Editorial Review

Since Darwin's day, we've been told that sexual monogamy comes naturally to our species. Mainstream science--as well as religious and cultural institutions--has maintained that men and women evolved in families in which a man's possessions and protection were exchanged for a woman's fertility and fidelity. But this narrative is collapsing. Fewer and fewer couples are getting married, and divorce rates keep climbing as adultery and flagging libido drag down even seemingly solid marriages.
How can reality be reconciled with the accepted narrative? It can't be, according to renegade thinkers Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jeth�. While debunking almost everything we "know" about sex, they offer a bold alternative explanation in this provocative and brilliant book.
Ryan and Jeth�'s central contention is that human beings evolved in egalitarian groups that shared food, child care, and, often, sexual partners. Weaving together convergent, frequently overlooked evidence from anthropology, archaeology, primatology, anatomy, and psychosexuality, the authors show how far from human nature monogamy really is. Human beings everywhere and in every era have confronted the same familiar, intimate situations in surprisingly different ways. The authors expose the ancient roots of human sexuality while pointing toward a more optimistic future illuminated by our innate capacities for love, cooperation, and generosity.
With intelligence, humor, and wonder, Ryan and Jeth� show how our promiscuous past haunts our struggles over monogamy, sexual orientation, and family dynamics. They explore why long-term fidelity can be so difficult for so many; why sexual passion tends to fade even as love deepens; why many middle-aged men risk everything for transient affairs with younger women; why homosexuality persists in the face of standard evolutionary logic; and what the human body reveals about the prehistoric origins of modern sexuality.
In the tradition of the best historical and scientific writing, Sex at Dawn unapologetically upends unwarranted assumptions and unfounded conclusions while offering a revolutionary understanding of why we live and love as we do. ... Read more

Reviews

Sexy Beasts, July 4, 2010

This review originally appeared in Seed Magazine: http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/sexy_beasts/

When we think of the first swinger parties most of us imagine 1970s counter-culture, we don't picture Top Gun fighter pilots in World War II. Yet, according to researchers Joan and Dwight Dixon, it was on military bases that "partner swapping" first originated in the United States. As the group with the highest casualty rate during the war, these elite pilots and their wives "shared each other as a kind of tribal bonding ritual" and had an unspoken agreement to care for one another if a woman's husband didn't make it back home. Like the sexy apes known as bonobos, this kind of open sexuality served a social function that provided a way to relieve stress and form long-lasting bonds.

For the husband and wife team Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jeth� in their new book Sex At Dawn, this example is one of many that suggests the human species did not evolve in monogamous, nuclear families but rather in small, intimate groups where "most mature individuals would have had several ongoing sexual relationships at any given time." We are the descendants of these multimale-multifemale mating groups and, even though we've constructed a radically different society from our hunter-gatherer forebears, the behavioral and psychological traits our species evolved in the distant past still manifest themselves today. Ryan, a psychologist, and Jeth�, a psychiatrist, argue that understanding human sexual evolution this way helps to explain our species' unique creativity inside (as well as outside) the marriage bed. It may also shed light on why fidelity has been such a persistent problem for both men and women throughout recorded history.

For Ryan and Jeth� there is little doubt that human beings are an exceedingly sexual species. As an example they detail how in 1902 the first home-use vibrator was patented and approved for domestic use in the United States. Fifteen years later there were more vibrators than toasters in American homes (today this number could be as high as fifty million nationwide). In 2006, according to U.S. Pornography Industry Revenue Statistics, people around the world--the majority of whom were probably men--spent an estimated $97 billion on pornographic material ($13.3 billion in the U.S. alone), a figure that exceeded the annual revenue of Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo!, Apple, and Netflix combined. To judge human sexuality based on consumption patterns, as Stephen Colbert would say, "the market has spoken." When this is combined with estimates that people engage in hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of copulations per child born (more than any primate, including chimpanzees and bonobos) there's little denying that the human animal is one sexy beast.

But why should a species often described as monogamous be so hypersexual? Monogamous animals by definition don't have to compete for reproduction and, as a result, are generally characterized by a low level of sexual activity. But according to Ryan and Jeth� humans top a very short list of species that engage in sex for pleasure. "No animal spends more of its allotted time on Earth fussing over sex than Homo sapiens," they write. In fact, the animal world is filled with species who confine their sexual behavior to just a few periods each year, the only times when conception is possible. Among apes the only monogamous species are the gibbons whose infrequent, reproduction-only copulations make them much better adherents of the Vatican's guidelines than we are. In this way, Ryan and Jeth� argue, repressing our sexuality should not be confused with reining in an "animal" nature; rather, it is denying one of the most unique aspects of what it means to be human.

The suggestion that humans did not evolve as a monogamous species is not as radical an idea as it may sound. In The Descent of Man Charles Darwin wrote, "Those who have most closely studied the subject [particularly the anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan] believe that communal marriage was the original and universal form throughout the world." Yet ever since the nineteenth century anthropologists have struggled over how to identify the mating system of human beings. In 1967 George P. Murdock's Ethnographic Atlas reported that only 14.5% of modern preindustrial societies could be classified as monogamous. Yet, in the West, researchers commonly refer to humans as "serially monogamous," based on the pattern of repeated monogamous marriages throughout men and women's lifetimes. But with over half of divorces occurring because of infidelity and one in 25 dads unknowingly raising children that they didn't father, this is not a picture that fits comfortably with monogamy of any sort, serial or otherwise.

However, by looking at modern indigenous societies and comparing the findings of anthropologists with the latest results in behavioral psychology and biology, Ryan and Jeth� piece together a remarkably coherent pattern from an otherwise fractured understanding of human sexuality. From societies that believe that multiple men are necessary for a successful pregnancy (what researchers refer to as "partible paternity") to those where not having an extra-marital tryst will cause a man to be labeled "stingy of one's genitals" by his female suitors, the authors conclude that marriage may be an established social arrangement among many hunter-gatherers but it's one in which sexuality is decidedly fluid. A range of physiological evidence from Western populations is further offered to support this position, from the year-round libido in both sexes, to the unusually large size of men's genitalia compared to other apes, to the shifting sexual strategy during various stages in women's reproductive cycle (and lest we forget multiple female orgasms?). All suggest that our species is adapted for several concurrent sexual partners.

This is, of course, not a new idea in human evolutionary research. Primatologist Sarah Hrdy advocated a promiscuous mating system for humans in The Woman That Never Evolved (1999) while psychologist David Barash and psychiatrist Judith Lipton detailed their own argument in The Myth of Monogamy (2001). In Sex At Dawn Ryan and Jeth� cover some similar ground as these previous authors but provide a great deal of additional material that was unavailable a decade ago. They also emphasize the ways in which monogamy has been used as a means of controlling women in patriarchal societies and make a number of insightful connections between the invention of agriculture 12,000 years ago and how sedentary societies influence the structure of human mating. However, with a relaxed writing style and numerous examples from modern popular culture, their discussion of these topics remains readily accessible even to those who may be encountering such ideas for the first time.

Sex At Dawn is a provocative and engaging synthesis of the latest research on human sexual evolution that has the added benefit of being a joy to read. While the authors' conclusion that healthy relationships can be both committed and open may come as a shock to some readers, others will likely find it refreshingly honest. As their example of WWII fighter pilots emphasizes, human sexuality has numerous social as well as emotional functions and there has never been only a single path chosen by the human species. In offering a fresh look at a fascinating and controversial topic Sex At Dawn is a book sure to generate discussion, and one likely to produce more than a few difficult conversations with family marriage counselors.

Eric Michael Johnson received his masters degree in primate behavior and is now pursuing his PhD in the history of science. He writes on issues of science, politics, and history at The Primate Diaries.

A real mind-bender, July 11, 2010
This was a terrific read -- a sweeping (and well written, and funny) look at recent anthropological, zoological, and biological research all leading to a mind-bender of a conclusion: our prehistoric ancestors were wall-to-wall horndogs, men and women alike, with "multi-male/multi-female" sexual relations the likely norm for 95 percent of anatomically modern humans' existence. The nuclear family centered on a pair-bonded husband and wife, and the monogamy that comes with it, probably only date to the last 8,000-10,000 years, since the advent of agriculture.

Ryan and Jeth� dismantle the more common Men-are-from-Mars, Women-are-from-Venus view -- i.e. men have a biological imperative to impregnate as many women as possible while keeping their wives monogamous so they (the men) support only their own genetic offspring, while women want to bond with wealthy, high-status males for their resources, but also to sleep around with the bad boys for their genes. R&J make a strong case that this sort of arrangement could only make sense in post-agricultural societies where concepts of property and paternal lineage become important, but that it would be meaningless in the hunter-gatherer groups that were the only form of human society for almost 200,000 years. When they get into the section on "sperm competition," things get reaaaally trippy.

The book kind of leaves you hanging as far as what this information means for modern humans, but that's probably a virtue. We have after all changed quite a bit from prehistoric times, and it's not as though our evolutionary history has to dictate our moral or social behavior today. Nowhere do the authors say everybody should walk out of their marriages and form hippie communes or anything like that. Instead, they say their goal is to start a conversation -- about sex, and how our prehistoric urges may help explain why so many people have trouble staying with one partner over their whole lives. It's a conversation-starter, all right.

I was tempted to take one star away because I felt throughout like they weren't presenting opposing views in the best light, but hey, it's a polemic. And it's a fun one, too. So let the arguments begin.

A book I wished was even more detailed!, July 2, 2010
"Cheating Rumors Fly About 'The Bachelor''s fianc�e": this pops up as I log on to type this. Why do Jake and Vienna spark headlines-- until the next couple, next week? What lures them to stray? After nearly two million years in the making, must we roam as randily as our bonobo cousins? After a hundred centuries of civilization and two millennia of convention, why hasn't monogamy won us over?

Psychologist Christopher Ryan and psychiatrist Cacilda Jeth� present their findings about the prehistoric roots of our sexuality. They counter colleagues, clerics, and counselors who demand fidelity as our inborn, "natural" order. Ryan and Jeth� assert that we carry within us another urge as we generate generations. "Multiple mating" occupied (at least) 95% of our ancestral experience. This replaces the accepted account in academia for men as "serial monogamists." For millions of years, most of our male and female predecessors "had several sexual relationships at any given time."(12)

Ryan and Jeth� argue that we carry these patterns from foragers, who shared mates as they did goods and as they raised their young. It took a village to raise a child because any fertile father or mother in the village might have created that child. Before the fetishizing of paternity that accompanied the rise of agriculture, the surplus of wealth, and the imposition of fidelity to legitimize inheritance, foragers imprinted their wayward ways within us. The authors show why we, like Jake and Vienna, keep losing the battle of the sexes-- as if "cheating" can ever win us the dating and mating game-- against the innate urge to share ourselves intimately.

Part One explains why Darwin lacked sexual insight, and how Victorian inhibitions and his wife's censorship prevented biologists from advancing their own understanding of primate prototypes and parallels for human sexuality. Part Two applies anthropology. The authors dismiss "Flintstonization," our "widespread tendency to project contemporary cultural proclivities into the distant past."(32) Scientists who insist on "innate monogamy" perpetuate a primal myth similar to the Fall of Adam and Eve: "sexual deceit, prohibited knowledge, and guilt."(35)

The "double standard" of a caddish male and jealous female tells but half the story. It cuts out the woman's leading role as the mistress of her own reproductive and romantic fate. Helen Fisher and similarly acclaimed authorities "begin by assuming that long-term sexual monogamy forms the nucleus of the one and only natural, eternal human family structure and reason backwards from there."(75)

Instead, Ryan and Jeth� emphasize in our desires and design a "natural structure." They advance a model of "diffuse nurturing," with all men called father and all women as mother. Such societies exist among today's foragers. "Could it be that the atomic isolation of the husband-wife nucleus with an orbiting child is in fact a culturally imposed aberration for our species -- as ill-suited to our evolved tendencies as corsets, chastity belts, and suits of armor?" (109) Might other familiar headlines-- of exhausted parents, broken families, and hostile children-- "be predictable consequences of what is, in truth, a distorted and distorting family structure inappropriate for our species?"

Using cross-cultural comparisons with foragers, Ryan and Jeth� disprove any "universal" model of family structure or sexual behavior. "Societies in which women have lots of autonomy and authority tend to be decidedly male-friendly, relaxed, tolerant, and plenty sexy." (133) Men and women can get along, after all, if power and decision-making complement one another.

Why have such models been ignored or opposed? Western academics filter them through biases towards patriarchy; they perceive a matriarchy by distorting a mirror image that no society has been able to match. Ryan and Jeth� correct this "confirmation bias" that leads scholars to look for "pair-bonding" as equivalent to lifelong marriage. They remind us how "mate" and "mating" convey, as does "love," (or "sleeping with" or "making love") our own socially constructed phenomena. Inspired by sociobiologist E.O. Wilson, the authors confirm that "human sexuality developed primarily as a bonding mechanism in interdependent bands where paternity certainty was a nonissue." (149) Many women in foraging societies never needed to barter their favors for child care, protection, food, or male fidelity.

Part Three detours into material foundations for such societies, not as we assume so poor, nasty, brutish, or short in lifespan (as Hobbes famously defined the primitive state). Communal belonging likely produced for many of our forebears less stress than we suffer. Conflicts could be avoided or neutralized.

An ancestral, open, relaxed sexuality gave way, with agriculture and wealth accumulation, to more toil, greater disease, and endemic inequality. Men enforced "an exchange of protein and protection for assured paternity." (99) We lost, as we turned civilized, our "innate capacity for love and generosity." Perhaps we bargained it away for refrigeration and dentistry, but we also produced slavery, discrimination, pain imposed upon women, and institutionalized fear of their sexual sway.

Part Four shifts back to our physical design. Why do we sexually endure a "symmetry of dual disappointment"? "It's as if we've been sitting down to dinner together, millennium after millennium, but half of us can't stop wolfing everything down in a few frantic, sloppy minutes, while the other half are still setting the table and lighting candles." (245)

Ingredients for boiling males and simmering females stir deep inside us. The authors teach us how we're engineered for "sperm competition" by penile streamlining, female capacity for multiple orgasm, and "female copulatory vocalization" as a way for letting the neighbors know that while one suitor might be soon spent, others might wait their roll on the savanna. By "sequential sex," the ready and willing woman could receive her multiple mates. Their ejaculated "post-copulatory" contributions maximized at a "cellular level" her fertility. Her body by "choosing among potential fathers" at a mechanical, non-conscious level of paternity -- as researchers now comprehend -- deepens profoundly the meaning of "natural selection."

This book moves briskly, but not all the sections show strong transitions. I sense Ryan's jocular tone balances his partner Jeth�'s sober data. Their chapters cram dense learning with a lively array of anecdotes and statistics on this endlessly engaging topic. You will learn how Pope John XXI died, whither the preference for "gangbang" over "reverse gangbang" among adult online offerings, why women's sense of smell may be better than men's, hear Mark Twain's rejoinders to morality, and tally Tiger Woods' scorecard. Despite casual organization, the verve and range of Ryan and Jeth�'s study ambitiously challenges norms of evolutionary psychologists.

The authors wonder if we might be moving into polyamorous relationships again today, as the nuclear family weakens. Instinctive patterns rewarding a non-moralized, positive promiscuity may in time, once and if our morality adapts, replace our rigid monogamy. They suggest sexual openness as an alternative to either male-female monogamy or the other configuration for "long-term pair bonding" as accepted by scientists in "the standard narrative," that of polygyny-- one man, many women.

Most adults lived in small bands, no more than "Dunbar's number" of 150, for nearly all of our evolution. Trusting their clan, people indulged several sexual relationships at once. This cohesive pattern endures in primitive societies studied today. While agriculture and privatization of property led to its suppression among ancient and modern cultures, its model of "open sexuality unencumbered by guilt or shame" offers us a rationale for Jake and Vienna's split. Part Five answers why even when bonded to one partner, couples may seek satisfaction elsewhere.

"Erotic plasticity" uncouples females from the male tendency, after a brief chance for open identity in their formation, to conform to a homosexual or heterosexual norm. Females throughout their lives show more acceptance of "variety and change" in mates of either sex. Males crave "necessary spice" -- if sprinkled by a partner in a different kitchen. Homosexuals (in too-rapid an authorial aside), persist due to a simple desire for bonding, one that can elude reproductive demands.

Couples seek emotional and sexual adventure so affairs go on; non-monogamy need not equate with debauchery. Our dominant culture that refuses to entertain "swingers" as other than as on a '70s sitcom episode suppresses even its therapists. Nowadays, when few would convince a gay man or lesbian to stop being such, our experts keep demanding divorce or "death-do-us part" as the only solutions to the embedded boredom, dissatisfaction, and incompatibility within many a "conventional marriage." The bonds of wedlock can be loosened, Ryan and Jeth� whisper, without being broken.

"Novelty itself is the attraction," they insist, for male resistance to "monotomy," monogamy added to matrimony. They tell female readers this is an inexorable result of what another equation sums up in Spanish, where "esposas" means "wife" -- and "handcuffs." Where does this leave those vowed as pair-bonded? Ryan and Jeth� hope this book will "provoke the sorts of conversations that make it a bit easier for couples to make their way across this difficult emotional terrain together, with a deeper, less judgmental understanding of the ancient roots of these inconvenient feelings and a more informed, mature approach to dealing with them." (305)

They don't dispense pat predictions about how "a more relaxed and tolerant approach to fidelity" might play out. A glance at polyamorous families and a remonstrance to therapists who force couples into "love it or leave it" hints at how this struggle towards acceptance might happen -- and how vehement the opposition might well be. Ryan and Jeth� compare the slow advances granted to gay rights and same-sex marriage. Ryan and Jeth� realize the odds against such tolerance attained by advocates of "free love," however ethically conceived by those daringly liberated.

Ryan and Jeth� urge us "to seek peace with the truths of human sexuality." (310) They conclude this book with a (too brief) look at alternatives few promote even among the psychological and psychiatric professions. "But this we know: vehement denial, inflexible religious or legislative dictate, and medieval stoning rituals in the desert have all proved powerless against our prehistoric predilections."

They glimpse a future oriented towards love, cooperation, and generosity. Still, I reckon that, even in the most liberated of communities, free minded folks may likely hide their "low-key alternatives to standard, off-the-shelf monogamy." (308) Unlike our lusty ancestors, most mature moderns seem to draw the curtains, dim the lights, and lower the volume of "copulatory vocalizations." At least in my neighborhood.

Against social and cultural odds, Ryan and Jeth� propose that we embrace a sexuality that does not diminish the energies wired into our essential selves. It might be too late for Jake and Vienna to kiss and make up. Savvier readers of this book -- rather than that headline -- may, however, reconcile themselves with these perplexing instincts, bred into us by our wandering progenitors over millions of years.

Riddled with errors and omissions, October 4, 2010
Ryan wants readers to think that he is challenging culturally imposed ideas of 'natural' monogamy in humans and revealing our supposed natural promiscuity. But then he attacks evolutionary psychology that also points out that humans are not naturally monogamous because, he says, they paint this promiscuity as a battle of the sexes when, he says, there is no natural battle between the sexes.

There are so many errors in this book it is difficult to know where to start. Ryan does not understand sexual selection and the significance of differential reproductive success or its reality. There are vast amounts of robust evidence supporting sexual selection but the author does not appear to have understood it. And increasing evidence for sexual conflict over mating. See eg:Sexual Conflict: (Monographs in Behavior and Ecology)

When the author gets to apes he then gets more things wrong. For example, he has mis-read and mis-represents relations between communities of chimpanzees. He confuses the fact that female chimpanzees (like bonobos) leave their natal group to breed in a different group with non-violent relations between the communities. All group-living animals have one or both sexes transferring elsewhere to breed. He twists this to make the totally erroneous point that relations between communities of chimpanzees are therefore not violent/antagonistic. If he had read the literature he would have realized that males stay in their natal group and there are never friendly interactions between males from different communities. Not even in bonobos. That bonobo females may socialize across communities when they meet is because they likely will have been born or spent some time in these other groups or will in the future. The males have not.
Also, the Tai study which showed females mating outside their breeding community has since been put down to error in DNA testing (Vigilant, Hofreiter, Seidel and Boesch, 2001, "Paternity and relatedness in wild chimpanzee communities")

The wider issue of the misrepresentation of bonobo sexual behavior also really needs to be addressed. Chimpanzee and bonobo females have been shown to copulate about the same number of times over time but for chimpanzees it is concentrated in narrower windows while for bonobo it is spread out especailly in the long interbirth interval between fertile periods. And bonobo sexuality per se has been vastly exaggerated - most of it is nothing more than a very brief touching of genitals - we, like chimpanzees, hug rather than stroke the genitals.
There is no evidence to support a bonobo-type sexual bonding in females in human prehistory, weak male bonding, sexual interaction with infants, and the mother-son the strongest bond.

For balance see these Yale lectures on the "Evolution of Sex and Reproductive Strategies" at [...]
# Evolution of Sex and Reproductive Strategies
# Sex and Violence Among the Apes
# From Ape to Human


As for partible paternity, in the Ache, for example, early death of men is common and a child whose father dies is often killed so having more than one father is a practical matter that means there is a provider for a child. More than two different potential fathers is very bad for women and their children and the sex with more than the husband is normally kept very discreet and not openly tolerated. Hardly a system preferable to our own.

The misrepresentation of Mosuo culture is a disgrace.
See the [...] "myths and misperceptions":

"To set the record straight; while promiscuity is certainly not frowned on like it is in most other cultures, most Mosuo women tend to form more long-term pairings, and not change partners frequently. It might be better described as a system of "serial monogamy", wherein women can change partners, but tend to do so relatively rarely; and while with one partner, will rarely invite another. I've personally met many Mosuo who have had a "walking marriage" relationship with the same man for twenty or more years."

Also this from[...] "Description of the Mosuo Minority":

"It has been theorized that the "matriarchal" system of the lower classes may have been enforced (or at least encouraged) by the higher classes as a way of preventing threats to their own power. Since leadership was hereditary, and determined through the male family line, it virtually eliminated potential threats to leadership by having the peasant class trace their lineage through the female line. Therefore, attempts to depict the Mosuo culture as some sort of idealized "matriarchal" culture in which women have all the rights, and where everyone has much more freedom, are often based on lack of knowledge of this history; the truth is that for much of their history, the Mosuo "peasant" class were subjugated and sometimes treated as little better than slaves."

As for copulation calls, I suggest people read the literature for themselves. Chimpanzees are quite complex and signalling to females (avoiding the wrath of females) is important. Bonobos don't really have them. Monogamous species don't need them because they do not live in social groups which means that while there is no need to signal to other males there is also no need to signal to the mate that she prefers him or needs mate-guarding as their isolation makes that obvious.

It is quite probable that should a species live in multi-male/multi-female groups, form pair-bonds and have 'fathers' and mate-guarding that a female will use a copulation call to signal to her mate that he satisfies her, she does not want another, he's the best etc etc. Sperm competition exists when females cannot choose pre-copulation (there's a lot of sexual coercion in primates see eg Sexual Coercion in Primates and Humans: An Evolutionary Perspective on Male Aggression Against Females) ie are not able to reject males. The best form of sperm competition for males is to keep that of other males out of the female in the first place. The best form form females is to only mate with desired male(s) and not have to mate with all-comers.

If a species evolves pair-bonding within a multi-male/multi-female setting there is no reason to presume that a copulation call cannot be used to reassure the mate and to be used to inform others that it is a satisfactory and established pair-bond. I suspect that pair-bonded birds in colonies make their mating obvious to others with calls etc and are not inviting others. Females, if they have the opportunity, do not simply submit to being mated by all and sundry. It just happens that they often have not had the choice.

There are just too many things in this book where the author is either simply blinded by his wishful thinking or has an agenda and is deliberately being economical with the truth.

Ryan says he does not know what should be done with the information he presents. I have one suggestion LOL.
No, we are not monogamous. Neither are we naturally that fond of healthy eating, or restraint in consumerism or the selfish exploitation of our planet. Simply indulging our natural drives is hardly something to be proposed without serious understanding of factors which Ryan has failed to properly understand or present. The book is so unbalanced it is in danger of toppling out of the reader's hands.

