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Book reviews for "Whitney,_Catherine_A." sorted by average review score:

Blood Type Ab Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists from Eat Right for Your Type
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Berkley Pub Group (2002)
Authors: Peter J. D'Adamo and Catherine Whitney
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Junk Science (1 star is as low as it goes)
This idea that foods are "bad" for someone is not supportable with science. ANY food in great levels is "bad." NO food (That one is not allergic to) ia any worse than any other.

This is just a context of a person selling a book with an idea that is not supportable with science to gullable people. (Seems to be a common thing with the nutrition "experts" that all they do is make people afraid of something, then tell them to avoid it.)

Is dieting an exact science?
I think the "blood type" lifestyle is one that does work. What I can say..... is that I have been "eating right for my type" for three years now; and have maintained my weight and never feel like I am "dieting." While pregnant, I followed this plan about 80% and after I delivered, I followed it 100%. I gained 52lbs. during pregnancy and within 14 weeks, I had lost it all!! I think with any diet, you have to find the one that works best for YOU. My immediate, and most of my extended family, follow this method and it apparently works for all of them, so scientific or not, we are maintaining fabulous results. Who said dieting was an exact science anyway?


The Third Act: Reinventing Yourself After Retirement
Published in Hardcover by Putnam Pub Group (06 June, 2002)
Authors: Catherine Whitney and Edgar M. Bronfman
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A Self-Serving, Unimportant Book
In my opinion, The Third Act, a new book by Edgar M. Bronfman is a bust as an offering toward establishing a more clear, balanced and reasonable view of what retirement looks like and will look like in the U.S. But, first, give me a moment to digress.

I've got a pile of newspaper and magazine and even web-based articles by journalists with apparently no near-term plans to retire who build articles around quotes from financial planners with the same mindset. In these articles, we get forewarnings about possible problems and disappointments with retirement: 'a life of leisure is not all it's cracked up to be' or 'people discover a year or so into retirement that hitting the golf course daily is boring and traveling is tiring.' These are direct quotes from a recent article written by an Eileen Ambrose from the Baltimore Sun, who gives us this other tidbit: 'Executives miss the deference once shown by underlings now that they are merely among other retirees.' Do you believe that? She seems to be saying that, to some, spending the rest of one's life 'merely among other retirees' would be a fate worse than death! And this leads us to a review of Mr. Bronfman's new book.

The thesis of The Third Act seems to be that it is not only right, but also very possible, if you work at it, for folks who were prestigious and important in their work life to retain similar status and recognition in retirement. To prove his point, the author brings us name after name of big shots, what they did in their careers and what they are doing or plan to do in retirement. The end result, unfortunately, is a self-serving, name-dropping effort that tries to make us believe that the author and his buddies are on to something unique in their quests for a meaningful retirement.

I think the book is baloney. You'll find no retired bus drivers or ex-cops or clerks from back offices featured here. No, every 'retired' person introduced in this book is 1) a big shot by definition and 2) a dear friend of the author. Wouldn't it be really nice if all the big shots, including the author himself, had the opportunity to write a good-selling book about themselves and their buddies in retirement? Such a system would keep them where they deserve to be: in the limelight and gaining income at the same time. Baloney!

Starting with the author, who really is writing a book about himself more than anything else, the people in the book are those of privilege. His father, for example, ran The Seagram Company, and his son, the author, became CEO after him, and, guess what, the author's son took over after him. In this theme, the author introduces former president Jimmy Carter right off as 'an excellent exemplar of the vitality and promise of the Third Act.' Not exactly a typical retiree, of course. When Carter finds that he's a million bucks in debt when he leaves the White House, he simply signs for a book deal to wipe that out. Boy, do we learn something there that will help other retirees be successful. Not!

Then there is the overachieving Dr. C. Everett Koop, who the author says will be 'going full speed until the day he dies.' While this goal may be a worthy one in retirement, who is the enemy? In the book, Koop goes on to define his fear that he may become like others he knows in retirement who 'cease to be interested in life and follow their wives around the supermarket.' Again, surely a fate worse than death, like, I'd guess, a former sports star relegated to sitting on the bench. Baloney!

We are introduced to lawyers and CEOs, directors of art galleries and presidents of Universities, and, perhaps most importantly, celebrities. Walter Cronkite and Mike Wallace make the list, but the most unabashedly silly parts of the book are reserved for 'my friend Kitty Carlisle Hart.' She offers other retirees or soon-to-be-retirees such important advice as 'I'm out every day and every night, and I'm always put together. I've got my makeup on, my hair done, and I have a nice dress. Whatever else may come my way, I'm up, I'm out and I look good.' Cool!

The author tells us that he and his wife met Ms. Carlisle years ago while on a trip to Jamaica, where he shares with us that he 'leaned over and lightly kissed those smiling lips.' An important insight, for sure. Later, the author says, 'Kitty is real tonic. She's charming, beautiful, and tough as steel. She personifies the can-do factor so necessary in the Third Act.' While this may be true, we doubt if she would have made the book if her name didn't precede her.

