How good is this book? Another guidebook recomedns reading it! This book gives great insight into the history of Las Vegas as well as the individual hotels. While it is a little short on specific information, this guide more than makes up for it with specacular color photography and well written articles. A must read for those who want to know more than what the Chamer of Commerce or the Convention and Visitors Bureau will admit.

This is not your typical tour book. The author acutally suceeds in being entertaining as well as informative. Las Vegas is made tangible and not just rated in terms of good or bad.

The typical tour book stuff is here including hotel rates and restaurant reviews. However, if you want to know more, it's there. It provides the description of a hotel as well as detailing its history. In Vegas, even the hotels have personality. Every subject is handled in a like manner. This has the added bonus of making the book feel more like a narative.

There are small excerpts from popular authors for even more perspective. Perhaps, perspective is the right word for this book. The reader is treated to a point of view and not just a vague recollection of facts and figures. This is the first tour book I ever read cover to cover.

Though it has some slow parts, over all it is a great quick history / guide of Las Vegas. Even if you've been there, you'll find amusement in some of the tales or info included. I did.

I work in tourism, so I'm required to know all I can about Vegas. Castleman's Las Vegas is more than another guide. It can be read like an exciting novel that you don't want to put down. Or it's index makes it a quick reference tool. It's all here. History, the characters, the gaming, the hotels, weddings, maps, side trips, bargains - everything in a good size to carry and read on the plane.

By the time you land, you will feel like a Vegas veteran and save time and money.

Besides a great read, this book is worth the price simply for the fantastic photography.

I have had this book for a few years, and I use it extensively. Very informative.

The one and only book you will ever need on Herbs. A must for anyone who uses them. The best part of the book is the "side affects" to each herb. Something you normally do not hear about, but need to know when taking herbs.

I have been learning about herbs for a few years now, once in a while you run across a book that seems to give you information that others do not, Michael has done just that. It is in terms that I understand, and want to try to grow these plants and learn how to use them. If you are looking for a book that helps you understand, and helps make you feel like you really could accomplish herb growing, please invest in this book. It was orginally found at our local library. Hey, a no risk sneak preview !

I have owned this book for 7 years now and it has helped me several times... I have been able to look up symptoms that I am experiencing and been able in most cases to read a diagnosis that was later confirmed by my doctor... This book is a middle-of-the-night lifesaver, when you are feeling ill but not sure how serious it is. Because of this book, I have self-treated a minor skin rash, as well as taken myself to the emergency room for treatment of kidney stones. The authors offer self-care suggestions when appropriate, but also clearly indicate when you should seek the advice of a professional. I hope that you will consider the purchase of this book as important as the purchase of health insurance.

I first checked the book out from the library for a health project, and now I'm intent on buying it! This book has so much information on 100 of the most popular herbs, including pictures of the plant, theraputic uses, safety concerns, cultivation, and etc. I strongly recommend this book for any beginner (or advanced) herb users.

This book finally discusses the use of herbs and roots from an authoritative point of view. It compares common herbs to prescription medications, with an analysis of the ailment and each type of remedy. The authors and editorial staff have formal training from conventional medical schools and were able to do an actual comparative analysis of "natural herbal remedies" to over the counter and prescribed medications, for various common ailments. The book is well organized by malady, with an excellent reference guide for purchasing products and information on associations, and additional publications of interest. Good reading, very helpful.

This is a thorough book that includes information about possible interactions between herbal remedies and prescription drugs.

I like the way this book lists herbal remedies side by side with conventional medical treatments. It's useful to see your options laid out like that. I like the organization. It's easy to find what you need. I also like that one of the authors has an M.D. it's encouraging to see that a traditionally trained doctor sees the value of phytomedicinals. The book is organized by health problems. Under each heading, there is a listing of herbal as well as conventional remedies, as well as a paragraph describing how each remedy works. This method of organization makes much more sense than listing herbs alphabetically, especially for someone who's in a hurry to find something. I only just received the book from amazon.com, but I can already foresee that I will use it often. I only wish they had made the book bigger and printed it on nicer paper. Oh well...you can't have everything, I guess.

I'm a fan of historical fiction. But as the former editor of San Francisco's city magazine, I'm picky when it comes to stories set in SF. The romance, the history, the twists and turns and exotic corners of the city invite mystery writers, but a story can't just be 'set' in San Francisco, it has to be saturated with the feel, the sounds, the air. Michael Castleman delivers it all with a well-crafted plot that draws on the minted gold wealth upon which the city was founded...and the shaky fault-ridden ground that gave way in the catastrophes of 1906 and 1989. A tough-minded reporter of the breed that once made the city famous (Mark Twain penned much of his work a short walk from the famous San Francisco Mint which is at the center of Castleman's novel), pursues the story of the mysterious lost gold and in the course of his investigation almost...ok, no spoilers. San Francisco has delivered some of the greatest mystery writers, and Castleman seems ready to join their ranks. (An added bonus: those who know the city well will love matching up some of the books most colorful characters with their famous and notorious real life counterparts.)

Michael Castleman's expert prose makes the past as appealing as the present--and his characters compelling and authentic. The Lost Gold is a love story to the author's city of San Francisco, and a terrific contribution to the genre of historical fiction. Even if you don't like mysteries, this book's for you!