What is true about any species is that's its future is its offspring. This book has a hell of a lot to say about the sexual gorging of adults and next to nothing to say about children. Interestingly, evolutionary biology describes the male (usually) as putting his efforts into mating and the female (usually) into parenting.
Ryan is clearly far more a predictable male serving the demands of selfish genes that are fighting for a future via sperm (rather than via eggs) than he could ever consciously realize or, no doubt, accept. But selfish genes are pretty good at fooling the body - and mind - of their temporary home.

A pretty good take-down of the standard "battle of the sexes" narrative, August 8, 2010
Not as scholarly as I would have liked, and mostly old news if you're already familiar with "evolutionary psych" or human behavioral ecology studies published in the last 5-10 years. A great take-down of Trivers' and others' antiquated theories about paternity certainty, male parental investment, and the idea that both modern and pre-historical women are manipulative cheats, only after your wallet, in general. They also went after social scientists that use their popularity and success to make weird, moralized statements about "the society should be..." (Steven Pinker and a whole bunch of "monogamous pair-binding"- pushers), which was a fun read, if, still, old news if you're already familiar.

Could have used another edit though. Rather than presenting itself as a totally scholarly book and repeating itself over and over again (presumably so single chapters could be read and you'd still get their overall point), I wish it would have lopped off about 50 pages of redundancies. I also wish they'd paid more credit to evolutionary psychologists who put themselves out there in the 80's and 90's, and paved the way for these kinds of discussions to be had, rather than trying to distance themselves from them. I have no problem agreeing with 95% of this book, 90% of Pinker, 99% of EO Wilson, 85% of the Mean Genes guys, and 90% of Matt Ridley, etc. There is no need to be TOO snarky.

Good Book but Over Hyped, July 14, 2010
This text can be summarized to the following: Using a reductionist approach, we can separate the societal and biological influences to sexuality. Once we have done this, we can look at parts of sex that may be contradictory to our own nature and try to assess how paleo-lithic man thought of sexuality and how our bodies were engineered by the forces of evolution. With this lens, we can examine modern sexuality and critique what the authors call the "standard narrative". Essentially, the book boils down to a chapter by chapter deconstruction and attempt at disproving said standard narrative.

This book is currently receiving an insane amount of hype; as if they are uncovering some great hidden secrets about human sexuality. I think Dan Savage even came out saying this is the greatest sexuality book since Kinsey. I disagree with these claims, clearly the book is interesting and presents strong arguments against the standard narrative. However, it is not uncovering anything particularly new or presenting any world-changing findings. Rather, the book is a collection of facts and anecdotes, trying to construct a counterexample against the standard narrative. In this function, the authors do a reasonably good job. There are a few times throughout the book, their examples are a bit contradictory; for example, early on, the authors throw out the idea of even considering apes other than chimps or bonobos as a way to prove monogamy. However, later on, they use baboons and other apes to argue specific points. This bothered me a bit.

The book is very well written and reads quite quickly despite its length. The only part that I felt was missing was a critique to their argument, perhaps a chapter responding to their arguments. However, I suppose there will be articles and replies to this book posted online for me to read.

If you are limited on time, I suggest reading all of Part 1 and all of Part 5. You can skim the other parts but keep in mind that the book is presenting arguments to debunk the standard narrative, not necessarily prove that any existing model of sexuality is right or wrong.

At least two-thirds should have been cut out, October 26, 2010
This book needs serious editing--it's unbelievably padded. You will read over and over and OVER again that humans are closer to bonobos (non-monogamous) than chimps and other primates (monogamous). The book spirals out of control with simplistic, unsupported, pop observations--even that there are supposed chartered planeloads of Japanese middle-aged women flying to Thailand to meet guys (I sort of doubt the accuracy of the image). The book starts out okay--and I liked the term "Flintstonization" for our projecting back of cultural biases, but the book degenerates into incredible padding, repetition, and apparently unsupported statements.

Secular History of Sex, August 16, 2010
As I age it becomes clear how little I know. Bonobo, sexuality relates to anthopology? I suspected that monogamy never worked for anyone I knew. Many say at my age, 83, they see a twinkle in my eye; I call it lust. My wife has to read this book. This is the best read I've ever had at helping me to understand myself. I'm not sure I could say the same if I was a woman. I wish I had others to share my thoughts with, but as of now, other than Dan Savage, I don't know anyone who has read this book. Are their people in the Chicago area interested in sharing their thoughts? Perhaps a group of kindred spirits?

Best book since The Myth of Monogamy, August 27, 2010
Until I read Sex and Dawn, the best book on the subject, in my opinion, was The Myth of Monogamy. I think this book takes the subject to a whole other level. As a lifelong student of sex and a psychologist, I have read all the best and worst. I dare say, it will be at least another decade before a book this good comes out. If you want to really challenge your culture and religion bound ideas about sex and sexuality, this book will do it. When you are finished, you will understand just how programmed we have been by our culture and how many choices we can make ourselves, once we recognize this. Don't let society, religion or culture determine your sexuality and sexual expression, make your own choices and enjoy the huge capacity for sex and enjoyment that all of us have as humans.

Dr. Darrel Ray, author of The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture The God Virus: How religion infects our lives and culture

Another perspective, August 26, 2010
Sex At Dawn gives an alternative perspective to the standard narrative of how humans have evolved in a constantly changing world. I enjoyed the humor as well as the science that is packed into this book. Whether or not you agree with the conclusions made by the authors it will open your mind and give you something to think about; as well as excellent fodder for conversation. Enjoy! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Geocaching and letterboxing are all the rage! These two new pastimes offer a modern twist to the age-old scavenger hunt by combining a hike in the outdoors with the technology of a GPS unit and the joy of gift-giving and receiving. This user-friendly book captures the ins-and-outs of the geocaching and letterboxing world and gives tips for finding and packing a cache or box, using a GPS unit, reading a compass and carving a signature rubber stamp - plus, there is room to record memorable hunts. Treasure Hunt is a must-have book for all the fortune-seekers and adventure-loving families! ... Read more

Reviews

PERFECT FOR NEW CACHERS!, December 11, 2007
This book is perfect for people new to the hobbies of Geocaching and Letterboxing! We wish that we would have had this book when we began a few years ago. There is a ton of helpful information (to include acronyms, special types of hides, how to make a rubber stamp, etc.) all in a very easy to read format. In addition, there are areas to document your finds and other achievements. We bought a few copies of this book to give as presents, but will be keeping at least one and ordering more very soon. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! VERY PLEASED OVERALL!

A Treasure, August 14, 2008
"It's a Treasure Hunt!" is a guide to get people started Geocaching and Letterboxing. Geocaching is a treasure hunting game where players use a handheld GPS and try to find containers that are hidden outdoors. Letterboxing is a mixture of treasure hunting, art, and clue solving. Players go online to find clues to where a Letterbox is hidden and once the Letterbox is found, players use his/her homemade stamps and inkpad to stamp the logbook in the letterbox and uses the stamp and inkpad in the Letterbox in his/her personal logbook.

"It's a Treasure Hunt!" fully explains how both Geocaching and Letterboxing work. The book gives detailed instructions on what supplies are needed to do both activities and what supplies to pack while hunting for the Geocache/Letterbox. It also gives you tips on how to find the hidden "treasures" and what to do once you find them. The book also explains and illustrates the different types of Geocaches and Letterboxes (micro, small, mystery, etc.). There are also tips on how to carve your own stamps for Letterboxing and space to practice stamping. There are also a few pages to start your own logbook. Finally, there is a glossary of terms used in both activities.

I've wanted to try Letterboxing for a long time and found "It's a Treasure Hunt!" to be very useful in getting me started. While I did extensive research on line, I found the pictures of the Letterboxes and stamps, as well as the sample logbook to be very helpful. While I wasn't initially interested in Geocaching, this book got me interested and I plan on starting Geocaching soon.

After reading "It's a Treasure Hunt!" I went and found my first letterbox and look forward to finding more. Well done.

Nice Book, July 31, 2008
This is a nice little book to take the average muggle and turn them into a geocacher. If you've been caching awhile it probably won't be much use to you. It covers finding your first cache and terms often used, filling out logs and even selecting items to trade. Also has good info for the new cacher to create their first cache. Good book for the new or want to be cacher.

Its a Treasure Hunt, March 30, 2009
It breaks it down for the every day person in order to understand the subject of Geocaching

Gps handbook, May 16, 2009
I think this is a great Gps Geo caching book. It covers all the basics. the fact it is a spiral bound book also helps when used in a classroom setting.

Great resource for a novice, January 13, 2009
This book provided an overview of geocaching and letterboxing, pointing our similarities and differences. It was just what a beginning seeker of treasure needed!

Awesome!, January 12, 2009
I found this book full of helpful hints, exciting ideas, and lots of pages to write down your travels. I am using ideas gained from this book to do GPS activities with my students. ... Read more

Editorial Review

What is the secret of talent? How do we unlock it? In this groundbreaking work, journalist and New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle provides parents, teachers, coaches, businesspeople—and everyone else—with tools they can use to maximize potential in themselves and others.

Whether you’re coaching soccer or teaching a child to play the piano, writing a novel or trying to improve your golf swing, this revolutionary book shows you how to grow talent by tapping into a newly discovered brain mechanism.

Drawing on cutting-edge neurology and firsthand research gathered on journeys to nine of the world’s talent hotbeds—from the baseball fields of the Caribbean to a classical-music academy in upstate New York—Coyle identifies the three key elements that will allow you to develop your gifts and optimize your performance in sports, art, music, math, or just about anything.

• Deep Practice Everyone knows that practice is a key to success. What everyone doesn’t know is that specific kinds of practice can increase skill up to ten times faster than conventional practice.

• Ignition We all need a little motivation to get started. But what separates truly high achievers from the rest of the pack? A higher level of commitment—call it passion—born out of our deepest unconscious desires and triggered by certain primal cues. Understanding how these signals work can help you ignite passion and catalyze skill development.

• Master Coaching What are the secrets of the world’s most effective teachers, trainers, and coaches? Discover the four virtues that enable these “talent whisperers” to fuel passion, inspire deep practice, and bring out the best in their students.

These three elements work together within your brain to form myelin, a microscopic neural substance that adds vast amounts of speed and accuracy to your movements and thoughts. Scientists have discovered that myelin might just be the holy grail: the foundation of all forms of greatness, from Michelangelo’s to Michael Jordan’s. The good news about myelin is that it isn’t fixed at birth; to the contrary, it grows, and like anything that grows, it can be cultivated and nourished.

Combining revelatory analysis with illuminating examples of regular people who have achieved greatness, this book will not only change the way you think about talent, but equip you to reach your own highest potential. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Everyone knows they need to eat more fruits and vegetables, but consuming even the minimum FDA-recommended five servings a day can be challenging. In Green for Life, raw foods pioneer Victoria Boutenko presents an overlooked powerhouse of nutrition in this equation: greens. For their bounty of minerals and nutrients, greens exceed other vegetables in value. Green for Life details the immense health benefits of greens and suggests an easy way to consume them in sufficient quantities: the green smoothie. This quick, simple drink benefits everyone, regardless of lifestyle, diet, or environment. Green smoothies eliminate toxins, correct nutritional deficiencies, and are delicious as well.

Green for Life includes the latest information on the abundance of protein in greens, the benefits of fiber, the role of greens in homeostasis, the significance of stomach acid, how greens make the body more alkaline, the healing power of chlorophyll, and more. Also included are the results of a pilot study demonstrating the effectiveness of adding just one quart of green smoothies a day to one’s diet, without changing anything else in dietary intake. Green smoothie testimonials and recipes give readers confidence and motivation in exploring green smoothies for themselves. This updated edition offers important new research on the role that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids play in metabolic health and includes nutritional data on select green smoothies and updated findings on organic versus conventional produce. Offering more in-depth nutritional and experiential information than Boutenko’s recently released Green Smoothie Revolution, Green for Life makes an ideal companion piece to its recipe-rich successor. ... Read more

Reviews

The way to healthy living, October 28, 2007
I used to do a lot of juicing in the past but it is very time consuming and really messy. My problem is over since I got Green for Life. Making smoothies is a great alternative to juicing. It is much faster, less messy, and you also get some fiber in addition to juice. In addition to great recipes for making smoothies the book is also a good source of information about proper nutrition, the importance of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and much more. Get this book!! Another great volume that you may not miss is Can We Live 150. These two books together make a perfect gift of showing the way to healthy living just for anyone.

Green Smoothies get rid of junk food cravings!!!, March 6, 2006
What a wonderful book! For the past 20 years I've been on a quest to eat more natural foods,and my health improved drastically. But I still suffered from junk food cravings...until I discovered Green for Life!

Following Victoria's advice, I added lots of GREENS to my fruit smoothies, and the first day I did so MY FOOD CRAVINGS STOPPED. Bang. Just vanished. Just like my brain's "cravings switch" was flipped to the OFF position. Apparently my body had been craving minerals all those years, and once I started eating GREENS the cravings stopped. And I'm finally trimming down!

Victoria's research in this area is much needed, and much appreciated. I especially love the chapter on the chimpanzees and their daily eating habits.

My wife and I participated in one of Victoria's Green for Life teleconferences, and we loved it. She speaks from her heart, is really a nice lady, and this was one of the best conferences ever. We love Victoria! And we sure love the changes that are happening in our bodies!

Get this Green for Life book, make yourself some green smoothies, and watch your food cravings vanish. This is the secret to losing weight! :)

Thanks, Victoria, for Green for Life!

Attention all IBS sufferers, June 30, 2006
I was diagnosed with IBS almost a year ago, and tried my best to control it through diet (check out Heather VonVorous' Eating for IBS), but I would still have flare-ups, especially during stressful times.
The green smooties are not only easy to digest (b/c its all blended for you) but they do wonders to regulate your GI tract. I have not had a flare- up since I started drinking my smoothies. If you have IBS, acid reflux, heartburn, or any other digestive issues you owe it to yourself to read this book.

Transformed! Thanks, Victoria!, May 18, 2006
My boyfriend and I have slowly been making our way towards foods that are alive, but we were struggling. And then I found Victoria's book. Reading chapter after chapter I found myself wanting to give these green smoothies a try. So, we finally bought the VitaMix blender, and away we went! Now, after food cravings have diminshed, toe nail fungus' vanished, and acne is a past memory...we are HAPPY, calmer and loving our daily green smoothies. Thank you so much, Victoria! You've had a dramatic impact on our family! I would recommend this book to everyone...and I do!

This is extraordinary work, March 5, 2009
I've been studying nutrition with an almost overly-zealous passion since I was about 18 years old and I've run through so many paradigms and points of view they run the gamut from athletic old-school nutritional ideas (like loading up on big juicy steaks before athletic events) to "the Zone", food combining (of which I am a practitioner and believer), anti wheat/gluten/dairy/meat lifestyles, high protein fads (never even tried this because it made NO sense on any level to me) to the strictest Candida cleanses out there (lived on the Body Ecology Diet for years, and it did change my life at the time) and then finally found my way to the whole raw foods movement.

Eating raw foods for the enzymes, pure nutrition and life force just felt right to me, but when I'd pick up raw meals or look at recipes I saw the need for expensive kitchen equipment I neither wanted nor could afford, and overly complex recipes I didn't even want to think about attempting. In what might be an intuitive aspect, I hate cooking! I used to joke that if there was some kind of drink or mush we could live on in perfect health, like Robocop, and it tasted good I'd be all over it!

Well, I got closer when I found Dr. Doug Graham's book "The 80/10/10 Diet", which has some fabulous concepts and ideas, but when I applied them it wasn't quite the perefct fit. Close, but no banana, so to speak. This whole green smoothie concept came to me through Facebook of all things, and while I've only been adding these to my life for about a week, I am already a firm believer that THIS is the missing piece to the nutritional puzzle for me.

I began reading this book last night to augment the knowledge and recipes I'd already found in doing online research and I absolutely love this. Victoria speaks from the heart but also obviously put so much time and focus into looking into this from a scientific standpoint, the research is admirable. Personally, I don't really need science to tell me what works, I try things out (other than Atkins) and see how I feel. But the science is certainly interesting and validating. Some people might scoff at using champanzees as nutritional models for us to follow or look to for advice but if you leave aside human ego for a moment and open your mind the tiniest bit there is SO much to be gleaned from this point of view.

I've had the oddest and most overwhelming cravings for fast food and junk food my whole life, especially lately and I'd find I could eat incredibly healthy and hydrate myself so well for a while, then I'd swing into ridiculous binges. When I read another review on here raving about these smoothies stopping those cravings I literally went to the store that night, loaded up on gorgeous greens and fruit and tried it. And they were right. The cravings were gone before I was halfway through my evening dinner smoothie. I wasn't hungry or thirsty and even my emotional comfort food trigger was silenced. That seemed impossible but it happened. So I kept at it all weekend, making sure I always had at least one good pint per day, preferably two. Here's what I've noticed in just this first week:

- better memory
- increased clarity and ability to focus at work
- while everyone here, even the healthy folks, are dropping like flies with some virus floating around, I have no symptoms whatsoever
- physical pms symptoms that were present recently are gone
- chronic asthma is lessening day by day
- better sleep
- several really great bowel movements per day
- waking up easily and before my alarm even! (haven't done that in ages)
- decreased appetite and cravings for sugar, etc

And this is just from having about one per day for 6 days. Seriously. This book answers many questions for me and gives me yet another fabulous tool in my quest for total well being. I've always wondered why I found greens in quantity so hard to digest, even when taking enzymes with them, and she explains that very clearly and logically here. Now I know that by blending these greens, we are essentially "pre-chewing" them for our bodies until they relearn how to digest what we are meant to rely on for most of our nutritional needs; greens. And since these include ample amounts of fruit these smoothies taste great.

I'm so grateful to Victoria for her tireless work and for sharing this with everyone ready for really stellar health. If I feel this wonderful just adding them into my usual daily routine, I can only imagine what awaits.

I used her husband's smoothie recipe this morning (spinach, lime, banana, apple and water) and it's fantastic. Replaces my long-time cravings for some kind of sweet breakfast (which used to be a blended or iced coffee drink with a scone).

And personally, I love that she shares the experiences of herself and her family along the way as anecdotal support for her journey into this way of living. It takes interesting concepts and makes them more relevant and real for me. But nothing replaces my own experience, as she wonderfully points out in the beginning of the book, and for me this has been life changing already.

EXCELLENT!! Very informative & great intro to the world of green smoothies:), March 28, 2006
I just received this book yesterday and spent a considerable amount of time last night browsing through it. The book is EXCELLENT....very informative and well written. It made me realise just how much I have been missing out on this much-needed part of the diet that is so necessary...and how easy it is to eat this way. I have been juicing a lot of greens but haven't tried "green smoothies" before. I made my first one last night and was HOOKED...really really good stuff...now I know why others are so addicted. And the fantastic thing is that it is so SO good for you!! Green smoothies really make it easy to consume lots of greens...and quickly too! Juicing greens is a nightmare because you have to spend so much time and use soooooo much green veggies to get such a little bit of juice....doing it this way, the "green smoothie" method, makes all the difference in the world...and you get ALL the goodness. I learned a lot about other things too that I hadn't known about before....the importance of hydrochloric acid in the stomach for example. Get this book!! It is a valuable & necessary addition to your health foods library!

Simple but utterly profound, July 22, 2006
In this book, Victoria Boutenko explains why eating raw greens is so important. Although nutritional recommendations often seem to shift with the winds, one consistent and clear piece of advice has always been to eat lots of those leafy green vegetables -- filled with phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc. The big problem, of course, is that these foods are often not too palatable unless smothered in fat-laden, salty, or otherwise dubious dressings. What if there were a way to eat your greens and actually enjoy the experience? That is what this book offers. I have followed the recipes and enjoyed almost all of them (there was one clinker), and I have enjoyed real health benefits from eating my greens. It's clear from the study that she describes (with detailed information about the experiences of the study participants) that I'm not alone in finding great benefit from her green smoothies. I recommend this book to everyone. It is truly a book that will help everyone who follows its advice.

You are, May 9, 2006
WHAT YOU EAT! I flirted with raw foods for about two years but never fullly committed until reading this book. Now I better understand the chemistry and it seems right. I'm losing weight and feel more energetic. Boutenko has done her research and written a very fine book.

Great, Accessible Information, March 3, 2006
In her most accessible book yet, Victoria Boutenko brings the benefits of greens to everybody--not just those willing to commit to a 100% raw food lifestyle. The information she shares in Green for Life will improve the diet and nutrient assimlation for the heaviest meat eater, to the occasional vegetarian, to the 100% raw fooder.

Green smoothies make "objectionable" foods like heads of kale, lambquarters, or carrot tops completely palatable. Through the magic of blending fruits like watermelon or bananas with greens, they become tasty liquid treats that help everything from insufficient stomach HCL to arthritis.

I found this book surprisingly engaging. Admittedly, I enjoy eating greens. I've even been known to make the occasional kale-raspberry smoothie; however, I had no idea of the science behind these strange cravings. Victoria has collected nutritional profiles of specific greens, results from a scientific study about the effect of green smoothies on stomach acid, favorite recipes and some impressive testimonials from participants in the Roseburg Study.

I found her observations about chimpanzees especially refreshing: they share so much of our DNA that scientists ruthlessly experiment on chimps by giving them all kinds of human diseases. Victoria turns this similarity around and suggests we look to wild chimpanzees for ways to stay or become healthy, rather than inflicting illnesses on them in captivity. Chimpanzees naturally eat far more greens than humans.

Green for Life is filled with practical observations, and it contains Victoria's characteristic analytical and experimental quest for "what works." When she finally finds something reliably great, she wants to share it with as many people as possible. Her passion is as infectious as the green smoothies are delicious. Yes, I like greens anyway, but I have personally witnessed non-greens lovers actually enjoying the smoothies I make. These same Standard American Diet people now regularly request large helpings of raw fruits and vegetables. Thank you, Victoria, for such an easy way to make a difference in people's lives!

Get it, June 18, 2007
If you aren't familiar with green smoothies, this book is great for getting started. The first part is information and motivation. Then there are recipes. We prefer the savory green drinks to the sweet ones, but both are good. Our favorite is any combination of green stuff -- spinach, cilantro, romaine lettuce -- with water, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and avocado. It's like a cross between salsa, gazpacho, and guacamole; it goes down easy! We were so surprised! We find kale a bit 'tough' to blend -- it wants to stay in larger flake, so mostly we just skip the kale. ... Read more

Reviews

Best method for treating & preventing chronic pain, March 22, 2008
This is by far the single best source for healing back pain that I have seen. I hurt my lower back pretty badly doing heavy deadlifts after too long of a layoff (entirely my fault, I know), and pursued a wide variety of different treatment methods. I had previously been exposed to other postural/ alignment methodologies in an attempt to get rid of chronic injuries, which had been helpful, but nothing was as poignant, simple, or direct as Gokhale's work.

There are three outstanding aspects of this book:

1. Gokhale clearly identifies what ideal posture and alignment looks like, and backs this up with numerous photos.
2. Gokhale's method is very, very simple, and once learned, becomes integrated into your everyday life. I know of other methods where you have to spend 30-45 minutes per day doing exercises - this method requires very little extra bandwidth once you have learned it.
3. The book itself is beautifully laid out, with a balance between illustrative photos and explanations.

Considering the amount of time and money I've spent pursuing other treatment methods, this is a ridiculously good value. Don't discount it just because it is so inexpensive! I bought a copy for my parents, and two extra books as I constantly have them loaned out. If you are seeking to get rid of chronic pain, this is my #1 go-to recommendation.

Great spine/biomechanics book, not just for backs, April 12, 2008
This book has been very helpful to me, not just for the back, but also for my hip, knee, and feet. This is a beautifully illustrated and designed book, with very clear directions and explanations, using many diagrams, photographs, and visualization techniques to move the body as a whole, integrated unit.Included are sections on sitting, standing, walking and sleeping. There are also sections on helpful exercises and stretches, and troubleshooting guides with each chapter.
The sections on hinge-bending and the anteverted pelvis were especially helpful. You can watch a 53 min. talk by the author on youtube by looking up her name. Another good book on this subject is one by Stuart McGill, but it is much more scientific and doesn't address walking, sleeping, feet and knees. Esther's book is much more user-friendly with the same science and more anthropology to back up her method.

