5 comments about The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl.

1. Let me preface this by saying that I love reading about history. Maybe my expectations for this book were too high, but I HATED it. 50 pages, 100 pages, 150 pages in I kept fighting the urge to put the book down and forget about it, but I kept hoping that it would get better. It didn't.
   
   This book sucks. It was awful; horribly disappointing. It dragged and dragged and dragged, and when I finally finished it I returned it to the bookstore. I will never read it again and would not recommend it to anyone. There were a couple parts that were interesting, but most of it was mind-numbingly dull. Egan went into great (and in my opinion, needless) detail of the history and mundane details of many of the families, but not the kind of detail that contributes to the message of the book or gives you much insight characters.
   
   There were too many narratives incorporated into the book, and it was difficult to keep the different families, individuals and cities straight, especially since many of their stories were so similar. I get it--everyone's animals died, nobody's plants would grow, dunes were high, and people had dust pneumonia. I wish Egan had further developed fewer stories; it would have made the book more engaging. He hopscotched between families, communities, politicians, and individuals constantly, making the book more difficult to read and appreciate.
   
   It says it is "can't-put-it-down history" on the cover, but that is a complete lie. I honestly can't believe I finished it, it was so boring and I literally was able to read only 10 pages at a time because it was so utterly BORING. I expected more from this book. It read like a too-long chapter from a junior high history book. I have no doubt that the story of the dust bowl is fascinating, so I was extremely disappointed with this book.



2. 1. In 1930, 256 banks had failed and the cry was "where did our money go?" Oil prices for a barrel dropped from $1.43 to 10 cents. The economy was a pile of glue.
   
   2. By Sep 1929, 1.5 million people were out of work. In 1930, 1,350 banks failed, going under with $853 million in deposits. The next year, 2,294 banks failed. In 1931, the Bank of the United States in New York with two million dollars defaulted. When the bank defaulted, twelve million jobs were lost or 25 percent of the work force.
   
   3. In 1931, 28,000 business closed doors, both private and corporate. Money was not circulating. When the banks closed people scourged for food. People were starving. At the same time wheat was being piled up and wasted. On the Texas Panhandle, two million acres had been turned to sod. The wheat came in at 250 million bushels. Farmers were desperate to pay debt, but slowly bleeding out, for every five dollars earn they lost one. Milk, pork, and cattle prices dropped correspondingly as people were unable to pay price and commodity bust transpired, too much supply and not enough paying customers.
   
   4. In 1931, there were thirty-three million acres stripped bare in the southern plains. The market price was 50 percent the cost for the farmer to break even. Normally, this inefficiency would have resulted in default and supply drops, but debt and speculation allowed prolonged oversupply, further exasperating the condition.
   
   5. A two year hit Montana and the soil turned to fine particles and started to roll, stir, and take flight. Wheat dropped to 19 cents a bushel - an all time low. Tens of thousands had their savings swept away. The US food Administration set a price guarantee for wheat that set off a stampede transforming the grasslands and the price controls created long-term shortages. However, American capitalism was in a deep freeze.
   
   6. By 1932, nearly two-thirds of the farmers face foreclosure, for back taxes and debt. One in twenty were losing their land.
   
   7. In a cashless society people lived off home industry: eggs laid in coups, vegetables grown in garden, pigs slaughtered for bacon, and cows milked to feed young and old. Water from windmills provide irrigation means.
   
   8. The Argiculture College of Oklahoma reported in their state during the wheat bonanza, sixteen million acres was planted in wheat and thirteen million acres left to seriously erode and this was before the drought and calcification of the ground. Neglect of the land was a significant contributor to the dust bowls. Abandonment caused from sudden price drops, commodity distribution problems, and easy money entrapment forcing debt repayment behavior that exploit natural resources.
   
   9. High temperatures during winter did not kill off many of the pests. Epidemic insect pollutions flourish: grasshoppers, spiders, and centipedes invaded every living space.
   
   10. Sitting Bull had predicted the land would get it revenge on whites who forced the Indians off the grasslands. He saw doom from the sky.
   
   11. President Roosevelt ended agricultural free market economics for good. Roosevelt said: America had produced more food than any country in history, and farmers were being run off the land, penniless, while the cities couldn't feed themselves. The average farmer earned three hundred dollars a year, an 80 percent drop in income from a decade earlier. Government would try to shape the price and flow of food, to force prices up. Roosevelt had the government buy surplus corn, beans, and flour, and distribute it to the needy. Over six million pigs were slaughtered, and meat given to relief organizations. The Welfare state was born. Under Roosevelt, government was the market. The Civilian Conservation Corps built dams, bridges, retains, roads, and lakes and ponds. Roosevelt signed a bill giving farmers two hundred million dollars to help farmers facing foreclosure. The Volstead act permited the sale of 3.2 percent beer.
   
