This book begins as a personal story. One day journalist Stephen Fried was forced to rush his wife, novelist Diane Ayres, to an emergency room, when she suffered a severe seizure. She turned out to be suffering an adverse reaction to an antibiotic, Floxin, which she had been instructed to take for a minor urinary infection. "Bitter Pills" grew out of Fried's attempts to understand what had happened to his wife.

Fried, and his readers, soon discover that Diane Ayres' case was not unique, or even rare. Floxin is only one of legions of prescription drugs which can cause severe adverse reactions, which cause at least 45,000 deaths per year in the US (some estimates go as high as 200,000). It is a tribute to Fried's excellence as a reporter that he is able go beyond his dramatic personal story to give a comprehensive picture of what he calls " the hazardous world of legal drugs."

Fried reviews the history of drug regulation in the US, and ably documents the shortcomings of the current regulatory system, as well as the inordinate influence drug companies have on the process. Two of the many specific "hazards" he identifies are the desperate need for doctors to have an independent, reliable source of information on the drugs they prescribe (almost all the informatin they currently have comes from drug manufacturers), and the equally crying need for an effective system for reporting and cataloging adverse drug reactions.

I put this book down very impressed with Fried as both a reporter and a writer. He has clearly immersed himself in an important issue long enough, and deeply enough, that he has mastered it. He has then turned around to convey the complex issues involved to readers very effectively and without losing their interest. I look forward to work of similar excellence from Fried in the future.

I read this book at least a year ago but am still impressed by the story and the thoroughness of the author. I found it especially chilling because it is something I can imagine happening to me. Like Fried's wife, Diane, I too suffered a mild closed-head injury from an automobile accident as a child. Also like Diane, this injury has never given me problems and so I have never had reason to worry the subject - never considering it might have repercussions, certainly not when it comes time to fill a prescription. The most chilling part is that I can easily imagine a physician doing exactly what Diane's physician did - reading (or glancing at) the bland official Floxin contraindications as Fried has presented them, and deciding the antibiotic will be just fine!

Fried's investigation into the drug-approval process was fascinating reading. By looking at one antibiotic in depth, he captured a lot of specific information that can no doubt be applied to the general case of pharmaceutical approval.

The appendix to the book suggests how to read a drug insert and is a wonderful bonus - practical information you can use any time you deal with your MD or go to the pharmacy.

Five cheers! Have you ever taken a prescription drug? Has your doctor ever given you free samples and said, "Let's try this; it's new." Fried takes his wife's severe neuropsychiatric reaction to a new antibiotic as the jumping off point for a spell-binding review of the US drug approval process. I have some first-hand knowledge of the process, and found the book to be right on target (with a quibble over his account of his own emergency department visit). The book is especially timely this year, given the recent withdrawals of dexfenfluramine, fenfluramine, mibefradil, and bromfenac from the market,the growing realization of the dangers of troglitazone, and the push to force the FDA to move more quickly on drug approvals. Mr. Fried is to be commended for this stellar piece of work! We all send regards to his wife, Diane.

After all of these reviews that I have just found here, there is no sense of talking about the characters of this great book, but I would like to write some things that maybe not all readers know. Mesa Selimovic was born in Tuzla, Bosnien and Herzegovina, same like me. My high-school name was Mesa Selimovic and I am very proud of it. The messages from "Dervis i smrt" are universal, but they are also the picture of bosnian tradition and society, and the most important fact - they represent the mirror of bosnian soul. If you want to learn something more about Bosnia, its people and history, than you should read this book. As a Bosnian I can't think of a better book. And I don't think that it's bad to say that Selimovic was Bosnian (according to Mazedonian reader ), because he was. It was not mentioned in the review was he a Croat, Muslim, or Serb, and it doesn't matter. I think that we after all that happened in my homeland at least have right to say that we are Bosnians without mentioning the nationality. Bosnia is home for all of us. Don't denial this right to Selimovic.