A simple, elegant solution, March 22, 2008
This book offers a natural, simple solution to chronic back pain. No special machines or contraptions or surgeries are required. Instead it teaches healthy posture. Esther Gohkale studied posture in countries such as India, Burkina Faso, and Portugal, where people have very back-demanding life styles, but suffer very little back injury or pain. Her book offers an anthropological study, with color photographs of beautiful, healthy backs from around the world, in ancient and modern times. She offers clear, simple instructions to help anyone achieve healthy, pain-free posture.

I've tried chiropractors, massage, physical therapy, yoga, and Pilates for my chronic back pain, and each helps to a degree, but none eliminated the painful "bungee" cord running between my shoulder blade and spine. Gokhale's methods of "stretch sitting" and "stretch lying" have provided me the most lasting relief of anything I've tried, and they are the simplest techniques of all!

This book is well worth the investment--it's only a fraction of the cost of a massage or chiropractic visit, and it's provides fascinating reading and vital healing. Best of all, it extends hope that anyone can free themselves from chronic pain, no matter how cramped or stooped you've become.

pain free!, March 21, 2008
Esther Gokhale's book "8 Steps to a Pain Free Back" is a marvel.. At first glance it appears to be just another self help book on how to relieve common back pain. Upon reading it however, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this is the most comprehensive and helpful book I have yet come across. Gokhale's technique which is grounded in sound anthropological study; as she explains, our back problems are largely the result of our cultural habits. Apparently, only five to ten percent of people in certain other countries suffer from back pain, yet in American that number jumps to almost ninety percent. Why such a difference? Ms. Gokhale explains that poor habits and incorrect training are to blame; and her technique for proper posture goes way beyond conventional American teachings. A victim of debilitating back pain and surgery herself, Ms. Gokhale both understands the pain many of us are going through, and genuinely wants to help.
Her book is wonderfully illustrated with the most specific "how to" techniques I have encountered. She not only guides the reader through not only what to do and what you should be feeling, but also explains symptoms of overdoing any given technique. She identifies specific muscles that need to be engaged for stability and strength in support of the discs. The book explains safe techniques for sitting, lying, bending, lifting and walking, activities we do all day long. She shows us how to preserve our knees and protect our hips as we age. As a person who has been doing yoga and seeing chiropractors for years in an attempt to overcome my own back injuries, I can safely say that this book has been incredibly effective in allowing me to resume a normal, pain free lifestyle. Once you begin integrating Ms. Gokhale's methods into your life you will be hooked and find yourself making corrections to your positioning all day long. I highly recommend this book; it will create great habits that will last a lifetime.

Essential reading for anyone who works at a desk!!!!, March 16, 2008
I read this book in conjunction with a class given by the author, and all I can say is Wow!!!!

The author has studied posture and movement in cultures that do not have the high level of back pain we have in our culture, and come up with a simple method of improving posture. The information is presented persuasively and is broken down into simple principles. The book is clearly (and beautifully) illustrated.

But the amazing part is that the principles work. The difference for my low back pain, and neck pain, and foot pain is remarkable. Now I can sit at a computer all day and have my back feel GOOD at the end of the day! I wish someone had taught me these principles when I was five. This book is well worth the investment for anyone who has back pain, or who wants to try to ensure that they don't have back pain in the future.

Transformational Work!, June 13, 2008
Ether's method has transformed my approach to my own long-term back pain therapy. I have herniated lumbar disks, in addition to tight gluteus medius and piriformis that have contributed to chronic sciattica over the past 5 years. I have employed many forms of therapy, including PT, massage, Yoga, inversion, Feldenkrais and others. All have helped, but when a friend told me about Esther's book, I was intrigued to try a new approach. Within 3 hours of integrating Esther's method of stretchsitting (did this while reading the book), I felt a tremendous improvement in my pain level. This was especially significant to me, since at the time, I was 2 weeks away from an epidural cortisone injection - my overall pain level had become unbearable. I worked on the other 8 steps over that time period and was able to cancel the procedure because after 2 weeks I was 95% pain-free. This work has been the single most transformational therapy for my back pain. It has given me an entirely new way of looking at my posture in every-day activities, as well as all of the athletics I participate in. I feel so strongly about Esther's method, as a massage therapist, I'm going to become certified to teach her method to help my own clients. Esther's research and structure of her book make it easy to understand and integrate. Thanks Esther for your insightful, common-sense approach to posture and body mechanics.

Relief at Last, March 25, 2008
Review of 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back by Esther Gokhale
By David Riggs


8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back shows readers how to overcome back pain through better posture. Gokhale's revolutionary approach features a highly original blend of user-friendly exercises, physiological expertise, and in-depth historical analysis. Users will not only experience pain-relief; they will also understand why they feel so much better. The potential applications of this book are enormous. Because the Gokhale method is a holistic program for returning the body to its natural posture, her system reaches out beyond the epidemic of back pain to address dozens of other multoskeletal maladies including repetitive stress injuries and pain of the neck, foot, knee, shoulders, and hip.

The book guides the reader through a series of disarmingly simple changes in posture that take up eight one-hour sessions. These movements involve an anteverted pelvis and use the muscles to decompress the spine, support motion, protect the joints and bones, reduce stress, and improve circulation. The relief comes right away. Unlike most back-pain books, this one does not require any special equipment, cumbersome physical exercises, expertise in Yoga or Pilates, or changes in diet or daily routine. Instead, the steps are designed to integrate easily into everyday life. One can perform them while sleeping, driving, walking, sitting in a meeting, standing in line, or bending over to pick up an object.

Gokhale begins by asking why the epidemic of back pain has been largely confined to adults living in Europe and North America during the twentieth century. Using history and anthropology, she leads her readers through a series of key factors, culminating in the French fashion industry during the 1920's, that encouraged a tucked pelvis and habitual slouching. To counter this trend, she reproduces and analyzes over a thousand high-quality photographs and pictures of infants, and of men and women from Africa, Asia, South America, rural Europe, and from pre-industrial societies, together with many anatomical drawings. These images provide incontrovertible proof of the author's fundamental claim that the way out of back pain leads back to the body's natural posture.

This wise and beautiful book reaches out to an enormous readership. 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back will prove an invaluable asset to all of those who deal with back pain in their daily practices: neurologists, physical therapists, physiatrists, general practitioners, and of course the patients themselves. It appeals to a wider audience concerned with alternative medicine, anthropology, art, and fashion. It holds special interest for professional and weekend athletes, yoga and dance instructors, frequent flyers, manual laborers, gardeners, and other hobbyists at high risk for back pain. It should be required reading for anyone who has an aching back and wants to avoid needless and expensive medical procedures like surgery.

A Purchase That May Just Change Your Life, April 24, 2010
*****
All of our lives we are taught to "stand up straight" and to have good posture, but how many of us still have back problems, knee problems, foot problems, and chronic pain despite our best efforts? If this is you (and it is me) then this book is for you. It is my belief that the author's ideas about posture, movement, sitting, sleeping, etc. could very well revolutionize conventional wisdom about posture, movement, and more.

How is this possible? At the most basic level, you can buy this book and not even read it, but just look at the many diagrams, photographs of people modeling healthy behaviors, and most importantly, stunning photographs of people from other countries. The latter--the people from third world countries especially--where good posture is taught and modeled and passed down through the family, rather than via books, or visits to an orthopedic surgeon's office, or Pilates lessons--these are exceptionally revealing. Look at the pictures of how people in these countries hold themselves, and view the arduous work they do all day, and then note the incidence of back pain and other chronic pain they experience from their work. This alone will impress you. These photographs alone are worth the price of the book.

If you are interested, you can try to do the posturing yourself. It is very simple, but it is not easy, because of the way our culture has changed over the years. Conventional wisdom no longer teaches us how to care for our bodies; in fact, the opposite is true. Here in our industrialized society, poor habits are the norm. Even popular "posture" practices teach one or another person's ideas and theories, rather than looking at how people have moved (and still move, in most cases) throughout history. If you struggle to achieve the positions from just looking at the visuals, as I did, then you can go to the author's site at egwellness dot com. Here you will find many resources, including free classes in many locations and free online classes for those people who wish to learn in this way. In addition, there are paid group classes and even paid private classes. The visual and kinesthetic support is very helpful. For those people who need "see it" to learn, you can. For those who need to "do it" to learn, you can.

If you are motivated, you can do these exercises as a practice, as I have begun to do. I am (as I write) taking an in-person beginner class because I learn by seeing AND doing. Just in a couple of days I have felt so much relief and hope that I plan to do this for a significant period of time; as I develop my practice, my body will begin to change to the point where the positions will eventually be automatic. It is important to understand that no significant change can come without hard work; however, for those of us who have spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars pursuing other methodologies and solutions without success, you need to know that there is hope and that this is it.

The chapters are organized into lessons, starting with some foundations and an orientation. Then there are 8 lessons: Stretchsitting, Stretchlying On Your Back (e.g., in bed), Stacksitting, Stretchlying On Your Side, Using Your Inner Corset, Tallstanding, Hip-Hinging (e.g., bending down to pick up an object), and Glidewalking. There are additional exercises and many more resources in the back of the book.

Readers should also know that many of the examples contradict various ideas promulgated in our culture about what good posture is. Thus, you should have an open mind. However, the positions in the book are not theoretical or ideas you need to accept on faith because all of the evidence necessary to understand what is behind the positions is in the book itself; it is merely reinforced when you try to do the positions and experience the change for yourself.

If you are still uncertain, go to the web site mentioned above as well as to YouTube and search for the author's name and watch the videos that are available by many people on YouTube.

This is a beautiful, elegant book filled with color photographs that you will not regret buying, whatever your level of interest.

Highly recommended.
*****

The Gokhale Method helped me, March 26, 2008
As someone who was lucky enough to be taught by Esther Gokhale in person, I am delighted to see that her method is now available in self-help form. My own sciatica started to fade away on my first lesson (stretchsitting) and as I went on to learn how to walk, stand, sleep and bend in the way nature intended, my pain went away completely, and never came back. With its detailed instructions and excellent illustrations, the book should help thousands to find relief from pain - or even better, to keep back pain from starting up in the first place.

Simple Solutions, March 25, 2008
I am from a family of people with bad back pain.
Esther Gokhale provides a clear path where the first step is to understand what makes a back hurt, then with wonderful pictures and illustrations shows small incremental steps towards relieving the pain.
Nothing seemed complicated or expensive in her advice and simply applying her new sitting posture and way of going to sleep seems to have relieved half the pain.
Often self help books give advice which is impossible to follow because it involves big changes in the way we live, these steps are small steps that are easy to remember and apply. This is definitely a book which provides an easy path to pain relief and given how many people around me suffer from this `mal du siecle',
I definitely recommend this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Wine is radioactive? Organic foods have more poison in them than those grown with pesticides? Best-selling author Richard A. Muller enlightens us.Richard A. Muller demonstrated in his recent bestseller, Physics for Future Presidents, that he has a unique talent for delivering the “aha” moment—making difficult topics accessible. In The Instant Physicist he shows his ability to entertain, too, by presenting the best of the scientific curiosities he has assembled over his distinguished career. Assisted by award-winning cartoonist Joey Manfre, who has created an original color cartoon for each “physics bite,” Muller will have readers chuckling while they’re absorbing more science than they ever thought possible. From the surprising (chocolate has more energy in it than TNT) to the scary (even kids can make a bomb), this book contains a revelation on every page. Once finished with this page-turner, readers will be the stars of their next cocktail party.

The book consists of a color cartoon on each right-hand page and explanatory text on the left. Color cartoons throughout ... Read more

Editorial Review

A Brief History of Time, published in 1988, was a landmark volume in science writing and in world-wide acclaim and popularity, with more than 9 million copies in print globally. The original edition was on the cutting edge of what was then known about the origins and nature of the universe. But the ensuing years have seen extraordinary advances in the technology of observing both the micro- and the macrocosmic world--observations that have confirmed many of Hawking's theoretical predictions in the first edition of his book.

Now a decade later, this edition updates the chapters throughout to document those advances, and also includes an entirely new chapter on Wormholes and Time Travel and a new introduction. It make vividly clear why A Brief History of Time has transformed our view of the universe. ... Read more

Reviews

Many Different Angles, February 3, 2000
Most people know that Hawking is a brilliant physicist, but after reading this book, one develops a respect for his other talents as well. Most noticeable is Stephen Hawking's ability to make very complicated ideas seem quite clear through good explanations, clear comparisons to real life events, and a soft humor. The organization of chapers mostly follows a chronological order, which gives a sense of history from Aristotle to present day, yet also establishes concepts in an order that builds on itself. One also realizes that A Brief History of Time was written by a writer, not a scientist who happened to put ideas to paper. This makes a big difference in the enjoyment of a book, since good information in a dry, dull form can be difficult to read (remember trying to keep your eyes open while reading a dull textbook in a subject of interest?). On the other hand, interesting information presented in an interesting manner make A Brief History of Time as much of a 'page-turner' as physics can be.

In summary, a fountain of information from galaxies and black holes to quantum mechanics presented in such a way that is not only as easy to understand as it can be, but is an enjoyable experience to read.

No master of the written word, December 6, 1999
Hawking is no master of the written word. Early on, he warns us not to consult his earlier books for more detail - because they are "quite unreadable". He also admits that, during the production of this book, his editor bombarded him with comments and questions. The impact of this editorial input is plain. The book wallows from unnecessarily long complex sentences written in the passive sense to snappy anecdotes from Hawking's life.

I found the early chapters very useful as overviews of the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. The middle chapters - on black holes and the origin of the Universe - were clearly written with enthusiasm.

However, that enthusiasm seemed to fade towards the end of the book. The chapter on the arrows of time seems to have been lifted from an old speech. Here's what I'm about to tell you: this is what I'm saying: this is what I've just told you.

Also, the explanation of the cosmological arrow of time left a lot of questions hanging. Question: What will happen when the Universe starts to contract - will people start to experience time running backwards? Answer: Intelligent life could not exist because, by then, all the stars will have burned out. Well, OK - but does that answer whether time is in reverse or not?

Chapter 10 introduces string theory. Clearly this is an incredibly complicated subject and not capable of being explained in a book entitled "Brief History". However, the way the subject is introduced and then dropped is tantalising. Apparently, string theories are only consistent if space-time has either ten or twenty-six dimensions. All these extra dimensions are curled up into space of a very small size. I, for one, would have liked more explanation of what that means.

In summary, a useful but frustrating book that varies in tone as the pages turn. I feel a better populist book would have resulted if Hawking had used a ghost writer to interpret his ideas, rather than simply submitting his own words to the scrutiny of an editor.

It's not THAT good, nor is it THAT easy to read., January 30, 2003
I don't care what anyone says, that book was not easy to get through. I have a degree in Math, and he does not give this stuff in layman's terms. Most of it, will eventually make sense if you can wrap your head around the hard to grasp principles, but he keeps adding more, and more to the theories and he will definitely lose you at some point.

Now don't get me wrong, it's obvious that we are dealing with complicated stuff, and he needs to discuss these things, but I just don't want you to think that this is an easy read. It's a necessary read, and I DO recommend you buy it, but don't think it will be easy.

Interesting but uneven and frustrating, April 4, 2003
Are the praises for this book really recognition of Hawking's accomplishments or that he achieved them despite his physical infirmities? I approached this book years ago and was swiftly and completely lost. Years passed and I found a wonderful (if dated) primer, Knowledge and Wonder by Weisskopf. My success in understanding K&W (I get quantum physics now and can easily explain it to others) convinced me to reapproach `Brief History.'

The book remains for informed insiders; perhaps not the inner circle, but definitely `you gotta know it to get it.' Hawking consistently gives very short descriptions of theories that he then refers to throughout the text, but in ways that have little to do with the aspects he defined and in fact require more complete information. For example, I was frustrated trying to use his explanation of the theory of general relativity (p 30) in re: subsequent references. Luckily, in the years between my earlier attempt and this reading, the web has burgeoned and I was able to find a more complete and yet still brief but comprehensible explanation of this theory. And oh my goodness, Hawking now made sense. Obviously the connection is clear in Hawking's mind, but it never made the transition to words on the page.

Despite all, I *did* get it. But unfortunately, rather than finishing with a desire to learn more I am just tired and glad to be done with it. I feel like I subjected myself to a badly presented lecture series.

Hawking's writing is poor. Ideas ramble, tangential information occasionally takes over so the actual subject at had gets lost, recapitulation is erratic. Some of the self-references are conspicuously self-serving. True, for a scientist it's decent, but the book's writing should not be judged by a different standard than any other writing. That's what editors are for, and apparently this book's editor was so overawed by Hawking that he forgot to do his job.

This book should not be iconized. Nor should it be touted as accessible to the layperson. The information is interesting, but you have to want it and work for it. And when you're done, what you get may not have been worth the effort you put in. It was for me, but just barely.

Now It Can Be Told: It's Overrated, January 25, 2003
Stephen Hawking became a celebrity because the image of a wheelchair-bound genius whose mind roamed free was so compelling. As the stir over him dies down, I think it will come out that this reputation-making work of his is not actually so great.

I am a smart and semi-numerate layman who loves popular science books, but I barely made it through this one. Although I have lost my copy, I recall that Hawking uses at least one important term without defining it, and at other times leaves you to connect the dots on your own in a frustrating, rather than stimulating, way.

Hawking's area is cosmology. I'm not sure who else to recommend to cover the same territory, although Kip Thorne has a good reputation (and a bet with Hawking over some cosmological hypothesis--probably decided by now--with the wager a subscription to Penthouse). If you enjoy physics books in general, I recommend Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe, and if you enjoy popular science in general, I recommend my all-time favorite popular science book, Steven Pinker's How The Mind Works.

Hawking is an Overrated Physicist/Writer, March 24, 2005
Hawking's story makes him a media favorite. The press (who know minimal physics if any) have for years given him the title "Greatest Physicist Since Einstein". He is an excellent physicist and a decent teacher but he is nowhere near being in the same league as Einstein, Newton or Maxwell. Paul Dirac and Richard Feynman are arguably the two most distinguished 20th Century physicists after Einstein. Ed Witten may be the most distinguished living physicist.

Richard Feynman (through his lectures transcribed on audiocassette/text formats and books) is perhaps physics's greatest teacher for the layperson and expert alike. Feynman had an unmatched knack for explaining high level physics in an original way. His "Lectures on Physics" is a classic and should be on the bookshelves of all physicists. Feynman's QED is the best non-mathematical description of quantum mechanics ever (QED stands for quantum electrodynamics, for which Feynman shared the Nobel Prize). His book, The Character of Physical Law, covers much of the same material as Brief History but is much clearer and more insightful. You won't have to unlearn anything from Feynman's books even if you decide to pursue a PhD in physics. I cannot say the same for Hawking's books. Read reviews on these and Feynman's other works. Also, Feynman lived an inspirational and incredibly rich life. He had the brains of Einstein, the showmanship of a performer (which made him a great teacher) and just a great love and wonder for life in general. Read reviews on "Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman" and "Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman" for more details. You won't regret it.

For those who want to read about what many physicists view as the best candidate for a "theory of everything", read The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene. Hyperspace by Michio Kaku is another great book of the same vane. For those interested in a complete description of physical law, read the Road To Reality by Roger Penrose.

Reading physics makes me go something something..., October 20, 2001
This book brings physics to the understanding of the average women and man. It's basically a survey's course on Einstein's relativity and quantum physics with a little black hole and big bang here and there. The real magic of this book is the author himself--reading from a man of his scientific stature, the enigmatic genus in the wheelchair feels more life-like rather than a caricature on a Simpson's episode. I really dug the part how we can speculate that the universe is presently expanding and not contracting. I liked how it made me muse on time and the life that we see today would differ if the universe was headed back to its origin. The book does leave me with a sense of wanting to more, which was good because I went on to read Brian Greene's "The Elegant Universe" afterwards. "The Elegant Universe" proved to be more elucidating in explaining Einstein's relativity and quantum physics, and goes into a bit of a breadth in black holes and big bangs (in the frame work of string theory). It is true that the book is the successor to "A Brief History of Time", but I feel Brian Greene's book lacks the charm that Hawking has put into his (or the charm that we put into it). At any rate, both very good books for the novice at mind.

Pithy, packed with info, December 11, 2000
I am the quintessential sophmore in high school. I even live up to the greek meaning: "wise-fool"; I am the kid who lacks the intelligence to be a "nerd" but wishes he had the capacity to be one. I eagerly pick up books that are far over my head, but this book was different. A Brief history of Time presents an intricate topic generally for the simplistic, non astro-rocket scientist type. Hawking didn't gorge his book with alien equations and twenty letter words. Hawking didn't intend this book to be read by Ph.D's in physics, intending instead to write it for laymen, sophmores, like me. The book isn't intended to enable the reader to write disquisitions on wormholes after reading it; however, it is a primer. It acquaints the reader with the subject It is written succiently and the only reason I am giving it four stars is because I am still skeptical that for some readers it may be superficial. But heck for us sophmores it is enough information to at least appear smart... So what do you think about the Space-Time Continuim?

Excellent Popular Work on Complex Subject .. But Uninspiring, January 17, 1999
I must be the only person who finds Stephen Hawking uninspiring. I give the man credit for his ability to reach out across the science boundary and touch the mind of the average person. And he no doubt is qualified to discuss the subject of the book. Perhaps I expected too much given all the praise that people have showered upon Hawking's popular books. Whatever the reason, I found the book to be adequate at best. There was nothing truly inspiring or enlightening that energized my scientific curiosity. However, I'm willing to give Hawking credit for his ability to speak the language of the common man in order to convey complex scientific concepts. There are few scientists that can do this and even fewer who write popular works. For this reason, I give Hawking 4 stars, whereas I would have only given him 3 from my own personal impressions.

A great theoretical physicist shows that he is also a great writer, January 11, 2007
Universally hailed as the greatest theoretical physicist since Einstein, Dr. Hawking serves as both an intellectual and physical inspiration. His disability - Lou Gehrig's disease- serves to make his every endeavor a slow and tedious affair, and yet his professional output remains very high, both in quality and quantity. This book is no exception.
Written at the level of the layperson, it is clear, concise, and through. As the title suggests, he begins with the origin of the universe and progresses through the theoretical foundation for, and the evidence in favor of, the existence of black holes. Of particular interest is his thermodynamic analysis of black holes, showing that they too, obey the second law of thermodynamics. Combining the ideas of general relatively and quantum mechanics, he was able to show that a black hole is really not totally black; it does leak radiation at a rate inversely proportional to its mass. This debunking of the supposed "final fate of matter" once again shows that the universe "is stranger than we can possibly imagine."
The only sad note occurs in the acknowledgements when Dr. Hawking explains the lack of equations by stating that every equation that appears in a book will cut its sales in half. This is an unfortunate comment on the degree of intellectual sophistication of the reading public.

Published in School Science and Mathematics, reprinted with permission.
... Read more

Editorial Review

The author of the acclaimed New York Times bestseller The Next 100 Years now focuses his geopolitical forecasting acumen on the next decade and the imminent events and challenges that will test America and the world, specifically addressing the skills that will be required by the decade’s leaders.

The next ten years will be a time of massive transition. The wars in the Islamic world will be subsiding, and terrorism will become something we learn to live with. China will be encountering its crisis. We will be moving from a time when financial crises dominate the world to a time when labor shortages will begin to dominate. The new century will be taking shape in the next decade.

In The Next Decade, George Friedman offers readers a pro­vocative and endlessly fascinating prognosis for the immedi­ate future. Using Machiavelli’s The Prince as a model, Friedman focuses on the world’s leaders—particularly the American president—and with his trusted geopolitical insight analyzes the complex chess game they will all have to play. The book also asks how to be a good president in a decade of extraordinary challenge, and puts the world’s leaders under a microscope to explain how they will arrive at the decisions they will make—and the consequences these actions will have for us all. ... Read more

Editorial Review

At last! This special cookbook puts flavor and choice back on the menu for people with diabetes and their families
Betty Crocker, America's most trusted friend in the kitchen, has teamed up with the International Diabetes Center (IDC)--one of the leading medical centers--to create an indispensable source of easy-to-make recipes and up-to-the-minute food and nutrition information for the growing numbers of people who have diabetes, more than 15 million of them.
Here is the first cookbook to include recipes featuring Carbohydrate Choices--the new, simplified approach to meal planning recommended by the American Diabetes Association. For people who find diet exchanges too hard, too limiting or too much work, this new method is a real breakthrough. Each of the book's 140 recipes shows the number of Carbohydrate Choices per serving, so that planning the rest of the meal is easy. From Old-Time Beef and Vegetable Stew to Creamy Vanilla-Caramel Cheesecake, the recipes are made with everyday ingredients, including sugar. No food groups or ingredients are left out, so there's no need for anyone to feel deprived or restricted to a special diet. Food exchanges are also included, making it easy for those who still count calories.
Betty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook is also packed with expert medical and nutrition tips from Dr. Richard Bergenstal, an endocrinologist and diabetes doctor, and two registered nurses--invaluable for the newly diagnosed as well as for those who have been coping with diabetes for years. Throughout the book, real-life advice from people who have diabetes offers inspiration and great ideas on dealing with this chronic disease. When it comes to eating and living with diabetes, people need guidance and advice they can trust. ... Read more

Reviews

So many refined carbohydrates!, July 14, 2004
I am completely baffled by this book and the reviews it has received! After only a few pages I was aghast and realized I had thrown my money away.