   12. By some estimates their were 80 million acres in the southern plains stripped of their topsoil.



3. Subtitled "The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl", this 2006 non-fiction account of this American tragedy is historical writing at its best. The author is a Pulitizer Prize winning reporter for the New York Times. I loved his simple but powerful writing style which had a touch of literary description that kept me fascinated throughout its 312 pages.
   
   Once upon a time the Great Plains was grassland. For thousands of years it was a place where buffalo and bison grazed. The land is flat, the winds strong, there is little rain, and the variation in temperature extreme. There was no rich soil under the grass. In the early part of the 20th century the buffalo was gone but there were ranches where cattle grazed. But through a combination of factors, including the rapid expansion of the railroads, the government gave away small parcels of this land for farming. This was a bargain for thousands of families who were willing to settle this land. Some were immigrants with hopes and dreams and little money. All looked forward to a good life. And, for a time it was.
   
   Problem was that the grass was ploughed under in order to plant crops. This destroyed the small amount of topsoil that was holding the grass in place. When America entered the World War I, there was a need for wheat. The price for wheat was high. Farmers began to prosper. They took bank loans and bought more and more land which they planted with wheat. When the war ended there was too much wheat, the price went down and the wheat rotted. But that was just the beginning. Huge storms of dust started to blow. People tried to keep it from their houses with by covering the windows with wet sheets. But the dust particles were so small, they got through the barriers. People sickened with lung problems, children died of "dust pneumonia", crops couldn't grow, and people were almost starving.
   
   Some stayed on the land. The Depression was hitting the whole country. There was no place for them to go.
   
   This is their story, told though the eyes of people who lived through it, some of whom are still there. Woven through this story are historical facts and horrific descriptions of the terror of the storms. And, later, even when President Roosevelt tried to help by having trees planted, bringing in a variety of different seeds, and teaching the people contour farming, grasshoppers ruined the crops once again.
   
   There were times I felt like crying as I read the book. And there were times I felt nothing but respect for the grit and gumption and hard work of the farmers. Today, some people still live in this "dust bowl' and modern technology has brought water to the region. But it is still sparsely populated and the people still there will "never forget".
   
   Read this book. It will open your eyes about a part of Americana with a unique and horrific history.



4. Fabulous story -- makes you feel like you're living the life... Also, makes you appreciate what we have today!



5. Hurricanes come and go along America's Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Property and lives are destroyed, but often rebuilt. There's some comfort in knowing that indefatigable Mother Nature caused the damage.
   
   But in the plains and panhandles of Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, an unprecented and unyielding natural disaster, rooted in the uprooting of native grasses in the name of progress, blew dirt into peoples' lives for almost the full decade of the '30s, killing thousands, ruining countless businesses, and emptying towns. It came to be known as the Dust Bowl, and Timothy Egan's book "The Worst Hard Times" tells the story via the recollections of a few octa- and nonagenarians who were there and lived through it.
   
   Egan's narratives built around these recollections are heartbreaking. I could only read two chapters at a time without getting choked up emotionally as the denizens of the area, living in sod houses coughed up dirt, buried young children who'd died of dust pneumonia, and lived lives of grueling poverty. The Irish potato famine is the only agricultural disaster that I've read about that could top it. When the grasshoppers come calling, another outcome of the destruction of an ecosystem, the effect becomes biblical.
   
   Part two of the story which recounts the federal government's effort to alleviate the disaster, is necessarily less compelling. Egan brings the story back to a more personal level in the last few chapters by sharing the diary of a Nebraska farmer who struggles to maintain a life with his wife.
   
   A broader aspect of the tale is the lesson about understanding the fragility of ecosystems and showing respect for natural habitats developed over thousands of years.
   
   "The Worst Hard Time" ranks with "Isaak's Storm" about the 1900 hurricane that destroyed Galveson, TX, as the best history books I've read about American natural disasters. The involvement of people who lived to tell the tale makes Egan's book even more compelling.
   
   Highly recommended to all readers, although a little depressing for teenagers who aren't history buffs.

5 comments about The Miracle Ball Method: Relieve Your Pain, Reshape Your Body, Reduce Your Stress [2 Miracle Balls Included].

1. I just got them and they really are wonderful. I'm a full on, stress tension breath holder - these address all of those issues and more. I can't imagine that they would do much actual re-shaping, but they will afford you some great muscle relaxation so that you can do other, more intense exercise, without injuring yourself. I really love them! I travel a lot for work and always wind up 1200 miles from home with a bad case of "airplane neck", so I also bought the travel ball/book.



2. This is a great, effective and easy to use kit. The miracle balls are indeed a miracle. Elaine has suggested simple and effective placements for the balls which allow this to work for you. Ease into your own body with this simple to use method. Thank you Elaine.



