American Indian Life Skills Development Curriculum

Book Description

Suicide is a significant problem for many adolescents in Native American Indian populations. American Indian Life Skills Development Curriculum is a course for high school students and some middle school students that is designed to drastically reduce suicidal thinking and behavior.
Created in collaboration with students and community members from the Zuni Pueblo and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, this curriculum addresses key issues in Native American Indian adolescents’ lives and teaches such life skills as communication, problem solving, depression and stress management, anger regulation, and goal setting. The course is unique in its skills-based approach. After first increasing awareness and knowledge of suicide, it then teaches students specific methods to help a peer turn away from suicidal thinking and seek help from an appropriate help-giver.
The skills-based approach of this curriculum follows well-established teaching methods to develop social skills. Teachers and peers inform students of the rationale and components of a particular skill, model and demonstrate the skill for them, and later provide feedback on individual skill performance.

Unplugged: Reclaiming Our Right to Die in America

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A Must Read
unplugged: reclaiming our right to die in america
The right-to-die debate is once again tackled
A Book for Everyone
A great read ... packed with helpful information

Unplugged: Reclaiming Our Right to Die in America
William H. Colby
Manufacturer: American Management Association, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0814408826

Book Description

The time has come for a frank discussion about how we die. Unplugged is the blueprint for that talk.

Medical technology has helped mankind conquer tuberculosis, polio, and countless other once certain-death diseases. It has given us hope against cancer and AIDS, allowed heart and brain surgeries that have saved untold numbers of lives, and delivered us from the pain and crippling legacy of injury. Medical technology, it seems, is a never-ending string of miracles. But it is also a double-edged sword. More often than not, death today happens because of a decision to stop doing something, or to not do it at all. As the tragic life and death of Terri Schiavo so poignantly illustrated, universal definitions of life, death, nature, and many other concepts are elusive at best. Unplugged addresses the fundamental questions of the right-to-die debate, and discusses how the medical advances that bring so much hope and healing have also helped to create today's dilemma.

This compelling book explores recent high-profile cases, including that of Mrs. Schiavo, and illuminates the complex legal, ethical, medical, and deeply personal issues of a debate that ultimately affects us all. Compassionate and beautifully written, the book helps readers understand the implications of current laws and proposed legislation, various medical options (including hospice), and the typical end-of-life decisions we all must face in order to make informed decisions for ourselves and our loved ones.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Read.......2007-02-21

If you have read William Colby's book Nancy Cruzan, The Long Goodbye, you will find his latest book equally informative. Mr. Colby provides an excellent medical history that has brought us to our current debate about killing vs. allowing individuals to die. He shares recent cases and offers insight to both sides of the issue. This book should be read by anyone who has been faced with making end-of-life care decisions and by all who want to ensure that their end-of-life care is clearly understood.

unplugged: reclaiming our right to die in america.......2006-10-05

unplugged delves into timely and essential subject matter with an entertaining, informative, wondrful style of writing. colby's insight to this pertinent topic is beneficial universally, as we all must confront these circumstances at some point in our lives.

The right-to-die debate is once again tackled.......2006-08-07

The right-to-die debate is once again tackled; this time by a lawyer who represented Nancy Cruzan in the first right- to-die case heard by the Supreme Court. While Nancy Cruzan's struggles were chronicled in a prior book by Colby, Unplugged: Reclaiming Our Right To Die In America offers a broader perspective on the topic, moving beyond Cruzan's struggle to offer answers to legal, ethical, medical and personal issues involved in the debate. Court records, interviews and the authors' own experiences lend to the discussion of current laws, proposed changes, and their effects on society.

A Book for Everyone.......2006-07-08

"Unplugged" is a book everyone who is going to die should read. It tells you what you need to do to make sure your wishes are respected when it comes to end-of-life decisions. Doing that will spare your loved ones unnecessary anguish. This book, believe it or not, is an engaging page turner and my 90-year-old mother just read it. We took its advice, talked about her wishes, and she now has a notarized health care power-of-attorney, giving us both much peace of mind. All this thanks to Colby's wonderfully written, timely, important book.

