A refreshing change from other "nutrition" books, you'll find yourself rethinking your attitude about food. David's focus is more about HOW to eat than WHAT to eat. This book is a different approach than you've probably encountered before, but if you read it and give it some thought, I think you'll conclude that it most definitely makes sense.

I had the good fortune of meeting the author at Canyon Ranch, where I had a nutrition consultation with him. I can honestly say that the hour I spent with him has changed my approach to food. I left with practical suggestions to change how and what I eat, and as a result I eat more, weigh a bit less, and enjoy my food more than ever before.

Not a magic bullet, but I'd recommend this book to those with an open mind who are tired of the same old diet book fare, and want to consider a new path.

One of the traps which many of us fall into when we become aware of the relationship between nutrition and health is that we establish a set of dietary rules according to which we label foods as either "good" or "bad." Once a certain food has been assigned to the "bad" category, we might even become critical of ourselves and others for desiring or eating that food. The more zealous we are in our conviction that we have found the one right way of eating, the more limited we become in our understanding of food and our interaction with it.

This title sets out to dispel the myth that there could ever be a standard dietary system guaranteed to meet everyone's nutritional requirements. The author, a nutritional psychologist, approaches his mission from a truly holistic perspective. Rather than proposing yet another ideal diet based on the perfect composition of specific nutrients, he explores the multidimensional dynamics of nourishment, reaching far beyond the purely scientific and chemical aspects of nutrition.

Although he does not deny the impact of eating high-quality foods, Mr. David invites the reader to consider other factors which are equally significant in determining whether a meal is truly nourishing: The less tangible "ingredients" of a meal, such as the consciousness with which it is eaten, as well as the ambiance of our surroundings, and the people in whose company we dine, are all part of the nourishing experience and profoundly affect the body and mind on both the physical and subtle energetic levels.

"Nourishing Wisdom" suggests that choosing the "right" foods is less important than eating whatever one chooses wholeheartedly and with awareness. To be fully nourished by food, we must experience it through both the action of chewing and the sensation of taste. Our nutritional requirements are continuously changing with variables such as age, the environment we live in, and nature's seasons. One of the exercises described in the book is listening for body feedback, which allows the body's intuitive wisdom to determine which foods would be most nourishing at a given time.

Each chapter in this highly readable book features a summary of the main points discussed, as well as suggestions for how the reader could work with these in his or her own life. Someone who has a weight problem, for instance, will find the chapters addressing the connection between food and love, and the application of affirmative willpower, most helpful. And nearly everyone will benefit from the revelation that the digestion and assimilation of foods are affected by the body posture which we assume during a meal -- finally a valid reason why one should not slouch at the dinner table!

A sympathetic, educated voice on the relationship between nutrition and the spiritual life.

Dr. Straus is an oncologist who cares, maybe too much, if that's possible. He gives us an insight look into the emotions, and strain, of caring for people with cancer. Each word seems almost perfect, and you wonder whether he is really a poet who became a doctor or a doctor who became a poet.

Dr. Straus' poetry is unrivaled - his style is unique and capturing, and he will certainly become known as one of the best poets of our time. We get a peak inside his private life as he relays not only trying times with patients he tries to save but also into his own difficult times and haunted memories. My wife and I have read his book several times - it only becomes more potent and touching. We await future collections.

Dr. Straus has written a compelling book of poetry that touches on emotions that everyone has been faced with. He gives a voice to his patient's fears and hopes and gives the reader insight into how a doctor can be touched by the people he tries to save.

This nifty paperback covers many common problems encountered in the pediatric emergency department. Each case starts with a clinical vignette including rich color photos demonstrating visual diagnostic findings. Turn the page and...voila!...there is the diagnosis with a brief review of salient features that aid in arriving at the correct diagnosis. I heartily recommend this book to medical students, house officers, fellows, and clinicians preparing for board certification.

Be led on rounds by Drs. Fleisher and Ludwig! I honed my skills more with this book than I did on weeks of my pediatrics rotation. The authors include both common and uncommon conditions that one could expect to see in the community. "Common things are common" was reflected in that there were several examples of common conditions such as chicken pox, herpes, impetigo, etc. You will definitely feel more confident with pediatric diagnosis after reading this book.