3. I have suffered with frozen shoulder for over 4 years in my right shoulder and now even my left shoulder is bothering me. I've done lots of physical therapy and at home stretches. It does help some but not completely. When I saw this Miracle Ball Method I decided that for the price it was worth a try. I tried some of the positions in the book and devised some of my own. I have really noticed a difference after just a couple weeks. It has even done wonders for my lower back. I just tune into my favorite TV program and relax. Very much worth it.



4. I was so energized to receive my package that I started using it immediately and used it multple times over the weekend. By Monday, I was worse off, having overworked new muscles. This scared me off a bit, but I plan to try again, following the instructions for frequency of use this time.



5. I first came across the Miracle Ball at my son's home when he was using it. I looked at the packaging, and decided to try it. I am very happy. I think that they are worth every penny paid, and then some. I even use mine in a way that is not described in the book. Because they are so gentle, and afford so much control, I can crack my own back without outside help (without a chiropracter or my husband's assistance), and I can feel every movement as various parts of my body become more flexible and better adjusted. I even sleep with mine. They are great for putting in spots that take or need more pressure (in the arch of an aching back, or between the knees while lying on one's side). I highly recommend them to everybody. I use mine every day.

5 comments about The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition.

1. William Strunk's book "The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by an American friend, whose linguistic abilities I value very high. I ordered the book immediately and was surprised, when it arrived, by how thin it was. It turned out to be a compendium, which would best be memorized (I am not joking!). This American English writing style guide was written in 1918, but has not aged at all. The most important rules of American English, and the ones most commonly forgotten (like the use of Saxon Genitive of commas), are gathered here. I found the collection of frequently misspelled words very useful, too (although I though of some I could add, for example "receive", which I see misspelled more often than not). For me, the most helpful part was the discussion on brevity and omitting then unnecessary words - I still struggle with long sentences and too many adjectives and adverbs. This small volume is a must-have for anyone who wants to write correctly in English!



2. I received this book in very good condition and arrived on time as expected. I am very happy with how my purchase was handled. About the book, it is a very good reference for anyone who wants to be a good writer.



3. As an author, I struggle with my style of writing to gain an oridance. this book was suggested to me by me Editor, and an instructor from a grammer free proof reading class I took. It has put great perspective on how I should write.



4. The book is great, I mean it's a classic but this version looks like it came right off the photo copier of the original print for 100 years ago. It's horribly fussy and the copy spacing is poor. I suggest finding a version by a different publisher.



5. Strunk's work is a solid baseline for grammar, punctuation, and composition. If your workplace tends to create its own standards for linguistics, it might be valuable to keep this readily available.
   
   It is somewhat limited in terms of all the possible usages of punctuation, and admits as much in its first pages. While this is a valuable reference for most scenarios, it can't stand alone.

5 comments about The Selfish Gene: 30th Anniversary Edition--with a new Introduction by the Author.

1. If you want to learn about evolution, this is the first book you should read. If you think you know evolution, this is the book you need to read.



2. Dado que mi "review" de este libro no es nada original comparado con las que ya se han escrito, la escribo en español. Este libro también se ha traducido en Español, aunque la que yo compré es la edición del trigésimo aniversario en inglés. La edición a la que aquí se hace referencia. El libro de Dawkings escrito hace ya 30 años, es vigente y creo que es un libro indispensable en la biblioteca personal. Un best seller en su lenguaje de origen me parece que es poco conocido en países hispanoparlantes, he visto pocas referencias a él, sin embargo creo que será más conocido en los próximos años, por sus implicaciones, su lenguaje, su sencillez y la complejidad de sus ideas. Es un libro que recomiendo ampliamente a estudiantes de biología, biólogos y público en general. La idea de "memes" creo que también es muy importante sobretodo en el siglo XXI donde la información se replica a gran velocidad. También es un libro que se lo recomendaría a las personas que tienen un interés por la filosofía y las ciencias sociales, dos disciplinas que aún se comportan como si Darwin jamás hubiera existido. Así pueden imaginarse a este libro como una versión del "Origen de las Especies y la Selección _Natural" (sobre todo de la Selección Natural) de Darwin RELOADED.



3. No, this isn't an Ayn Rand book urging you to be more selfish.
   
   I consider The Selfish Gene to still be one of the cornerstones of Evolutionary Dynamics theory, particularly in its extension of biological dynamics into the non-biological world. Memetics really took general evolutionary theory past a threshold for information and soft sciences. I found its concepts to be invaluable for one of my grad papers on international systems where I made further extrapolations from both biology and memetics, formulating more specific characteristic traits shared by all extreme complexity nonlinear evolutionary systems.
   
   Just as Darwin was not perfect, though, Dawkins himself oversimplifies at times. The scales at which these "games" transpire outside a vacuum include multi-gene traits, male-female trait-complimenting within speciation, role hierarchy, inter-species symbiotic relationships, larger populations, and even whole ecosystems. Furthermore, non-zero sum outcomes are more prevalent than winner-takes-all. Thus accounting for the multitude of levels at which competition occurs and adding, for example, Nash Equilibriums, one can only begin to explore the infinite complexity of how systems evolve.
   