A great read ... packed with helpful information.......2006-07-04

"Unplugged" is superbly written and thoroughly researched. Colby provides an unbiased perspective on complex legal, medical, and ethical issues in terms easily understood by both the lay person and professional. This book is invaluable for anyone who cares about how they or their loved ones experience life - and death.

Moodswing: Dr. Fieve on Depression: The Eminent Psychiatrist Who Pioneered the Use of Lithium in America Reveals a Revolutionary New Way to Prevent Depression

Average customer rating:

Ups and downs
My Life
A classic - worth owning
Understanding Bi-Polar Illness Begins with Reading Moodswing
I THINK THAT THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK ON MOOD DISORDERS.

Moodswing: Dr. Fieve on Depression: The Eminent Psychiatrist Who Pioneered the Use of Lithium in America Reveals a Revolutionary New Way to Prevent Depression
Ronald Fieve
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0553279831
Release Date: 1989-08-01

Book Description

Fifteen years ago, this groundbreaking book provided new hope for those whose lives were devastated by moodswings and depression. Now, in this newly revised and updated edition, Dr. Ronald R. Fieve, the pioneer in the treatment of depression in America, offers an even brighter prognosis. Major advances in drug therapy have provided dramatic chemical "cures" that alleviate symptoms faster, more efficiently, and at a lower cost that ever before.

In this revised and expanded Moodswing, Dr. Fieve sheds new light on the causes and symptoms of specific mood disorders, including manic depression, seasonal depression, and PMS. Then, through case studies, he illustrates the effective use of the latest diagnostic methods and drug treatments. He also provides fascinating information on:

Why creative types are often prone to manic-depressive disorders--the results of a fifteen-year follow-up study.

How manic depression, alcoholism, and substance abuse go hand in hand.

How presidents, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights, and Wall Street wizards can benefit from "manic advantage," but crumble when their moods crash.

The revolutionary uses of one of psychiatry's greatest wonder drugs: lithium, as well as new material on the latest antidepressant drugs.

Why teenage and adult suicide is on the upswing and what friends and family can do to prevent it.

Why traditional psychoanalysis in the treatment of depression is, in many cases, no longer necessary.

Customer Reviews:

Ups and downs.......2006-07-04

I love it, I hate it , I love it, I hate it, ... all right I love it!
Perhaps I need to be more serious, but if you are serious about taking bipolar disoder seriously then this is a good book to get you started.

My Life.......2006-03-02

I was diagnosed as Bipolar back when the disorder was called plain old Manic-Depression. I had known something was wrong for about three years, but the lows weren't all that bad, and with a loving wife and four wonderful children, working fifty hours a week, and attending college full time, the non-stop stretches of 22 hour days were certainly very helpful. When I got to the point of being suicidal, at the pleading of some dear friends I finally sought help and I was put on Lithium. My shrink suggested I read Moodswing, and as I read it is was like reading "this is your life." The author is brilliant.

This book is not an academic tome, the author does not get overly technical, and is easy to read and understand. If a statistic is off in some spot or the editing isn't perfect, that's life and it does not detract from the great value of this book. My point is simple - this is an excellent book for someone with bipolar disorder, or for someone with a loved one or family member who is bipolar, that is if they cares enough to try to understand.

While staying off of the bandwagon, I am writing this review to point out something specific. I took Lithium for eleven years, and found it to be very effective. The book details how Dr. Fieve went to great extremes to find someone to market Lithium, for which I am thankful. Why was there a problem getting it to market, since it is helpful in approximately 70% of the people who use it? Lithium is a mineral salt, and as such even though there were clinical trials before it was approved by the FDA, Dr. Fieve found it difficult finding a company to market it, since it is rather difficult getting a patent on a naturally occurring mineral salt. I am not what some would consider a "health nut," and I don't believe "they" are out to get us, whoever "they" may be. Also, I do not reject conventional western medicine, and this is not a slam against the FDA or the pharmaceutical companies, just an acknowledgement that there are naturally occurring substances in nature that can help with medical conditions, and that without the protection of a patent there lacks a degree of willingness to market a helpful product when protection and a large profit margin are lacking. I know first hand that there are other naturally occurring nutrients that can help with Depression or Manic-Depression, but that's another story.