An excellent review of pediatrics. Case based examples with crisp, clear photos. Clinical vingettes help with evaluation of the photographed child. An EXCELLENT tool for board and test review, as well as general learning purposes.

This anthology, actually the first issue of what one hopes will be a highly successful literary magazine, is chock full of treasures. One could do a lot worse to discover the voices of tomorrow than look herein. Let's hope this issue garners its contributors some recognition, some prizes and careers to make readers heads swim for decades to come.

I absolutely love this book. It is a fine collection of stories by current, up and coming, new and established, honest and intellegent writers who write because they have always written. And while I've read it cover to cover, I still flip through for inspiration and laughs. Keep it by the bed, keep it under your pillow, but keep it near by if you can't read it until later, like after dinner, or whatever, just keep it around, because this little gem deserves a read.

This is a fine collection of new writings. Jeff Boison and Whitney Pastorek have outdone themselves. The selections by Bob Beier, Thisbe Nissen and the novelist Tom Bradley particularly stand out. Tom Bradley takes us deep into the Chinese jungle, to the lair of a witch who listens to Lennie Tristano on a transistor radio. PINDELDYBOZ is a must-read!

This book is a must read for all high school students regardless of their athletic aspirations. It is really about dealing with life.

Howard

My son, a high school freshman, plays basketball and baseball. This is the perfect time for him to read The Real Athletes Guide. It will help make his high school years more focused and meaningful, and help him balance sports, academics, and social life. I'd recommend this thoughtful and thought-provoking book to everyone who has a son or daughter-or niece or nephew-who is a high school or college athlete. It inspires the proper attitude toward life, and it educates without too much parenting. Its conversational style and the cartoons appeal to young athletes. The special "Message to Parents" and actually the whole book tell you, the parent of an athlete, everything you wanted to know about student athletics but were afraid to ask. I particularly enjoyed a section called "Selecting a college is like buying a car for the first time."

The thrill of the adrenaline rush of a talented athlete performing at his or her best is only exceeded by the horror of the adrenaline crash when that athlete succumbs to unnecessary injuries, exploitation by opportunists, or the consequences of having no back up plan besides their sport. The Real Athletes Guide is a godsend to talented athletes and their parents on how to successfully navigate the mine field of college and professional sports.

What's a mom or dad to do when their child excells at a sport far beyond his or her parents' own experience and wildest dreams? Add to that the youthful grandiose beliefs that they are "bulletproof" and you have a recipe for disaster.

Marc Isenberg and Rick Rhoads have performed an extremely important service by providing a clear, easy to read, and easy to use guide for parents who are trying to look out for their athletic child's best interest.

Talented young athletes are like young thoroughbred horses whose gifts need to be harnessed and guided in just the right way, or else they run the risk of being put out to pasture early. The Athletes Guide is just what you need to help your child to be all that he or she can be.

Buy it. Read it. Use it. Tell any parent of a young athlete to do the same.

The Pyrenees are some of the best terrain for outdoor adventure in Europe. As this guide points out, though, while they've often "taken second fiddle" to the Alps, they actually offer a greater variety of things to do -- all levels of hiking, plus whitewater rafting, biking, caving, skiing, horse riding, rock climbing, and just kicking back, not to mention quick access to Mediterranean beaches and "cultured" places like Barcelona and Bilbao. Wildlife is abundant and, unless this excellent guide gets into too many people's hands, tourists are not. What more could you ask for?

Dubin's guide is jam-packed with detail. It's pretty much oriented toward the outdoors -- after all, that's why most people come to the Pyrenees -- but it also includes information about the region's attractive architecture. The guide is divided up into five sections each about 60 pages-long: the Eastern Pyrenées, Andorra, the Vall D'Aran, the western national parks (Parc National des Pyrenées and Parque Nacional de Ordesa), and the Western Pyrenées. Information about accomodations is a little skimpy here and there, but that's not a serious problem. You won't have any trouble finding a place to stay. All the essentials about traveling by train and bus are here, too.