Few days ago I finished my fourth reading of this book and I experienced exactly the same mixed feelings I had after my first reading.I was sad to witness such a human tragedy and I was happy because in this book I found a real treausure of human mind. Even though located in the Balkans dark age the story still sends a universal human mesagge where philosophical exsistence of good and evil live in eternal confrontation. The final sentence (...death is nonsense,the same as life) rather than lament sounds to me as an invitation for reflection about our existentialism and values we blindly follow and promote today. Finally, with all respect to the people who translated the book I find myself extremely lucky being able to read this book in its original version in bosnian language which is obviouslu much more authentic and colourful. P.S. I would not like to open a political debate in this place but I found the Cyprys' reader final comment about Selimovic's "Serb's" background extremely offensive, inaccurate and inappropriate. By the way, the biographic data about Selimovic, that I as a Bosnian know , are completely different but I have no intention to place his genius in a shadow of political triviality.

For the first time I read this book when I was in the forth grade of the High School. What impressed me most was the personality and strength of Ahmed Nuruddin, a sheik of a tekka and the way he coped with reality. In this case it was a guilt for not trying too much to save his brother. On the other side, it was guilt for doing things that he was not supposed to do as a sheik of tekka. It is a philosophy of life - all in one in a wonderful book written by Selimovic. How did I fell after I read this book? I felt I had cleared my soul and I found a new approach to problems in life. It is a source of human feelings, from fear to joy. What is good and what is evil in every human being? What is it that makes people commit crime? The evil of the twentieth century comes to our souls once we read the book. We cannot escape it. It is a history of humankind. It is both our treasury and guilt. Selimovic made a picture of one soul. We make a picture of ourselves when we finish reading this great book. It might be time to ask yourself about your life.

This is a well written and well researched book. Your Hands Can Heal You covers most types of healing modalities and looks into what works and how, to give an insightful look at healing. Through this book you can learn how to heal yourself, loved ones and stay healthy. The book explores breathing and physical exercises to keep you healthy and young. What is unique to this book's approach is that it is thoroughly researched and explained as to how alternative healing works and how anyone can do it themselves.I am not a born healer, but through this book I have been able to "heal" insect bites to migraines, and understand how this has worked. There are many healers out there who can heal but do not understand how they heal. Through this book I have been able to heal and understand how by understanding the principles of the body's energetic health and functioning. I strongly recommend this to everyone, from all walks of life as an at home manual to good health and long life.

We have studied with Master Stephen Co for over a year, and have integrated the methods outlined in this book into our lives. We first sought alternative healing methods for our daughter who had a medical condition that conventional medicine was unable to solve. Learning pranic healing empowered us to heal her, and it has also opened up a spiritual framework, a way of looking at the universe, that has changed our lives forever. The simple meditations, breathing techniques and salt baths offered in the book have become part of our daily routine. We are calm, centered, and in excellent health. We gave this book to all our friends and family over the holidays, wanting to share the good fortune this book has brought us. I highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to learn how to heal themselves and their loved ones, advance their healing techniques, or simply to raise their awareness of the vast power we all posess that leads us to true happiness and fulfillment. Your Hands Can Heal You is the family health handbook of the new millenium.

One of the most fabulous reads ever! Turning pages you realize what you have always known but couldn't quite put your finger on - what makes people sick, how to prevent it and how to fix it! I highly recommend this book for those who have illnesses that doctors couldn't quite diagnose or cure. And best yet, using the techniques taught in this book will allow you to show your friends and family love in a way they have probably never known before - through the gift of healing that is within us all.

I'm sure every reader will feel the same way. The story line kept you guessing. This book should be right on the shelves beside Clive Cussler's action/adventures...In fact it might very well deserve a shelf of it's own! Thank you for a very enjoyable book...keep'em coming

This is much more than a science fiction tale. Cammick's insight into our aging population and the effects it will have on our society and economy add substance to a very entertaining and inspiring story. It is equally refreshing to see retirees cast as the solution to our country's challenges, rather than the victims or even worse, the cause of the problems. This book is a must read for every retiree and those that champion vital aging.

If you have any sense of adventure, no matter what your age, this book (a fast read) will grab you and hold your attention. Steve Cammick has put together all the ingredients that make this book a very enjoyable read.