Bottom line - this is a wonderful and helpful book. Enjoy life!

A classic - worth owning.......2002-04-15

This is a nice little book on bipolar illness that won't choke you to death with scientific terminology or bore you silly. It's cheap and it won't take you months to read. Make it part of your library! Dr. Fieve opened the door for many people to take control of their lives and their healing. There are newer and more technical books available, but this one it very good.

Understanding Bi-Polar Illness Begins with Reading Moodswing.......2000-05-08

When my mother's psychiatrist said, "Your mother is bipolar," I remember being dumbfounded and confused. Although I was vaguely familiar with the terms manic-depressive and bipolar (same disease) I didn't have any real understanding of the illness. The psychiatrist recommended that I read Moodswing, by Dr. Ronald Fieve. Immediately I bought a copy of the book - my hunger for the truth caused me to devour the book like a starving child - it was so well written and had such helpful information I consumed each page as if my life depended on it. To my amazement, I recognized my mother in almost every chapter, sometimes feeling as if Dr. Fieve was actually writing about her! Reading Moodswing gave me comfort and hope because my mother's erratic behavior suddenly had a name and a treatment. After reading Moodswing I understood, for the first time, why Mom behaves the way she does and what causes the "different" behavior. If you or someone you love is bipolar, you must read this book. It could save a life - it will most definitely change yours for the better.

I THINK THAT THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK ON MOOD DISORDERS........2000-03-30

It was published in 1997 so it isn't the most recent of books however it is a good resourse. I didn't find it to "techy" to read. Also it is so important to understand your illness that if you run across concepts or words that you aren't familier with it is really important to familierize yourself with them for your own knowledge. Knowledge is power in managing your own health (and your own healthcare)

Average customer rating:

FACTUAL
A must read!

Meth: America's Home-Cooked Menace
Dirk Johnson
Manufacturer: Hazelden
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1592853056

Book Description

A harrowing look at the personal, social, and environmental impact of Americas newest drug abuse trend. Methamphetamine has been around for decades, but the recent surge in clandestine cooking labs in homes, hotel rooms, and even cars has made this toxic stimulant exceptionally affordable, accessible, and dangerous. With staggering facts and up-to-the-minute information, award-winning journalist Dirk Johnson has written the definitive book about Americas methamphetamine pandemic. Johnson examines the unprecedented physical, mental, social, and environmental destruction caused by meth use and meth production. He explains why this drug is so harmful, how it differs from other drugs, and how it has devastated individuals, families, and communities. While the facts are decidedly discouraging, Johnson describes successful national, state, and local efforts to fight meth production and prevent addiction, and shares hopeful stories from recovering meth addicts.

Customer Reviews:

FACTUAL.......2006-11-03

did not disappoint the reader. factual, truthful, eye-opening numbers-wise. saddening and cumbersome yet expectant

A must read!.......2005-10-11

Police departments in many regions across the United States say methamphetamine now represents 70-80% of their drug cases. Why? Meth is a cheap buzz and can be homemade with over-the-counter chemicals and cold remedies. It's also very quick to addict the user.

Federal surveys indicate that:
- 12 million Americans have used meth.
- More than 6% of high school seniors have tried it at least one time.
- 4% of nation's 8th graders have used it once.
- 2004 more than 17,000 meth labs were seized, compared to 7,500 in 1999.
- Meth abusers now account for more than 55% of all the people who seek help for addiction.

Today the phenomenon has moved to the heartland, the Midwest, and is moving east into big cities. It is no longer the drug of choice just for outlaw motorcycle gangs.