The guide's big strength is its walking itineraries. They make up about half the book. Here's part of one: "For the simpler appraoch to Pedraforca [a peak], head south for forty minutes from the refuge fountain, along a narrow but well-trodden path through pine and box, to the base of the giant scree hully leading up to Forcadura. Turning sharply west up this, guided by a few red-and-yellow paint splodges, brings you to the saddle in just under two hours from the refuge, after a very slippery, mostly trailless climb. At Forcadura, you'll glimpse Gòsol to the west -- and a gentler, distinct trail slithering up the Canal de Gòsol ("canal" meaning ravine in local parlance). From Forcadura it's another 25 minutes north up a reasonable, obvious trail to the top of Pollegó Superior, with its assorted Catalan flags, "mailbox" for dedications and the expected views. Return is by this same route, for a total outing of just under five hours."

Full of interesting anecdotes, the book also includes tables listing the dates of local festivals and, at the end, a section on Pyrenean history, culture, and wildlife. Finally, you'll find a brief Spanish and French glossary and a handful of useful words and phrases from those beautiful "mountain languages," Basque and Catalan.

As for Dubin's maps, you'll need some better ones if you're planning any serious trekking, but for the light walker like myself, they'll do. Again, his descriptions of trails are very detailed and could almost take the place of maps.

For more books on the Pyrenees, check out my Listmania lists.

The Pyrenees are some of the best terrain for outdoor adventure in Europe. As this guide points out, though, while they've often "taken second fiddle" to the Alps, they actually offer a bigger variety of things to do -- all levels of hiking, plus whitewater rafting, biking, caving, skiing, horse riding, rock climbing, and taking it easy, not to mention quick access to Mediterranean beaches and "cultured" places like Barcelona and Bilbao. Wildlife is abundant and, unless this guide gets into too many people's hands, tourists are not. What more could you ask for?

Dubin's guide is jam-packed with detail. It's pretty much oriented toward the outdoors -- after all, that's why most people come to the Pyrenees -- but it also includes information about the region's attractive architecture. The guide is divided up into five sections each about 60 pages-long: the Eastern Pyrenées, Andorra, the Vall D'Aran, the western national parks (Parc National des Pyrenées and Parque Nacional de Ordesa), and the Western Pyrenées. Information about accomodations is a little skimpy here and there, but that's not a serious problem. You won't have any trouble finding a place to stay. All the essentials about traveling by train and bus are here, too.

The guide's big strength is its walking itineraries. They make up about half the book. Here's part of one: "For the simpler appraoch to Pedraforca [a peak], head south for forty minutes from the refuge fountain, along a narrow but well-trodden path through pine and box, to the base of the giant scree hully leading up to Forcadura. Turning sharply west up this, guided by a few red-and-yellow paint splodges, brings you to the saddle in just under two hours from the refuge, after a very slippery, mostly trailless climb. At Forcadura, you'll glimpse Gòsol to the west -- and a gentler, distinct trail slithering up the Canal de Gòsol ("canal" meaning ravine in local parlance). From Forcadura it's another 25 minutes north up a reasonable, obvious trail to the top of Pollegó Superior, with its assorted Catalan flags, "mailbox" for dedications and the expected views. Return is by this same route, for a total outing of just under five hours."

Full of interesting anecdotes, the book also includes tables listing the dates of local festivals and, at the end, a section on Pyrenean history, culture, and wildlife. Finally, you'll find a brief Spanish and French glossary and a handful of useful words and phrases from those beautiful "mountain languages," Basque and Catalan.

As for Dubin's maps, you'll need some better ones if you're planning any serious trekking, but for the light walker like myself, they'll do. Again, his descriptions of trails are very detailed and could almost take the place of maps.

For more books on the Pyrenees, check out my Listmania lists.

Marc Dubins rough guide is a detailed and interesting book. He concentrates on the areas close to the mountains and gives interesting descriptions of small villages as well as larger resorts and towns. He includes recommended walks and rates the ski resorts. He assumes you will be walking or on public transport and so does not cover many hamlets and villages only reachable by car. Overall a very thorough book that I am sure will be invaluble on our trip there.