I am not a medical professional or scientist but all of my own personal research into diabetes and related blood disorders strongly recommend avoiding refined carbohydrates. This book is full of recipes using highly refined carbohydrates: white sugar and white flour.

I also found recipes containing an uncomfortably high percentage of calories from fat. I expected recipes emphasizing whole, low glycemic foods prepared in as close to their natural state as possible - foods that had as much of their beneficial properties (such as nutrients and fiber) intact. I was extremely disappointed by what this book had to offer and am sorry I bought it.

Great food and a better understanding of diabetes..., September 16, 2003
I received the double-whammy 3-4 weeks back...my fasting blood sugar level was in the pre-diabetes range and my cholesterol was moderately high. The doctor wanted me to attend classes on both, and also suggested that weight loss and exercise would help. I have already attended the cholesterol class, and I felt I could bring the blood sugar level down by cutting out sodas, exercising, eating healthy food, and learning more about diabetes! My first stop was the ADA web site, and my second stop was Amazon.com... More than a decade ago, I had purchsed the Betty Crocker "New American Cooking" cookbook (low fat, low cholesterol recipes), and I love that book!!! And, I remembered seeing that they had published a diabetes cookbook. This book contains some GREAT recipes that are healthy AND tasty, enabling the whole family to enjoy them. The introduction to the book also explains diabetes, counting carbs, and "do's and don't" about eating healthy to control diabetes. So far, I don't miss those nasty things I was eating before, and I feel I even have more energy. I would recommend this book to anyone with concerns about diabetes and folks just interested in eating healthier!

Yummy foods, good advice, March 5, 2003
The folks at Betty Crocker have done it again: given us mere mortals great, easy recipes my whole family can enjoy. The best thing about this book is that the recipes aren't made from weird food you have to hunt for; they are made from items already in your kitchen. And they are recipes anyone can eat for good health. So, if one member of your family has diabetes, the whole family can eat this food and love it.

The recipes are great, especially the desserts. And you thought you couldn't eat dessert with diabetes! The Carbohydrate Choices is a great counting device. I've never seen it in any other cookbook and I find it much easier to use than exchanges. Plus, it's not just a cookbook. There's doctor's advice and management plans inside. This book is very uplifting and practical.

GET THIS BOOK! IT'S THE BEST DIABETES COOKBOOK, hands down.

Perfect recipes for Diabetic, June 20, 2005
For those who thought desserts are not for diabetics, here's a book which is a must read. The ingredients used in the recipes are the basic things found in every kitchen thus making it enjoyable for all in the family. The book also has doctor's advice to remain fit. A great book for diabetic people.

[...]

Betty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook, May 24, 2003
Excellent book - Recipes that will take the boring out of healthy cooking and teach the reader how to eat healthy, limit fats, and sugars, etc.
Purchased out of need because my husband's triglyceride count and other medical tests show him to be pre-diabetic. For a beginner in counting carbohydrates, learning about all types of diabetes and meal planning for a healthier lifestyle, this book fits the need! Easy to read, hints and comments from other diabetic patients & medical advice from contributing M.D.s.

Delicious Food, September 4, 2003
The food is delicious and the recipes are easy to follow. The whole family will love these dishes.

There are very helpful aids to daily living with diabetes. The pictures are attractive and the print is large. If I was only going to have one cookbook this would be it.

Fabulous Cookbook!!, March 7, 2003
This is the best diabetes cookbook that I've ever had. The pictures are beautiful, the meals are wonderful and the advice is extremely practical. Everyone with diabetes should have this cookbook!

This cookbook is dangerous for diabetics, February 24, 2008
I received this cookbook as a gift so I can't offend the giver, but it is by far one of the worst cookbooks that a diabetic could possibly use. Not that it isn't pretty, and not that it doesn't contain many luscious looking dishes, but almost every recipe calls for either sugar or flour or other sugary or starchy ingredients - all catagories included, not just desserts - none of which a diabetic should ever eat. The somewhat confusing use of 'carbohydrate choices' is further dangerous, because one - and only one - 'carb choice' is worth 15 grams of actual carb and by combining several foods from this book into a single meal plan, one will be way over the limit for safety. The menu plans in the back of the book prove this - add up the number of carbohydrate choices in any one day's meal plan, and you get between 15 and 17 carb choices. Multiply that by 15 and you are looking at nearly 300 grams of carb a day. What people don't realize (because they have not been told by doctors and 'diabetes educators' who do not for some reason, continue their education in metabolism) is that the word SUGAR should be substituted for any carbohydrate. In fact, The American Diabetes Association is still using decades-old protocols which encourage huge amounts of carbs in a 'diabetic diet' that invariably fails to manage the disease. A safe and sensible diet for a diabetic either on or off insulin, must restrict sugar and starch of any kind because within minutes of hitting the bloodstream it all turns to pure glucose and out of control insulin production - the cause of diabetes. Feeding yourself more sugar only hastens complications, and they can be very bad indeed. Virtually all good low carbohydrate diets restrict carbs (sugar!) to 50 or less per day - not 50 'choices' but 50 actual carbs. I myself, a diabetic, cannot tolerate more than 30 or 40 carbs a day to maintain decent blood glucose control, and less is better if I can do it. When a disease such as this has the potential to rob one of their eyesight, kidneys, limbs, and life itself if not properly managed - it is ludicrous to demand that one be allowed daily potatoes and pastas and cereals and sugary desserts. Anyone wishing to help themselves try and maintain safe blood glucose levels before it's too late should instead purchase 'Dr. Bernstein's Diabetic Solution' - a Type 1 diabetic himself, he has helped millions prolong their lives with proper diet. He doesn't sell anything, he doesn't do anything but be virtually the best diabetes doctor in this country. Another extremely informative and widely respected book is 'Good Calories' Bad Calories' by Gary Taubes. Other resources are all over the internet. One's life is worth the effort to do the research.

Great Cookbook and more!, March 12, 2006
You will find great recipes in this cookbook and learn how to plan meals and snacks for diabetics. This book also explains diabetes and gives guidelines on how to live with it. Our doctor ordered one to have in his office to show his other patients after I showed him my copy. It has been so helpful in coping with this new lifestyle.

The Best Diabetic Cookbook I've Seen!, September 9, 2003
I ordered this book a few months ago and use it all of the time! The information included is helpful, but the recipes are the real star! As a diabetic it's hard to find recipes that are good for me and taste good and are fairly easy to make. This book delivers on all three of those requirements. Try this book- you'll be glad you did!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

These simple math secrets and tricks will forever change how you look at the world of numbers.

Secrets of Mental Math will have you thinking like a math genius in no time. Get ready to amaze your friends—and yourself—with incredible calculations you never thought you could master, as renowned “mathemagician” Arthur Benjamin shares his techniques for lightning-quick calculations and amazing number tricks. This book will teach you to do math in your head faster than you ever thought possible, dramatically improve your memory for numbers, and—maybe for the first time—make mathematics fun.

Yes, even you can learn to do seemingly complex equations in your head; all you need to learn are a few tricks. You’ll be able to quickly multiply and divide triple digits, compute with fractions, and determine squares, cubes, and roots without blinking an eye. No matter what your age or current math ability, Secrets of Mental Math will allow you to perform fantastic feats of the mind effortlessly. This is the math they never taught you in school.



Also available as an eBook ... Read more

Editorial Review

In this long-awaited cookbook, Anthony Bourdain reveals the hearty, delicious recipes of Les Halles and the provocative tricks of the trade that have made him a celebrated name across the globe.

Before stunning the world with his bestselling Kitchen Confidential and A Cook's Tour, Anthony Bourdain spent years serving some of the best French brasserie food in New York. With its no-nonsense, down-to-earth atmosphere, Les Halles matches Bourdain's style perfectly: a restaurant where you can dress down, talk loudly, drink a little too much wine, and have a good time with friends. Now, Bourdain gives us his Les Halles Cookbook, a cookbook like no other: candid, funny, audacious, full of his signature charm and bravado.

So bring a sharp knife, a big appetite, and a willingness to learn, as Bourdain teaches you everything you need to know to prepare classic French bistro fare. While you're being guided, in simple steps, through recipes like roasted veal short ribs and steak frites, escargots aux noix, and foie gras aux pruneaux, you'll feel like he's in the kitchen beside you-reeling off a few insults when you've scorched the sauce, and then patting you on the back for finally getting the steak tartare right.

As practical as it is entertaining, Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook is a can't-miss treat for cookbook lovers, aspiring chefs, and Bourdain fans everywhere.
... Read more

Reviews

Great Read, Classic Recipies. Great Fun. Highly Recommended, October 5, 2004
Culinary bad boy Tony Bourdain and his Les Halles owner chefs have written a very, very good cookbook. If you have an ounce of interest in reading good cookbooks, stop reading this and go to the top of the page and order yourself a copy.

If you are still here, I will tell you that this is an excellent cookbook:

1. Tony Bourdain is a very good writer. That means reading this book is very entertaining and worth the price even if you make none of the recipes. There are hundreds of good cookbooks, but Bourdain joins the very select rank, along with Alton Brown and Wayne Harley Brachman of culinary writers who can have you laughing out loud. It also means that he knows how to put things so you understand them and remember them.

2. The book is all about demystifying classic Bistro cooking and in convincing you that with the right attitude and the right directions, you can do as well or better than any newbie professional cook entering Tony's kitchen to work for the first time. Bourdain lays out the reality of this cuisine in a way I have never seen before. If you ever had any reservations about whether you wanted to cook or had the aptitude to cook, this is the book for you.

3. The book presents excellent directions for doing most of the basic preparations for bistro dishes, with special emphasis on preparing stocks. I even think Tony sells himself short when he says that if a chef used his directions at one of Thomas Keller's restaurants, he would be fired on the spot. I personally find Bourdain's stockmaking recipes as good or better than any I have seen short of the CIA textbook. All the right steps are there and all the right culinary reasons for doing them are there.

4. The book explains some kitchen techniques and ways of thinking that I have simply never seen anywhere else explained so well. Recipes for dishes such as bouillabaisse and cassoulet which in most other books seem to be daunting projects are broken down into realistic steps which make them entirely manageable. This is the only place I have seen the very logical distinction between `deep prep' and `prep'. Deep prep is the type of work Beetle Bailey does when he is on KP duty. It is distinctly unskilled labor. Prep work requires culinary training and involves making stocks, glazes, compotes, and the like, and work that requires trained knife skills.

5. The book gives us excellent recipes for all and only classic bistro cooking with wonderfully informative comments and instructions. (I am especially grateful that Bourdain gives both English and Metric measurements for all ingredients. The French, after all, cook entirely in metric.) There is no filler here. There are no recipes which would be more at home in a book by Mario Batali or Ming Tsai. It also means that if you have two or three good French books on `cuisine bourgeois', you will probably already have recipes for many of the dishes presented in this book. But, this book is so entertaining and the recipes are so well written I would not let this give you any pause. Buy it anyway.

6. The book does not make itself out as the wisdom of a single mind. Culinary skill is highly social, done in a world full of influences and people to influence. Bourdain is generous with his being clear about the people and institutions to whom he owes his culinary skill, with special mention being given to Jacques Pepin. Yet, Bourdain has absolutely nothing about which to be modest. He has given us a major addition to useful culinary literature.

Aside from excellent chapters on general principles and glossaries, the chapters are almost all the same you will find in any good English language book of French recipes. These are:

Soups, including excellent comments on which preparations improve with age and which DO NOT!
Salads, including a surprising method for preparing lardons. Boiled, not fried.
Appetizers, especially gratins, snails, and mussels.
Fish and shellfish: Lobster and dry scallops and pike, oh my!
Beef, of course. Note the very important notes on how the French cut up the cow different from us Yanks.
Veal and Lamb. The lamb stew recipe is especially good. Baaaaaa.
Pig, from nose to tail. Bourdain is a great fan of Fergus Henderson and of using everything but the oink.
Poultry and Game, roasted, braised, and rolled chicken, duck, and pheasant.
The big Classics. You know the ones.
Blood and Guts. Recipes for `the fifth quarter' of organ meats.
Potatoes. I love a book that puts potato recipes in a special chapter. Way to go Tony.
Desserts. Everything you expect. Cr�me Brule, poached pears in wine, and clafoutis.

Even the trivial stuff is done right. The recipe titles are BIG. The recipe text is done in a very easily readable font. The binding is especially well made to take a lot of standing open while you prepare dishes from the recipes. The book is so well put together, I am surprised it was not published by Knopf , Scribners, or Harper Collins. The closest recent book to this volume is from the chefs at Balthazar, also in New York City. This book beats out that effort by a mile. My only complaint that this book shares with the Balthazar book is that some recipes are in French and some in English. Why not consistently give both?

This book is not a classic like Julia Child's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking' or James Peterson's `Sauces', but, I have read several of Bourdain's references by Robuchon and Bocuse on French cuisine and I would recommend Bourdain over these luminaries for the clarity and fun in his writing.

Very highly recommended for both clear recipes of popular dishes and the great support he gives to the confidence of the amateur cook.

Warning: you may be laughing too hard to cook, July 6, 2006
The target audience for this book is the dedicated home cook, or "foodie." The introduction, and the comments interspersed, which aim to simplify and demystify professional cuisine, are worth the price of the book: you can get recipes anywhere, but they don't come with the benefit of Anthony Bourdain's years of training and exploration (which wasn't a walk in the park; read _Kitchen Confidential_ if you're curious about the underside).

His passion makes the prose explode off the page. I actually read most of the Introduction out loud to my wife once, as I was finding it just too delicious not to share the humor and deep insight.

I also had to give my first copy to my daughter (who, as a sous-chef at an Atlanta restaurant, is not in the target audience), but she can't get enough of "Uncle Tony"'s writing, either.

The recipes spell out not only ingredients, but what tools are needed. Where else can you be instructed to make cotes du boeuf wearing "novelty apron or vintage Ted Nugent T-shirt," and to serve it with "an outrageously expensive Burgundy in cheap glasses to show [the guests] who's their Daddy"?

All of the funky, sometimes ribald humor (you no like cusswords, you no buy da book, OK, paisan'?) serves to brand certain points into your brain (on using fresh herbs for poulet roti: "keep that dried trash away from my bird").

The emphasis on prep and mise en place, as applied to the home kitchen, will do most cooks a world of good. He makes it clear that by thinking through what you need and what you're going to do ahead of time, and then organizing everything, you reduce mistakes, speed up the process, let go of a ton of stress, and make better food. Resistance is futile. You _will_ go buy a bunch of little stainless pinch bowls for chopped this and minced that. You _will_ sort out what you're doing ahead of time. You will _not_ put dried herbs in a roast chicken or burn the garlic. You _will_ burst out laughing while cooking, before the wine is even open, because you remembered some relevant point from this book.

Perhaps you'll also recognize and incorporate some classic techniques into the making of other dishes, if you hadn't already.

If you are not already a professional chef and this book doesn't improve your cooking, send me your copy and I'll videotape myself eating it with nothing but some _gros sel_ and maybe a little horseradish.

There are lovely sauce and dressing recipes in their own section, and therein I encountered my only problem with the book. I'm not sure it's possible to get an aioli to emulsify with only one egg yolk to a cup of oil, for example; I'm going to have to try that one again. The nice, simple vinaigrette didn't emulsify either, but they're both delicious.

If Anthony Bourdain didn't exist, someone would have to invent him.

Demystifies French dishes with considerable wit and humor, November 2, 2004
I read B. Marold's amazing review below and immediately bought the book, it must be said. Tony Bourdain's brilliant cookbook is brief history and bootcamp styled self-help. He truly helped me shine with my new in-laws with his book and wile away the hours in-flight.

Went to Ireland to honeymoon with my in-laws on their dairy farm, an American gourmand alien to rural life. Ultimately brought this book with me to give to my Irish sister-in-law who's a fantastic cook. This book has both metric and English/American measurements and temperatures, which is a great help to all cooks stateside and abroad.

Read the first chapter and fell in love with Tony Bourdain all over again, after avidly watching his "A Cook's Tour" series on FoodTV. It makes sense: the best chefs come from the poorest regions of the world. Why? They have to improvise with the 'scraps' made available to them and make the undesirable most delicious. That explains why some of my best dishes were made with paltry remains in the pantry days from payday or years away from real income.

I offered to make my in-laws dinner one night with a recipe from the cookbook. Something basic and not frightfully exotic was the consensus. My intended feast: chicken basquaise. Feeding a family of five hungry adults in Ireland (or anywhere in the EU) is darned expensive. Lucked out at the local supermarket when eight pieces of chicken (thighs with bone and skin) were on sale, as all other options broke my budget.

My wonderful, saintly mother-in-law regards cooking as drudgery and the kitchen reflects this sentiment. I regard cooking as essential therapy, All-Clad as instruments of mental health. I was shocked we spent over $100 on two measly bags of food for the meal. For the considerable expense of groceries and the toll my outsized ego would take, I prayed the meal would be successful.

In the kitchen making the meal, I operated in less than ideal circumstances with limited overhead light (oh!), scant pots and pans (no!), and makeshift utensils (ugh!) on an electric stove (egads!). Kept glancing at Tony Bourdains really simple recipe, insisting it must be harder than it is. It wasn't.

When the meal was done, we all sat around the large table and served them. I nearly cried to see everyone in my new family of simple eaters devour first plates and second helpings. We left the table stuffed and blissfully happy, repeating with newfound eloquence: chicken basquaise, ooh la la.

If this American can impress pastoral people of Ireland with simple tastes and big appetites with one of Tony Bourdain's sophisticated recipes, then I absolutley assure you similar success with anyone. His explanations are sensible and inspire imagination. Following his logic and any of his recipes instills confidence.

Cook with it or just read it, but don't knock it, March 7, 2005
You can't go wrong. As someone who impulsively purchases cookbook after cookbook only to make one or two recipes in them, the entertaining and casually pedantic tone to Bourdain's book makes it a worthwhile read even if you don't ultimately make anything. That, however, would be a mistake. I've made the French Onion soup (to die for), the Mushroom soup, Poulet Basquaise and Iles Flotantes in the short time I've had the book. These recipes were surprisingly easy and delicious.

I'm a bit confused and amused by some who claim to be die-hard Bourdain fans and then are surprised when he drops the f-bomb in the cookbook. Tony is Tony and that's what makes him so likeable in my opinion. But if you have a problem with the occasional swear and tough-talking language, then you're probably better off eschewing this book, but then, you probably know that already.

I also purchased Thomas Keller's Bouchon cookbook and I note the differences in their approaches. Tony, being a bit of the food and restaurant historian, observes that everyone can make this Bistro food because it's casual and nonfussy by nature and because the home French cook who executes these recipes is not interested in being a fastidious culinary genious (a la Keller), but rather in easily feeding his or her family. In other words, you can have minimal skills and slop these recipes together successfully. On the other hand, Keller claims that for the same recipes it's all about technique. Keller advocates, for instance, putting ice in a stock part way through to further "clarify" it, or using cheesecloth to separate the meat from the vegetables to again further clarify the sauce in the beef bourginon. Tony would joke that unless your dinner guest is Thomas Keller he or she would not know the difference between a clarified or impure sauce for boeuf bourginon so why bother? But more seriously, I can't help but think that, as much as Tony adores Keller, he would say that Keller misses the point because this type of fussiness is not what Bistro food is all about.

Bourdin is too good in this book. He's my new hero., October 3, 2004
This is easily one of the greatest food books I've ever purchased. It is as much a guide to bistro cooking as it is a collection of recipes from the restaurant. Bourdin's wry writing style comes through quickly and often. He gleefully pokes fun of dumb American palettes and those that would think the most expensive steak (tenderloin) is the best because it can be cut with a fork. The recipes are as good as they get and he never suggests taking short cuts. Those that properly make stock and demi glaze from the recipes at the beginning will do well later when the steak au poivre recipe calls for it. A valuable reference hysterically written that should find a happy home in your collection along with the Balthazar cookbook.

Best. Lamb. Ever, September 11, 2005
Ok, so I am a foodie, I have been cooking for years, and made the decision to not kill that love by going to cooking school and making it my full-time job. Instead I went to law school.

I have been a fan of Anthony for a long time now, his attitude and adventuristic style comport with my own. I received a copy of this cookbook, and had it kicking around on my shelf for a few months. Then came my wife's birthday.

I am a cook who already knows what I want the end result to be, and usually just refer to cookbooks for temperatures and times, and the occasional idea for what else to add to a dish. I guess that I use cookbooks as reference manuals, not for rote instructions.

I decided to make rack of lamb, as we were in the mood for meat, and that is an especially nice meal to drop on your guests: some veg, some potatoes, and three or four ribs of lamb with a red wine reduction. Pop a few bottles, and ... Nice.

So I was cruizing my cookbooks for ideas, and came upon his book. I read through the recipe for "carre d'agneau au moutarde" and thought, geez, this is simple and looks really good. I decided to just do his recipe whole nut. It was spectacular. An absolute hit.

Let me tell you, my family and friends are serious foodies. We love to get together for special occasions and blow a paycheck on an excellent meal with good wines. We all travel, and are the types to try all the freaky foods you find in local markets in far away places (most recently Beijing's stinky tofu and fried scorpions).

We were all floored. The lamb was fantastic. It is a quick meal: you just take your racks, salt and pepper them, brown them in olive oil and butter, set them in your roaster, slather them with dijon mustard and then breadcrumbs, then roast at 375 for 20 minutes. Easy.

I highly recommend this cookbook. The recipes are easy to make, and are truly the classic recipes, but cut down in time and process to make it doable at home. This is the type of recipe that is quick to make and could be whipped up for special occasions or an impressive business dinner. Get this book.

Jimmy Breslin meets James Beard ..., October 2, 2004
Bourdain brings the same no-nonsense, hard talking patter that made Kitchen Confidential so enjoyable to an actual cookbook. He writes like he talks and in a universe where cookbooks are too often just artsy coffee table decorations that is refreshing. Throughout the book you get the sense that Bourdain is actually talking to you (OK, sometimes he's yelling at you) which makes the whole thing feel more like a conversation on cooking rather than a school text book. I'd been cooking for years but had never attempted to make my own demi-glace. After reading his passage on veal stock I gave it a try and it worked great. If you own a lot of cookbooks (like I do) and think you just don't need another go buy it anyway. You won't regret it.

Great Book!, September 7, 2005
This cookbook has been a consistent success for me--we usually cook something from it at least once a week. The pork recipes are particularly good (as is the roasted chicken!).

Bourdain's instructions on how to make veal stock and demiglace were sufficiently inspiring to get me to attempt it and the results were as good as he suggests. I've had ice cube trays of demiglace in my freezer for months now and it is a magic ingredient for sauces.

All in all an excellent cookbook. Don't be put off by the "attitude" other reviewers have complained about--it's more in the nature of coaching than real invective.

Most Entertaining Cookbook I own ... and the food is great !, January 9, 2005
I haven't read any of his previous books, so I wasn't a lifelong Anthony Bourdain fan, who was buying his cookbook because I liked his other stuff.

However having read his cookbook, I will now try and read his other stuff, because as many of the other reviewers have commented, I was laughing out loud while reading it.

Behind the Bourdain "attitude", there is solid cooking technique and food knowledge, and a lot of common sense about how to prepare classic bistro dishes.