A gram can sell for $125, ounce $1700, a pound $13,000. But the mid 1990s, meth users discovered that they could make a less-pure form by themselves by copying recipes found on the Internet.

The drug's lure is that it produces a:
-- stunning burst of energy,
-- a feeling of euphoria,
-- heightened power of concentration,
-- a buoyant sense of self esteem,
-- an enhanced sex drive.

Smoking meth brings as much as an 8 to 12 hour high and 50% of the meth stays in the body after 24 hours. Meth seduces people who work long hours and become exhausted and females who use it to lose weight. The rush makes people feel great, as it affects the part of the brain that rewards people for doing things needed for human survival.

Now that you understand the who, what and why, it's important that every citizen learns how this drug is invading our country, being made in city apartments, small towns and abandoned farms or cabins.

The author, a senior writer and Chicago Bureau Chief for Newsweek, discusses mom and pop labs; women and meth; meth in the gay community; and young faces of meth. Prisons are bursting with meth users. Imagine being a child of meth users who don't sleep or eat for days while acting bizarre, and certainly not taking care of the children in their home.

Armchair Interviews says: If you are a parent, get smart about meth so you know more than your teen does. If you are a citizen, understand the emotional and financial disaster that meth is bringing into your town. Johnson's stories will blow your mind and break your heart.

American Meth: A History of the Methamphetamine Epidemic in America

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Did this drug alter the course of history?
One book, two stories.
freakin good
American Meth-A personal and historical look at America's most dangerous drug
The real truth about drug abuse in America

American Meth: A History of the Methamphetamine Epidemic in America
Sterling R Braswell
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0595380212

Book Description

Methamphetamine: the quintessential American drug. American housewives, heads of state, businessmen and poets alike have acquired a taste for the yellow, crystalline powder. Everyone from Hitler to President Kennedy to Elvis to Jack Kerouac indulged in one of its many forms, and its presence has been an invisible hand shaping events, preparing the ground for the strangest drug epidemic the world has ever seen. Today methamphetamine is everywhere, and there seems to be no way of stemming its growth.

It is the backbone of Ritalin and the 'club drugs" Ecstasy, Eve and Cat. According to the DEA statistics, approximately four percent of all Americans have used clandestinely manufactured methamphetamine. In the 1960s and 1970s millions of mainstream Americans used and abused prescription amphetamines; today, anyone with a stovetop, a beaker, and a little know-how can make its derivative, methamphetamine, with chemicals purchased at the hardware store and pharmacy down the street.

American Meth is the unprecedented story of a molecule in all of its incarnations, and the deep but little-known impact it has had on American life over the course of the last century. Told from the viewpoint of author Sterling Braswell, whose life has been touched by the drug, American Meth is a deeply personal drama that illuminates the epidemic we live with today.

Customer Reviews:

Did this drug alter the course of history?.......2007-03-22

We are all being affected by the growth of Methamphetamines in America. Whether you need a cold capsule and have to present full proof of identity and sign a form to get it or you live near a neighboring house that frequently smells of cat urine (and no cats reside there) or you suddenly realize that your entire savings has disappeared along with your spouse's sanity, Meth is out there, everywhere. In Sterling Braswell's non-fiction book, "American Meth," we discover where it all started, where it is going, and how deeply this epidemic has spread through our culture. We also see the very personal and real story of Sterling's own life being controlled by the drug use of his wife.

The subtitle of the book, "A History of the Methamphetamine Epidemic in America," really describes it well. In alternating chapters, Sterling gives the relatively unknown and sordid details of how this drug came to be, and the story of his own life dealing with the use of it by his wife. The history is an eye opener, to be sure. The first commercial use came in the form of an inhaler for congestion - each containing the equivalent of fifty-six amphetamine tablets. As appetite suppressant and a boost to the metabolism, this substance found a purpose, and later was also found to help children with ADHD by helping them to concentrate more easily. The stage was set, healthy people were hooked, and the epidemic began.

