Amazon.com
Explaining what William McNeill called The Rise of the West has become the central problem in the study of global history. In Guns, Germs, and Steel Jared Diamond presents the biologist's answer: geography, demography, and ecological happenstance. Diamond evenhandedly reviews human history on every continent since the Ice Age at a rate that emphasizes only the broadest movements of peoples and ideas. Yet his survey is binocular: one eye has the rather distant vision of the evolutionary biologist, while the other eye--and his heart--belongs to the people of New Guinea, where he has done field work for more than 30 years.
Book Description
With a new chapter. The phenomenal bestseller—over 1.5 million copies sold—is now a major PBS special.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Guns, Germs, and Steel is a brilliant work answering the question of why the peoples of certain continents succeeded in invading other continents and conquering or displacing their peoples. This edition includes a new chapter on Japan and all-new illustrations drawn from the television series.
Until around 11,000 BC, all peoples were still Stone Age hunter/gatherers. At that point, a great divide occurred in the rates that human societies evolved. In Eurasia, parts of the Americas, and Africa, farming became the prevailing mode of existence when indigenous wild plants and animals were domesticated by prehistoric planters and herders. As Jared Diamond vividly reveals, the very people who gained a head start in producing food would collide with preliterate cultures, shaping the modern world through conquest, displacement, and genocide.
The paths that lead from scattered centers of food to broad bands of settlement had a great deal to do with climate and geography. But how did differences in societies arise? Why weren't native Australians, Americans, or Africans the ones to colonize Europe? Diamond dismantles pernicious racial theories tracing societal differences to biological differences.
He assembles convincing evidence linking germs to domestication of animals, germs that Eurasians then spread in epidemic proportions in their voyages of discovery. In its sweep, Guns, Germs and Steel encompasses the rise of agriculture, technology, writing, government, and religion, providing a unifying theory of human history as intriguing as the histories of dinosaurs and glaciers. 32 illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Very insightful, a worth while read.......2007-10-06
I highly recommend reading this book. Diamond provides compelling evidence for the disparity between civilizations. Any fan of history or just anyone curious about the rise of our current state will find a great read in Guns, Germs, and Steel.
guns,germs and steel.......2007-10-05
great perspective other than what we in western cultures traditionally have in in our relations with 3rd world countries
Dimly Focused.......2007-09-25
Though erudite and crammed with information, some of it a bit arcane, "Guns, Germs, and Steel"suffers somewhat from a blunted point of view. Is the author trying to tell us that some of our assumptions concerning the rise of cultural norms are over simplified? If so, he might have done so more forcefully with fewer words, more carefully selected facts, and perhaps a more lucid writing style. Do some societies prevail because their native tongue is more efficient and expressive than those employed by other cultures? Following that theme might have made for a more intriguing book. Are there some determinisms at work in every culture which inhibit the fulfillment of its destiny? Maybe the author thinks so, but the massive brush used to paint such a scenario causes the entire work to shimmy through a mass of frequently fascinating material without conclusions. The book's excessive length detracts from its compelling points: we live, some of the time, at the mercy of gigantic forces we do not control. Do genetics control our formation, or climate, or enormous economic systems? And who can give us convincing answers? Anthropologists, sociologists, and psychologists of course come to mind. But what of poets, seers, artists, and theologians? Maybe Jared Diamond knows, but by the time he finishes inundating us with facts, some slightly pretentious, it's hard to tell for sure. I had hoped this book's scope and claim would give convincing guidance. But because it lacks definite focus, it did not.
Guns Germs and Steel review.......2007-09-24
This is an excellent book, the hypothesis is very compelling and interesting. I watched the DVD in addition to the book and I was not disappointed at all. Worth the read!
A modern, scientific "just so" story.......2007-09-23
One of the most important books of our time; it single-handedly wipes out every justification for racism, and gets to the roots of why humans groups are where they are presently. An amazing synthesis of disciplines into one very readable explanation of how it came to pass that Europeans happened to be the ones that colonized the rest of the planet instead of some other group. The most clear example I've ever seen of why archaeology, and all the social sciences are not only important but vital to modern people. The better our understanding of the past the more likely we are to be able to let go of the emotionality that keeps us at each other's throats. A modern "just so" story.
Amazon.com
That the United States government engaged in dangerous biological research during World War II will come as no surprise to Americans jaded by revelations of secret medical experiments and radiation exposures. But that the accident-plagued facility where it happened--and continues to happen--is just off the coast of Long Island may alarm many readers of Michael Christopher Carroll's Lab 257. Carroll, an attorney by trade, gamely takes on complex microbiology and shady government record-keeping in telling the story of Plum Island, home of the Animal Disease Center--no place for a casual picnic. The lab, initially set up by the Army to research ways of destroying Soviet farm animals (and to keep them from destroying ours), has often dealt with bacteria and viruses that can be passed from animals to humans. Carroll draws compelling causal links between Plum Island and the introduction of Lyme disease, West Nile virus, and duck enteritis, all non-native germs that wreaked sudden havoc in North America, and all germs that Plum Island scientists were allegedly working with. With hurricanes and terrorists on his mind, Carroll asks readers to imagine a scenario in which the Plum Island lab might release pathogens into the most densely populated area in the country. He ends the book with two chilling questions. First, does the United States need a research facility that investigates animal pathogens with potential for human transmission? Second, considering that Plum Island never had a particularly good safety record, is it the right place for such a facility? Lab 257, while occasionally veering into unsupported speculation, introduces key questions to the debate on biological security in the 21st century. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
Nestled near the Hamptons, the fashionable summer playground of America's rich and famous, and in the shadow of New York City, lies an unimposing 840-acre island unidentified on most maps. On the few on which it can be found, Plum Island is marked red or yellow, and stamped U.S. government—restricted or dangerous animal diseases. Though many people live the good life within a scant mile or two from its shores, few know the name of this pork chop-shaped island. Even fewer can say whether it is inhabited, or why it doesn't exist on the map. That's all about to change.
Lab 257: The Disturbing Story of the Government's Secret Plum Island Germ Laboratory blows the lid off the stunning true nature and checkered history of Plum Island. It shows that the seemingly bucolic island on the edge of the largest population center in the United States is a ticking biological time bomb that none of us can safely ignore.
Based on innumerable declassified government documents, scores of in-depth interviews, and access to Plum Island itself, this is an eye-opening, suspenseful account of a federal government germ laboratory gone terribly wrong. For the first time, Lab 257 takes you deep inside this secret world and presents startling revelations including virus outbreaks, biological meltdowns, infected workers who were denied assistance in diagnosis by Plum Island brass, the periodic flushing of contaminated raw sewage into area waters, and the insidious connections between Plum Island, Lyme disease, and the deadly 1999 West Nile virus outbreak.
An exploration of the complex world of microbiology, viruses, and bacteria, Lab 257 also shows how the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which ran Plum Island for the last half century, is far more than wholesome grade-A eggs and the food pyramid. The book probes what's in store for Plum Island's new owner, the Department of Homeland Security, in this age of bioterrorism. And for those interested in questions of national security and safety, it is a call to action for those concerned with protecting present and future generations from preventable biological catastrophes.
Lab 257 will change forever our current understanding of Plum Island -- a place that is, in the words of one insider, "a biological Three Mile Island."
Customer Reviews:
Interesting and frightening read.......2007-04-11
I picked up this book on a whim because I love the conspiracy theory-type books about all the shady government projects. As it turns out, this book really disturbed me.
Carroll, an attorney, wrote this book over the course of seven years, during which he requested government documents under the FOIA, conducted interviews with current and former employees of Plum Island, researched the connection to US-harbored Nazi scientists, and the inevitable decline of lab conditions under the new American trend of "privatization". Carroll visited the island himself before his access was pulled; he never states exactly why this happened. The book outlines the creation of the labs, how and why the island location was chosen (prevailing winds blow out to sea rather than inland, or so they said at the time), how it went from the US Army's jurisdiction to the USDA, and from there how the program went into a long, slow decline in standards, safety, and hazards. The chapter on the hurricane was terrifying in itself - you can feel the terror the maintenance workers must have felt knowing how helpless they were to prevent a potential "biological meltdown".
The book brings up some interesting potential connections between the labs on Pulm island and the relatively sudden appearance of Lyme disease and West Nile virus. Even if the research into animal diseases is the absolute truth, you still can't help but feel incredibly suspicious that the highest concentration of both Lyme and West Nile began in and around Connecticut and Long Island - the closest points of civilian population to Plum Island. Couple that with the discussion of bird migration and mosquito infestations, and you're inspired to do further reading on your own to uncover more of the truth - you can't take anything at face value, but any time the US government is involved on this large of a scale, healthy skepticism of government denials is required.
For those who wonder if we aren't already seeing "bioterror" attacks in the form of salmonella and e. coli attacks on our food manufacturing facilities and mad cow disease ravaging British livestock, this book is a must read on the programs that Richard Nixon supposedly ended in 1972.
The U.S. Government exposed...again........2006-12-13
I don't know about most American's, but I for one am fed up with the insane amount of government corruption. Every day there is something new discovered, or admitted by the government that shows how the principle that one's government should benefit them and protect them before anything else is falling apart. Lab 257 exposes the truth about some of the nation's greatest mysteries, including the outbreak of both Lyme disease and the West Nile virus, both unseen in the United States until after Plum Island's research on the substances, both originating in the area immediately surrounding the island. Carroll ultimately allows the reader to draw their own conclusions about the nature of the Biological Time Bomb known as Plum Island, but as for me, it is quite obvious that the American government is not always working for its people. The sad truth, the harsh truth, must be known; reading this book is essentially to destroying the ignorance so prevalent in the mass society we live in, the ignorance towards politics and just what exactly is going on in terms of biological research. The greatest threat to America is not from Islamic terrorists, but from its own government's lack of care for the most dangerous of situations. Plum Island is one startling example of such blatant disregard, and Lab 257 ingeniously exposes the true nature of its past, present, and frightening future.
Worth your time!.......2006-08-08
Quick read that will really make you question your government. While the intentions were good in the beginning..it just goes to show what happens when we get lazy about certain things (security) and start neglecting important details.
This one will have you scratching your head about the intelligence of our government. I only wonder if this would happen in a post 9-11 America.
Hurricane Bob, Hurricane Katrina = Government Keystone Cops.......2006-03-14
Read and become informed of an enemy within, your? government's arrogance coupled with incompetence. But they did stay at a Holiday Inn Express! With leaders like these who needs enemies? Plum Island brings on the West Nile virus, Lyme disease & many more. Yes, the point of origin, Plum Island USA, a biological laboratory doing dangerous germ/bacterial warfare expermintation. Your tax dollars are killing you! Surprize, Surprise! Well researched by an author who lived it for more than 5 years before publishing. The mainsteam press won't touch this! Its simply too true. Off limits for public consumption. You be the judge.
Lab 257.......2006-03-01
Carroll has done his homework - he documents all the chilling incidents in the history of this "lab of terror." His speculations on the origins of Lyme Disease are thought-provoking, too. A good read with a lot of detail.
Book Description
Never feel like a stranger in Germany again!
On entering a restaurant, should you find your own table or wait to be seated? What is a suitable topic for small-talk with a stranger? In what circumstances might you ask to borrow ein Handy? All these answers and more can be found in When in Germany, Do As the Germans Do, a fun and intriguing book that teaches you about Germany's culture, language, and people.
It features 120 intriguing multiple-choice questions that are cross-referenced to fascinating articles on pop culture, customs, behavior, history, consumer trends, literature, tourist sights, business, language, and more. Also included are key terms and useful expressions, informative charts, and websites for further reference.
Customer Reviews:
Undertones of disdain towards the German culture.......2006-10-23
Having lived in Germany for a year now, I decided to finally flip through this book, given to me as a parting gift in April 2005. As I read, I was appalled at Mr. Flippo's seeming dislike for Germans. The book is more of a warning for all the traveling American's to be on their guard rather than an informative guide. My favorite quote is, "This "pushy" behavior is not limited to Germans. It's a European thing" (p.31). This extraordinary generalization is quickly followed by the warning that you must either bring your own shopping bags or purchase one in a German grocery store and, as stated by Flippo, "to add insult to injury, you usually have to bag your own groceries". Gee, reducing waste by encouraging the reuse of shopping bags and keeping prices low by simply putting your Müsli in your own bag instead of hiring some prepubescent bag boy to do it for you is a pure abomination and should be henceforth considered "insult to injury" (I'm hoping you're noting my sarcasm). The book continues in this fashion, with hardly a bright comment to be had about this amazing culture. The only reason I'm giving this two stars instead on one is because the author does have a few nuggets of truth and interesting observations woven within his cleverly placed one-liner biases. If you still purchase this book, remember to read critically and differentiate opinion from facts.
60% of contents are useless facts........2006-06-29
just on principle, i have returned the book even though it was only $9. it's definitely not for someone looking for a guide to german ways; the book should have been updated since 2002.
Useful.......2006-06-16
This book is a good reference for anyone planning on spending any time in German Europe. At the very beginning of the book there is quiz to test your knowledge, of which the answers are provides at the back of the book. Flippo uses culture and history to explain the German way of life. He covers all the main travel subjects such as entertainment, food and drink, language, and transportation. He also talks about other topics not often found in the common travel book; such as business and economy, health and fitness, and education.
Flippo makes it very easy to read. I would suggest reading the whole book because although some areas may not interest you, the articles are brief and provide a good cultural understanding of the German way of life. Due to the variety of topics discussed in this book, I would recommend it to anyone who plans on spending a little extra time submersed in the German culture. While the book is very enlightening and should be read by everyone traveling to Germany, it covers more than just the basic travel information.
Nice stories but it reinforces stereotypes and urban legends.......2006-02-21
I have lived in Germany for more than 20 years and am currently residing in the United States.
I bought this book as a gift for a friend. Browsing through it myself I found that some things pointed out in the book are on-spot (for example the "Sie und Du" section on how to address people, or insights on dining out).
However, some things covered in the book describe a Germany of 100 years ago (the "Hauptmann von Koepenick" episode, while factually correct, fails to point out that today's Germany fortunately has little resemblance to the Prussian-style military culture of yore described here).
And the chapter on "Kehrwoche" - purportedly an institution of cleaning the hallway in front of one's apartment - is an urban legend to me. Visitors to the town of Stuttgart have told me that they heard of people subjected to such neighborhood rituals. But in all my years in Germany I have never had anybody confirm such facts to me so it is a regional oddity at best. And again the author fails to put this into proper context, thus making today's Germans seem like some cleanliness-and-orderliness-obsessed oddballs to a much greater degree than they deserve.
So while there is some truth in all hyperbole I encourage you to buy a book written by somebody who has seen more than one or two cities and who has been to Germany recently.
A Charming Little Book.......2006-01-27
This book presents short snippets of cultural information about Germany and Germans. Each topic covers a single page and is written in a brief newspaper article style. I found out a lot of interesting little things. For example, if they put rolls on the table, they aren't free. You pay for every roll that you eat. It's little tidbits like this that make for some very interesting reading.
It's a very light read, and you can probably finish it on the plane ride to Germany. The topics are mainly cultural in nature, so you won't find any hard travel advice in this book. I recommend it for those who would like to learn a little more about the people they will visit when they arrive in Germany.
Book Description
For All Students Ideal for a variety of courses, this completely up-to-date, alphabetically organized handbook helps students understand how people from German-speaking nations think, do business, and act in their daily lives.
Customer Reviews:
The German Way.......2006-06-22
This is a great book even though it is ten
years old and slightly outdated. It gives
really good information on everything from
shopping to food. You will surprised on how
different the United States is from Germany.
.Skurvy.
An OKAY guide...(Used for a school trip to Austria).......2006-06-16
Just to let everyone who is reading this know, I was assigned this book for a class I took while studying abroud throughout Europe. I was specifically interested in using this book for information on Austria. Here's what I think:
The book wonderful for providing a reader/traveler with basic information about the three predominately speaking German countries. It is broken down in a form that a reader of any age can comprehend. Hyde Flippo simplified the navigation process by putting the chapters in alphabetical order and not the order of importance. The book does a good job of briefing a reader on Germany, Austria and Switzerland--giving very basic information and history on each country. Some of the specifc topics covered in the book include climate, culture, family, gestures, transportation, money, communication, etc. Germany clearly appeared to be the main focus of this book, and seeing as how I personally was looking for information on Austria, I did not find it to be quite as helpful.
The book was published in 1997 and again in 1999, and after reading it anyone should notice that it is very outdated. The book talks about currency as the Austrian schilling and the German marks, yet both countries have converted to the Euro over five years ago. It presents information in a manner that is too brief for one to actually benefit from or sustain a substantial amount of knowledge after reading. The book is written very factually, and consequently has little or no enthusiasm present. Additionally, it is difficult to read from start to finish. However, it would serve as a good guide and is a quick and easy reference to virtually anything one could want to know about the German-speaking world. Therefore, I would only recommend this book to anyone who may be traveling to Germany in the near future.
A Quick Read.......2006-02-19
This slim volume presents dozens of aspects of German culture. For example, why do Germans value privacy? Why do they always close windows when they feel a draft? I definitely learned a lot from this book. My only complaints is that it could have gone a little more in depth about the causes of German behavior. Also, this book is a little out of date. It was published in the 90's, so there is a lot of talk about Marks rather than Euros, and you read a lot about the reunification of Germany, which is not as hot a topic as it was in the 90's. Even with these weak points, I think you'll be able to learn a lot. I wish that the author would release a more up-to-date version, though.
Incredibly Helpful.......2006-02-08
I really enjoy this book. The average tourist may not get as much from it, if only passing through. I am an American, living in Germany. I found much of the book incredibly helpful. Yes, some sections are dated with the intro of the Euro, but it's true, stores close by 1800, some open til 2000. Nothing open on Sunday, except at the train station.
Highly recommended if you will be living or travelling for an extended time!
A Must for Study Abroad.......2006-01-23
I read this book before I did a study-abroad program in Germany. It was extremely helpful! Many of these things I had no idea about, and when I tried them, everything went smoothly. For example, in a German restaurant, instead of waiting to be seated, you just pick a seat. Also, to tip, one just rounds up to the nearest dollar and tips that amount. I had servers try to give me back 50 cents because they felt it was too much! This book is not only informative, but is also a good and easy read. Highly recommended as a must-have for students studying abroad!!
Average customer rating:
- The first book I couldn't put down in a long time
- Decent SciFi Thriller
- Germ, another amazing thriller from Liparulo!
- Another Fast-Paced Thriller from an Excellent Author
- Crafted a multi-strand page turner and a highly recommended thriller
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Germ
Robert Liparulo
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0785261788 |
Book Description
If you breathe...It will find you.
The list of 10,000 names was created for maximum devastation. Business leaders, housewives, politicians, celebrities, janitors, children. None of them is aware of what is about to happen--but all will be part of the most frightening brand of warfare the world has ever known.
The germ--an advanced form of the Ebola virus--has been genetically engineered to infect only those people whose DNA matches the codes embedded within it. Those whose DNA is not a match simply catch a cold. But those who are a match experience a far worse fate. Within days, their internal organs liquify.
Death is the only escape.
The release of the virus will usher in a new era of power where countries are left without defense. Where a single person--or millions--could be killed with perfect accuracy and zero collateral damage. Where your own DNA works against you.
The time isn't coming. It is now. Pray the assassins get you first.
Customer Reviews:
The first book I couldn't put down in a long time.......2007-09-13
I picked this book up on a whim (okay, so I was at a Borders), the cover looked interesting. Man, what a read. Non stop action from start to finish. A great storyline, characters that are easy to follow, but very well defined. I couldn't put it down (except for necessary sleep), first book in ages that only took 2 days to read!
If you like thrillers, read it.
Decent SciFi Thriller.......2007-09-13
GERM(2006) is a decent very-near-future biological SciFi thriller. It is fast-paced and packed with thrills. The characters are semi-interesting, if not a bit cliche - we even have NAZIs, one of whom becomes the main bad guy in the story... but the story of how a NAZI from the WWII era is still a viable villain is just too far-fetched, as are a number of other scenarios throughout the book.
The book is quite large - 480+ hardcover pages, and sometimes gets a bit tedious to plow through near the end of the book.
Germ, another amazing thriller from Liparulo!.......2007-07-13
I loved Comes a Horseman and wondered if Robert Liparulo would be able to deliver again in his second book, Germ. One of my favorite things about Liparulo's writing is his bad guys. Germ is a great book for the action / thriller fan, I highly recommend it! Great job again Mr. Liparulo, I can't wait for Deadfall!
Resik
Another Fast-Paced Thriller from an Excellent Author.......2007-07-11
Robert Liparulo burst onto the Christian fiction scene in 2005 with his debut novel, Comes a Horseman, which was highly regarded enough by both readers and fellow writers that he was subsequently invited to submit a short story to 2006's Thriller, a collection of similarly themed short stories edited by genre giant James Patterson. With his first book, Liparulo established himself as a thriller writer worth of sitting on the same table of contents as authors like Lee Child, James Rollins, and David Morrell. Now he's back with number two.
For readers who enjoyed Horseman, Germ does not disappoint. Liparulo, though only having just completed his second book, is clearly no stranger to the art of storytelling. The plot is fast-paced and suspenseful, the characters are believable and likeable, the villains are diabolical and realistically sinister, and the ending pulls readers all the way through the lengthy (486-page) story at what feels like breakneck speed. In all of these elements, Liparulo has surpassed Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti, two of WestBow Press's other best-sellers, both of whom have turned in lackluster books in recent years, including the dismal collaboration House in 2006.
Yet for a book ostensibly written for a largely Christian market, written by a Christian author, and published by a Christian publishing house, Germ has a noticeable lack of Christian content. The explicit Christian content in the book, if it can even be called explicitly Christian, is summed up in one character's statement to another: "Good lu-- . . . To hell with luck. God be with you." Liparulo has certainly proven his ability to write cross-over thrillers. But the question of whether he can write Christian thrillers still remains open.
Germ starts off fast, with a patient bleeding out from an Ebola-like disease in chapter 1 and an FBI agent involved in a high-speed chase in chapter 2. The action accelerates as Agent Julia Matheson tries to beat the clock to rescue her partner from an unknown danger and then rescue the world from an evident biological threat. Along the way she teams up with a brilliant and conceited surgeon and an embittered pastor. Together, the three unlikely heroes must stop a madman from destroying civilization as we know it. And the clock is ticking from page 1.
Germ lists a number of "facts" on the flyleaf (reminiscent of The Da Vinci Code) to whet readers' appetites for what follows. Unlike Dan Brown's best-seller, though, Liparulo limits his facts to verifiable data and has crafted an action-packed, conspiracy-free story to back them up. The book is superbly entertaining in nearly all respects.
It is disappointing, however, that WestBow didn't encourage it's up-and-coming author to incorporate more of a Christian message into his story. The thriller genre is the genre of the moment in the secular literary world, and it's only natural that the Christian market should try to capitalize on authors' cross-over appeal. But Germ has so much mainstream appeal that it flirts with being not a cross-over book but a purely secular one.
Crafted a multi-strand page turner and a highly recommended thriller.......2007-06-06
One of the most frightening possible attacks from terrorists on the United States involves biological warfare. In the opening pages of GERM, readers meet Despesorio Vero, who works as a lab assistant to scientist Karl Litt. Described in graphic detail, Vero helplessly watches a patient die a painful death after his organs liquefy. In the doorway Vero notices Litt observing the individual's demise.
A year and one month later, Vero contacts FBI Special Agent Goodwin Donnelley --- and now they are fleeing for their lives. A complex assassin named Atropos, who is eliminating anyone connected to the investigation, catches and kills both Donnelley and Vero. But before his death, Donnelley hides a memory chip and leaves a dangerous clue for his partner, Julia Matheson.
Later, New York Times reporter Jeff Hunter receives a strange email with the subject line "The story of the century." The email is blank, but included is an attachment that looks like a spreadsheet or a virus. He almost deletes it but decides that, because his computer is backed up, he can take a chance and open it. The attachment contains a list of 10,000 names, addresses and social security numbers. Hunter calls a few of these people to see if he can pick up on any pattern or connection, but he doesn't find any.
Much later in the book, we learn that the individuals on this list contain matching strains of DNA and come from a cross section of society: politicians, business leaders, blue-collar workers, even children. The virus targets specific people, and as it moves from person to person, it acts like a normal cold. When it reaches someone with the matching DNA, that individual is stricken with an advanced form of the Ebola virus. Within days of receiving the germ, their organs liquefy and they painfully die.
Karl Litt is a key character throughout the novel because he is the scientist who genetically created this virus. As one of 32 gifted children, he carries out the research his father began in Germany toward the end of World War II. Slowly we come to understand the deeper motive of pure hatred from a child like Litt, who witnessed the death of his father and the demise of his country.
From the beginning we know that a horrible threat to humanity is looming. Robert Liparulo has crafted a multi-strand page turner and a highly recommended thriller.
(...)
Average customer rating:
- One of the best!
- Love the cartoons, and I learned something too
- When my kids were sick, this was one of two books we always read...
- A missed opportunity to teach about hygiene
- An untimidating, practical account of germs for young reader
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Germs Make Me Sick! (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) (Reading Rainbow book)
Melvin Berger
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
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ASIN: 0064451542 |
Book Description
With Marilyn Hefner's new full color illustrations, bacteria and viruses have never looked so good! As packed with wit and good humor as with charts and diagrams, this book is still the best explanation of how your body fights germs. `An introduction to bacteria and viruses and how each of the two forms attacks cells and makes a person feel sick. The text mixes information with reassurance. . . . A nonthreatening first exposure, administered with a pleasant bedside manner.' 'K.
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Best Children's Science Books 1995 (Science Books and Films)
Customer Reviews:
One of the best!.......2007-10-02
Germs Make Me Sick by Melvin Berger is one of the best books I've seen to educate primary grade children about viruses and bacteria and how they can make you sick -- and how you can make yourself well again. Sometimes, your Doctor will have to send a swab or a drop of your blood to a lab to see just the right way to make you well if your illness is caused by a bacteria or protect you from some diseases caused by a virus.
I am amazed at how well this scientific information is presented for young readers, and the follow-up with a section on The Rules for Good Health make this a must buy for parents.
Love the cartoons, and I learned something too.......2007-03-25
Every illustration in this book is a cartoon, and in many of the illustrations a cat, dog, lion, or some other animal will make some kind of random comment. This was pretty funny, but not quite as funny as the cartoons in another Lets-Read-and-Find-Out Science book called Digging Up Dinosaurs.
According to this book, the sticky saliva in your mouth catches germs and prevents them from going inside your body to cause further damage. I didn't know that. Hope all the information is correct.
When my kids were sick, this was one of two books we always read..........2006-06-23
My children, now 19 and 17, loved this book. I guess they were about 6 and 4 when I got it. Whenever they were sick, we read this book and a Sesame Street book called "It's No Fun to be Sick." Reading these books became a comforting ritual, as well as an easy way to learn some basic science.
A missed opportunity to teach about hygiene.......2000-11-27
Although this book is thorough in describing the differences between viruses and bacteria, I think it misses an important opportunity to reinforce hygiene...wash your hands, cover your mouth etc. These are given a cursory review on the last page, with no accompanying illustration. I had hoped that this book would help my almost-4-year-old to understand how people get sick, how they get well, and how they can help prevent communicable disease to reinforce what I teach at home. I do not think that the authors did a very good job of meeting those expectations.
An untimidating, practical account of germs for young reader.......1998-11-20
My three-year old son really enjoys this book. The book's fairly simple, yet informative account of how viruses and bacteria can make us sick helps to make the abstract concept of germs more concrete for him. As an added bonus, the book gives a plug for handwashing, covering mouths when sneezing or coughing, and not sharing cups that most preschoolers can benefit from. I must also confess that, despite having read the Times Science section for years, I learned quite a bit about viruses and bacteria from this simple, well-illustrated book. A good buy, especially for parents who field a lot of factual queries every day. The Let's Read and Find Out series is a great way to let someone else do the explaining for a change.
Book Description
This book discusses the etiology of cancer and it's therapies as it relates to fungi and their mycotoxins.
Customer Reviews:
Good job.......2005-08-08
A great followup to Doug's other books. Interesting information for all cancer patients to consider. Doug does a good job researching his information and has helped many people fight their illnesses. While not a substitute for other treatments, I believe it's important to consider as many options as possible.
Shawn Messonnier DVM
Author, 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, and the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats.
www.petcarenaturally.com
www.pettogethers.net/healthypet
Super-researched fungal-cancer link.......2004-07-09
This is the most definitive book I have ever read on the subject of the link between cancer and fungi. It is well thought out and superbly researched. Kaufmann and Dr. Beverly Hunt know what they are talking about.
To help put this book into practice, Dr. Hunt has a companion cookbook that I would highly recommend (find it on eBay) called "LifeChange Cookbook, Low-Carbohydrate Essentials for Conquering Fungal Infection" by Beverly T. Hunt and Virginia O'Brien.
I highly recommend them both.
A TRULY EYE OPENING THEORY!.......2003-06-18
My sister bought this book and I thought she was crazy for paying so much for it; but I took it away from her and read it first!!! I wasn't done yet before I went out and gladly paid the price for my own copy!!! This book is truly worth twice the money! There are SO many things that this books pulls together; for health in general as well as for cancer. Since reading the book I have interviewed several cancer patients and have found out that the things pointed out in the book are actually true. They are also true to my experience, which might be cancer and might not. I am NOT going to the doctor to be poisoned and butchered to find out. But everything I've experienced hangs with what Doug says in this book, and with what cancer patients have told me, and I am trying the antifungal ideas set forth in this book...I heartily recommend this book to all, not just for cancer. As well as Doug's website, iknowthecause.com, and Dr. Mercola's website and free newsletter at mercola.com. (You won't find Doug's books in the used sections--I've tried. Apparently when people buy his books they never give them up!!!) Thank you to the people who are decent and honest and have integrity, and are trying to help us.
Fascinating!!!.......2003-05-27
This is an outstanding book that highlights many fascinating discoveries that anyone with cancer (or a loved one with cancer) should know. It's hard to believe that this information is not more publicly known.
THIS BOOK COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!.......2003-05-07
Kaufman's "theory" regarding many diseases being caused by mold, fungus and yeast is saving lives. I have been CURED of arthritis and allergies, by following the advice in this book and in Kaufman's other books, "The Fungus Link" and "Infectious Diabetes". When using a Kaufman-type diet, I had symptoms of nausea, followed by a rash, which I believe was the yeast in my body coming up through my stomach, then out through my skin, in the form of a rash, in search of it's natural "food" of carbs and sugars. What a relief to know this cause of so many deadly illnesses is now gone from my body! This book will tell you how to seek a cure, not just relief from symptoms!
Book Description
Pox is not an ordinary germ. Sure, like other germs he takes the bubonic bus to Germ Academy, and he proves that he is unhealthy before he attends school. But Pox just doesn't understand why he should want to make a person miserable. Poor Pox is stuck at the bottom of his class. Luckily, Pox is smarter than his friends and teachers believe, and when he's sent to infect an innocent little girl named Myrtle, he makes some new friends and finds himself a much more suitable, healthy home. A delightfully silly-and educational-story from the nearly germ-free Ross Collins.
A hilarious and unique look at how we get sick-from the germ's point of view!
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Customer Reviews:
A Great Find!.......2007-05-16
I was looking for a book that I could share with my four year old niece, and found this great book about Germs! My niece absolutely LOVES it! She giggles every time you say some of the germ names while reading the book. She asked everyone to read it to her over and over and over during my weekend visit. She couldn't get enough of it. And it's educational, which her Mom, the school teacher, loves. I would highly recommend.
Awesome Book!.......2006-12-15
We first got this book from our local Library because of the awesome pictures but after reading it knew it had to be one we added to our personal collection! Any time my 6 year old starts feeling sick, we pull this book out and it comforts him. He learned how his body's defences fight off the bug that gets inside him. We then discuss how the germ might have gotten into his body, and exactly how it comes out. Now that he can put a visual representation on what is going on, he is a bit more comfortable with being sick. I really LOVE this book!
Perfect for inquiring young minds!.......2005-07-11
When I saw this book didn't yet have a customer review, I felt compelled to correct the injustice. I purchased this book for my four-year-old niece and it has remained one of her absolute favorites for over a year now. Granted, she is a "just the facts, ma'am" sort of kid -- very interested in how things work, especially the human body. With space-age detail, Germs tells the story of Pox, a student at germ academy (along with roommates Pus, Snot, and Rash) who is learning how to make people sick. Not happy with his mission, Pox is sent to infect a little girl named Myrtle. When confronted with her white blood cells (an army of mini versions of Myrtle herself), Pox decides to make friends instead and opt for a non-infecting life of leisure inside Myrtle's body. While instructive about how we get sick, the book also is empowering in teaching about our immune systems. The pastel color palette has a retro feel, and the germs are cartoonishly gross -- perfect for kids who love to say "Ewww!" -- and yet Pox is adorably cuddly and cute. I highly recommend this book for any science-minded children out there.
Book Description
Updated and expanded by nearly fifty percent, this comprehensive new edition builds on its successful and popular predecessor, while retaining the practical features that made the first edition such an essential guide to IVF. The new edition describes the most recent additions to the range of current assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinical treatments, including the use of testicular and epididymal sperm, blastocyst stage transfer, and new perspectives in cryobiology and cryopreservation techniques. The authors have incorporated the very latest laboratory techniques and protocols, with an even greater emphasis on quality control to provide an indispensable and practical account of the latest IVF techniques. The introductory chapters covering the scientific background that underpins effective laboratory practice have been substantially expanded to include the most recent information available from research in mammalian systems into the molecular biology of oogenesis, oocyte maturation, and early embryo metabolism. This new edition distills a wealth of practical and scientific detail for the benefit of all IVF practitioners.
Download Description
This comprehensively updated and expanded new edition builds on its successful and popular predecessor, retaining the practical features which made the first edition such an essential guide to IVF. The new edition describes the most recent additions to the range of current ART clinical treatments, including the use of testicular and epididymal sperm, blastocyst stage transfer, and new perspectives in cryobiology and cryopreservation techniques. By incorporating the very latest laboratory techniques and protocols, with an even greater emphasis on quality control, it provides an indispensable and practical account. The introductory chapters covering the scientific background that underpins effective laboratory practice have been substantially expanded to include the most recent information available, derived from research in mammalian systems into the molecular biology of oogenesis, oocyte maturation, and early embryo metabolism. This new edition distils a wealth of practical and scientific detail for the benefit of all IVF practitioners.
Customer Reviews:
Early studies in Avalos,Mexico with Kay Elder.......2000-03-11
I have seen this title and recall fondly early studies in Mexico, including some unpublished ones with her brother Frank.Since I am currently in England I would be delighted to contact the author and renew old aquaintances. E-mail maruk@waitrose.com
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