I also particularly liked the emphasis on building up a good network of food suppliers. People tend to think that professional chef's concentrate mainly on good techniques, their training and clever presentation tricks, to get the results they do in professional kitchens. What is often not so appreciated, is that they start with the best ingredients possible. This combined with good technique is the killer combination.

Having just found an incredible range of suppliers for meat, fish and seafood in local Butchers, Fishmongers, and Markets in Manchester UK, I was already putting the "network of food suppliers" thing into practice before I got the book.

It really struck a chord when I read this section in the book. Bourdain is 100% correct that if you make the effort, show that you are concerned about the quality of your purchases, and use the knowledge of these suppliers, that you can source really good ingredients. You can find things that you thought were only available to top restaurants, and in Coffee Table Cookbook Fantasy Land.

I did have some sympathy for one reviewer who complained about the lack of availability of ingredients in his/her part of the USA. All I can say is that if you hunt around, I think you'll find that there are a lot of places hidden away in your locality, which you never even knew about. The Internet and Mail Order are also increasingly making it possible to get hold of exotic ingredients.

Finding the ingredients used to be the part of cooking that I enjoyed the least. Now I get such a kick out of " scoring the good stuff " that I'm a bit addicted to it.

Bourdain's cooking knowledge is the real deal, and the bonus with this book, is that he explains it in such an entertaining and approachable way, that you are far more likely to go ahead and try and make a demi-glace, or some of the other techniques outlined in the book. He makes the whole subject come alive.

I already had several versions of the recipes included in the book, and this initially put me off buying it. The other Amazon reviews I read convinced me to give it a try, and I'm so glad they did.

Bourdain's deep knowledge of food shines through in the introductory sections, and in the recipes.

Only people who are not interested in cooking, or are offended by bad language should avoid this book.

I now understand what all the fuss with Anthony Bourdain is about.

This book combines the wisdom and guidance of an excellent chef, with a rare intelligence and wit. I can't think of any better way of recommending this book.

can't put it down, November 3, 2004
I was sick in bed when this arrived and found myself laughing out loud and sitting up in bed. This reads almost like a novel. This is not your typical cookbook, ie I wouldn't consider giving it to my French mother, due to Tony's (ahem) colorful style of writing. It is more geared towards the new wave of home cooks. However, I would gladly and wholeheartedly make any of the recipes for my mother, and she would be very pleased. These recipes bring back memories of my childhood. I simply cannot wait to gorge myself on rillettes just as I did as a child. Thank you, Tony Bourdain, thank you. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Nudge is about choices-how we make them and how we can make better ones. Authors Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein offer a new perspective on preventing the countless mistakes we make- including ill-advised personal investments, consumption of unhealthy foods, neglect of our natural resources, and other bad decisions. Citing decades of cutting-edge behavioral science research, they demonstrate that sensible "choice architecture"can successfully nudge people towards the best decisions without restricting their freedom of choice. S straightforward, informative, and entertaining, this is a must-read for anyone with interest in our individual and collective well-being. ... Read more

Reviews

The elephant in the room.
Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein are both professors at the University of Chicago and where the Chicago school was once famous for the Milton Friedman doctrine of free markets (look where they've got us today!) Thaler and now his Law professor friend Cass Sunstein have swung the pendulum the other way.

Here in Nudge, they argue that totally free markets can lead to disasters precisely because human individuals are not actually very good decision-makers. As Behavioural Economists (Kahneman & Tversky Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases- who credited Thaler as being a key inspiration - and Dan Ariely, whose Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions has become a best seller) argue, we are riddled with little psychological tics in our decision-making processes. We buy things, then suffer remorse. We get confused by choices and often make no choice at all.

But where Ariely keeps his discourse in the world of the day to day, Thaler and Sunstein develop an argument that is political - and is bound to cause heated debate. What they argue is that, in the face of our decision-making weaknesses, Governments and Businesses can help "nudge" us in the right direction. The elephant in the room can be benign.

They call their viewpoint `libertarian paternalism' and what they argue is that it would be a good thing for some gentle nudging of the citizenry in the right direction. As Thaler said recently in the New York Times: "In light of human limitations, Cass Sunstein and I argue for policies that we call libertarian paternalism. Although the phrase sounds like an oxymoron, we contend that it is often possible to design policies, in both the public and private sector, that make people better off -- as judged by themselves -- without coercion. We oppose bans; instead, we favor nudges."

How does a Government do this without imposing laws and edicts. A primary argument is that defaults can be set that counter the tendency by humans to procrastinate or make no decision. One example is the Save More Tomorrow Plan which Thaler developed back in 1996 as an employer sponsored retirement plan for employees. Instead of presenting the details and asking employees to consciously sign-up to increase their savings each time they got a pay rise, the plan presented the details and asked employees to basically check the box if they wished in future to automatically increase their savings as their pay went up. To pre-commit. Such schemes have proved very successful, yet they offer the same free choice, though with a different default.

As Thaler argues: "Since it is often impossible for private and public institutions to avoid picking some option as the default, why not pick one that is helpful?"

Another form of nudge might be the act of disclosure. Thaler & Sunstein argue, for example that credit card companies should issue annual statements that tell us how much we've spent this year on late fees and interest. Again: we have the complete freedom to use cards as we want, but the additional information may help us reframe our own spending strategies. Or how about stickers on new cars that show how much gasoline each vehicle would burn over the next 5 years under typical usage. Hold that Hummer.

These are examples of what the authors call helpful "choice architecture." Nice phrase. The architecture puts our options on more clear display.

I must say, I like the thinking here, and it gives credence to agent-based simulation modelling I've carried out whereby small changes can lead to big effects.

But this volume is about more than modelling and mere theory. One cannot help but think that the book has been timed to coincide with the meltdown of the present economy. The free market, the totally free market, the authors implicitly argue, needs quite a nudge itself. Rather than seeking highly regulated solutions, the better response might simply be a series of tweaks to the choice architecture that influences our spending, saving, health care and borrowing patterns.

The authors present a clear argument and no doubt it will cause heated and lively debate. This book has landed like a rock, right into the centre of the current and somewhat stagnant economic pond. It will definitely cause ripples. Well worth reading.

Important for medical decisions as well
"Buy on apples, sell on cheese" is an old proverb among wine merchants. Taking a bite of an apple before tasting wine makes it easier to detect flaws in the wine, and the buyer who does so will not as easily make the mistake of paying more than the wine is worth. Cheese, on the other hand, pairs well with wine and enhances its flavor, so a seller who offers cheese may command a higher price for the wine (and may even deserve it, if the wine is intended to be drunk with cheese).

The proverb captures important psychological nuances of choice. The same product - a bottle of wine or a risky medical procedure - may be perceived differently depending on its context, and it is often possible to arrange the context to influence a choice while still maintaining the decision maker's autonomy.

The practice of structuring choices is called "choice architecture" in a brilliant and important new book, Nudge, by University of Chicago Distinguished Professors Richard Thaler (Business) and Cass Sunstein (Law). Nudge lays out the groundwork for the science of choice architecture in investing, insurance, health care delivery, and other areas, and argues for a "libertarian paternalism" in which choices are structured to make it more likely that a decision maker will select what is considered the most beneficial option, without impairing the ability to decision makers to select other options. For example, making enrollment in 401(k) plans automatic for new employees, with a form for opting out, is likely to result in greater retirement savings than an opt-in system, without limiting anyone's freedom to choose.

Thaler and Sunstein apply the principles of choice architecture to a few problems in health care (How could Medicare part D be improved? How can organ donation rates be increased? Why shouldn't patients be allowed to waive their right to sue for medical negligence in return for cheaper health care?) But the concepts in the book go beyond their specific examples and could prove very useful to practicing clinicians, who, they note, are often in the position of being choice architects for their patients.

Their principles of choice architecture (paraphrased by me and focused on physicians helping patients make decisions) are:

* Make sure incentives are aligned with desired outcomes
* Help patients map outcomes of different alternatives into formats they can understand (a major focus of Medical Decision Making as well)
* Arrange default options to favor better health. Pediatricians have done a good job of making vaccination a default option.
* Provide timely and relevant feedback about choices and outcomes. A patient seeking to lose weight needs to experience feedback in the form of measurable progress soon enough that they are not discouraged.
* Expect error and develop systems to prevent, detect, and minimize it. For example, pill cases and inhalers with dosage counters are simple and valuable ways to reduce the frequent errors people make in remembering medication. Psychological research provides direction as to what kinds of errors are to be expected when people are making decisions.
* Structure complex choices to reduce the difficulty of making good decisions. In many ways, that's what medical decision making -- and Medical Decision Making -- is about.

I highly recommend Nudge. It's a great read, and has the potential to change the way you think about clinical practice and medical decisions.

Economics as though real humans mattered
Nudge's purpose is to use our understanding of Man As He Is to build better policies. Rather than assume a perfectly rational human who can parse long, complicated documents with his mighty, limitless brain, Man As He Is sometimes skims and can be deceived by cleverly worded contracts. Man As He Is is often aware of his own limitations: he'll flush his cigarettes down the toilet to prevent his future self from doing what his present self knows to be harmful; he'll promise to start exercising tomorrow; and he'll curse himself for procrastinating. Perfectly Rational Man -- whom Thaler and Sunstein call an "Econ," to be contrasted with a "Human" -- would never have these problems. Econs sit down with (notional) pencil and paper and calmly work out the costs and benefits of all available actions, then take the action that maximizes their present and future happiness subject to a discount rate (future happiness is worth less than the same quantity of present happiness). They don't have an internal procrastinator at war with a rational planner, nor do they ever regret on Sunday morning what they did on Saturday night.

Nudge is for Humans, not Econs. Nudge realizes, for instance, that making 401(k)s opt-out rather than opt-in, and setting a reasonable default investment plan, will lead lots more people to save money for retirement. And now that they've been enrolled, very few people will opt out. This is what Thaler and Sunstein call "libertarian paternalism": giving people a gentle push in the direction of their own best interests (the "paternalism" part), but never taking away choices (the "libertarian" part). People can quit at any time; it's only the default that has changed.

Your 401(k)'s default investment plan is part of what Thaler and Sunstein call "choice architecture." As a 401(k) administrator, I can guide your choices in any number of ways. I can choose opt-in or opt-out; if I choose opt-out, I have to choose a default plan, whereas if I choose opt-in, I have to decide how much prodding to give you. The point is that choice is inevitable. There's no way to avoid structuring the options available to people, so the right thing to do is to pick the best default. Given this realization, most of Nudge will be entirely uncontroversial.

Thaler and Sunstein digest a mountain of psychological research and reassemble it into a convincing story about how to build policies that correct for human failings. Humans can be expected to make the right decision when faced with a routine, concrete problem -- buying food at the grocery store, say -- but all bets are off when we're asked to evaluate a complicated, large-scale problem like the impact of our air-conditioner usage on global climate change. Thaler and Sunstein want to give the market itself a nudge here. They wouldn't insist that we buy only low-power appliances. Instead, they want our appliances to give us simple, immediate feedback on our energy usage: thermometers that reveal moment-to-moment energy costs, say, and EPA fuel-economy infographics that use easy-to-understand metrics like "dollars per year."

Econs may be able to consume any information thrown at them and correctly render a judgment from what they read; Humans have finite attention spans and would rather spend time with their families than pore over fuel-economy tables. If we want Humans to make the best choices, we have to structure their choice environment to make this possible. Nudge is Thaler and Sunstein's brilliant contribution toward this goal.

Nudge for goodness sake
Nobody forced my neighbor to buy that expensive plasma TV. After reading Nudge now he knows why he spent so much more money than he intended. It seemed like such a bargain, standing right next to a much more expensive set in the store display. In Thaler and Sunstein's terms, the store nudged him to buy that TV. They organized the choice set in a way that gently moved him towards what they want him to do. They got him to buy a pricey TV by taking advantage of the principle of contrast. Such psychological biases have been exploited since the beginning of human commerce to sell us things we don't need. This book makes a compelling argument that the same psychological biases can be used to get us what we really want.

After reading Nudge it is easy to understand how small things can make a big difference. For instance, most people I know would like to save more money; most of them don't. Nudge convincingly argues that people can, and should be helped to do that. Very few of us can commit to saving more money today, but most of us can commit today to save more money tomorrow. This human tendency can be used to help people save, and Nudge describes how several companies have already implemented such programs successfully by nudging employees to committing in advance to save part of a future salary increase.

By relying on a large body of work in Psychology and Behavioral Economics, Thaler and Sunstein elegantly argue that people have predictable, systematic biases and that this knowledge can be put to work to help all of us.

Their basic thesis is simple and brilliant: First, how options are presented matters. There is no neutral way to present options. If you present the salads first in a buffet, people will eat more healthy food than if you put salads at the end. Second, don't reduce choice, but organize the options so that people will be more likely to end up with what they themselves would prefer. This is as true for the salad bar as it is for health care.

This amazing book is useful for individuals and policy makers. Policy makers should be interested because such "choice architecture" is strictly non-partisan. Individuals should be interested because this book will nudge them to improve their life their way.
... Read more

Editorial Review

THE MOST UP-TO-DATE, EXPERT ADVICE
FOR MOTHERS, FATHERS, AND CARE PROVIDERS FROM
THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS

From the most respected organization on child health comes this essential resource for all parents who want to provide the very best care for their children. Here is the one guide pediatricians routinely recommend and parents can safely trust, covering everything from preparing for childbirth to toilet training to nurturing your child’s self-esteem. Whether it’s resolving common childhood health problems or detailed instructions for coping with emergency medical situations, Caring for Your Baby and Young Child has everything you need.

•Basic care from infancy through age five
• Guidelines and milestones for physical, emotional, social, and cognitive growth
•A complete health encyclopedia covering injuries, illnesses, congenital diseases, and other disabilities
•Guidelines for prenatal and newborn care with sections on maternal nutrition, exercise, and screening tests during pregnancy
•An in-depth guide to breastfeeding, including its benefits, techniques, and challenges
•A complete guide for immunizations and updated information on vaccine safety
•A guide for choosing child care programs and car safety seats
•Ways to reduce your child’s exposure to environmental hazards, such as secondhand smoke
• Sections on grandparents, building resilience, media, and multiples
• New chapters on sleep and on allergies—including food allergies
•New content on prebiotics and probiotics, organic foods, and other healthy lifestyle topics
•And much more ... Read more

Reviews

Authoritative, Wide-Ranging, Relatively Easy to Read and Use, and Improved From Fourth (2004) Edition - But Not Perfect, October 21, 2009
With so much information on children's health to be found on the Internet, and many other books giving advice on child-rearing, is this reference book worth buying? The answer is yes! Consider the following four upsides of this "Complete and Authoritative Guide... New and Revised Fifth Edition" (per the front cover):

1. IT'S TRUSTWORTHY. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which according to its Web site represents 60,000 pediatricians, publishes it. Over 100 pediatricians (and 4 dentists) contributed to the book. The information is sound and up-to-date as of 2009. The opinions expressed are "mainstream" (not "fringe"), which is reassuring since child-rearing is stressful.

2. IT'S WIDE-RANGING (and some may go farther in describing it as "complete" or "comprehensive"). Although no book can be all things to all people, it contains important information on many common health and behavior problems, and it gives advice on when problems might be so serious that you should bring the child to a doctor.

3. IT'S RELATIVELY EASY TO READ AND USE. The authors write clearly and concisely. Although some jargon is present (e.g., "flat angiomata"), that is held to a minimum. The organization into Part 1 (pages 1-506, covering normal development and needs chronologically from birth to age 5*) and Part 2 (pages 507-848, covering specific health issues from "Abdominal/Gastrointestinal Tract" to "Emergencies" to "Your Child's Sleep") is logical. You'll find the index quite useful for locating info (but see "B" below). Numerous drawings and text boxes complement the body of the text.

4. IT'S IMPROVED FROM THE FOURTH (2004) EDITION, with 145 more pages. Some of the less useful parts of the old edition have been scrapped**, and this edition has a lot of revised or new material***. The text is more pleasant to read than before because there is more space between the lines, and the illustrations are better coordinated with the text.

OK, now for five (minor) downsides, which I'll phrase in the form of a wish list.

A. I WISH THAT THE BOOK HAD ITS OWN WEB SITE for updates, corrections, etc., along the lines of the sites for Baby Bargains, 8th Edition: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby Furniture, Gear, Clothes, Toys, Maternity Wear and Much, Much More! or AAP's own Red Book: 2009 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases (Red Book Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases).

B. I WISH THAT IT COULD BE SEARCHED ELECTRONICALLY (even though the index is generally very useful). Example 1: Let's say I was interested in complementary and alternative medicine, folk remedies, and the like. There's no index entry relevant to these - you have to manually find the box on "natural" therapies on page 619. Example 2: If you want info on mercury in fish, the index doesn't have "mercury" or "fish" as main entries; you have to go to "food," then "fish warning." An electronic index would prevent problems like these. [NOTE ADDED AFTER WRITING THIS REVIEW: Maybe I missed it the first time around, but Amazon's "Click to Look Inside" allows you to search individual words in the book. Thanks, Amazon!]

C. I WISH THAT THE AAP HAD KEPT ITS PUBLIC POLICY OPINIONS OUT OF THE BOOK. We learn that the AAP supports "legislation that would prohibit smoking in public places" (page 9), "gun-control legislation" (page 470), "legislative efforts to improve the quality of children's [television] programming" (page 579), etc. The AAP's Web site, not a book on parenting, is the right place for political statements such as those.

D. I WISH THAT SOME OF THE STATEMENTS HAD BEEN LESS BLACK-OR-WHITE. Example: Page 786 claims that heart murmurs "become a concern" when "they occur very early at birth" because they "are not functional or innocent" (with "not" italicized). But studies such as "Prevalence And Clinical Significance Of Cardiac Murmurs In Neonates" and "Can Cardiologists Distinguish Innocent From Pathologic Murmurs In Neonates?" find that perhaps only half of heart murmurs in newborns are actually problematic. So a better wording would have been "...MAY NOT BE functional or innocent."

E. I WISH THAT IT HAD PHOTOGRAPHS. For example, photos would be worth a thousand words for the skin rashes, birthmarks, and such mentioned on pages 127-128 and 813-836.

Purchase this very nice book from Amazon.com!

* In Part 1, the topics within each chapter from "5. Your Baby's First Days" to "13. Your Four- to Five-Year-Old" may include "Growth and Development" (e.g., movement, language, cognitive, social, emotional); "Basic Care" like feeding and sleeping; "Behavior"; "Health Watch" or "Visit to the Pediatrician"; "Immunization Update"; and "Safety Check."

** Among the material deleted from the old edition are some drawings (e.g., how to use a cloth diaper, hormones in the milk let-down process, crib gym and mobile), some data graphics (e.g., table of sugar content of juices, pie chart of causes of developmental disabilities), and some text (e.g., on vegetables with nitrates, "smaller extended families," "working mothers," and "stay-at-home fathers").

*** Some selected specific improvements: (i) Information on weaning from breast to bottle has been moved from the chapter on 4-7 months to the chapter on 8-12 months. (ii) "The Second Year" chapter in the old edition has been retitled to the less confusing "Your One-Year Old." (iii) The "Age Three to Five Years" chapter has been split into separate chapters for 3-year-olds and for 4- to 5-year-olds. (iv) Part 2 has been reorganized more-or-less alphabetically with new chapters 17 on allergies and 34 on sleep. (v) There is new or substantially revised text on psychological resilience (pages xxxiii-xxxvi), Tdap and other vaccines (7 & 793-800), toxoplasmosis (8), tests during pregnancy (10-13), delivery (13-6 and 36-8), probiotics (118 & 523), vitamin D (169), autism spectrum disorders (336-7 & 622-7), school transportation safety (450-1), E. coli (524-5), sickle cell (635-7), BPA (702), well water (703), and MRSA (825). (vi) The new Appendices on pages 850-866 collect together schedules, growth charts, and so forth that were scattered throughout the old edition.

Up to date, but still outclassed, December 22, 2009
We asked our nurse practitioner about some advice from The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two (Revised and Updated Edition) and she warned us that Dr. Sears was out of date, we should buy this book instead. So we did. But I have to say it is disappointing (particularly coming off a well written book like the Sears book). I check this book for "modern updates", but honestly, every time I go to look something up in here, my wife says "It probably won't be in there, try Dr. Sears." Part of the problem is that this book has a poor index. Interested in sleep positions? It's not in the index -- not as sleep position or position sleep, back sleeping or even Back to Sleep (the AAP's campaign to get kids on their back). If you happen to look up SIDS, sleep position is in the text -- just not the index (and if you already know that sleep position is a factor in SIDS, you probably don't need to look it up). If you can read and digest a nearly 900 page book, you will have the information. But I hope you are not in a hurry.

The organization and chapter scopes are also inconsistent. For example, there is good material on reflexes in the section on Growth and Development in the chapter called "The First Month". Although this chapter is supposed to be on the first month, this section talks about some things that last for several months or even years and often without clear indication which time frame is being discussed (note: there are similar chapters for time frames up to five years). Taken literally, the book says that babies in their first month need "a balanced experience of freedom and limits." The first month? That is probably not what the author meant to say since a few sentences into the next paragraph the time frame three years is mentioned but where were the editors? Whoever let that go should be spanked. But it also brings up the questions: who is the author? who are the editors? There are several dozen contributors listed and seventeen people listed in a review or editorial capacity. But there are no attributions to who wrote what. This suggests that the book is written by committee and frankly it reads like it. Were it only a matter of prosaic style, that would be one thing. But there are many places (like the example above) where the meaning becomes ambiguous that should have been caught by a good editor. Maybe the problem is that it was edited by committee rather than being written by committee: the buck doesn't seem to stop anywhere. Regardless of how it got there, while it is "up to date" the extensive sections on development cannot hold a candle to the scholarship or practical wisdom of Babyhood either.

As others have commented this books tends to recommend consulting a pediatrician on almost everything including some things that seem pretty safe to comment on. For example, if you are wondering if formula that contains probiotics is safe for your child -- you should consult your pediatrician. OK, maybe there is more to it than meets the eye, in which case say something like "due to a lack of regulation in the probiotic industry, you should consult your pediatrician before choosing a specific formula." But our pediatrician (recommended by a professor of pediatric neurology as the most thorough pediatrician in Buffalo) gave us a basic probiotic formula as part of a starter kit at a prenatal visit without comment. So I have a sense that the style sheet says to end every discussion with "consult your pediatrician".

Some of the material is very good, but the writing is spotty. We do trust the factual advice -- and look up anything we can find in here to double check older sources for late breaking science, but it is hard to get enthusiastic about it. So three stars seems about right.

Caring for Your Baby and Young Child,5th Edition, November 5, 2009
This is my standard baby shower gift. I have purchased the previous editions for 2 of my daughters in law and several young mothers that I work with. I have been a pediatric nurse for many years, I looked at many baby and child care books before I chose this particular book. The advice is well researched, practical and is presented in an easy to use format. Many young moms don't have the benefit of living near extended family. This book will help them get through some of the rough spots of child rearing. It provides excellent information on developmental milestones and immunizations.

great reference, February 17, 2010
this was the best baby shower gift i received. it was given to me by a friend of mine who is himself a pediatrician, and it came with other books from the AAP. my husband and i have referenced it MANY times as new parents. this book put our minds at ease more than once, as well as kept us out of doctors' offices and ERs for needless visits. though it shouldn't be used to replace a doctor's advice based on a live assessment of a child, it often gave us a reality check in terms of what was serious and what wasn't. since we realized that new parents have a tendency to be hyper-concerned at times, this was just what the doctor ordered.

ADVICE FROM EXPERTS, December 8, 2009
No fancy theories, No newest models, just the knowledge we should know about babies. It's great as a reference.

Great resource, February 24, 2010
This is a wonderful resource for new and experienced parents. Easy to use. Helps prevent unnecessary calls to the pediatrician! It was given to me and now I am giving one to soon to be new parents.

so so, December 5, 2009
i bought this book because our pediatrician recommended that we get it as first time parents. i read it and i didn't learn that many new things. it gives helpful tips but it's quite repetitive...i think i could have gone without it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The inspirational true story of how one man led a football team—and a city—to triumph in Super Bowl XLIV.