This novella is an incredible story. It follows one man through his life at Shawshank State Prison. The story is full of life, vivid characters, a wonderful and original plot, and more. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a good read. Read the book that inspired an oscar nominated movie!

I loved the movie and i loved the book. I would have really enjoyed the book if it had been about 500-1000 pages and it would have been GREAT i know it. I liked how the book had more detail and description, but it could have used about 700 more pages, I would advise everybody to read the book, and WATCH THE MOVIE.

An amazing, inspirational story. This book laid the foundation for the movie, and since I am not the biggest Stephen King fan, this was obviously his best work in my mind. Andy Dufresne is sent to prison for murdering his wife and golf player Glenn Quentin, although he did not actually commit this crime and was framed. Andy's experience in prison includes encounters with desperate gay men, an evil warden, and other obstacles, but most importantly, his friend Red. He and Red go through the struggle together and become a dynamic duo. Also, fanatics of the classic film remake beware: there are a couple of facts kept secret in the movie that may surprise you in the novel. Though the book is a mere 106 pages it's definitely one you will want to read again and again. There are also a few other differences in the book compared to the film, such as no murders or suicides in prison. Shawshank is described very well. Eventually, Andy seeks his revenge and opens some eyes, and all he needed was a rockhammer and a poster of a model (he changed the posters every few years). If you have seen the movie but haven't read the book, I highly recommend that you check out the book as well, because it tells a lot about the characters. There is even a devastating secret about Brooks that was not revealed in the movie version. A definite keeper. If you can find this book, do not let it go.

I really liked the book and the movie itself. Stephen King, for sure, didn't intend when he wrote Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption to emphasize a lot on the character of Andy. I think the basic character is the Morgan Freeman one. Frank Darabont, emphasized on both characters, Andy and Red. I have to ask myself, it's the redemption of who and of what? Is it the redemption of Andy, of Red, of Warren...? I think it's the redemption of all the characters in the book. At the end each one of them took what he deserved. Warren Suicide, Andy Freedom, and Red Hope. The brilliant thing about Shawshank Redemption script and movie is that the reader can't know what will happen and can estimate nothing untill the end of the story, there's no meaning of hope yet. What's hope in that movie? Is it something that we usually loose when we grow older under certain TERRIBLE conditions? Red lost all hope of getting outside Shawshank, at a certain time he wasn't willing to go out, he can never face the outside. Shawshank made him a machine man with machine heart and machine mind. Andy remind him back of his humanity, and hope is what deferenciates humans from other living species. I realized at the end that Hope is Freedom and it's not the opposite. When you have hope you can be free and when you don't you can never be free. The difference between Red and Andy is that Andy always believed in hope and that thing made him free, Red got out of Shawshank after 40 years and he was not free. Red started to feel freedom ("I think it's the excitement only a freemam can feel, a freeman at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain") when he regain hope and broke all rules and went to see his friend Andy. Hope is like dreams, when you lose it you lose your existence and therefore your humanity.

This is a great read. This book doesn't just contain the screenplay to one of the best movies of the 1990s. It also has a delightful introduction by Stephen King which explains his relationship with Frank Darabont and describes his "dollar baby" policy concerning his short stories and novellas. There is also a sort of short foreward by Darabont briefly describing how the movie came into being. This book contains the complete shooting script (deleted lines and all) and a bunch of notes by Darabont illuminating why certain scenes were cut, lines where changed, etc. Anyone interesting in filmmaking would really benifit from reading this. For those who aren't even in the least bit interested in how a movie is made, this is still a delightful read. It is a good thing, perhaps one of the best of things.

The shooting script contains forewards (by Stephen King by Frank Darabont), the screenplay, changes from the screenplay to the movie, some final thoughts by Darabont, and the credits.

It's fascinating reading the screenplay after seeing the movie, then reading the changes made in to the screenplay and why. For example, in scene 36, Andy approaches Red to buy a rock hammer and they agree on ten dollars. In the movie, it just happens and we overlook the question on how Andy would have gotten the money in the first place.