   On the religion aspect of this book, I think Dawkins does a fine job showing how biology and the workings of the universe do not necessarily "bare witness" to a god with the way life works, the planets revolve around the sun, or the rain falls from the sky. Biological evolution is a very specific example of this and case studies in transitional fossils, the newer computer experiments, and showing the prevalence of evolution everywhere help bare it out quite well here. At times, however, he seems to get a little preachy unconstructively to people who will likely just attribute their rationale to faith, anyway.
   
   For a more recent and legally interesting exploration of the creationism v. evolution debate, I recommend the Nova documentary "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial" for its timeliness and brevity. While I think this discussion is essentially long past over, even for an agnostic like myself I'm not going to dismiss all spiritualism or interest into the nature of consciousness or existence itself. The twisting of science using half-truths and ignorance in support of specific institutional dogmas is fair game for attack, though. And I have to admit The Selfish Gene was as successful as I think one can be in long-form.



4. "The Selfish Gene" is Richard Dawkins masterpiece, and admiration for the scope and detail of his exploration of animal life has been world wide. His gift of analysis and synthesis is like a giant microscope givng an entrance into an area of knowledge never revealed before.
   
   He outdistances Charles Darwin in his penetration into animal life, animal behavior, and the biological mechanisms that influence and sometimes determines behavior. As a scientific study and exposition, it has no parallel in contemporary scientific writing.
   
   But that is where its value ends.
   
   
   
   Richard Dawkins is an Ethologist, as he indicates in the 1976 edition of his book, an observer and chronicler of animal behavior, following in the footsteps of his master, Niko Tinbergen, and one of the founders of this branch of zoology, Konrad Lorenz. But the leap that Richard Dawkins has made in this new branch of science, is to identify his findings in animal behavior with human behavior, and this is the foundation for his conclusions in ethics, psychology, social science, philosophy and theism.
   
   He is convinced, with no empirical data to back it up, that human beings are animals, not only in the category of genus, which nobody denies, but in the category of specificity as well. And that has been the huge blunder in his scientific research.
   
   The whole tower of atheism, his excursions into philosophy and religion are based upon this methodological mistake. His positing as valid conclusions from his ethological research to human beings are conclusions that are valid only in animal research.
   
   That is why "The Selfish Gene" can be very, very deceiving. Its conclusions do apply to the genetic code, the psychology and the behavior of the animals he has studied. But his application of these conclusions to human pschology and behavior are scientifically invalid.
   
   "The Selfish Gene" is a brilliant book, advancing some facets of evolutionary biology into new and encharted territories. But when, as he does (with images that are fascinating and analogies that are captivating) apply his conclusions to human beings, he is out of his league.
   
   He is a behaviorial scientist for the zoo, the jungle, the forest, the ground beneath our feet and the sea. His personal biases have overtaken his methodological skills and can ultimately cast doubt on the body of his work. That would be a tragedy, for Richard Dawkins is a brilliant scientist and his work lays the foundation for earthshaking advances in a multitude of sciences. His excursions into anthropololgy are based on a catalogue of personal biases from which he seems unable to escape.



5. Wow. When I finished this book, I did something I had never done before: I read the same book again. The second time through, I underlined things and scribbled thoughts on the inside covers and in the margins and wrote emails to friends about questions forming in my mind. After that second pass, I bought and read Dawkins's "The Blind Watchmaker" and "The God Delusion" and watched his TED video and several other videos of his on YouTube. "The Ancestor's Tale" and "The Extended Phenotype" are on my to-do list. I am quite impressed with this guy.
   
   "The Selfish Gene" is my clear favorite of his books so far, and quite possibly my favorite read of all time. I thought I already knew a lot about evolution, but this book refined my understanding substantially. And Dawkins has a gift for writing, an ability to take a subject that in the wrong hands could be quite dry and make it very interesting.
   
   Now for some qualifications. First, if you don't already have a reasonable understanding of evolution and the process of natural selection, you should probably get that somewhere else before starting this book. Carl Zimmer's "Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea" and the accompanying PBS video (which I think you can see at pbs.org) are an approachable choice.
   
   Second, this is not light reading. It's readable, but there is a lot going on in these almost 400 pages, and you should expect to spend some time thinking about what he is saying. This is not a book to skim.
   
   Finally, if for whatever reason you have trouble accepting the idea of evolution by natural selection, then there is probably little point in reading this book.
   
   In this 30th anniversary edition, Dawkins has 66 pages of endnotes which make very interesting reading. Rather than change the original text in subsequent editions, he commented on it in the endnotes. At times he explains why he said something the way he did, or shares findings that have emerged since he wrote the book. In some cases he talks about the flak he got for saying what he did. And in a few cases he admits that he didn't say something in the best way. I found the updates and self-reflection in the endnotes quite enjoyable.
   