Did this drug alter the course of history? I'd say, in more ways than one. Perhaps we are paying for that now. Hitler received daily shots of Amphetamines from his personal physician. In 1940, as England faced the onslaught of Germany, with a severe shortage of pilots and planes, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding understood that more could be gotten from each pilot if a measure of control over the body clock could be achieved. 73 million amphetamine tablets, "Bennies," and inhalers were made readily available. On the other side, similar measures were being taken for Kamikazie pilots and Japanese soldiers. By 1949 millions of inhalers were being dismantled by recreational drug users to get at the amphetamine soaked strips inside. Yet, the U.S. assistant Surgeon General testified in 1955, saying that as far as he knew, amphetamine was "not addicting in the true sense of the word."

The clock ticks on and the story evolves into the raging addiction that millions of Americans face today. The personal story of Sterling continues too, and we see how his wife found a source so close to home for her high that it was right under Sterling's nose. Her addiction affected every aspect of his life, and while mistakes were made along the way, he was truly helpless to change the course of events. Perhaps that is the purpose of the book, to change the course of events from here on out.

Every American who could become affected by Methamphetamine drug use, every spouse, brother, mother, cousin, co-worker or friend, should read this book. Every politician who claims to be on the front of the war on drugs, every police officer who IS on the front lines, and every judge hearing cases of possession, distribution, and the manufacture of these substances, absolutely need to read this book. One person at a time can again alter the course of history.

One book, two stories........2006-11-10

With American Meth, you get two things. The first is the author's personal story with methamphetamine. And the second is a brief history of the drug. The chapters alternate between these two subjects throughout the book. The obvious strength of this book is the former, the author's ordeal with methampetamine in which his wife is an addict. His story is so horrible, unlucky, and honest that I quickly began skipping the historical chapters. This turned out to be to my benefit since the historical aspect of this book, while interesting, came across as suspect. No matter how well researched his information, the author is biased due to his personal experience, and in addition, he lacks the authority to write this kind of historical record as his previous career had been in the software industry. Overall, I recommend this book strickly as a real life document to the horrors of methamphetamine, in that respect, it really is an amazing story.

freakin good.......2006-11-03

didn't disappoint with solid level of realness and truth. i was definitely sympathetic to the writer. sadness and despair is the prevailing sentiment throughout the book with a glimpse of hopeful future at the end. overall subjective take: LIFE IS SOBERING FOR THOSE WHO REMAIN SOBER.

American Meth-A personal and historical look at America's most dangerous drug.......2006-06-02

This book gives a personal and historical account of a drug that is ravaging the country. I have over 30 years experience in the law enforcement/drug counseling profession, and have never seen a drug so capable of destroying peoples lives. The author paints a picture that allows the reader to experience the dangers of meth, while putting everything into a historical perspective. The book is a valuable resource for parents, teachers, law enforcement and drug counselors. I have made it required reading in our training academy.

The real truth about drug abuse in America.......2006-05-29

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (5/06)

Sterling Braswell has written a fascinating book about drug use in America. He begins with the history of amphetamines. It has been used almost 100 years. Meth was used in the 1920's to treat asthma, hay fever and depression. At this time it was legal and did not
carry a social stigma. Amphetamines were used in the military because it was believed to enhance intellectual performance and incite aggression.

Hitler was injected with it. Kamikaze pilots were injected with it before they went out on their suicide missions. JFK used it combined with steroids to treat Addison's disease. It was attributed to contributing to his abnormally high sex drive. Today meth abusers come from all walks of life: students, soldiers, workers, housewives.

The damage caused by meth use is insidious. Dopamine nerve terminals are damaged to the point that they put people at risk for developing Parkinson's as they get older. Some of the damage is permanent, and some can last up to three years after the use ends. Meth use triggers apoptosis which causes widespread cell death in several areas of the brain. The brain is affected in ways similar to the damage caused by Alzheimer's and strokes. The abuser's personality is also affected. They become paranoid, delusional and violent. Braswell refers to their reality as "Crazy Town." This becomes the user's world.