In the screen play, we find out in scenes 40 and 41 where he got the money (brought in with him ... internally). However, later, the book explains how the scene read well, but didn't work well on the screen. In retrospect, we don't really *care* that he had money anyway, so the scene is easily dropped without sacrificing clarity.

The book adds some interesting "inside" information. For example, when we first see Red meeting with the parole board, the file has a picture of him when he was younger. This photo is actually a cameo by Morgan Freeman's son, Alfonso, who also provided some of the background voices during the "Fresh Fish" taunting in the early part of the movie.

Overall, the book adds depth to an already excellent cinematic experience.

1937: Charles Ashworth, young charming former Chaplain to Archbishop of Canterbury, Cosmo Lang, is asked to discreetly investigate the private life of the Bishop of Starbridge, Alex Jardine, an aggressive liberal. What he finds seems to horrifingly mirror what lurks in his own private life of hurt, tragedy, and guilt all hidden behind Ashworth's carefully crafted 'Glittering Image'. A brilliant novel about pastoral care and fundamental morality and Christ's grace and redemption.

This is the first in a series of a six novel series. Having already read them all, I'm going back to start again. Howatch does a remarkable job of illustrating how insidious and how damaging to the human soul living behind a "glittering image" can be...the tendency to offer a mask for the rest of the world to see that simply doesn't match the true inner self. For me, this book got *really* interesting at the midway point! Great read!

I chanced upon Susan Howatch's series on the Church of England after enjoying Castlemara. I quickly purchased all the books in the series and even sent a friend the first two. She explains much of the debate within the church in a very personal way--through the struggles of the characters. Her books pull no punches, but in the end are not negative or depressing. Being a person who has spent my life involved in and studying Christianity, her knowledge of a range of church doctrines is surprising for a novelist of the late 20th century. This is an author I would truly like to meet.

This was my first origami book. It flows from simple to intermediate to complex with no problem. The diagrams are the clearest there are (although I wished they ALL showed shading, only reason why I'm not giving five stars), and the models range from the cute (Penguin) to the original (Dog in a Doghouse) to the complex (Praying Mantis) to the REALLY complex (Crab). If you're a beginner, pick this book, and slowly evolve as you turn each page. Trust me, you'll thank me for it!

besides knowing Lang's work as totally impressive and decently disturbing for a folder like me. The end remark would be buy the book and suffer the consequences. Two weeks ago I bought this book and had this hard time with almost all the folds especially when I tried the crab. The end product looks like a martian crab lol!!
Beautiful models which incl.. horsefly, praying mantis, scottie and swan. All 3d and beautifully written. The requisites would be an ideal origami background, creativity, patience, patience, patience!!
I started folding (as a hobby) 4 months ago and when they(other reviewers)said that the book was for total enthusiast they're wrong. With imagination, passion and patiece anyone can fold the diagrams. But I had a share of Kasahara, Sakato and others.
The book is neatly done. intermediate to complex to more complex!!!

Kudos Mr.Lang!!

This book contains dozens of charming animals, from high-immediate to complex models. Instrucions of diagrams in this book are neat, a novice folder may feel a little hard to follow. But for experienced folders, this is a wonderful book.

When Alan Moore came to DC to write SWAMP THING, he had already made a name for himself in England with 2000 AD and his early works, including "V For Vendetta," "The Ballad of Halo Jones," "Marvelman" (later renamed "Miracleman" when published here in the States), and more. But it was his legendary work on the SWAMP THING series that broke him into the big time and made the name "Alan Moore" synonymous with "genius" amongst conic book fans.

SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING is a reprint of Moore's first story arc of the series (issues #20 through 27), the groundbreaking series that shook the entire comics industry. This was the first mainstream series to defy the archaic, outdated Comics Code (Marvel had done it earlier with Spider-man's drug issues, but this was the first series to abandon the Code completely); it was the first step towards "serious" mainstream comic books that catered more towards adults (and gave birth to DC's "Vertigo" line); it took an old has-been DC character that no one knew what to do with and breathed new life into him; and it also gave us a pair of wicked stories that are a sheer delight to read. Swamp Thing discovers his "true" origin in the saga of "The Anatomy Lesson," and he meets a horror from beyond death in "The Monkey King," while encountering several "minor" DC characters who had never been cast in the way they appeared in this series. (Moore's virtual re-writing of Etrigan the Demon sparked a new interest in the character, leading him to several spin-off books of his own.) And we mustn't forget the fantastic, haunting, beautiful, terrifying artowork of Steve Bissette and John Totleben, who made the pages fairly glow with life, as they turned the "swamp" world of the Swamp Thing into an eerie, beautiful, mysterious realm where life and death hide in every pool, waiting to spring out at you.