   If you haven't already read this book (at least once :^), please do!

5 comments about Green for Life.

1. Although not a nutrition professional, Victoria Boutenko makes an excellent case for adding green smoothies into one's daily diet. Her strongest arguments include comparing the standard American diet and typical raw foodist diet with the natural chimpanzee diet, as well as dozens of testimonials.
   
   There is at least one place, however where she got the facts wrong: On page 95 she says "chlorophyll provides iron to organs." In reality, the cholorophyll molecule contains no iron. While similar to the hemogloban molecule, the chlorophyll molecule has a magnesium atom in place of the iron atom.
   
   That one error in no way negates the entire book. Most people definitely need more greens and fruit in their diet, and green smoothies are an excellent and tasty way to sneak in these good foods and nutrients. I've tried some of Victoria's smoothies in person when I've heard her speak, and they're always delicious. I always feel better when I drink green smoothies. Her book is quite motivating, and I plan to incorporate them into my diet every day.
   
   I encourage people to read the book, get all fired up about green smoothies, make them and drink them every day. :-)
   
   Advice for using the recipes: Making a green smoothie is more of an art than a science. Use them as rough guidelines. I noticed the Boutenko recipes often call for about 3 servings of fruit and 2 of vegetables + 1 cup water, so that's what I put in my green smoothie today: 2 small peaches and a large banana + about 5 leaves of dino kale. I added a few mint leaves for flavor. Be sure to taste your smoothie before serving to make sure it's sweet enough to be palatable. (Especially if you taste bitters easily like I do.) Mine needed a bit more sweetening, so I added a couple dates, being sure to take the pit out first. Dates can be very helpful for sweetening, as can extra ripe fruit.



2. The recipes for smoothies in this book taste surprisingly good. I say surprisingly good because they don't look like they would taste good. Some of the smoothies I made were bright green in color and others were a dark brown -- not very appetizing to look at, but once I tasted them, they tasted great! That's because the ratio of fruit is higher than the ratio of greens. So although you'd think a smoothie using kale might taste bitter, it actually tastes sweet. The funniest part about this experiment is the looks on my co-worker's faces when they see me drinking this stuff. They look at me like I'm an alien and I have to keep telling them that despite appearances, they actually taste great. They don't believe me, but hopefully you will. Try them, you'll like them!



3. I loved this book. It was easy to read and love the reciepes in the back. I feel so great since I started eating my greens. Great purchase!!!



4. Even wild edible plants (weeds) can be used for greens, so it's not just for yuppies. What a great way to get more greens into your diet! I can understand wanting to see more scientific research like another reviewer, but I think the author's theory is strong - based on diet of chimpanzees. Just a few leaves of kale, dandelion, purslane, or spinach for example, some water, and a few fruits to make it sweet and thick; add to your blender. Blend, drink, rinse. Then you're on your way to better health. Easy, cheap, and very filling. Hey, I'd rather just live on frappuccinos and subway sandwiches, but I also want to lower my odds of ending up at the hospital. I've been drinking green smoothies for two months now and I am seeing some good changes - better skin, better moods & energy, weight loss, regular BMs, and I didn't catch my husband's severe cold, for a few.
   
   I am convinced Boutenko is on to something big with the idea of green smoothies as a way to sustain some level of raw food intake. Yes, I'm becoming a bit of a groupie. Eating more greens is a diet change anyone can make and it might just give us (speaking as an American) freedom from the debilitating health cycle we seem to be in now: processed food -> degenerative disease -> hospital -> chronic medicine -> worsening health. This book may not have as much scientific data as possible (check out The Live Food Factor by Susan Schenck), and may be heavy on the anecdotes, but it is a very important work.
   
   I did not find it to be an ad for the Vitamix blender. She mentions it on 2 pages near the beginning because this blender lasts much longer and blends more smoothly. I used a regular inexpensive blender for several weeks and it worked just fine. (I ended up getting a Vitamix because I can make more things with it).



5. The principles Victoria discussed in her book were interesting, but I was disappointed to see that she rarely included any references to back up the claims. That's why I didn't rate this book with more stars.
   
   However....it will have you hooked on green smoothies! There's no denying that leafy green vegetables are good for you, and this is an unbelievably easy and painless way to eat them. My husband and I bought a VitaMix (also highly recommended) eight months ago and I'm still drinking green smoothies on a regular basis. I also haven't been sick since, and I swear my skin is clearer because of the smoothies. I would wholeheartedly recommend trying a green smoothie for yourself--and this book is a nice introduction.

5 comments about Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies.