In this book, Braswell also includes his own personal story of the hell that he went through while he was married to Lucille, an addict. Lucille was unable to overcome her addiction and as a result of her meth addicted actions, she nearly destroyed Braswell. As I read his personal story, I kept hoping that their lives would improve and that Lucille would be able to overcome her addictions. Instead she betrayed him and his family in every way possible.

The history of methamphetamines and other related drugs is covered in great depth. "American Meth" would be very helpful for substance abuse counselors and people in recovery. For my Master's degree program in Rehabilitation Counseling, I did not have any texts that covered the history so deeply.

I think that it is important for people who believe that drugs should be legalized should read "American Meth." Crime is not just committed by people trying to get money for a fix, horrible crimes are committed by people who are under the influence of this drug. Families are destroyed.

Tweakers: How Crystal Meth Is Ravaging Gay America

Average customer rating:

Caveat Emptor
Was this book written by a Scientologist? Me thinks so..
Disappointed!!!!!
OK
Must Read

Tweakers: How Crystal Meth Is Ravaging Gay America
Frank Sanello
Manufacturer: Alyson Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1555838847

Book Description

Drawing upon conversations with addicts as well as experts in the gay community and at drug treatment centers, journalist Frank Sanello examines how crystal-meth abuse is reaching epidemic levels among gay men, and how almost one-third of the new cases of HIV are caused by the decreased mental capacity associated with crystal. Tweakers get a quick, cheap high, an exhilarating loss of inhibition and increased stamina at the price of permanent behavioral changes, brain damage and death.

Frank Sanello is a Los Angeles-based journalist whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe and the New York Times Syndicate. He is the author of Opium Wars, The Knights Templar and To Kill a King.

Customer Reviews:

Caveat Emptor.......2006-04-12

This was the last book I read before my most recent relapse. I cannot be sure that I decided to reinvestigate drugs because of the trigger potential in the interviews, or simply to block out the poor writing quality, lack of epidemiological inquiry, or the fact that it comes off as patronizing and uninformed.

Try "Meth: America's Home-Cooked Menace," instead.

Was this book written by a Scientologist? Me thinks so.........2006-03-01

This book is easily dismissed. Sure, the author makes liberal use of vivd case studies, but so do late-night infomercials. The vignettes are almost exclusively "horror stories", and rarely illustrate the casual, or binge user.

In addition, there are MANY glaring inaccuracies about meth in general, as well as spelling/syntax errors. And for the most part, there's really no insight offered as to the scope and effects of Meth as it pertains to the Gay community.

Sure they a few queens were interviewed and quoted, but the author fails to synthesize any of that infomation in a meaningful way.

Now, onto my biggest issue - this book is chock full of Scientology references. From the mention of Narconon (Scientology supported anti-drug program), to the inclusion of quitmeth.com (techniques based HEAVILY in Scientology theory) as a valid infomation source. Does the author realize he's endorsing an anti-12 step/anti-psychiatry group? My hope is no - but something is definitely rotten in denmark.

Look elsewhere for reliable info on crystal meth.

Disappointed!!!!!.......2006-02-19

This book failed to live up to what I expected and contained a ton of errors. I thought Dr. Ken Cimino's Politics of Crystal Meth a much better read. It contains real live experiences of addiction and recovery. I'm not sure why Amazon doesn't recommend that book, but it should.

OK.......2005-12-13

This book is a source of some information but it is organized into something of a hodgepodge of this and that.It does provide an inner glimpse of the dysfunction brought on by meth.There are much better books available as far as describing the biochemistry of meth and direction for recovery.Still it makes for some interesting reading.

Must Read.......2005-07-08

This book is one of the best I've read. However, its not a good choice for the faint-hearted. Its very real and very disturbing. Many times I would read a page and then just stare at the wall to think about what I just read. This book can definitely change your life and your choices. Anyone who does drugs or cares about people who do should read this.