Review of Marc Straus's Symmetry:

Above all, poet Marc Straus is a
storyteller. He is a keen observer of the human condition, especially
in times of vulnerability and illness which he is privy to in his
career as a physician. He listens with a poetic sensibility to what
his patients aren't quite saying out loud and says it for them: fears
of disfigurament and death and hope against hope up to the end. As
when after a death in the hospital of a patient, he remarks of the
nurses..."They've seen it before, but death fills their shoes."
He also remembers his childhood and recreates images that sing of
life's poignant moments: saying of a photograph he took of his
daughter at two..."Her eyes were dark and translucent as sorrel
agates, and her chin tilted forward as if to contest the axix of the
earth.". Best of all, these poems are accessible and elegant at the
same time. A fitting successor to Straus' first book of poetry "One
Word".

Dr. Straus' book is a journey into the heart of another human being. A deeply personal and bravely revealing look into the life of the author and his patients. This compilation is compelling, articulate and magical, yet accessible to even those who have never read a poem. There is something in here that everyone can relate to. I can't wait for the next book. Marc Straus just keeps getting better and better.

Dr. Straus' poetry is unrivaled - his style is unique and capturing, and he will certainly become known as one of the best poets of our time. We get a peak inside his private life as he relays not only trying times with patients he tries to save but also into his own difficult times and haunted memories. My wife and I have read his book several times - it only becomes more potent and touching. We await future collections.

Take Action is an excellent resource book for classroom teachers ! The step by step guide to student involvement in social issues has been a great help in encouraging my students to take positive action in the community. The book is very attractive with colorful layouts, pictures and presentations. It has been immensely popular with my students. Great work! Well worth purchasing! I am looking forward to a French edition!

I recently bought this book for my children and they simply refuse to put it down. They are organizing a fundraiser for a local charity and getting their entire class involved and this remarkable resource is showing them how. I also saw Craig on Oprah and was so moved by his story and after seeing Oprah's major support of his organization, I went out and got the book. Oprah was right again! Craig and his brother are inspirations to all children and young people. I think every parent who wants to inspire their kids should buy this book.

I have been following Craig's remarkable story on Oprah for the last couple of years. As soon as I saw on the Oprah show that he had a new book out, I searched high and low until I found it on the free the children web site for my kids. I had bought his last book and my two daughters loved it! The Take Action is simply great. It gives them ways to become socailly involved and tells them in langauge they can understand. They are already using its fundraising and public speaking tools. I wish every school library had a copy.

Marc is a masturful poet and wordsmith. I've seen him do more in a single haiku than many poets can accomplish in entire chapbooks. Buying this book is a good idea. Buying two copies of this book is a great idea, because you'll want to share it with SOMEONE.

Buy this book. Marc's language is intensely beautiful, and his style is defiantly unique.

By buying this book, you're supporting 1) a visionary poet 2) the minimal press--a guerilla poetry collective 3) the idea that the distribution monopolies cannot control the spread of good poetry.

Marc says in his fine document, "Art & Machine:95 Theses": #53 "We mucst repossess our prerogatives. Disseminate ART in subways, bars, grocery stores. Sneak books INTO libraries. Sneak books INTO chain book stores. Sneak books into prisons."

Buy this book, photocopy some of the poems, and leave them lying around on busses, in bookstores, in bars for others to find.

Marc has such a passion for poetry and that passion shows in each line he commits to paper or screen. When he isn't writing poetry he is doing his best to promote poetry, helping other to do the same, through his poetry vending machines and his underground guerrilla poetry press.

Telegrams has such hypnotizing intensity such joyous exploration with a dance of meter and metaphor, non-linear Zen like thought tangoing with our reasonable mind's linear thought, then a touch of classic presentation and grace rounds the work out. If you love poetry, if you live in today's "nuthouse" society you must read this book. Leslie Blanchard

Editor A Writer's Choice Literary Journal