1. I'd wondered for a long time why certain aspects of history that you learn as facts in school turned out the way they did, e.g. why European diseases basically wiped out Native Americans but not vice-versa. I bought the book because I heard that Jared Diamond answered these types of questions. He does, to an extent. At the very least, he gives convincing arguments for why history turned out the way it did based on the traits of geographic regions. The best part about having read this book is that now I feel like I can open a world map and use it to explain to someone why Eurasia came to dominate the world and not people from somewhere else. The argument is speculation, but it's convincing and sound enough for my satisfaction. In that way, it's exactly what I wanted.
   
   The only problem isn't in the content; it's in the fact that Diamond just didn't write a perfect book around that content, so I'll give him four stars instead of five. If it had been about two-thirds the length, it might have been perfect. Instead, I sometimes got the feeling that Diamond was thinking, "I've made a really great point here, and it's done, but if I talked about this example for a few more pages this book would look nice and fat wedged into the shelf at the bookstore." Nevertheless, my questions did get answered, and overall I recommend this to anyone who wants a geographic perspective on historic trends.



2. A rich gravy of erudition smothers a thin slice of slightly tainted meat, i.e. the thesis (it's all geography & luck) is undoubtedly wrong, or, at the very best, accounts for tiny proportion of the discrepancies he attempts to explain. For detailed analysis, see the # 1 review by Christopher Smith (whom I don't know). There's more critical thought in that review than in the book itself.
   
   On the other hand, the "gravy" alone, the research and erudition, is probably worth the price of the book. Otherwise, see David Landes, "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations."



3. I was tempted to give Jared 5 stars based on the extent of his information and his strength of his argument. I gave him only 4 stars because, although I think he is 75% correct, I think he has ignored or denies factors that may be important.
   
   Early in his book, Kali, an intelligent New Guinean and would-be shaker and mover asks a significant question. "Why does the white man have more cargo [goods, stuff, useful things] than we do? Jared, correctly in my opinion, refutes the politically incorrect view that New Guineans must be less intelligent than whites. Quite the contrary, Jared asserts. New Guineans, on the average, are more intelligent than whites.
   
   A little like Jared, I've had the opportunity to live with 'primitive' people and have seen their superiority to me in things like bushcraft, tracking, spacial orientation and other things....yet.... they are not necessarily more intelligent than I am. Their experience is simply different than mine. I agree, however, that they are, on the average, intelligent people dealing with problems somewhat different those of 'civilized' individuals.
   
   Jared attributes the dominance of Western Man over almost all other peoples of the earth because of our geographical location and because of the fortuitous presence of large wild animals that had the potential for domestication i.e. animals like the auroch, wild horse, ibex, wild sheep etc. In the Americas, for instance--despite the fact that the meso-Americans and Andean peoples may have been superior to Western peoples in terms of agriculture--the only domesticatable wild animal available to them may have been the vicuna. Therefore, native-americans were obliged to carry things themselves. Hence Cortes conquered Mexico, rather than Montezuma conquering Spain.....but....We know, from toys discovered that the ancient Americans understood the wheel. Why then didn't they discover the wheel-barrow propelled by a single person? It would have made the construction of monuments and almost everything else, a lot easier.
   
   Maybe. On the other hand, the horse, cattle, sheep, goats and a myriad of other creatures were available to the peoples of the entire 'old world.' Despite this, Europeans and Middle Easterners made the most effective use of them. Why?
   
   Indeed, why? Let me postulate another couple of scenario. Let us imagine, that human societies spread over the earth are like the atmosphere spread over the earth. Why a storm in one place and not another? Perhaps a very minor, almost imperceptible perturbation, causes major changes down the line. A slight shift in atmospheric pressure over China and there's a devastating hurricane in Louisiana...a slight cultural perturbation, perhaps in now Albania, and Pizarro burns Atahualpa at the stake? Maybe the 'superiority' of Western culture is no more than a happenstance.
   
   Also, although now largely discredited, who really knows if there are differences in the way that different brains work? This is not to say that certain brains are necessarily 'better' than others but that they might be different. Also, who is to say that industrialized, 'civilized' society is better than hunter gatherer societies? In many ways, it isn't. Civilized society is ulcerogenic. Hunter-gatherer societies are probably more satisfying and fun. Genesis, in the Bible, talks of man being thrown out of Paradise and having to work by the sweat of his brow. This is almost certainly an allegory about the replacement of enjoyable and care-free hunter-gatherer existence as opposed to the drudgery of early civilization.
   
   Why is domination a function of a pressure wave produced by black powder in a pipe propelling a leaden slug? Luck?
   
   Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Conquest of Mexico



4. I know everyone says this - just adding my voice.
   
   The author needs to define his terms - what does he mean by 'smart' when talking about the New Guineans. What does he mean by calling Australia 'backwards'? I wish he developed these vague/biased terms.