In the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Superdome became a national symbol of misery and hopelessness, where the truly desperate rode out the storm.
Four years later, in that very stadium, the New Orleans Saints won the NFC championship and earned their first-ever trip to the Super Bowl.
Two weeks later, the Saints soundly defeated the heavily favored Indianapolis Colts 31 - 17 in what would become the most-watched television event in history.
This is the inspirational story of a city recovering from disaster and a team with a history of heartbreak, seen through the eyes of the coach who taught them both how to win.

Reviews

RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "AN AMAZING SYMBOL OF A DUAL TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY... THE NFL SAINTS & THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS!"
The whole world is well aware of the horror of Hurricane Katrina and due to the NFL's international appeal the whole world also knows about the New Orleans Saints winning Super Bowl XLIV in 2010. Because of the constant exposure of these two monumental events, I had first hesitated to buy this book... because I had watched the game... watched the news... read the papers... and I'm a sports fanatic... so I figured how many different ways can someone describe the same game... the same victory parade... and the same monumental havoc caused by Mother Nature? Man! Was I pleasantly surprised when I read this book. Saints coach Sean Payton traces his life from the emotional high... high atop a float in a Mardi-Gras-like victory parade before EIGHT-HUNDRED-THOUSAND-FANS-IN-NEW-ORLEANS back to his roots with not only an "everyman" type dialogue... but even more amazingly Sean delivers a no-holds-barred look behind the scenes at some of the sports well known individuals.

An example of his "everyman" approach... with all the varnish removed as he cast political correctness to the wind... is demonstrated very early on as the Super Bowl victory parade was in full swing when Sean writes: "I WAS SEVEN BUD LIGHTS IN. IT WAS MY TURN TO GREET THE MAYOR. MY WIFE SQUEEZED MY WRIST AND SAID," CONTROL YOURSELF HONEY." The reader is taken from his college ball to short stints in "pro ball" in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Arena Football League that lasted as long as an average blink of the eye. His attempts to make coaching a career had him bouncing around like an out of control pin-ball machine. From graduate assistant-to assistant-to-position-coach from one side of the country to the next. He worked with coaches such as Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, his most cherished mentor Bill Parcells, and Jim Fassel among others. Payton's tell-it-like-it-is-shoot-straight-from-the-chest-honesty is never more apparent than when he was an assistant and called the plays under New York Giant Head Coach Jim Fassel. The Giants got the ball back with a few seconds left in the first half in a game against the Cardinals and Sean wanted to just "take a knee" and end the half. Fassel overruled him after asking Sean more than once and Sean steadfastly said he wanted to down the ball and end the half. Fassel instead called a pass play that was intercepted and returned for a game-tying touchdown. After the game Fassel blamed Sean for the call to the media. Sean confronted Fassel "mano- y- mano": "UH, COACH," "WHOEVER TAKES THE BLAME FOR THAT CALL IS UNIMPORTANT TO ME. BUT YOU KNOW THAT WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT ON THE SIDELINE, I SAID, "WE SHOULD TAKE A KNEE." That season was Payton's last with the Giants. When Payton took over the Saints he made it clear that he was installing new goals and expectations. Some notable players didn't seem to "get" the message. "DONTE' STALLWORTH, THE SAINTS FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK IN 2002 AND THIRTEENTH OVERALL THAT YEAR, SHOWED UP LATE FOR MANDATORY TEAM MEETINGS MORE THAN ONCE. I HAD A WORD WITH DONTE' AFTER THE SECOND TIME." I'M DYING TO TRADE OR CUT YOU, I TOLD HIM". ".YOU'RE MAKING IT EASY FOR ME." "HE WAS A SLACKER. IN THIS NEW SAINTS OFFENSE, SOMEONE WHO WAS UNRELIABLE WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME FITTING IN." "DEFENSIVE TACKLE JONATHAN SULLIVAN WAS ANOTHER PLAYER WHO SHOWED UP ON THE RADAR-AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY. HE TOO WAS A FIRST-ROUND PICK, SIXTH OVERALL. HE WAS OVERWEIGHT NOW AND DIDN'T SEEM EAGER TO EXPEND MUCH EXTRA EFFORT."

*BOTH PLAYERS WERE SOON ON OTHER ROSTERS.*

There is a chapter on Sean's interview for a head coaching position with the reclusive... mysterious... Hall Of Fame Legend... Oakland Raiders owner, Al Davis... that is absolutely a classic. From Al's constant habit of changing topics faster than Larry King changes wives... to his less than impressive choice of dinner. Where other potential employers wined and dined Sean in the fanciest restaurants... Mr. Davis eschewed such class establishments and instead sent an aid out for ten McDonald's kid's meal cheeseburgers and coleslaw from KFC. And for what it's worth Sean makes sure to let you know that despite the Super Bowl rings on Al's fingers... he was a sloppy eater.

There are countless insider tales such as these along with many "cold-ones" being thrown back. Along the way it's refreshing to read about all the motivational tools that Payton uses during training both before and during the season. Everything from paint ball wars... to water park contests... to Bill Belichick imitations... to charitable causes that brings tears to the players and coaches eyes. And of course the comeback of a team and a city. No football fan... regardless of your favorite team... will ever think the same way about Coach Sean Payton after reading this book!

Great, "bring back the excitement "read!
For those of us who have followed the Saint's journey to the big game, this book creates and allows the reader to relive the excitement of their championship season. Coach Payton does a superb job of telling his story in a simple, but interesting and totally readable manner. I read it in two nights. i just couldn't put it down! He provides interesting background information regarding securing a coaching job and the social networking associated with it. His re-telling of the motivational events and activities for the team gives great insight into his brilliance and leaves no one to wonder how he brought this team to the Super Bowl. The only thing I felt was missing is that I wished he would have discussed the Shockey acquisition. I think Shockey and his contributions to the team are formidable, and i'm sorry that that was not highlighted. Otherwise, a perfect book for Saint's fans, football fans, and anyone who wants an inside look at a NFL's team success.

Loved it!
I am born and raised in NOLA and I loved this book! I don't read much but I finished this book in two days. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the saints and the city of new orleans.

Great read for every saint fan. It is very easy to read and i could not put it down!

Awesome book!

Best book I've read so far in 2010
Full disclosure - I've been a fan of the NFL and a fan of the NO Saints for all 43 years of their existence. But even if I were not, I would have absolutely loved this book.

In an interview, Sean Payton said that this book was the literary equivalent of sitting with him in an airport bar and this would be the resulting 5 hour or so discussion while waiting for a delayed flight. He is right. The book is Sean Payton telling his story and the story of the Saints and their City.

It is at once wonderful and enlightening. Through his eyes you see the unique City of New Orleans, the people of the City and how the team and the City interact. Nowhere else does a city and a professional sports franchise have this kind of symbiotic relationship and that relationship is hard to fathom for those who haven't seen it first hand. Still Payton and his author, Ellis Henican manage to create a clear and lucid portrait of these 2 entities.

This is truly a wonderful book. You do not need to be a Saints fan or even a football fan to get a lot out of it. It speaks of people, of motivation, of desire, of love and of fortitude. This is not intended to be a motivational tome, but just observing Payton and the City through his eyes and words, you can't help but be moved and even motivated.

Wonderful Read, truly a behind-the-scenes look at coaching
Before the book was released, Sean told an interviewer he wanted the book to read like someone got 5 hours with him at an airport bar when their planes are delayed. Mission accomplished. This is not your normal rah-rah coaching to win book. This is truly a behind-the-scenes, warts and all look at a team, and a city, in shambles that was taken to the pinnacle of success in 4 short years by a man who embraced the challenge of the circumstances and grew to love the city and their wildly loyal fan base- while that fan base grew to love and respect him and his team.

An easy, fun, humorous and touching read - I highly recommend it!

Great Book
Rarely does a football book bring tears to my eyes but this one did. Payton's love for New Orleans, his team & the team's fans is remarkable & so is this book.

Great Book
As a long time New Orleans Saints fan (I was born wearing a black and gold jersey), I was absolutely thrilled when the Saints won to the Superbowl. Life in New Orleans went from crazy to ecstatic very quickly. In this book, Payton talks about his career before the Saints, the decision making process, and then truly focuses on his commitment to the New Orleans Saints and how he brings the team--and the city--to life.

Payton is completely honest in the book. From how he wanted the Green Bay job to his dislike for certain players, and it's all revealed in this book. The behind the scenes traditions and sayings are all explained and nothing is left out. Payton said, before the book was released, that he wanted it to feel like the reader and him were sitting at a bar, just talking. When I closed the book after the last page, I felt just like that.

GREAT read!

Home Team
I dont read books very often, but this I could not put down till I finished it. Everyone who loves football should read this. This man is so down to earth, that is a good reason for being a winning coach. If you are a Saints fan, you really need to read this. I Loved it.

Great book about a great city and a great team
This is the story of Sean Payton's rise to become the Super Bowl winning coach, but more significantly it's the story of the return of a great city from the worst Hurricane Katrina had to give. Equal treatment is given to the coach, the team, and the city, and they are woven together extremely well. It presents the city and the team we love and how they were both rebuilt, at least partially through a commitment from each of them to love the other, no matter what. I think it's a great book that belongs on the bookshelf of anyone who loves football, the Saints, and/or the City of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. ... Read more

Editorial Review

With his phenomenally successful Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, Dr. David Burns introduced a groundbreaking, drug-free treatment for depression.Now in this long-awaited sequel, he reveals powerful new techniques and provides step-by-step exercises that help you cope with the full range of everyday problems.

* Free from fears, phobias, and panic attacks
* Overcome self-defeating attitudes
* Discover the five secrets of intimate communication
* Put an end to marital conflict
* Conquer procrastination and unleash your potential for success

With an up-to-date section on everything you need to know about commonly prescribed psychiatric drugs and anxiety disorders such as agoraphobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder, this remarkable guide can show you how to feel good about yourself and the people you care about.You will discover that life can be an exhilarating experience. ... Read more

Reviews

Effective and user-friendly tools, September 2, 2001
In both this book and its predecessor ("Feeling Good"), David Burns has done an excellent job of putting tools into our hands so we can change the feelings and behaviors that we want to change. The tools in this book that I've found most helpful include (i) instruments to measure both anxiety and depression, (ii) a "pleasure-predicting sheet," (iii) a daily mood log to help identify and change unwanted feelings, and (iv) tools to help you overcome procrastination.

I agree with another reviewer who said that this book and "Feeling Good" overlap to a great extent, and I recommend this one. You don't need to read "Feeling Good" first, and the worksheets in this "Handbook" are larger and easier to copy and work with.

While Dr. Burns uses tools from cognitive behavioral therapy, I strongly recommend that you also obtain "A Guide to Rational Living," by Albert Ellis. Dr. Ellis invented rational (cognitive) behavioral therapy in the mid-1950s and still writes, lectures, and works with clients. While Burns' books are generally better written than Ellis', Dr. Ellis teaches you how to use cognitive techniques more effectively than Dr. Burns does. Instead of just showing you how to recognize faulty thinking that produces unwanted feelings and behaviors and think of alternative thoughts, Dr. Ellis teaches you how to PERSUADE YOURSELF that this faulty thinking is both irrational and counter-productive. In my view, the difference in their approaches is similar to that between an intellectual discussion and a thoroughly persuasive speech. In order to make the desired changes, you need to convincingly and powerfully persuade yourself to change your thinking.

Together, this book and "A Guide to Rational Living" give you most all of the tools you need to experience the changes that you want in your feelings and behaviors. The approaches in both books require work. Passively reading them (or anything) will not lead to significant changes. The best news of all is this: There is hope! And you can have the tools at your fingertips.

A moderately effective course in cognitive therapy, May 22, 2002
Many people don't buy into the whole "root of your problems" mentality that seems to infect the mental health fields nowadays. That's understandable. There certainly is something to be said for a more pragmatic, straightforward approach to the treatment of certain mental states. It is to this group of people that Dr. David Burns addresses his Feeling Good Handbook.

The methods in The Feeling Good Handbook are aimed at helping those suffering from depression, anxiety, and other "mild" mental issues to train themselves into healthy mental patterns. Burns has put together a series of writing exercises and journaling that is intended to help readers recognize fallacies in their thought processes. He then spends a great deal of time on each of these fallacies of thought and how to overcome them.

Burns is an avid supporter of cognitive therapy. It is obvious that Burns feels the best way to mental health is through learning to master these negative thought processes. Furthermore, he states outright that it is possible to train yourself to be positive and happy by following these exercises.

Like most self-help books, Burns' popular book has both positive and negative attributes. Burns has managed to accurately classify the thought traps that those suffering from clinical depression and anxiety fall into. He also presents them in such a way that they are easily memorable and will often return to the reader's mind throughout the course of the day. Burns also includes a surprisingly accurate quiz to gauge the progress of the reader.

However, Burn's book depends very heavily on the reader following his instructions with exactness--and some of them are extremely tedious. This is, perhaps, not the best way to help those suffering with depression. Usually depression saps an individual of their desire to do anything at all. Additionally, Burns tends to be a little over-simplistic about his methods and even more over-enthusiastic about their results.

On its own, The Feeling Good Handbook is a moderately useful book in the amateur diagnosis and treatment of mild depression. When used in conjunction with a counselor who understands cognitive therapy, this book is an excellent tool in training the reader to think in a new way.

Very important book, June 14, 2004
This is a crucial book to evaluate for those suffering from depression but skeptical of the effectiveness of most psychologists and self-help books.

Burns is one of the biggest popularizers of cognitive-behavioral therapy, one of extremely few therapeutic forms that have stood up to any scientific scrutiny. Over the last 20 years, CBT has become the predominant form of therapy practiced by psychologists. This book is intensive CBT, much more involving and direct than the form practiced in most psychologists' offices.

Burns takes a very simple approach: he does not place any weight on diagnostic categories or figuring out "why" people behave the way they do or the roots of their problems. Instead, every depressed thought is traced to irrational thought processes. Why those thought processes were developed is irrelevant; the challenge is identifying one's distortions and learning to think more rationally.

Contrary to some reviewers' opinions, I believe this book is best for people who have long-term depression in the medium range (recurrent major depression or dysthymia), with substantial experiences with psychologists. Clearly for more extreme cases - a manic depressive or a suicidal person - the first course of action should be a psychiatrist or psychologist, not a self-help book. This book requires a very high level of involvement and personal responsibility. I believe that it is patients who think of themselves as having a medical problem, seeing psychologists and taking medication for years and perhaps feeling dependent on them, who will at some crisis point become frustrated, develop the energy and motivation to work through a book like this and benefit the most from it. Patients with more minor depression will not feel sufficiently motivated to actually do the exercises, which take a substantial amount of time and clash with other life priorities.

CBT encourages short-term (only 12 weeks on average if seeing a psychologist!) therapy and extreme personal responsibility. For most problems, I believe CBT, either in the form of this book or combined with short-term therapy, is much better than seeing a psychologist long-term. Long-term psychotherapy without very clear goals strongly encourages dependence on the psychologist or medication and reinforces the idea that one is permanently ill. This dependence produces further irrational thinking and can very easily lead to continual depression. Reading a book like this and doing its exercises is an exercise in independence and self-reliance and a major accomplishment in itself. The ability to solve one's own problems is difficult to achieve but extremely powerful - perhaps the only solution - for relieving long-term depression.

Burns feels that virtually no one should be on medication long-term - more than about a year - a view that is somewhat debatable (he excludes, obviously, bipolar and schizophrenic patients). The long-term effectiveness of SSRIs is unproven, but Burns' one-year limit seems purely arbitrary.

CBT is also more art than science - although anyone with any experience with psychologists or self-help books will realize that this is true of the entire field. Often Burns' methods and categorizations of irrational thoughts seem completely arbitrary and hardly authoritative. They could probably use more refinement and clarity. What I think is important is that CBT, and even simply reading Burns' book "Feeling Good", have been demonstrated through scientific means - double-blind testing - to produce considerable improvement.

All in all, this is a book with a clear philosophy that has stood up to scientific scrutiny, unlike psychoanalysis or most other therapeutic methods practiced by psychologists. It requires high involvement and emphasizes personal responsibility, and one has to develop considerable motivation to make any use of it. But the results can be extremely worthwhile.

This book helped me overcome a clinical depression!, October 13, 2001
My copy of this book is from 1980. I am certain that the current edition is even more useful! In my case, I combined the cognitive therapy Burns recommends with medication to control my depression, and I would recommend that ANYONE suffering from depression use the same approach. Burns has an excellent treatment of modern antidepressants included in the book.

An exceptionally useful item in the book is a self assessment. I used this to periodically rate my level of depression to show if I was getting better or not. This tool alone is worth the price of the book.

In any case, if you are suffering from the symptoms of depression, GET HELP! From personal experience, it is extremely difficult to dig your way out of depression alone. Burn's book will augment any form of therapy and medication.

By the way, in the early days of my depression, I took the Misnnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) which rates you on a number of items. On the depression scale, I scored 10 out of a possible 10 points! (Which is as bad as it gets!!)

Excellent, December 28, 2000
I would recommend this book to everyone. My psychologist highly recommends it. Infact she was amused by the fact, that as I was talking to her, I was correcting myself. Be warned, however, that there is another book written by this author that have similar information. Get this big book and not the small one it doesn't have all the info. in it and only about 2 worksheets. Without the worksheets to do, it is just food for thought. I got both, but should have just got this one, only.

Genuinely useful, May 2, 2002
I bought this book a few years ago and find myself visiting this page at Amazon because I want to recommend it to a friend and find that my own copy is out on loan to someone else!

There are so many self-help books on the market that I tend to be wary of them, but I found this one genuinely helpful at a time when practical help was really needed. Dr Burns says it very clearly himself - you have to do the exercises to get the benefit, because this sort of approach is all about getting intimate with the thoughts in your own head. The book does give theoretical explanations, but fundamentally it's a practical tool to help you to get inside your own head and change what's going on there. Dr Burns' approach is about challenging your own negative thoughts, which some people might say you don't need a book and exercises to do. I can only say that when I was deeply depressed it was exactly what I did need - someone to take me gently but firmly by the hand and lead me through my own head in order that I could get through the paralysis and begin functioning again.

Dr Burns includes a depression rating test which enables you to monitor your own progress. I found that this had 2 applications - firstly it helped me to take my own depression seriously, and secondly it encouraged me to keep going as I could see the results of Dr Burns' approach on a daily basis.

A lot of people don't like being told what to do, especially when it comes to dealing with their own problems. This book does require that you come at it with an open mind and are willing to be guided to some extent, and are willing to be honest about what's really going on with you. The exercises are deceptively easy and for this reason I can see that some people might be dismissive of the approach. On the plus side you can hit the exercises absolutely at your own level - you don't have to tackle everything all at once. Start with the 'little' things if that's where you're at (motivating yourself to eat lunch, for instance). No-one else can tell you exactly why you're depressed and what's going to make it change for you. This book is for people who really want to feel better and are willing to make an effort on their own behalf but want to do it at their own pace and not feel bullied. It isn't easy to come through depression - it's paralysing by nature. This book can't do it for you, but it can be a companion through it.

I still do refer to this book and use the exercises when I get stuck (it also includes a fantastic section on procrastination which I would recommend to anyone, depressed or not!) I also want to add, though, that at the time that I was first using the book I was also taking anti-depressant medication - without that I wouldn't have been able to even pick up a book like this, never mind work with it! It's not the same for everyone, but don't beat yourself up if you need the medication too.

Pragmatic and effective - do the work and get results., October 13, 1999
I don't like self help books and I don't want to examine my navel.

But in tough times - bad days,or bad weeks - this is a practical outline and series of exercises which helps me clarify my thoughts.

It requires effort but it has helped me immediately. I do recommend it to my friends when they tell me they need to change - quit smoking, lose weight, stop being angry. If you can believe that tomorrow might be better, try this book and give yourself permission to be happier.

This book teaches us a powerful method to feel happy., February 7, 1999
Dr. Burn's, let me thank you from the depths of my heart for writing such a jewel of a book. It is worth a million dollars.

Friends, this book puts in our hands a simple, powerful, fast-acting, and long-lasting formula to feel good about ourselves. The formula is that it is our thoughts that cause our emotions. Our negative emotions (sadness, anger, etc.) are most often caused by our distorted thoughts. The trick to being happy most of the time is to replace those distorted thoughts with more realistic ones. This books clearly explains what thought variables cause what emotions. It also teaches us how to replace those distorted thoughts with more realistic ones. This book encompasses his earlier best-seller "Feeling Good" and goes beyond it by applying the mood therapy to an entire range of everyday problems.

I have never before felt so good about myself. People have actually remarked that I have glow about me. Friends, you should not only buy this book for yourself but should buy an extra one for a good friend.

Your buddy from NYC

Adds nothing to the original "Feeling Good", February 4, 2000
I'm rather disappointed with this book; it adds nothing to what was said in the original Feeling Good (a book I found to be nothing short of revelatory, perhaps the best book on depression self-help I've ever encountered). I'd expected new information and a great deal of useful pencil-and-paper work not contained in the original "FG". There is some of that here, but far too little, and functions neither to add new info to nor to expand meaningfully upon the original book. Also, a quarter to a third of the Handbook consists of a guide to medications. Useful info, indeed, but not the sort of thing I go to a volume on cognitive therapy to read up on--this info is available in so many other places, and as presented here will soon be out-of-date as well.

Wonderful Self Help Book, October 21, 2005
I suffer from mild to moderate social anxiety and depression and have for my entire life. Recently my anxiety has increased to a point that I was going to start taking medication again. I really dislike all the side effects of the medication and as a last resort researched the web for natural anti anxiety solutions that do not have these horrible side effects. While doing this I found many positive references to the Feeling Good Hand Book so I thought what could I lose and bought the book. I have been using the book for a little over a month now and I have easily reduced my anxiety from moderate to mild during that time. I am certain in the next six months I will be able to reduce it by as much again. I can not speak for others but for someone with mild to moderate anxiety and depression do not hesitate and start feeling better soon. Buy the book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Picture yourself on a sunlit, sugar-sand beach before a turquoise sea. Now picture yourself on a different beach every month of the year! This Wish You Were There! calendar transports you to a tropical paradise all year long. You can almost hear the waves lapping at the sand in this large format calendar with its twelve dazzling full-color photographs. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Too often math gets a bad rap, characterized as dry and difficult. But, Alex Bellos says, "math can be inspiring and brilliantly creative. Mathematical thought is one of the great achievements of the human race, and arguably the foundation of all human progress. The world of mathematics is a remarkable place."Bellos has traveled all around the globe and has plunged into history to uncover fascinating stories of mathematical achievement, from the breakthroughs of Euclid, the greatest mathematician of all time, to the creations of the Zen master of origami, one of the hottest areas of mathematical work today. Taking us into the wilds of the Amazon, he tells the story of a tribe there who can count only to five and reports on the latest findings about the math instinct—including the revelation that ants can actually count how many steps they’ve taken. Journeying to the Bay of Bengal, he interviews a Hindu sage about the brilliant mathematical insights of the Buddha, while in Japan he visits the godfather of Sudoku and introduces the brainteasing delights of mathematical games.Exploring the mysteries of randomness, he explains why it is impossible for our iPods to truly randomly select songs. In probing the many intrigues of that most beloved of numbers, pi, he visits with two brothers so obsessed with the elusive number that they built a supercomputer in their Manhattan apartment to study it. Throughout, the journey is enhanced with a wealth of intriguing illustrations, such as of the clever puzzles known as tangrams and the crochet creation of an American math professor who suddenly realized one day that she could knit a representation of higher dimensional space that no one had been able to visualize.

Whether writing about how algebra solved Swedish traffic problems, visiting the Mental Calculation World Cup to disclose the secrets of lightning calculation, or exploring the links between pineapples and beautiful teeth, Bellos is a wonderfully engaging guide who never fails to delight even as he edifies. Here’s Looking at Euclid is a rare gem that brings the beauty of math to life. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A Drug Book That's Easy To Digest, October 8, 2010
As a healthcare worker who works in a hospital, I see this book (and its various editions) on just about every floor- whether it be the cardiac floor, neurology floor, or the orthopedic floor. The point is that the scope of this book is so large and complete, that it will be a handy reference to everybody who treats patients, no matter what the diagnosis. So if you're looking for a small, complete drug reference- this is your book. Also recommend "The Sixty-Second Motivator" for tips on how to increase patient compliancy with taking meds.

