with HMO guidelines and so called Evidence Based Medicine, this book shows the true nature of both medicine and progress, and may yet become the sad obituary to an once great profession. Every curmudgeon should buy a few copies and gift them to their hospital colleagues. A must read.



4. This is a very well written book especially if the sciences, history or medicine is not your strong suite. Mr. Nuland took a potentially boring subject (what history subject isn't?) and has made it very interesting to read.

   I like math, but in school and college, I never did well with subjects that related to history and especially with science. I don't even read that much. However, I could not put this book down. I liked it so much, I have read it 3 times. It is a very enriching book. Thanks Mr. Nuland for restoring my confidence in being able to comprehend subjects that deal with medicine and history! My wish list is for Mr. Nuland to put this out on audio cassette.

   Thomas Jue




5. In this book Nuland takes the reader on an odyssey of western medical history spanning antiquity to modern medicine. It takes brief snapshots of a few of the physicians who have molded medicine into what it is today. He vividly brings to life colorful people like Vesalius who refused to accept the status quo of his time, but instead rejected popular theories because they did not agree with experimental results.

   This is an inspirational must read for those who are either in the field of medicine or enjoy medical history.