While the book is a light, quick read and will not hurt anyone in the process of its publication, it is, again, in my opinion, a bust as far as providing meaningful insight for retirees or soon-to-be retirees. For those looking for better guidance and deeper insight, might I recommend "breaking the watch," by Joel Savishinsky and "The Joy of Not Working," by Ernie Zelinski

Pretty thin
I ordered this book as part of my retirement planning. It did confirm some things I already knew, i.e. you need a plan, you need to keep active and you need to keep healthy. These are hardly new concepts. While it does have interesting interviews with well known, well heeled personalities, their options are quite different than most. It lacked any meaningful advice or planning tools for self discovery. It is great reading for the American aristocracy. But I don't qualify.

Act Three (if you have lots of money)
I was eager to read this book, but quickly discovered that most of the advice and insight provided really only would only be helpful to people who are dripping with money. Not everyone can afford a psycho-therapist or a consulting firm to give them advice on making the transition to retirement. How many of us can afford a private spa to cool off after workouts? How many of us can expect to find diversion in retirement by being on the board of directors?

Also, in several places you will find the myth that people who don't work have a meaningful life. This is absolutely not true.

The one plus for the book are the resources given Appendix B. Some of the things listed look like they have value to the non-wealthy.


Eat Right 4 Your Baby: The Individualized Guide to Maximum Health During Pregnancy, Nursing and Your Baby's First Year
Published in Hardcover by Putnam Pub Group (31 March, 2003)
Authors: Peter J. D'Adamo, Martha Mosko D'Adamo, and Catherine Whitney
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Definately Not What I Was Looking For
If you want to be starved out of your pregnancy by all means read this book. However, I do not agree with the premise of the book. It's fine that certain blood types react to certain things differently but when someone tries to tell me that because I have AB blood, I shouldn't eat anything that's not recommended for both A and B bloodtypes but also that there were severe restrictions on many other things that I shouldn't eat as well. I tried looking in the book for things that I could actually consume without feeling horrible about it, but I didn't find much. Take my advise, if your doctor gives you an idea of what to consume, take it. If not, eat healthy and your baby will be fine.

Survey says: TWO THUMBS DOWN
This has got to be one of the most absurd books I have ever read. Imagine my surprise at discovering that as a pregnant woman with type-A blood that the authors cannot safely recommend that I eat ANY kind of meat! And when I say "no meat" I mean "NO MEAT!" They instruct that if my willpower weakens and I absolutely must consume some kind of meat that it only be chicken or turkey, and that consumption should be limited only to rare occasions. Further, I am not to consume tomatoes, apples, etc. I could go on and on with lists of perfectly healthy foods that are on the no-no list for type-A's. God speed to folks who are able to find any logic in the nonsense that the D'Adamos are pushing, but I remain devoted to my trusty internal bovine feces detector, which has never let me down. Bottom line: Run, don't walk, away from this book, it will only serve to bewilder, scare, and depress you at a time when you are most hyper-sensitive and receptive to suggestions that you are inadequate. Trust your instincts and don't be intimidated.


The Tufts University Guide to Total Nutrition
Published in Hardcover by HarperCollins (paper) (1996)
Authors: Stanley N. Gershoff, Catherine Whitney, Tufts University, and Tufts University Diet & Nutrition Letter
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Garbage.
Bad science in a good cause. The book is filled with contradictory statements, dismissed many things that have since been proven correct, and full of quasi facts and political gerrymandering. There are lots better nutrition books out there.


Whose Life?: A Balanced, Comprehensive View of Abortion from Its Historical Context to the Current Debate
Published in Hardcover by William Morrow (1991)
Author: Catherine Whitney
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Balanced?
The subtitle of this book reads "A Balanced, Comprehensive View of Abortion From Its Historical Context To The Current Debate". What a bunch of garbage!! I am Pro-Life. I was looking for a book that FAIRLY represented both sides of abortion. This book seemed to represent this, based on the subtitle.

This book is actually a very one-sided book. It talks only about repressing women, selfish males, right wing wackos, and the heroism that women have gone through to win their rights.

All of this is would be fine...if the book did not represent itself as something else. Please just say that you are Pro-Choice. Don't try to deceive the reader. You do nothing to help your cause by misleading. You only disappoint.


Blood Trail: True Crime Mysteries Solved by DNA Detectives
Published in Paperback by Ballantine Books (1996)
Authors: Gerald, Judge Sheindlin, Catherine Whitney, Gerlad Sheindlin, and Gerald W. Sheindlin
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The Callaway Diet
Published in Hardcover by Bantam Doubleday Dell Pub (Trd) (1991)
Authors: C. Wayne Callaway and Catherine Whitney
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Diet Analysis Plus Version 2.0 for Mac/Understanding Nutrition
Published in Hardcover by Thompson Internl (1995)
Author: Catherine Whitney
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Dr. D'Adamo's Eat Right 4 (For) Your Type Library: Beat Cancer with the Blood Type Diet
Published in Hardcover by G. P. Putnam's Sons (2003)
Authors: Peter J. D'Adamo and Catherine Whitney
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Dr. D'Adamo's Eat Right 4 (For) Your Type Library: Beat Diabetes with the Blood Type Diet
Published in Hardcover by G. P. Putnam's Sons (2003)
Authors: Peter J. D'Adamo and Catherine Whitney
Amazon base price: $19.95

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