This book comprises the first half of an unforgettale comic book saga, laying the groundwork for a horrific tale that would cliax with a journey into Hell itself. When paired with the second reprint volume of the saga, "Love and Death," SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING shines as an early example of the genius of Alan Moore, the man who nearly single-handledly took the genre of mainstream comic books and turned it into a "serious" literary art form.

This is where it all begins. When the first story in this collection ("The Anatomy Lesson") was published, the industry and fandom was completely blown away. Alan Moore took a throw-away character (the Swamp Thing) and a forgotten villain (Jason Woodrue, the Floronic Man) and founded an entire genre of comics that had been long forgotten (or at least neglected) since the 50s or so.

DC's Vertigo line, the Sandman series, and very likely, Watchmen all would have likely never happened without the series of comics reprinted here. There is some truly frightening material in here that is unlike most comic fare aimed at younger readers (or at least sanitized for younger minds), but the writing was revolutionary for its time and holds up well today. The artwork maintains the high standards of excellence Moore establishes. The partnership of Alan Moore and Stephen Bissette is one of those magical pairings that occurs so infrequently in comic history (I compare it to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby on the Fantastic Four, Chris Claremont and John Byrne on X-Men, and Marv Wolfman and George Perez on Teen Titans). This is truly a treasure to add to your collection.

This is a collection of Alan Moore's first Swamp Thing stories, and are amongst the first comics to be published for adult readers by a major comics publisher. The stories do lack the sophistication and literary merit of Moore's best works. And, of course, Moore's ingenious reinterpretation of the character's history will mean nothing to those who had not been fans of Swamp Thing before Moore took over, but unlike most collections of comics about a popular character, this is irrelevant. These stories work well on their own as brilliant entries into the horror genre and can be enjoyed by readers of such authors as Clive Barker.

The illustrations by such artists as Steve Bissette, John Totleben and Rick Veitch are still masterpieces and remain superior to most of the artists who are popular today. Unfortunately, the art in this collection suffers from changes in printing techniques since the stories' original publication, leaving the colours a bit too bright and garish in contrast to the moody story and artwork. However, it is difficult and expensive to get the originals so this is something one can live with.

I got this book for my mother-in-law and she loves it. The first day she had it, she spent almost the entire day writing. She's told all of her friends and they are now wanting the book for themselves and their parents who may still be living. What better way to tell someone you care than to let them know you want to know all about their lives and want your children to know as well, so it will never be forgotten how wonderful they are. Now the only problem is, which grandchild gets the book when she's done!

I discovered the story of a Lifetime book in a quaint little store in Chicago and bought 3 copies for friends and relatives. The response I received was unexpected, each individual seperatly shared with me that it was either the nicest gift or the most touching gift they had ever recieved. I opened a unique store of my own in Michigan in Dec. 2000 and decided to carry The Story of a Lifetime book as one of my gift items, 8 months later the book is still my # 1 selling gift item! Enough said!?!

I received this book for Christmas - my friend knows I have kept a journal since I was 12 - so it was a "just perfect" gift for me. What I like about it is that it lists all the questions you would like to ask, but have never got around to asking of anyone precious in your life. I am going to send a copy to my 89-year old godmother - because there is so much I would like for her to tell us. We're also going to use it as a tool for the video we are making of her - the questions and segments are perfect for a project like that. In a future edition, I would recommend more questions or segments for those with non-traditional lives - multiple marriages, foster families, gay relationships, etc. But this is definitely a start in the right direction and there are plenty of blank pages to fill in your own unique events, life experiences, and thoughts.