Venus on Wheels: Two Decades of Dialogue on Disability, Biography, and Being Female in America

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surviving with severe handicaps

Venus on Wheels: Two Decades of Dialogue on Disability, Biography, and Being Female in America
Gelya Frank
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520217160

Book Description

In 1976 Gelya Frank began writing about the life of Diane DeVries, a woman born with all the physical and mental equipment she would need to live in our society--except arms and legs. Frank was 28 years old, DeVries 26. This remarkable book--by turns moving, funny, and revelatory--records the relationship that developed between the women over the next twenty years. An empathic listener and participant in DeVries's life, and a scholar of the feminist and disability rights movements, Frank argues that Diane DeVries is a perfect example of an American woman coming of age in the second half of the twentieth century. By addressing the dynamics of power in ethnographic representation, Frank--anthropology's leading expert on life history and life story methods--lays the critical groundwork for a new genre, "cultural biography."
Challenged to examine the cultural sources of her initial image of DeVries as limited and flawed, Frank discovers that DeVries is gutsy, buoyant, sexy--and definitely not a victim. While she analyzes the portrayal of women with disabilities in popular culture--from limbless circus performers to suicidal heroines on the TV news--Frank's encounters with DeVries lead her to come to terms with her own "invisible disabilities" motivating the study. Drawing on anthropology, philosophy, psychoanalysis, narrative theory, law, and the history of medicine, Venus on Wheels is an intellectual tour de force.

Customer Reviews:

surviving with severe handicaps.......2007-07-10

At times, the book can be an uncomfortable read. Frank describes cases of women with varying degrees of disability, and their experiences of growing up and making a living in the US. Some examples are extreme indeed. Like Diana, born with no arms and legs in 1950. You could cringe at trying to imagine yourself in her situation. Yet somehow, she managed to cope.

Several others are chronicled here. Often trying to resist the expectation of wearing artificial arms and legs; by wanting to decide how they would appear in public. The book applies anthropological analysis to studying these unfortunate women.

Keep in mind that the various protheses described in the book are now somewhat outdated. Better fitting, easier to use protheses have been developed in recent years. With the promise of ongoing improvements. Ironically driven in no small part by the US military casualties in Iraq.

Relax and de-Stress: Rest, Re-Balance, and Replenish with Classical Music for Healing

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Relaxing and Soothing

Relax and de-Stress: Rest, Re-Balance, and Replenish with Classical Music for Healing
Andrew Weil , and Joshua Leeds
Manufacturer: Sounds True
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1591795400
Release Date: 2006-01-01

Customer Reviews:

Relaxing and Soothing.......2007-04-17

"The music will help slow your heart rate, deepen your breathing, and move your brainwaves in the direction of calmness. Think of this CD as an acoustical balm for your nervous system to be played whenever you feel the need for peace, stillness, and tranquility." - From the liner notes

The hurried pace of overcommitted lives and manic striving is a breeding ground for stress and disease. Stress hormones bathe our delicate nervous system resulting in the fight-or-flight response once reserved for survival, resulting in fatigue, fuzzy thinking and irritability.

Fortunately, there are wonderful stress-reduction products out on the market like Dr. Andrew Weil's Music for Self-Healing: Relax and De-Stress. Joshua Leeds, an expert in psychoacoustics, has designed this CD to soothe the body's primary pulses--heart rate, brainwaves, and breathing rate.

In a sonic progression spanning 60 minutes, Leeds has selected and re-arranged instrumental compositions by renowned composers expressly for inducing the relaxation response. By arranging the musical selections so that each piece is progressively slower in tempo and simplified in melodic complexity, gentle healing sounds can relieve an overtaxed nervous system.

With lovely performances by the Apollo Chamber Ensemble, the Relax and De-Stress CD features the piano, cello, and oboe arranged by Leeds with four psychoacoustic techniques in mind:

1. Resonance - The impact of one vibration upon another

2. Entrainment - A natural process whereby heartbeat, breath and brainwaves speed up or slow down to match an external rhythm

3. