4 comments about Mango Days: A Teenager Facing Eternity Reflects on the Beauty of Life.

1. I had the honor of meeting Patty's parents Kit and Margie Smith while living in Hawaii. Kit was my running mentor for the Honolulu Marathon through The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training. They provided me a copy of the book and it so inspired me, that I organized the MANGO DAYS 5K to honor Patty, her writing and to elevate awareness of the need for a cure for cancer. The race is now in it's fifth year under new leadership and Patty will live on through her continued inspiration of others. Buy the book, read it and pass it on to others.
   -Neil Voje



2. This series of journal entries spans the last 16 months of Patty's life and introduces us to the interior world of a girl realizing that being young does not mean she's immortal. I'm overwhelmed by how strong Patty was during this time. The writing also reveals her fears, sibling rivalry, desire to follow in her father's footsteps, spiritual convictions, craving for father figures, and the need to leave something meaningful behind. MANGO DAYS is Patty's gift to us and I thank her for it.



3. I met Patty and Mango Days through her father, Kit, a fellow Scot and runner for the Leukemia Foundation during the l997 Alaskan Marathon. Mango Days was a most welcome gift received in Hawaii after a visit with Kit and Margie in August of that same year. I enjoyed Patty's message so much that I have obtained several copies on two occasions for gifts to friends and their relatives who faced similar battles with cancer. A remarkable well written message. Thanks for listening.



4. Patty Smith was an intelligent, witty teenager who left behind a very insightful journal. If she were still here and writing I would buy all of her books. The one thing that disappointed me about this novel was the amount of forewards and introductions and everything else thought of to make the book thicker. It was pointless information by people with less talent than Patty. I almost didn't read the book after reading the introduction because I thought Patty's writing was going to be as longwinded and boring. It wasn't. This is officially one of the best books I have ever read and it has helped motivate me to try to overcome my illness. Wherever Patty is now I would like to thank and congratulate her on such a wonderful accomplishment.

4 comments about MASH: An Army Surgeon in Korea.

1. It's clear that the author is a doctor and not a writer. The book cries out for editing; writing errors and organizational issues permeate the book. That said, after I got about halfway through these things stopped bothering me. The story made up for it. The reality of the MASH is much more interesting than what's portrayed on the screen. It gave me a new respect for military medicine. If you can make it through the starting chapters it's a great read.



2. Dr. Appell's book "M. A. S. H.: An Army Surgeon in Korea" is an excellent tribute to the men and women of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals by a veteran surgeon of the 8076TH M . A. S. H. unit. My only complaint is that the book was not a little longer. For any fan of the movie or t. v. series this book is a must-read. Dr. Appell (who was a consultant for the series), tells us what life was really like in a M. A. S. H. unit. The series took some liberties with actual events, but its overall portrayal was fairly accurate-though the series lasted 10 years compared to the three years of the Korean War itself, and the average length of stay for surgeons in a M. A. S. H. was about 8 months. Dr. Appell has written a very interesting book.



3. This book is not about the T.V. show M*A*S*H. But the tv show did get many of its episodes from this book. From arterial transplants to make shift clamps these Doctors opened many new doors to the medical world. Chapter 6 "In the O.R." is pretty gruesome. Details of intestinal wounds abdominal wounds and pretty much everything a war could destroy on a body.

   But its not all blood and guts. D.R. Apel talks of the korean's who helped around the camp. The use of the white rocks in the compund. Plus his first day at the MASH was spent on his feet for 72 hrs. operating. Amazing.

   I would have ggave the book a five star rating but there was a section on a paper the D.R. wrote on arteral repair which IMO took away from the book. It might have worked better at the end of the book.

   Nice pictures of procedures and Korea. This book is a must for people who like the TV show and would really like to see what went on in a real MASH outfit during the real Korean war.




4. All i can say is at the end of this book you will be speachless, this a a timless classic that inspired a spawing fox tv series that is still shown today. I Don't want to give any of the book away so i wont tell you alot, but this book is a very highly recomennded book for those who loved the series and loved the movie (also found on amazon.com). "One of my favorites ever! "

1 comments about Saving the Marin-Sonoma Coast: The Battles for Audubon Canyon Ranch, Point Reyes, & California's Russian River.

1. You may not think you'll be interested in this rather formidable looking book with its straightforward title, but it is an inspiring story. What one impassioned but modest man (he gives others most of the credit) did to save from Californication one piece after another of one of the lovliest coastlines in the U.S.is a story to savor. Read it and cheer.

5 comments about Of Spirits and Madness: An American Psychiatrist in Africa.

1. I have worked in Zimbabwe for two years as a photographer and film maker. Of Spirits and Madness gives western thinking a new vantage point. Remember, there is no reality only perception. One of the best books I have read on Shona culture. The spiritual basis of life forms all other truths in Africa. Great Book, wonderful to read.



2. I bought this book to be polite. When a friend of 10+ years writes a book... you buy it. And the day before his reading... you start the first chapter. What I did not expect was that I would absolutely inhale the text. My brain lit up with pleasure. There are so many good things about this book. Not only is the writing itself excellent, the information that Paul tucks into the narratives of each patient is downright fascinating. He takes up politics, economics, spirituality, culture, context, and mental health. The story of each patient's illness is refracted through Paul's Western training, his good heart, and his growing understanding of the local explanations for why things happen as they do. Along the way he provides a terrific set of curbside lectures about a wide spectrum of mental illnesses. He interweaves factual information about disease states with tender compassion for and curiosity about the people he served. I learned a lot from this book and plan to read it again. Maybe I should be polite more often....



3. Dr. Paul Linde's book "Of Spirits and Madness" is a wonderfully entertaining and insightful look into the culture and psyche of the Zimbabwean people. As an American psychiatrist in this third world African country, he becomes immersed in a cultural quagmire of ancestral spirits, evangelical Christianity and traditional healers all colliding with modern Western medical practices. The results, a train wreck of frequently amusing and sometimes very sad situations: experienes which challenged the author's intellectual and medical skills while raising questions in his own mind about the modern world's pursuit of indivudual gain and blatant consumption. This is a great book which will make all readers laugh, think and reevaluate one's own views of what is truly important. The best book I've read this year!



4. In the spirit of the preeminent novelist/psychiatrist Irvin Yalom, Dr. Paul Linde has written a touching and inspiring book about his experiences as a psychiatrist working in Zimbabwe under very difficult circumstances. Despite the "depressing' subject matter (mental illness, poverty, political strife, AIDS, sexism. etc.), Linde has written a surprisingly uplifting account of the human condition. Using well-crafted prose, the reader learns many interesting things about the state of mental health in this Africa nation with its relatively advanced mental health system. Compared to other "third world" nations, Zimbabwe's treatment of the seriously mentally ill is good, but it is still a far cry from that of most Western nations. Linde is an excellent storyteller, telling the stories of his patients with poignancy, humor and deep compassion. All mental health professionals, both the experienced clinician and the neophyte should read this book. This book would also of interest to those interested in African current events. The reader will find himself deeply concerned for the plight of Dr. Linde's patients.



5. There's never a dull moment in this psychiatrist's travelogue on a mad journey with his patients. During his year as a government psychiatrist in Zimbabwe, Dr. Paul Linde has to adjust to the cultural challenges that have his patients as likely to consult a witch doctor and herbal treatments as modern medicine.
   Packaged in a series of literary narratives, the eleven character studies--one per chapter--personify the cultural and medical challenges he faces, from a young man convinced he's suffering to spare his community to the delinquent employee who claims she needs to rest her mind.
   Linde approaches his new assignment with an open mind and writes with sensitivity. He invites the reader along in an exploration of the African supernatural and psychological landscape. This is stuff Karen Blixen didn't see in the Kenyan hills; it's more the twisted psyche Conrad explores at the heart of the Congo.
   Of Spirits and Madness is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the human condition.

No comments about A Race for Life: A Diet and Exercise Program for Superfitness and Reversing the Aging Process.

3 comments about The Heroics of Falling Apart: One Couple's Breast Cancer Journey.

1. What a special book this is! My dear friend recently had a mastectomy. I wondered whether this book would be helpful to her or depressing. Once I started reading The Heroics of Falling Apart, I couldn't put it down. Each section gave me more insight into the world of coping with cancer. I learned about the torturous journey of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. I was grateful to have Judy's perspective as the patient and also Dan's point of view as the primary caregiver.
   
   A million thanks to the authors for sharing the intimate details of their experience. They provide a role model while underscoring that the only "right" decisions are those that are right for the patient. I know that my friend will benefit from reading this fascinating, inspirational story. I've put my copy in the lending library of my psychotherapy office and I expect it will get a lot of use. This is a book that belongs in every woman's library.
   
   Judy K. Underwood, Ph.D. Author of DYING: Finding Comfort and Guidance in a Story of a Peaceful Passing, [...]



2. A simple "thank you" would not be enough. Being "of age" and over 50 now, I have more than a number of friends who are experiencing breast cancer on many levels. This book and the emotional wallop it packs into every chapter provides a rare glimpse into the lives of a couple facing the disease. I have now gifted this book on several occasions to friends who are experiencing breast cancer. Although it may not be "appropriately timed" when given to those who are at the very beginning of learning about their own disease, it is a most wonderful resource for those who are further along the path of dealing and healing.



3. For anybody who has ever fallen apart -- or contemplated falling apart -- or just wondered what it would feel like to fall apart -- heroically or UNheroically-- and yet emerge from the triggering crises with one's body, mind and spirit not only still intact, but much stronger for it, Judy and Dan Gordon's book, The heroics of falling apart... One Couple's Breast Cancer Journey, is a MUST read. The roller coaster ride from hell that this amazing very much in love married couple took TOGETHER, but who wrote about it as if they were riding in separate cars, will make you feel not only as if you are alternately riding with each of them, but grateful that you were given the opportunity to do it without actually having to SIT in either of those cars. Grateful AND blessed!

No comments about Listening in the Silence, Seeing in the Dark: Reconstructing Life after Brain Injury.

3 comments about My Eyes, His Heart: Encounters of a Medical Missionary.

1. This a awesome read. Well worth the price. Great for anyone thinking about short-term missions.



2. Dr Kuhn, in the Preface says that "Years ago I was challendged to ask God to break my heart with the things that break His heart." Few of us will have the courage or will to live such a self sacrificing journey in life. "My Eyes, His Heart" gives those of us who only dream of the journey a chance to feel a little bit of what Dr. Kuhn has lived for the last 30 years. It is a wonderful treat. Thank you Dr. Ted Kuhn.

   Heartwarming, heartbreaking, but above all eye opening.




3. This book contains twenty-three short (usually 2-3 page long) glimpses from the travels and work of Dr. Kuhn as a medical missionary to various locations in South America, Africa, and Asia. Each one gives a vivid sense of the place, the immediate physical suffering of the people, and the eternal spiritual joy they can (and in some cases do) have in that suffering.

   For me, this book is not so much about the work of missions, though it is about that, as it is about seeing the spiritual reality alongside what we perceive with our physical senses. This book is sad as it talks about the suffering of many real people. This book may move you to compassion for those around the world who suffer physically and spiritually without hope. But, whether or not you become a missionary to the far reaches of the world, I hope this book gives you a sense of the immediate and eternal together in everyone you encounter.

   The book is a very quick read and is well written. Since it is organized in a series of short chapters, it is easy to pick up and put down. This book will be of particular interest to those involved or interested in mercy ministries and missions.

5 comments about Voice for the Mad: The Life of Dorothea Dix.

1. I have read many biographies of Dorothea Dix, and this one is the best of the best! She was a fascinating woman of her age. Devotedly religious, she found a life similiar in many respects to Mother Teresa of our age - although Miss Dix was much more effective using legislation as a tool in her relief work. Her work with the mentally ill has been studied by many professionals in the field. David Gollaher brings all the available historical documents together in an easy-to-read format for the general public. I hope this book will be rereleased for a new generation of students, social workers, nurses and doctors. Highly recommended for any public or private library.



2. Gollaher paints a very dull picture of Dorothea Dix. There is not one colorful insight into this fascinating, world-changing woman. If there was even a hint of love or respect, or even curiosity about his subject, the author never reaveals it. There is an inexcusable failure on the author's part to make this famous lady 'touchable'. He discredits her faith with one stroke of his pen and rambles about the more cerebral parts of her life and work. Yes, she was interested in other things besides helping people but I don't care to know about how many bugs she collected and how many famous persons she socialized with. I want to know about Dorothea Dix! This was one of the most discursive, spiritless biographies I have read in many years. Read another biographer's account of this amazing woman, perhaps one that is written by a woman.



3. I bought this book after reading the following award citation it received from the Organization of American Historians: "VOICE FOR THE MAD provides more than a fine analysis of how and why a key northern antebellum reformer came to her reform, more than a well-written, sophisticated account of how a well-traveled reformer sought progress in Europe and the Americas, more than an illuminating account of how and why Americans created asylums for the insane. Gollaher's study also throws important light on how a woman outside the home could be an important lobbyist inside antebellum male legislatures; on how and why antebellum religion generated a white-hot reformist passion; on how and why reformist passion often stopped short, as in Dix's case, of anti-slavery; and perhaps most astonishingly, on how and why the Yankee woman as a reforming fanatic could succeed in Southern legislatures...[A] gem of a biography." Amazingly, the book is even better than this, because it reveals how a person was able to use her own demons -- her anger, her feelings of abandonment, her incredible nervous energy -- as sources of strength in the public arena of politics.



4. This is a great biography, if somewhat exhastive in its detailing of Dorothea Dix's incredibly energetic and productive life. What captivated me was Gollaher's ability to evoke Dix's essential sadness, something that went back to her early childhood and that made her self-aware yet remote from other people. Ironically it was her self-possession, her sense of being different from everyone else, that enabled her to related to the mentally ill and create a unique career.



5. I casually picked up this book, read the introduction, and was hooked. The idea that Dorothea Dix could fashion a political career -- sitting with legislators to draft laws, guiding bills through the House and Senate with personal patronage -- generations before women could vote, well, this amazed me. But more amazing is the whole first section of the book, in which Gollaher details Dix's terrible and depressing early life in New England. The strength in this book is how he connects the dots of her painful early life with her painfully successful career in Washington and dozens of state capitals around the country. I can't think of anyone who paid a greater psychic price for success. Her story is largely a tragedy, exquisitely told here.

5 comments about Single in Saudi.

1. I was VERY disapointed with this book.
   I expected interesting facts about Saudi Arabia and life there, and all I got was what and when the author smoked and drank, and who she slept with. Even these facts aren't written in an interesting or funny style, more like a list of men and places she went to.
   I'm very sorry that Amazon sells (and even can recommend) such a book.



2. Really great. Took me back to the Kingdom of the 1970s and 1980s before the money got tight and before the Gulf War. It's a different place today, but those of you who were there in those days will enjoy it. When the Kingdom was a place of parties and bed-hopping for any ex-pat who was willing.



3. This book was a self-serving account of one woman's journey to The Kingdom. I was hoping to get more of an account of healthcare and cultural aspects of Saudi. Instead the author (who obviously thinks very highly of herself) goes on and on about how every guy she meets falls in love with her and how she can't resist the temptation to sleep with them. All the men are handsome to her and all of them are "passionate" lovers. By 2/3 of the way into the book, I found it difficult to keep track of who she was sleeping with in whatever chapter I was reading. I found it hilarious how she judged the character Johnnie for her lifestyle when the author had revealed she has little moral fiber of her own.



4. It's a self-published book, first of all. So don't expect ANY copy-editing at all. The prose is poor, the spelling just awful, but the story is kind of entertaining on a superficial level, though I do have to say I find the constant undercurrent of bigotry hard to take. She has no problem going from bed to bed with all these men, using them as much as they're using her, all the while saying bad things about them and their culture. She puts on airs as though she's such a sophisticated jet-setter and it comes off as phony. It's too bad, because somewhere in this mess of a narrative is a good story.



5. I loved "Single in Saudi" in its many perspectives.
   
   At one level it's a sexy romp through high-walled compounds inhabited by some of the world's richest men. At another it's full of sad insights into the degradation thrust on Saudi women by their countrymen.
   
   Genia writes a unique and illuminating book about herself as a blonde, blue-eyed American woman living in Saudi under a veil and obaya, the long, hooded, black robes that Saudi women are required to wear in public.
   
   As Americans we can learn much from "Single," because at some point the American-led coalition will have to decide whether fighting the war, or insurgency, or keeping the peace, or whatever we may be doing in Iraq, is worth expending our blood and treasure for a nation of ingrates and incompetents and worse.
   
   And that decision will in part be based on our view of those who people the nations of the Middle East, including the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a regime of hypocrites that Genia indulged without apology.
   
   I commend the book to you.