A friend gave me a signed 1st edition of this book. I live in the East Bay, and she knew I wouldn't be able to resist a true story set so close to home, San Francisco. The story spans two eras. The first is April, 1906, San Francisco's golden era in every sense of the word; a fortune in gold coins was set loose - and then came the earthquake.
The book then jumps forward to 1989, and history turns to mystery and murder.
Much more than it seems at first glance, The Lost Gold of San Francisco is a poem of grace to a city both past and present that the author obviously holds dear.

The book is an excellent reference guide for those who believe in the power of herbs and healing. In alphabetical order, the book clearly presents a variety of medical conditions and the possible herb(s) to take for each. The book would have been deserving of a five-star rating had it provided the daily dosages in tablet form, but the dosages were given using the raw herb only, which, without question, is the best form if it is available. The problem is, at least in my little corner of the world, the chance of finding a raw herb or a supplier would be next to finding a needle in a haystack and extremely expensive if they could be found! Fortunately, most herbal tablets have the recommended dosage on the bottle but even that can vary from as little as one tablet a day to as many as twelve tablets. I think I would be very hesitant about taking twelve tablets a day of anything, especially on a long-term basis. It would have been helpful if the book had recommended accurate dosages for the tablet form, as well as the raw form.

The book is well-written and most informative. I would caution readers about making their own herbal combinations though, unless they are knowledgeable on the subject. Just as some medicines should not be combined, the same applies to some herbs.

I never knew how many over the counter medicines could be replaced by safer, herbal alternatives. This book is easy to read and has a great index where you can look up various ailments. The index takes you right to the page where it lists the herbs that can help you. The book also provides many different herbs that can be used for one ailment so you can have more options available to you. It also says how the herb is used and prepared. Excellent book for someone that wants to have well-rounded health-care. I can attest to some of those remedies in the book, they do work!

This book is VERY useful for looking up which herbs to use for a given health condition (it's organized alphabetically by condition). If you have a cold, for example, and you want to know what to use to treat it, you can just look it up under "Colds and Flu", and bingo, there's all the info you need. (Many of the other herb books I have, while lovely to look at, require you to use the index and then peruse each individual plant listing that mentions a condition. This can be a pain!) Dr. Duke's folksy style of writing and his anecdotes interspersed in the text make it a pleasure to read.

This is the book I recommend to friends who want to know which herbs to use-- it's a great read & a great reference!

This book is a great resource for people who are on a budget. Almost all of these formulas are easy to make and every one I have tried out works well. The ingredients called for are usually very cheap and easy to find.

My only two issues with it are: 1- Some of the ingredients called for in some of these formulas are not normally kept in the home and will require a trip to the grocery store. 2- This book covers such a wide variety of formulas for a lot of uses. This is frustrating for me because my brain doesn't work that way. I tend to ilke things that belong together to be together. I just forget sometimes to consider looking in this book when trying to find a solution to a problem (ants, acne etc). This book has recipes, formulas for ant prevention and cleaning solutions all in one book. However, they are devided into appropriate sections.

I have gotten rid of this book once, only to find myself looking for it later to get a solution to a problem with ants. I ran right out, bought it again and now it's staying on my shelves.

After checking this book out of the library numerous times and trying to take notes on all the formulas that I knew I could use, I realized that either I would have to hand copy the book or go buy one at Amazon. I chose the latter and since buying it a few months ago, I've returned to the formulas again and again. Using this book you WILL: save money, save natural resources, find ready answers, and find practical information to help you in the home or garden. Using this book you'll be able to make plant fertilizer (that really works!), household cleaning solutions, soaps, herbal remedies, and much more. Even my pets have benefitted from this book. Enjoy!

I love learning new tricks for keeping house, and this book is *full* of tips! I have returned to this book time after time to learn how to treat a fever, make traps for the dreaded whiteflies, make a no-salt spice mix for chicken, and clean darned near anything. This is an indispensable reference for any homemaker on a budget.

This book gives a good overview of treatment options (mainstream medicine & alternative) for a multitude of common health problems. I was impressed that the author did not focus on just 1 "right" treatment, but highlighted multiple options. Very informative on the best choices in healing.

This is a unique and valuable bible of the current state of healing arts. The author has no political agenda. He does not favor 'alternative' vs 'Western' or 'traditional' medicine. He just objectively tells you what works and what does not work so well given specific health condition.

He allows you to attack any ailment you have with a multi-medicinal approach. For any given condition, this book makes insightful recommendation from ayuverdic, homeopathic, herbal, and traditional medicine.

It is unfortunate that within the medical establishment (the AMA) this 'Blended' approach has not taken hold. It is obviously much more successful than going at it from one limited perspective.

Thanks to this book though, it is like having your own in house doctor.

I was very disappointed in this book. I didn't gain any new information from it. The information was basically a repeat of everything we already know about Alzheimer's Disease.

The medical information may be out of date now, but the stories are well worth the price of the book.

You think you know Alzheimer's? You don't know Alzheimer's. Read these stories.

As a social worker, I really treasure books that provide excellent background information while speaking to the issues that people really care about. This book does this and more. It is a comprehensive and exhaustive resource on the current state of Alzheimers research, diagnosis, and treatment and it also provides several real family vignettes that have the realities that many face in an honest and postive (yes positive) manner. For example, it tells the story of a Stanford Professor who is diagnosed with Alzheimers in his late 50s/early 60s and his wife who struggle to care for him and her eventual decision to place her husband in residential care. It also tells of their continued love affair and how both of their lives change and adapt to living with Alzheimers. Of note it include information about wide range of community resources which will surely be helpful to families facing similar circumstances.