Excellent Nursing Drug Resource, September 12, 2010
Superb nursing drug resource and reference; it always has been. The 2011 volume does not disappoint.

poorly organized, unfriendly index, October 27, 2010
This book is a poor excuse for a reference book!
It is poorly organized and the index is by generic name only, so if you only
know the brand name of the drug you can not look it up.
Once you find the drug, the brand names are not listed in the information.
There are many drugs just not listed at all. Nurses deserve better.
Shame on you Lippencott! I expected better of you.

EXCELLANT BUY, September 13, 2010
AS A NURSE THIS IS A MUST HAVE ITEM....I CONSIDER IT ONE OF THE BEST.......HAVE FOR YEARS.....AND THE $$$
IS A "WHOLE LOT CHEAPER" THAN BOOK STORE, OR ORDERING DIRECT FROM NURSING PUBLISHER......BEST DEAL I HAVE EVER FOUND......AND YOU CAN GET IT MUCH SOONER!

drug handbook, July 26, 2010
I have used this drug handbook for over 20 years both while working in the hospital and now in an out-patient clinic and it keeps getting better. Much simpler/quicker to use than others recommended by nursing schools/instructors. Even the doctors use it. The chief physician of the division specifically requested this book for use in our clinic, so much that he even paid for them! ... Read more

Editorial Review

A fascinating, eye-opening and often shocking look at what lies ahead for the U.S. and the world from one of our most incisive futurists.
 
In his thought-provoking new book, George Friedman, founder of STRATFOR—the preeminent private intelligence and forecasting firm—focuses on what he knows best, the future. Positing that civilization is at the dawn of a new era, he offers a lucid, highly readable forecast of the changes we can expect around the world during the twenty-first century all based on his own thorough analysis and research. For example, The U.S.-Jihadist war will be replaced by a new cold war with Russia; China’s role as a world power will diminish; Mexico will become an important force on the geopolitical stage; and new technologies and cultural trends will radically alter the way we live (and fight wars). Riveting reading from first to last, The Next 100 Years is a fascinating exploration of what the future holds for all of us.

For continual, updated analysis and supplemental material, go to www.Stratfor.com ... Read more

Reviews

Predictio ad Absurdum, February 26, 2009
Although I am a large fan of America's Secret War and respect Mr. Friedman's logical thinking and intelligence, this book is an undertaking so far beyond the capability of man -trying to outline how the next 100 years of history will look- that even though it started off captivating it ultimately left me feeling like the whole thing was a fool's errand. It's not that the author is illogical or a nutcase as some of the negative reviewers have suggested, it's just that there's no way to meaningfully try to predict the simply unpredictable, regardless of the complexity of your analysis. And as the author stretches his future history farther and farther away from the present it simply becomes an implausibility on top of an implausibility on top of another implausibility to the point that any value the reader could derive nearly evaporates and I wish I had spent my time reading actual history.

Of course the author believes some rough prediction of the future is possible based on trends analysis, an understanding of strategic nature, and other such information. I immediately concede that trying to predict the future is not only necessary as a basis for security planning but can be done profitably over maybe 10 years, 20 at the extreme, but only if you build in a huge amount of risk management / "reserve" into your planning results to account for the inevitable unexpected. Thus my critique is simply with the overly ambitious timeline of the author rather than the endeavor itself.

There are some positives of the book which were informative and argue in favor of reading perhaps the first half for pertinent information and analysis. This information revolves around such things as brief overviews of European history and it's rise to power, a brief and plausible (though not necessarily entirely convincing) theory of a cyclical nature of American politics/economics/history, explanations of Russia's geostrategic challenge and how it has historically approached it, global demographics (birth rates declining, the reasons why they are declining and the possible results) and some highlights of the Chinese economy and political system in addition to some other fascinating minor topics. Frankly these topics could have easily formed the basis for an excellent book that tries to project what they could mean over a more modest timeframe, which coupled with Mr. Friedman's direct and straight to the point writing style would have been well worth it. But beyond this the book is more interesting as a work of science fiction than a source of illumination or fuel for strategic analysis.

Even over the relatively strong first half of the book or so there were some things that struck me as cautionary flags with regards to the author's conclusions. Mr. Friedman is Bismarckian to a very high degree, and pretty much limits his assumptions of state behavior to each state trying to enforce a balance of power amongst all other states within its means. There is seemingly no consideration of moral factors, such as alignment of like minded cultures or political/economic systems because they are like minded, in his analysis. His explanation of US grand strategy culminates in what strikes me, as an active duty US Navy Officer, as incongruous. (Which I can't figure since he has close military ties and his son is also in the military.) He essentially claims that US grand strategy is to ensure dominance of the oceans, which is correct but only a single facet of a much more variegated and complex animal. But in his analysis of how this grand strategy has influenced American action he tries to explain that this has motivated America to intervene in Kosovo and Iraq, i.e. to forestall an eventual Eurasian power from building a Navy that can challenge ours! Serbia and Al-Qaeda seemed pretty far from that goal to provide the clarifying rational of American behavior, and this explanation fails to account why we are doing nothing to forestall Chinese and Indian naval developments, and why the previous CNO and current CJCS, Adm. Mike Mullen, launched the "1,000 ship Navy" designed to reduce the need for enlarging the US Navy size by leveraging closer ties with allied nations' navies and developing their naval capabilities synergistically. He also claims that as part of our strategy of preventing a dominant Eurasian continental power we went into Iraq to intentionally de-stabilize central Asia. Again, this flies completely in the face of my entire personal experience in the military, as so many of our forces are working themselves to the bone to try to re-stabilize the region away from weak and antagonistic states that allowed the growth of radical Islam to stronger, more functioning entities that can integrate better with the world and root out Islamic fundamentalism on its home territory. Such a change requires a period of instability to go from a "bad" regime to a "good" one, but that necessary instability is a daunting obstacle being actively tackled and not a goal. (Whether what we are doing is a pipe dream or not is an entirely different matter, but I personally find his explanation of our current strategy simply false, if not quixotic.) Instead it is the overtly stated belief of the US strategic community that it is exactly instability and/or weak autocratic based regimes that causes groups like Al-Qaeda to operate. Other concerns I have with his analysis are that Iran, especially a nuclear Iran, makes virtually no appearance, nor does India. Also, in my subjective opinion, he completely under-rates the strength and staying power of radical Islam essentially claiming that is already defeated and won't even be a factor beyond the mid 2010's, and thus he more or less ignores it.

And although it is probably ridiculous to critique an absurdity, there were some issues I had with his analysis of the period of the 2040's and beyond. He envisions an American space based strategy with three very large (i.e. hundreds to thousands of crewmembers) space stations he calls "battle stars" forming its core. Each would be a command and control node as well as being armed with directed energy and kinetic weapons, and he claims that they will be built under the assumption that they are invulnerable. Yet given the delicate nature of lightweight space structures (in order to be able to get them into space at an affordable cost) and the relative ease of anti-satellite weapons to wreak massive damage on such a system cheaply, his assumption that the US will think they are invulnerable flies completely in the face of a technological reality that is already widely recognized in the US space community. Last, he also envisions hypersonic aircraft providing close air support for ground forces, which is frankly ridiculous. There is more I could quibble with his far out year predictions, but honestly what would be the point?

An odd book. Mr. Friedman has some formidable strengths that shone brilliantly in America's Secret War, and glimmer here and there in the Next 100 Years, but beyond the midway point the book sadly devolves into the absurd.

Is This How It Will Go?, January 27, 2009
When one takes into account the staggering advances that took place in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, it is a brave forecaster who would even attempt to predict the course of our (still relatively) new century. George Friedman undertakes this task in "The Next 100 Years".

Friedman opens by taking the reader through the twentieth century at twenty-year intervals, showing how the concerns in any given time period are quickly forgotten and replaced by new concerns. This prepares the reader to see that the twenty-first century will also be anything but static, either, as America will not be facing the same set of challenges by 2020 as we did on September 11, 2001, and will be dealing with many different issues as the century progresses.

The author is a very incisive thinker, relaying stunning insight after stunning insight in demonstrating how we arrived at where we are now, with Europe having been supplanted by America as the world's focal point.

Friedman contends that, far from declining (as many fear), America is just beginning its rise. The century will be characterized, he predicts, by regional powers attempting to form coalitions to limit American power, and America attempting to prevent the formation of such coalitions. This will ultimately result at mid-century in a war that will have many similarities with World War II--the war will begin with a surprise attack on a key American military target, will be fought against a familiar foe, will result in the development of stunning new technologies, and will be followed by a new golden age redolent of the one following World War II.

This book also takes a look at the worldwide population bust--policy debates in American politics will be driven in part by debates about the number of immigrants needed as a result of the bust. The author asserts that our politics operates in fifty-year cycles, and that both transition points of American politics in the twenty-first century will be driven by immigration. One of the predictions in the book is almost made as an aside--the author is really hanging his neck out on the line, since we will be able to see in not 20 or 50 years, but within the next two years whether the author is correct in his prediction about how much President Obama will be able to roll back the basic policies that President Reagan put in place in the early 1980s.

The book closes by examining some of the technological breakthroughs such as robots and space-based energy that will transform life later in the century, and asserts that the end of the century will be characterized by increasing disharmony with Mexico over the American Southwest.

Anyone interested in what the future might hold (that is, just about everyone) would enjoy reading "The Next 100 Years". The only regret you will have when you have finished reading it is the realization that you will not be around in 2100 to see if all of the predictions in this supremely fascinating book come to pass.

Challenging, eye opening, January 27, 2009
George Friedman's THE NEXT 100 YEARS has a serious "wow" factor. It's going to get people talking.

Friedman, as the chairman of Stratfor, the global intelligence firm, believes that geography, population, and the surprising way history has of confounding our expectations are all important. He also believes that conventional political analysis and forecasting "suffers from a profound failure of imagination." The convergence of these axioms leads Friedman to write a book that should flabbergast more than a few of the talking heads who populate the airwaves and cable frequencies. I would venture to guess that none of them have the intellectual wherewithal to engage his predictions knowledgeably. I guess we'll see, because no doubt Friedman will be making a splash in the press with this surprising book.

His predictions--they will raise your eyebrows. But two things will keep you from dismissing them for their outlandishness. One, Friedman, though ambitious and writing with a strong sense of self-confidence, keeps his ego in check. (He says he'll be pleased not if he's proven right on all points, but merely if his grandkids tell him some day, "Not bad.") And two, he makes a convincing case that throughout history, almost nothing in world affairs has turned out the way common sense or the prevailing notions of smart people (or journalists) thought that it would.

There's no arguing with any of that, though it's very easy to lose sight of.

At the start of the book, Friedman sets the table for his forecast by reviewing the changes in the world's geopolitics during the 20th century. He shows that every 20 years or so the world turned completely on its head. Though these events in hindsight seem to us today to be ordinary and unexceptional, if not completely predictable, if forecast in their day they would have seemed astonishingly unlikely. Please bear with me here...

In 1920, with Europe in tatters after World War I, the one thing that was sure was that peace had been forced on Germany and it would not soon lift itself up off the mat.

By 1940, of course, Germany not only roared back, but conquered most of Europe, with Russia as an unlikely ally. Britain stood alone. There was no way Hitler could lose.

Now to 1960. Germany is a ruin and the U.S., no world power at all in 1940, was contending only with the Soviets for world domination. The U.S. dominated the world's oceans and could dictate terms to its rivals, or, if it wished, just nuke them. Stalemate was the best the Soviets could hope for.

Come 1980, the U.S. had been beaten in a war--not by the Soviet Union, but by little North Vietnam--and was widely seen as in a slow, permanent retreat, expelled from Iran and watching helplessly as the oil fields fell into Soviet hands.

Now one more leap, to 2000. The Soviet Union had collapsed. China was communist in name only. NATO had advanced into Eastern Europe and even into the former USSR. (It was always supposed to happen the other way around!) The world was prosperous and peaceful. Everyone knew that the "end of history" was here, as considerations of war and power and realpolitik became secondary to spreading benign prosperity globally. Then came September 11, 2001, and the world turned on its head again.

Got all that? Good. After that unsettling review of recent world history, Friedman has set the stage to unleash his considerable imaginative and rhetorical gifts in predicting the following:

* That the U.S., which is now an adolescent power -- immature and impulsive -- will grow into the full glory of its power in the 21st century. By 2040, however, expect the unexpected. Two strong rivals will emerge to challenge us, and I probably shouldn't blow the freshness of the surprise by revealing here who Friedman believes it will be. (Just be sure, for one, not to buy real estate too close to the Rio Grande.)

* The industrialized world is facing a dramatic population drop, which will bottom out in 2050. As a result, we're in for a severe global labor shortage. The result? Today's immigration debate will flip 180 degrees as countries actually compete for immigrant laborers.

* Al Qaeda and the jihadist threat? They're history mostly, just a nuisance. (John Kerry was basically right in 2004.)

* Ditto environmental problems and energy crises: a single technological breakthrough, space-based solar power, will change everything.

* In the 21st century, minerals will become scarce on earth. Mining operations on the moon will be significant.

* The art of war is moving into orbit, and a robust space industry will develop around massive new expenditures by the U.S. and other countries.

* The U.S. will be challenged by some surprising new powers. Hint: you might want to start following news from Warsaw, Mexico City, and Istanbul a little more closely.

And so on. The book reads very accessibly and the argument at each turn is not hard to follow. The book is not at all academic or full of the jargon you might expect. There's a startling insight on every other page. By the end of it, you realize that you're a complete fool if you take any course of global events for granted.

Remember when it looked like the Berlin Wall was a permanent fixture in East Berlin? The only constant in the world is a lack of constancy. (Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?) We are, all of us, in for a lifetime of surprises. Friedman humbly takes a shot at forecasting the likeliest of them in a challenging and easy-to-read book.

You won't lack for conversation at your next lunch date if you spend an hour or so with this book. But read it quickly, because you don't want to be the fourth person in your circle of acquaintances to go around saying that war with Turkey lies in America's future. (Okay, I blew a surprise there, but that's what happens when you're lucky enough to get hold of a review copy, and the book has more than a few of them.)

Enlightening exercise in Machiavellian realpolitik, February 4, 2009
Staying true to famed Stratfor's reputation for free from moralizing righteousness view of world events, its CEO George Friedman's book considers a plausible future scenario through a prism of almost certain US superiority in this century and efforts to impose a simple reality that would serve its national interests - no united Eurasian power. Those interests are nothing new to anybody who is familiar with British continental foreign policy of last several centuries, which US has adopted upon taking over the mantle of the dominant world power. A number of other commentators (S. Huntington, Z. Brzezinski) espoused that principle as the prerogative for maintaining long term preeminence. But, unlike the aforementioned ideologically driven works, Friedman's general position toward confrontation between US and contending countries is one of the expected defense of each power's national interests.

The scenario of Russia's collapse, however unlikely it might seem now, is certainly within the realm of something plausible (think of a very powerful Austro-Hungarian Empire at the start of previous century). The uncertainty of actual realization of that scenario does not diminish the value of the book or its insights. The world with one superpower is by default not a stable arrangement in the long run (short of outright world unification - something left for other centuries), thus dynamic powers of the next 30-40 years will have to deal with a direct threat to their resource lifelines posed by US Navy and space dominance. Ensuring frictions are guaranteed. With mostly land power (USSR/Russia) another Cold War is a likely scenario, but with naturally maritime powers (chosen to be Turkey and Japan) a scenario for direct confrontation is already provided by recent history.

In my view the book should not be treated as prophetic. It is an illuminating exercise in application of basic Machiavellian principal of statecraft - keeping your potential competitors from becoming too powerful. US did it superbly during Cold War of yesterday. It will follow the same trodden path in the world of tomorrow, while the assortment of rising powers might be different, just as Germany was even more heterogeneous in 1860ies compared to China and India of today, but became the main challenger of the world order 50 years later. The choice of Poland, Turkey and Japan as rising regional powers is not arbitrary, since those are the countries that would stand to benefit directly from the considered scenario of Russian collapse and chaos in China. To those living in the not too distant future the struggle on all sides will be sugar coated as a struggle for something with the pretense for high moral grounds as it happened abundantly during Cold War (from spread of democracy to spread of social equality). One of the book's themes is that the underlying motivations for all the events are and will be driven by nothing else, but conflicting self preservation interests of all the parties involved.

Thoughtful Geopolitical Scenarios Developed 70 Years into the Future, March 9, 2009
No one can forecast what the weather will be next week in most parts of the world, why would anyone think that forecasting what nations will do in detail over 70 years is possible? George Friedman doesn't think it's possible either, but the exercise presents the opportunity to identify sources of potential future conflicts and alliances on the geopolitical stage. Thinking about those issues is well worth considering. An ounce of prevention may just help avoid tons of regret in some cases.

George Friedman believes that considerations of potential military defense and offense, access to needed raw materials and markets, demographics, political strengths and weaknesses, technology, and national economic interests can be combined to imagine how future leaders will see their situations and how well they will be able to handle old and new challenges vis-�-vis their neighbors and competitors. From those sources, he identifies factors that will probably be important which include:

1. Increasing importance of having access to shipping via the oceans due to ever-expanding global trade.

2. Continued U.S. dominance of the oceans.

3. Political and social weaknesses in China and Russia that will cause those nations to weaken and fragment.

4. Decline in population size in developed countries requiring pro-immigration strategies to stay competitive.

5. Emergence of space-based warfare and energy generation to shift the basis of national competition.

6. Robotics replacing less-skilled workers throughout the world creating a wave of unemployment.

7. Aggressive geographical expansions of influence by nations which are bounded by weak countries.

8. A continued dominance by the United States except in controlling the regions in the country that are filled with Mexican-Americans.

As a result, he projects an end to armed conflicts between Muslims and Americans on religious grounds; a new cold war with Russia; fragmentation of China's economic power and military strength; the rise of regional power in nations like Turkey, Japan, and Poland; a space-based war aimed at the United States by Japan and Turkey; the rise of space-based energy as the economic underpinning of prosperity; and a civil crisis in the Southwestern U.S.

Who knows if these things will happen? They could.

I felt that the main weakness in his argument was failing to consider the possible development of a strong regional block involving both North and South America over the next 20 years. Such a block would have tremendous access to technology, resources, positive demographics, and be easier to keep secure than trying to project power around the world. With such a strong base, many of the issues that concern Mr. Friedman about U.S. interests would be considerably less pressing. If the U.S. were not as aggressive in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, some of the conflicts described in this book would be less likely to occur.

I was also surprised to see that the book doesn't make much of Africa as a source of future geopolitical challenges. With rapid population growth expected in a large population and lots of valuable resources at stake, you can certainly build a case that competition for African resources can lead to a lot of geopolitical instability.

Historians are fond of saying that history repeats itself. You can see an example in Germany being involved in playing a major role in the early stages of the first and second world wars. Mr. Friedman takes the repetition concept and applies it by assuming that Japan will repeat a Pearl-Harbor-like sneak attack on the United States. I think he could just as easily argue that Germany will start another European war, but he doesn't think the demographics favor that.

Ultimately, this book assumes that nations won't get any better at resolving their problems peacefully in ways to produce more social and economic benefits for everyone. I hope that assumption is mistaken.

A FASCINATING, DISTURBING LOOK FORWARD AT WHAT COULD BE, January 27, 2009
Four and a half FASCINATING Stars! Highly Engrossing!! Futurist author George Friedman looks back at the last 100 years in a great geo-political analysis of where we have been as England, Germany, Russia, and the USA engage in strategic political swordmanship over the benchmarks of 1900, 1920, 1940, 1960, 1980, 2000, and the fateful date of Sept 11, 2001: presented in a way and with an overview that may have escaped some of us. In many ways this is an expansion of The Future of War: Power, Technology and American World Dominance in the Twenty-first Century written by George and Meredith Friedman, but this book is much wider in scope and depth.

The author then looks out into the future over the period of 100 years from now, surveying everything from Atlantic Europe, the USA, "the Soviet Empire", the Islamic world, earthquakes, Soviet successor states, the coming "Texas Rebellion", Mexico, the Eurasian "Poacher Paradise", socio-policital trends, population shifts, and far beyond. Reading almost like science fiction, the author paints a disturbing picture of the future of the world and the USA in particular. But make no mistake, this is not your 'run of the mill' conspiracy book but a deep study of past trends and future projections. One may not like what he projects on a macro-level, but one look at where we are today in 2009 should dispel any doubts that things may change radically into a world that none of us believed possible and far from our benefit as a nation and world leader. Buckle up for a Wild Ride into our possible future. Definitely recommended!! Four and a half POSSIBLE Stars. (This review is based on an eBook digital download, 394 pages with 28 geo-political illustrations)

Smart man, but dead wrong about Asia, April 11, 2009

Everyone praises "America's Secret War" for Friedman's in-depth knowledge of both the U.S. military, and 25 years experience in studying Eurasia. However, it is a far leap to predict the next hundred years and expect to be taken seriously by applying strict geopolitical ideology to the world to the absence of any and all other significant factors and historical "twists of fate," as in a rogue nuclear weapon/s?

Either it is of no interest to him, or he has far less area of expertise in Asia itself, but to write off China in one small, vague, chapter is an enormous disservice, completely without any supporting data that by 2020 China will "destabilize." In 2008-9 the entire world banking system "destabilized" to the surprise of many, and yet China's did not, has not; and possesses the largest liquid assets on the planet, of which they have invested heavily in U.S. Treasury bonds. His lack of any mention of the New World's banking was an obvious oversight.

Additionally, his premise that, to summarize, Japan will again expand as it did prior to WWII and will again take over parts of Mainland China is laughable. China has the largest standing military in the world. No, they do not possess much of an navy, but it has more than enough aircraft to do the exact reverse, which is physically invade Japan to put an immediate stop to Japanese aggression. Boots on the ground are quite cheap, and China has lots and lots of boots. And the money to keep them there.

Does Friedman believe Nanking has forgotten? China is an excellent observer of other cultures' mistakes. When the Chinese government converted and moves into a capitalist driven economy, they did not have the problems and horrors Russia had, because they were astute observers.

China does not have a history of aggression toward other countries (if one excludes Tibet), but I live in China, and I have no fear now or in the future that Japan will ever be able to "convince" the Chinese of their need for Chinese materials and labor should be satisfied with a Japanese presence. Not in this century and not in the next.

And, finally, it is as if Africa and India have no import in the next 100 years. He does not even bother to mention them.

The Dawn of a New American Age?, February 10, 2009
I love coming across well-articulated viewpoints that challenge my own. It's almost always a win-win situation when this happens.

If I am convinced of the new point of view on its merits, then my worldview has been enhanced. My stance has moved from a position that is less correct to one that is more correct. If I remain unconvinced, on the other hand, then my original viewpoint has been strengthened... stress-tested and found worthy, as it were. And either way, new layers of nuance and subtlety are always a plus.

My views were certainly challenged - and yours will be too - by the stance in George Friedman's new book, "The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century."

The book pulls no punches. There are predictions in here that will surprise your socks off. Just consider some of the timeline bullets from the front cover:

* 2020: China Fragments.

* 2050: Global War Between U.S., Turkey, Poland, and Japan - The New Great Powers.

* 2080: Space-Based Energy Powers Earth.

* 2100: Mexico Challenges U.S.

If your initial reaction is anything similar to mine, it runs along the lines of "What?!? Is this guy smoking banana peels?"

Most assuredly he is not. Friedman is the founder and CEO of Stratfor, an outfit billed as "the world's leading private intelligence and forecasting company." Geopolitics is Friedman's game... and it's a game he takes very seriously.

Expect the Unexpected

Conventional thinkers dismiss wildly unexpected views out of hand. For Friedman, that's the whole point. "Expect the unexpected" is a geopolitical forecaster's mantra. This point is hammered home in the introduction of the book, in which the reader is taken on a series of 20-year jumps through the 20th century. With each jump, the landscape looks radically different.

Friedman's point in highlighting these radical landscape shifts is not that some mystical cycle kicks in like clockwork every two decades. It's merely that, when it comes to geopolitics and major world events, conventional wisdom is almost always wrong. The present order of things is no guide as to how things will look two decades out.

China as Backwater?

Friedman's views on China are particularly eye-opening.

"I don't share the view that China is going to be a major world power," he writes. "I don't even believe it will hold together as a unified country... China is important, however, because it appears to be the most likely global challenger in the near term - at least in the minds of others."

