I bought this book hoping to figure out my own stomach problems and actually recognized symptoms my husband was having with a seldom diagnosed condition, celiac disease. Once he was diagnosed, this book was the only information I had at the time about how we would deal with it. It was a wonderful tool for us to start with.

this book is very helpful in dealing with a very personal problem. It was, in fact, more informative than my doctor. After experimenting as the book suggested, I finally found something that helped.

This book was great. It explained so much about the digestion system and your gut and what effects it, with specifics to IBS and Crohns. 5 stars

Ronald Hoffman is an excellent historian who has brought great knowledge of Chesapeake social and cultural history to this biographical work that places three generations of the Carroll family within their colonial context. It is a wonderful biography that gets the reader into the minds and lives of these three Charles Carroll's. But for me the best thing was the number of times it made me think, "Oh, that's how it was." I have read enough colonial history to know that there were lots of tenant laborers and not just slaves in the region, to know that Catholic Maryland quickly became Anglican Maryland, and to know that the Revolution was not just about ideas but also about social change. Ronald Hoffman's narrative, however, really brings these facts home. His book is not about any one of these issues in particular, but in telling the story of three generations of Carroll's in Maryland he brings home the greater circumstances of the colony better than many historians who have set out to make a case for one of the above arguments, or many of the other fascinating takes on early Chesapeake society contained in this highly readable book. I have not read any book lately that I enjoyed more.

I was originally attracted to this book out of a simple curiosity about the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence (Charles Carroll outlived Adams and Jefferson by about six years, or about 56 years after 1776!). On a deeper level, I hoped to learn more about the kind of early capitalist that would be attracted to signing on to the American Revolution in general. What this book helped me discover was a family that had over time become focused, almost obsessed, with making a buck under fairly adverse circumstances (namely, continuing in their Roman Catholic faith that made it difficult for them to thrive, even in an enclave as seemingly sympathetic as colonial Maryland, with its relatively large Catholic population). But when the time came for this family to rise above its simple wealth building and to champion the cause of the Revolution, it did indeed rise to the occasion, however brief and painful the process might be. (Hoffman attends to both the private and public lives of the Carrolls.) The history of the Carrolls is a part of the history of the magic that was the American Revolution. It is not surprising that the book ends abruptly with the death of Charles Carroll's father and his wife, about 10 days apart from one another in 1782 (though there is a brief summing up of Carroll's remaining 50 years and the attention attracted by his death in 1832). The story is told, the dynasty pretty much complete.

What's the book like? At times it seems downright willfully prosaic, and the story proceeds much like a carefully written doctoral dissertation - all conclusions fully supported and made in as logical a context as possible, all contentions politically correct for our time. Hoffman's goal is of course to be scholarly and thorough, not to be entertaining or controversial. Thus the sweep of this history must emerge and coalesce in the mind of the reader. Leave being beaten over the head with the broader conclusions inherent in the narrative to more popularly written histories.

Suffice it to say, if you're a municipal library and you need to beef up your Revolutionary War material, this is a prime buy. If you're a true history buff, this would be an excellent choice to work into your reading list. It has the effect of immersing you into the spirit of the times and providing you with detail you could not have imagined you would find interesting (but you do). If you're a casual reader, just be advised - this is heavy stuff. It's not an easy read, but it is ultimately a rewarding one.

Ok. I already feel odd writing a review of this book. The anticipated audience is incredibly narrow and if you found this review, you probably know what you are looking for. However, I think this is one of the greatest books. As a law student who is planning on specializing in ERISA, this book has been an invaluable resource to me. It is the first place I turn when I have an ERISA question to research. It won't provide all the answers but puts a very complex statute into perspective. It would also benefit the non-lawyer who might be involved in benefits.

Excellent source of information - used for my bioethics class. Very comprehensive, and a must have for bioethics students out there.

The only publication I've seen that doesn't slavishly recommend fosomax as the only way to reverse osteoporosis. I was heartened to see a positive review of this book from a physician on Amazon.com, because when I mentioned these authors' recommendation of calcium plus ipriflavone at a lecture by a local internist, he dismissed it out of hand (and out of ignorance of its existence) as "one of those rumors that fly around the Internet." The only problem is, how do you find a physician who is willing to help you try this regimen, which apparently is far safer than Fosomax? The authors do not explain how to find a nutritionally oriented doctor in a world of simplistic, cookie-cutter, prescription-pad, one-solution-for-all medicine.

As a physician, I found this book to be very informative and well written and does a great job of explaining exactly what is causing the bone tissue to lose calcium and therefore bone mass as we age. The book also explains how calcium and other minerals and supplements exert their effect on the bone. As I said before, I strongly recommend this book for all women, regardless of age, if you have an interest in preventing or treating this very common condition.

I would recommend this book to most. Very short, easy reading, and packed with information. After being diagnosed with MVP this really reassured me.

Short and to the point. This little book manages to put a series of symptoms in context for those of us who have gotten to the point that we're a little embarassed to complain to our doctor about yet ANOTHER symptom. Always risking being told that we're somatizing some other malaise, the explanations of the inter-relatedness of symptoms, and the suggestions as to how to render them managable not only have given me actual options to improve my quality of life, but have taken my anxiety level down many notches! I'm not crazy after all! And there's something I can do to help myself!

A wonderful resource for anyone with MVPS. Not only a natural approach with logical conclusions to control the symptoms, but more complete and comprehensive than any other book I've read on MVPS. Best 4 bucks I've spent in a great while!!.... I highly recommend it.

I have got and appreciated very much the 2nd edition of this excellent work. I think it's the most complete and clear textbook of hematology. I hope that this revised and updated edition will confirm its fame of beeing worldwide the "true bible" for the hematologist!

After my husband was diagnosed with hypertension, I surfed the web for more information and thought I was pretty well-versed until I read this book. Gives very in-depth and easily understandable explanations of complex terms and it provides an alternative or lifestlye therapy for most complaints. Divided into body sytems, i.e., endocrine, circulatory, respiratory. Gives in-depth information when he recommends dietary changes: for example, what too much salt does in the system and why it is a contributor to hypertension, why leafy greens are good for you and how they chemically help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Lots of information for those who keep up with health trends and are health-conscious. Edition was published in 1997, though, and with rapidly changing information, would like to see a revised edition. A little redundant, but overall, good.

Through a Glass Darkly: Reflections on Personal Identity in Early America is an outstanding resource for entertainment and aquiring knowledge on a civilization that has been long overlooked and misrepresented. This book is for someone looking to better understand the relationship between early American settlers and Native American tribes. What ended in the massacre of the indigenous tribes, began with a peaceful relationship based on trade and commerce.

This book is a rare find as it discusses supplements helpful for patients with Lyme Disease. The only downside is that it was written in 1994, and I wish the author would write an update.