5. It took me a while to open this book, as I was absolutely convinced that, with a title like Guns, Germs and Steel, the subject could only be war. Eventually, however, I opened the book, and was absolutely fascinated by it. The premise of the book is Yali's question. Yali, a native of New Guinea, has never been out of his country, is "Why is it that you white people developed so much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but we black people had little cargo of our own?"
   The answer to this question takes about 430 pages of very interesting reading, going back to the rise and spread of food production, from food to guns, germs and steel, around the world in 5 chapters. The writer, Jared Diamond delves into pre-history, how and why the nomadic hunter/gatherers became more stationary, and started to form villages, and what effect that had on their way of life. What is necessary to sustain villages. The advance of specialisation. Why some areas were more susceptible to change than others. The geographic climate that helped or hindered.
   As I say, this is a very interesting book, and one that will long live with you. However, it is perhaps rather hard reading, insofar as it is written probably for college students. It is not a book that should be read in a hurry, but should be savoured.

5 comments about Icarus at the Edge of Time.

1. Icarus at the Edge of Time
   
   Marvellous by its simplicity, the lack of other images than the fotos from space and its astonishing conclusion.



2. Great short book. For kids? Yes. For adults? Yes, if young at heart. A timeless tale of a young rebel going to a black hole, and wrangling with time. He survives, but Einstein and his laws twist up life. Enjoy the story. Encounter some science. See things differently.



3. I bought this book for a young man of 12 who is not a great reader, but is a genius when it comes to math and science. The big ideas in this book and the main character in this book, a young man himself, appeal to my young friend. He greatly enjoyed this book. He does not, generally, read for fun. Once he picked this book up, he couldn't put it down and he enjoyed it greatly! The length and formatting of the text made it a package he could digest, even though he does not read a lot. I highly recommend this book for these reasons and also the fact that it is just a beautifully written and illustrated book that is bound in a very appealing manner. It also is a great way to re-package and introduce young minds to a classic Greek myth: The Tale of Icarus. This book also had my young friend reading further about Icarus and other Western mythology online, on his own!



4. This is an excellent rework of the ancient story of Icarus and Daedalus. There is very little science in this; but after introducing them to the old tale, mixing in some Einstein and special relativity, then reading about the new Icarus, my 7th grade science class was amazed.
   
   Greene does a great job and the illustrations are beautiful. Suitable for small children too.
   
   Highly recommended.



5. My sons (8yo and 11yo) both enjoyed this book, and I enjoyed reading it to them. The story had a lot of neat "jumping off points" into discussions about the original story of Icarus, space travel, Einsteinian physics, etc. The pictures were great as well.
   
   If I didn't have kids to read it to, I probably would not have picked it up, though I understand Greene's other book, "The Elegant Universe," is more suited for adults looking for a good non-fiction physics read.

5 comments about My Boys Can Swim!: The Official Guy's Guide to Pregnancy.

1. I was surprised by just how short this book was. I bought it for my husband and while he quite enjoyed it I think it was a bit lacking in any real information. I think it's more of a short comedy book than an actual guide to pregnancy.



2. This book had my husband chuckling all the way to the doctor's office with me! Quick and funny. Great for any new daddy who doesn't want to read the encyclopedia on what's going on with new mommy!



3. Ok maybe it's not the most serious and informative book ever written, but it kept me entertained while informing me of the basics of what to expect with my wife's pregnancy. As if anything could actually prepare me....



4. I wanted to buy my husband a good book to read since we are expecting our first child. Based on the high star rating I picked this one. Now my husband is not much of a reader but even he was taken aback when we opened the package and out came this slender, tiny book. Clocking in at 92 pages in big type and several cartoons, we correctly assumed that there really wouldn't be much there. The book was definitely funny and had us giggling a few times, but when he finished my husband was disappointed and really hadn't learned much if anything.
   
   If you want a book about the realities of pregnancy, written in a humorous and engaging way, try out Jenny McCarthy's Book Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth. This book is aimed more at women, but has a similar feel to "My Boys Can Swim!" while managing to convey a lot more information.



5. The book was a great first read for men. it was entertaining, well written, and in general a great informational book. It did, however, lack all the medical explanations and details. The author tells you that is not the purpose of this book, so it is not misleading in anyway. I would definitely suggest it for a new dad, but I would pair it with a more detailed look at pregnancy. Enjoy!

5 comments about First Aid for the USMLE Step 1: 2008 (First Aid for the Usmle Step 1).

1. Use this book early, do a lot of q bank questions, get a good night sleep, and you'll rock the exam. Good luck doc.



2. This is a good review but it was full of errors. At least there is an online resource listing the errors and corrections. It took about 2 hours to make all the changes, but it was worth it. Good resource, I just wish there were not so many errors.



3. I used this book in my step 1 studying and found it an extremely detailed and valuable resource.I recommend reading it over and over after you have gone over the reference books ie.Kaplan once.I initially did not want to get the book because of initial negative reviews, but once I started using it to study, It was something else...It pulls together high yield information in a concise and organized manner and I cant tell you how much I appreciated it after my exam especially as I had a great score three weeks later:) To get the best out of it you have to pay attention to little details....its not a summary book for nothing so if you gloss over it you probably will not get the best out of it.