You need extremely powerful arguments to back statements like this one, and Friedman has them. He looks at China from a number of angles many others have not considered - and his arguments make sense. China has a number of geographical and cultural hurdles that will prove very tough to overcome.

Many point to China's 30 years of breakneck growth. If Friedman is right in his view that "30 years is not a very long time" and that China will revert back to isolationist trend, the world will look very different ten years on than many of us expected.

Friedman may well be wrong, of course... but he isn't just stirring the pot for the sake of being controversial. His logic is coherent.

Oceans Trump All

Take the emphasis on naval power, for example. One of the reasons Friedman expects the U.S. to dominate is because of America's absolute dominance of the world's oceans.

"The United States Navy controls all of the oceans in the world," Friedman opines. "Whether it's a junk in the south China Sea, a dhow off the African coast, a tanker in the Persian Gulf, or a cabin cruiser in the Caribbean, every ship in the world moves under the eyes of American satellites in space and its movement is guaranteed - or denied - at will by the US Navy."

In the European Age, transatlantic trade was the key to wealth and prosperity. But then, closer to the end of the 20th century, something momentous happened. Transpacific trade - that is to say, trade across the Pacific Ocean, as opposed to the Atlantic - began to rise up.

This shift heavily favors the United States as the only great power with coastal access to both oceans - Atlantic and Pacific. This factors huge in the geopolitical calculus that sits at the heart of Friedman's work.

What's more, Friedman argues, the United States does not have to win wars. Because America has already established global geopolitical dominance, the goal is to disrupt any and all attempts of other regional powers to form. If this means fomenting an expensive conflict that America appears to "lose," then that's fine - because the strategic goal is not to win, but merely to keep competitive alliances from forming.

America as Adolescent

Friedman further compares the United States to an "adolescent" - still young and belligerent, not yet confident in its own ability to project and wield power.

This moody teenager mindset explains a lot when it comes to thinking about US foreign policy: the undercurrents of extreme insecurity interwoven with brash outbursts of confidence... the clumsy willingness to stomp around like a bull in a China shop (no pun intended)... and so on.

It is truly a unique point of view. America in the very early stages of influence on the world stage, rather than the days of twilight? Who would have thought? It's a hallmark of US culture, Friedman points out, to be deeply insecure about certain things - while at the same time harboring that deep streak of brashness.

To his credit, Friedman is the only analyst I've come across who has made a serious effort to consider military power, alongside economic power, in his forecasts.

And Friedman has thought about the economics too. In "The Next 100 Years" he makes the further argument that America is vastly underpopulated yet growing (whereas other competitors are shrinking) and that certain aspects of agricultural production and economic resilience will also make a real long-run difference.

Guaranteed To Make You Think

There are plenty of other crazy-yet-plausible assertions in this book that are guaranteed to make you think. (Poland and Turkey as two of the next "great powers?" Wow! And there are even wilder ideas than that...)

I don't embrace Friedman's ideas without reservation. But "The Next 100 Years" has certainly made me think, and think hard, on some of the more popular forecast notions I've long entertained.

Not as good as I expected, March 20, 2009
I read the negative comments here before I read the book. I was certain I would find Friedman a lot more convincing than they portrayed him. I've had to back off from that opinion.

I don't agree with others that Friedman is jingoistic. (On the contrary, he has some rather unflattering things to say about the country; things you wouldn't expect to hear from a Republican.) Indeed, America really is the preeminent power on the planet right now. It's hard to see how that power will wane much very soon. One doesn't have to be jingoistic to imagine that the U.S. will hold onto power for a long time. Things may not turn out that way, but it's certainly not unreasonable to guess that it might.

In fact, I found Friedman's progression plausible--at least up to the 2050s. (Although, I've got to say that the idea of China and Russia just falling apart strained my credulity.) Then, in my opinion, the whole thing takes a nosedive. The United States has overwhelming superiority in every way. Our "battle stars" put us so far ahead of the rest of the world that we're virtually unchallengeable. Then what happens? Japan throws rocks at them from the Moon. Just like that, they're all gone. Then Japan sends in hypersonic planes and virtually wipes out our ability to project forces beyond our borders.

So, we're beaten, right? Hardly! Somehow, within the space of two years, we're recovered our strength to the point where we completely dominate the coalition between Japan and Turkey--the only two countries with the power to challenge us. We come to the aid of Poland and handily whup up on the Turks and so squelch Japan that the rest of the world has to consent to let us and us alone use space militarily.

Frankly, it sounds like some pretty awful science fiction. (And I should know. I've written enough awful science fiction!)

And I think I'll just pass on the likelihood that Mexico is going to become powerful enough to be a legitimate threat to its northern neighbor late in the century. (Although, frankly, that's a step toward a return to plausibility after the war of 2050 thing.)

But I need to be more humble. I know all too well I haven't done the thinking on these things that Friedman has; and I certainly don't have the training or experience. In a debate, I imagine he would mop the floor with me. Still, a lot of this book seems inordinately farfetched.

But it does get you thinking, and I suppose that's the point, really. It would help if Friedman would include footnotes and a bibliography so that we could check some of his foundational facts for ourselves.

Selective use of theory and statistics, June 30, 2009
This book has gotten a lot of hype and criticism. A world in which Mexico is a major power? China and India ignored? Climate change magically solved? Europe falling back into warfare? I read the book to see if the criticisms were justified. Unfortunately, they are. I doubt this book predicts much of the future, or even identifies the countries we should look out for.

The book uses statistics selectively and not very convincingly. Sometimes he cites numbers without providing the proper context. For example, he hypes the fact that Mexico has the 15th (now closer to 14th) largest economy in the world as suggesting we should take it seriously. What he doesn't tell you is that this ranking puts Mexico's economy slightly behind Canada and only a bit ahead of Australia's - neither of which are rising world powers. Yet, when it comes to China's economy (which is the 3rd largest and rising still), he demeans it by saying it still is nowhere near Japan's. In fact, there is no indication that Mexico's economy, despite the advantage of being located to the largest market in the world, is poised to grow anything at the rate of China's. Likewise, he stresses the fact that Japan's economy is the second largest in the world, but conveniently forgets to mention that it is stagnating and declining relative to China (especially with the Global Financial Crisis).

The central flaw is Friedman's traditional realist/geopolitics framework of analysis. This is a very simplistic way of looking at the world and assumes that countries are "black boxes" with permanent interests. Thus, Friedman does not believe that individual leaders, political ideologies, or internal dynamics matter. In fact, Friedman explicitly states that leaders don't really make stupid mistakes in foreign policy. One only needs to look at recent history to see how poorly this predicts international relations. According to Friedman's style of analysis, no matter who was elected president, the U.S. would likely have invaded Iraq. Yet, it's hard to see the war in Iraq as anything buy a stupid mistake that would not have happened if Gore had been elected. Friedman says the U.S. invaded Iraq to prevent the rise of a hegemonic Muslim state in the Middle East, but the invasion simply abolished Iran's main enemy and allowed Iran to exert more influence in the region. That seems like a mistake and doesn't fit Friedman's explanation of the U.S. geopolitical rationale for the war. My point isn't to debate the Iraq War, but to show how Friedman's tools of analysis don't work well enough to predict 100 years into the future, much less 5 years.

This means that Friedman ignores other important predictors of geopolitical power - the state's power internally to enforce its laws and policies, the educational and skill level of its people, etc. Strong governments often become strong geopolitical powers, while states that can't even control their own people or are racked by civil wars don't rise to greatness. Obviously a government's capacity to exert internal control can change over time, but it does seem to be something developed early. Likewise, a more educated populace with experience running businesses is more likely to fuel the economic dynamism that fuels growth and hence power. For example, even though countries like Japan and Germany seemed devastated after World War II, (since unification) they had strong governments and a skilled populace. Along these lines, Friedman ignores the fact that Mexico's government can't even control its own borders, drug gangs, still faces internal insurgent groups, and has trouble collecting tax revenue. Yes, it's possible that Mexico could undergo a transformation, but there is not evidence that this is likely. Friedman bases his analysis almost exclusively on the fact that Mexico is located on the border of the U.S., which simply isn't enough to lead to a great power. By contrast, there are signs that business leaders in India and China are forming companies that can compete globally and producing educated workers. While both have problems enforcing laws, neither face rampant drug gangs that openly defy government authority.

This book may get a few things right, but is too limited by the "geopolitical" frame of analysis that ignores dynamic trends, sate capacity, and education. Sadly, this type of "geography is destiny" analysis is becoming more popular. You're better off reading Fareed Zakaria's The Post-American World and other books about the near future to understand what we're likely to see over the next 25 years. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In gripping accounts of true cases, surgeon Atul Gawande explores the power and the limits of medicine, offering an unflinching view from the scalpel’s edge. Complications lays bare a science not in its idealized form but as it actually is—uncertain, perplexing, and profoundly human.
... Read more

Reviews

Too Talented for the OR, November 17, 2005
Dr. Gawande's essays are thoughtful and very well written, and it blows my mind that he was able to be such a prolific writer while doing a residency (let alone a surgical residency). I read these essays one at a time originally when they appeared in the New Yorker during my pre-med and med school days, and I enjoyed rereading them recently, now that I'm a resident myself. It is always refreshing to see honesty when it comes to the imperfections of the medical profession. His stories about dealing with his own children's medical problems are very compelling, struggling with when to relinquish control to other doctors and when to step in and advocate. I also currently find myself much more interested in the cognitive science of decision making, having to make potentially life-altering decisions in a split second, balancing multiple confounding variables along with personal styles, experiences and instincts. Another topic given well deserved scrutiny is the phenomenon of physician burnout and how the profession deals with, and often fails to deal with, "good doctors gone bad."

Dr. Gawande comes across as the type of person I wouldn't expect to enjoy working with the typical surgeon colleagues. In fact, I would love to see him address this topic in his future writings. It would take a writer of his skill to explore the stereotypical personalities and cultures of the different specialties. No one wants to over-generalize, but medical students from various schools will have very similar descriptions of the types of O.B. residents versus psychiatrists versus pediatricians versus orthopedists that they worked with. The broad, simplified version of this is along the lines seen on the TV show Scrubs, with surgeons being the jocks and internists being the geeks. That is too generalized but not entirely untrue. It's an interesting question, what perpetuates these sub-cultures, whether it is the type of person drawn to a specialty or whether people pick their careers based on who they want their colleagues to be.

In the end, even with all the discussions of mistakes, burnout, and imperfections, I found this book to be affirming about the medical profession. Affirming both as a physician and as a sometimes patient or family member of a patient. Medicine doesn't always work like it should, and doctors should not be placed on pedestals. There are real problems in the system, but there are also plenty of very dedicated, hard-working, medical professionals doing their best to overcome those problems, working to provide the best care possible to their patients, to make the best decisions possible given the limitations of our knowledge. In times of crisis, you just have to take a deep breath and then put your faith in the system.

Confident With Him As My Surgeon, May 8, 2002
"Complications", by Dr. Atul Gawande is a very gutsy and honest discussion about medicine in general, and surgeons in particular. The book is also unique, for unlike others of its type it is written by a surgeon that is starting his career, and not looking back upon it. I would imagine that the book caused some consternation amongst his peers. The book does nothing to minimize the skills and accomplishments of the men and women who can reach in to the body and do some pretty spectacular work. The book does portray them as human beings that come with all the normal traits that any of us do. The pressure they must deal with is that when they make a mistake, it can irreparably harm or cause the death of the patient they are trying to help.

The vast majority of careers that people practice does not involve decisions that can cause the outcomes I mention above. And few occupations require of their practitioners near perfection, that if not delivered has a major legal industry prepared to hammer them with lawsuits. Incompetent or negligent doctors should be punished and removed from practice, but what about a human error, or a doctor that makes every single decision that is correct and appropriate for the patient he or she sees, and misses the 1 in 250,000 cases where doing everything correctly can cause a patient to die. The final chapter of this book deals with exactly those type of odds. Whether those odds are beaten often depends on the instincts of the physician. And these intuitive feelings they may or may not act upon are certainly helped by experience, but younger doctors without the years that familiarity brings can often make a decision largely because they are so new. Dr. Gawande makes clear that all the sophisticated technology available does not replace the one on one interaction with the patient.

If we ever need a surgeon we want a person we perceive as experienced, a person we are literally willing to risk our health and our lives with. The problem is that virtually no one wants to be part of a new surgeon learning his craft even with very experienced surgeons standing right at the table, watching and even directing the path the surgery takes. Dr. Gawande also shares his feelings when his children are ill and the contradictions he deals with as a parent, even as he is often on the other side with people judging him and his youth.

The statistics say that a surgeon will make a given mistake once every 200 times he or she performs a surgery that is described in the book, and that is also fairly common. If the mistake is made the results range from terrible to potentially terminal. The author does a great job of sharing what it feels like to be told that you will make the mistake, that doing the task 99.5% of the time without error can still cost a life.

A person who decides to become a general surgeon will study and practice until their mid 30's before they are able to operate on their own. That type of commitment is rare, and recent articles have said that less men and women are willing to devote that much of their lives before beginning their chosen career.

We want these people to be perfect when it is either we, or someone we care about that is to be operated on. They are not perfect, although those that are excellent can statistically come very near perfection. I would trust Dr. Gawande for he is a man that is clearly skilled, but is also acutely aware of how fine a line he walks every moment of his day.

Essay Collection from Surgeon, New Yorker author, April 3, 2002
This book is basically a collection of essays Gawande has published in the Gawande is a surgical resident, so he is experienced enough to have insight into the medical profession and practices of surgeons, but still new enough in the field to bring a keen critical mind and the clarity of a relative outsider's perspective. Also, his compassion is one of his distinct qualities and shines through in the writing.

If you are a regular New Yorker reader, you probably have already read all of these essays. The brilliant essay about why doctors make mistakes is included, as well as memorable essays about when good doctors go bad, and how the practice of autopsy goes in and out of fashion. The only one that was new to me was the one about a surgeons' convention, which was entertaining but not crucial reading. It is nice to have them all in once place, but unless you are a completist or a rabid Gawande fan, I'd recommend getting it from the library or waiting for the paperback.

An utterly fascinating view, April 10, 2002
There are other writing doctors around, but there's nobody like Atul Gawande. I'd first got to know his voice, his distinctive approach -- immense vivid medical detail combined with an almost philosophical interest in the systemic or ethical dimensions of the problems he explores--in the pages of The New Yorker. But there's a lot here that never appeared in that magazine, and, besides, the whole really is greater than the sum of its part. His arguments -- about the fallibility of medicine, about judgment under conditions of uncertainty, etc. -- run through the chapters like sinews. "Complications" is a genuine page turner, but you come away not only entertained, but enlightened, too. I've recommended it to a lot of my friends, and nobody's been disappointed yet.

A remarkable "autopsy" of the physician personna., April 28, 2002
I read this book while convalescing from surgery,therefore with recent 'experience" from both sides of the blade. I was amazed at the impressive insight and expressiveness of this surgical resident who only starting his medical career. His descriptions of various controversial medical themes and dilemas evoked many of my own experiences,emotions and my own impressions of how it is that we solve our daily medical mysteries that rarely conform to the textbooks. I've recommended this book to my son who is contemplating a career in medicine, I think he'll understand better what he might be getting himself into. I am anxious to follow any subsequent writings of this writer to see what I think will be an interesting evolution as he becomes first an attending physician and then deals with many more challenging experiences that will leave him even more perplexed,doubting,dispirited,uncertain but at the same time elated by his many clinical triumphs.

Don't let the blood stop you, April 23, 2002
Yes, this is a book by a surgeon, and there are certain, um, "graphic" descriptions in this book. But it's well worth your while to read them, even if they make you feel goosy, in order to learn from this incredibly talented writer, surgeon, and ethicist.

Some ethical questions:
- Should a doctor act on hunches?
- What if the action might be risky?
- Should a teaching hospital let a junior doctor operate on YOU?
- Will the hospital even tell you if this happens?

A big one:
- Is it ever right to ignore a patient's plea to "Please don't put me on a machine"?

You may think you know the answer to the last one, but after you read his description of an actual patient who said this, you'll be much less sure.

And what about when a doctor is sure of his diagnosis - is the doctor right? How often? Well, it happens that there _is_ a way to find out, and it was commonly used 50 years ago. We just don't like to use it much, anymore. It's called an autopsy. But in the few cases where it is still used, there are surprises.

What an incredibly informative book. Read it. Get past the blood, you'll be glad you did. You'll see your doctor, and medicine, and your own body, in a whole new light.

Complications= Great book for a small-group discussion, December 11, 2002
I found Complications by Atul Gawande to be an exciting read from cover to cover. It is filled with a variety of topics centering around medicine's fallibility, mystery, and uncertainty, as perceived by Gawande who is himself a surgeon. Gawande's mastery of language makes each chapter come to life by developing the situation and revealing topics often ignored by the medical community. He also does a great job of leaving his own bias or opinions out of the chapters. This undirected, yet thought-provoking prose was ideal for our small-group discussion class which read his book. We found many topics to discuss and ethical issues to ponder. Although our time was limited as a class, I believe we could have spent much more time digging deeper into the issues Gawande addressed. Issues that we especially enjoyed pondering included the idea of "practicing" medicine on patients as part of the educational process, the robot feel of sub-specialty medicine vs. primary care medicine, and the stories of patients living with medical problems such as the "man who couldn't stop eating." Overall, I highly recommend this collection of short stories both because it is a delight to read, and because it raises some very interesting ideas that I hope to further investigate.

Jordan Wilson

Medical Student
UMD School of Medicine

A moment with a surgeon, May 25, 2002
There is a lot to like in this self-portrait of a physician. OK, now here's a guy who has a long list of life's best ticket punches. He grew up as the privileged son of a double-doctor couple in a verdant, genteel Ohio college town. He went to Stanford, then Oxford, then Harvard. Now, he's in residency, training to be a surgeon, a more prestigious medical specialty than either of his parents had. He is a published author, both in the medical research literature and in the popular press. I know about him because I've read his articles in the New Yorker.

But the self-portrait that emerges is one of a humble, compassionate and well-rounded human being who just happens to have a first-class analytical mind and formidable skill with a pen. He admits to having no particular talent as a surgeon, just a dogged determination to master a complex set of skills. He makes mistakes, but he has some lucky breaks, too. He has a national reputation because of his New Yorker articles, but he wanders anonymously through his professional conference, acting like a first-year graduate student, feeling bemused and bewildered and lucky to be there. He finds time in his busy life to visit his patients at home because he wants to know if the surgery he performed on them did any good.

Dr. Gawande sounds like the kind of doctor I would like to have. In one beautiful sentence that soars off the page near the end of his book, he states his credo as a physician: to have that one "crystalline" moment in another person's life when his intervention alters its course for the better. I was awed and humbled by that sentence because I know that I can't state my professional goal so succintly or so poetically. Since the sentence was at the very end of the book, Dr. Gawande had deftly preceded it with the weight of evidence necessary for a merely rational person to figure out that the odds were stacked against him. As he says in many ways throughout the book, medical knowledge and clinical skill are always imperfect, so such moments are rare and fleeting.

But when I thought about Dr. Gawande's sentence more deeply, I found it disturbing. A generation ago, the ideal doctor was a Dr. Welby-like character, who delivered you and your sister and your mother and knew that all of you had a sweet tooth. Maybe managed care has damaged our health-care system so profoundly that all we get now is one moment with a doctor. If we're extremely lucky, that doctor may be a Harvard-educated surgeon like Dr. Gawande, who is not yet cynical about his job and is having a good day.

One of Dr. Gawande's own cases illustrates a big problem with his credo. A woman shows up in a surgeon's office after a mammogram revealed suspicious microcalcifications in her left breast. She was upset because the surgeon recommended a biopsy. This was the fourth time that her breast would be biopsied and it was already disfigured from the previous attempts. And all of those earlier biopsies had come back benign. "I'm not getting another goddamed biopsy," she said. Every time I come in here, you people find these specks and want to operate.

Dr. Gawande's response was to try to persuade the patient to change her mind because the abnormal mammogram could be an early symptom of cancer. But rather than discus with her the large body of literature that shows that the history of breast cancer surgery is a history of overtreatment, that there are many biases built into the culture of medicine and surgery that predispose to overtreatment, and that patient pressure has forced doctors to scale back their mutilating therapies, Dr. Gawande offers a cheap rhetorical trick. A good doctor, he says, will let the woman get dressed and invite her into his office, where they will sit side by side in comfortable chairs. He will say: Every time you come in here, we find something. And every time we do a biopsy, it's benign. As Dr. Gawande writes, these sentences show empathy because they convey to the patient that she's been heard. But the only thing the doctor actually did was repeat what she said.

So maybe that crystalline moment isn't enough time for a genuine conversation. If Dr. Gawande can't pull it off, with his obvious communication and people skills, then who can?

Read This Book!, June 25, 2002
Rarely do I think a book is so important and so good that it should be read by everyone. Atul Gawande has written such a book.

America has the best health care in the world and yet our health care system is a mess. High insurance rates and malpractice suits make for a situation where patients often cannot get the help they need and many doctors are afraid of taking risks because of the chance of being sued. With a willingness to realize certain things and make some changes, America could turn it's medical services into a true blessing for all of its citizens.

What is the most important realization? That doctors are human beings and even the best of them are going to make mistakes from time to time. This is probably the most important point Gawande makes in his book. It is a sad state of affairs when every single doctor in this nation expects to be the defendant in a major lawsuit at least once in their careers. How many possible brilliant doctors has this single fact driven from the profession? It is one thing when a doctor makes an error through maliciousness but a doctor who makes an honest mistake should not have to fear career destruction. If something could be done about all this litigation, it would likely be easier to drive truly bad doctors from the profession because doctors and hospitals would be more like to start admitting when things go haywire and actually make a concerted effort to try to make things better.

Though his insights into what it's like to be a doctor are incredibly valuable, I find his views on the psychology of being a patient interesting as well. His articles on the mystery of pain, the horrors of nausea & blushing (yes, blushing) and the results of a patient who has undergone gastric bypass surgery for obesity are eye-openers. He also has a very good chapter on the ethics of medical decision-making between a patient and doctor. Those people in the camp that all medical decision should be left up to the patient need to understand that, in many cases, the patient simply doesn't want to make that decision.

I had read much of the material that is in this book before as Gawande has published in various magazines. But I kept an eye out for this and I am glad to see it all gathered together in a single volume. It has been awhile since I've been so impressed by a book.

Vignettes On The Scalpel's Edge, September 12, 2007
Being in the medical field, I found myself pretty engrossed in Atul Gawande's COMPLICATIONS. But even if you're not in medicine, there's no reason you shouldn't pick up the book. Focusing on both sides of the scalpel (those that get cut as well as those that do the cutting), the vignettes sketched out here are hit upon with compassion, thoughtfulness, and razor-sharp telling ("We have taken [medicine] to be both more perfect than it is and less extraordinary than it can be.")

Gawande holds back nothing in his narrative. One chapter will discuss the evolution of a surgeon and how perilous and dangerous it can be ("Everyone wants a surgeon with experience, but how does a new surgeon become the veteran?"), while the next will look at how effective specialized medicine is (a hospital that does ONLY hernia operations and how incredibly successful those surgeons are).

The most frightening portion of the book -- for me -- was the discussion on dangerous doctors (chapter 5: When Good Doctors Go Bad). When MD's get older and can't function as well, or get burned out, or simply can't keep up with new medical technology, there's no system in place to remove them. The AMA, local affiliate groups, none have the sole power to remove a doctor until it is often too late for the patients (Gawande's examples are horrifying, showing us an orthopedist who had more law suits pending against him than patients in his practice, and still he practiced and operated).

The big flaw with this "novel" is that it isn't novel at all. It is a compilation of short stories without a core. Whipping back and forth between medical superstitions in one chapter to the study of subjective pain the next, there's no rhyme or reason to the placement of chapters within the book. This isn't all bad, though, just something the reader should be aware of before digging in.

Regardless, it is an eye-opener to those in the medical profession and those who are patients within it. Gawande is as sharp with his pen as he is with his scalpel. And he spares no one; from the physicians within his own cadre, to the misconceptions patients hold for their care givers.

Complications should be required reading by all physicians, past, present and, especially, future simply because it is brutally honest and keeps its perspective tightly woven toward patient care. ... Read more