4. I recently entered a USMLE forum and found out that the book has some errors.... and I got from the forum the official correction link.... I'll have to take the test first to rate the book. As for the delivery time....amazon rocks!



5. I am actually going to medical school soon and I decided to begin outlining what I need to do the ace the Step 1. This is not a book to simply skim or page through. Every piece of information in this book (sans the intro) seems to be a requirement for the Step 1. I think it would be an excellent foundation to build on.
   
   Even though I am not in school yet, I found the text quite accessible and relatively easy to understand.

5 comments about The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure: A Holistic Approach to Total Recovery.

1. Lessee here. I pay $20.00 for a brochure on a $68,000.00 treatment program not funded by any insurance company offering a gaggle of techniques that do not appear to be algorithmically integrated... when I could simply buy a few -other- books on amazon.com to see the statistical evidence on the most effective treatment regimens.
   
   Hmm. This is tough.
   
   I rarely make blanket statements like this, but after 22 years in the field and working with a -wide- variety of approaches (from 12 Step, gestalt and hypnotic to cognitive, pharmacologic and psychodynamic), I'm forced to say, "Enjoy the book, but keep your credit cards in your wallet." And...
   
   Look these up on amazon.com:
   
   Beck, Wright, Newman, Liese: Cognitive Therapy of Substance Abuse; Gorski: Staying Sober, and Passages Through Recovery; Frances & Miller: Clinical Textbook of the Addictive Disorders; Ellis: A Guide to Rational Living; Perkinson and Jongsma: The Addictions Treatment Planner; Rotgers and Davis: Treating Alcohol Problems; and Rassmussen: Addiction Treatment - Theory and Practice; etc.
   
   And if you can find Sharron Ekleberry's phenomenal Seminar on Substance Abuse and Personality Disorders, read -it- for sure.
   
   Frankly, this book smacks of marketing scheme, though it does (all too briefly) chase down several of the issues that do need to be dealt with to assure long-term abstinence without relapse or addiction-switching.
   
   One can get the job done for a lot less than $68,000.00, however. A -lot- less.



2. I wish everyone struggling with addiction of any type would read this book. This is not new information, just resisted by the average person because it's safer to stay average. If you truly, really want to be skyrocketed into the 4th dimension you so often hear about, then this book will (with it's extensively researched and proven method of healing) have to be taken to heart and accepted. Be corageous! Go back and get that little girl or boy, (your inner child) you abandoned so long ago. STRETCH, RISK, OR DIE! as Ronda Britten talks about in her book Fearless Living. I took the Alcoholism and Addiction Cure to show some friends at AA, and I felt so sad for them because they could not entertain the idea, just for a moment, that AA's 70 year old paradigm, or belief that they have been struck with a life long disease, COULD BE wrong! No, I choose not to drink, but my life long chronic depression is gone, and I am an integrated whole person now after doing the healing work, and truly see myself and this entire planet radically different than before when I was covering up my anxiety and pain with liquor and pills. Since I read this book, sitting in an AA meeting is a whole new experience because I have a more evolved perception of addiction. Step-1 should be more specific and read: My feelings were unmanagable. Step-4: Took a fearless inventory of my FEELINGS! FEEL, DEAL, HEAL! Alcohol is NOT the issue!!!!!A disruption in your energy due to underlying anxiety is! This book not only explains the truth of the problem, but has given you the path to healing on a silver platter. The only question now is how badly do you want the brass ring?? Carrie from Cameron Park



3. This book helped to give me a different perspective of my husband's issues with alcohol. This book gave me hope that a cure to alcoholism is possible if someone is willing. The chapter that helped me personally the most is the one that talks about nothing that happens is bad or wrong. I'm not someone who believes that AA works for everyone and this book explains that if someone is willing to get to the under issues and stop using alcohol as a coping mechanism, a cure is possible and someone can stop drinking for good and not white knuckle their way through life.



4. This book is very inspirational, especially if it is you who are fighting drugs or alcohol. It gives a very different way to look at addiction. It is not traditional 12 step which is something I rebel against. Instead it has you look at your addiction from the reasons of why you abuse drugs and alcohol. Most traditional treatment only addresses addiction as the problem, but this book points out that addiction is only a symptom of your underlying problems. It gives the author's 3 step approach to digging deep to solve your addictions from the underlying problems. The author runs a treatment center in California that has a higher success rate than other treatment centers. The book also has the author's son's addiction story and how this plan has worked for him.



5. This book not only offers hope, but outlines very practical ways of understanding and ridding yourself of this dependency. I would recommend that even "recovered" alcoholics (and anyone with an "addiction" problem) would gain insight and relief from reading this book. Chris Prentiss is a healer and visionary.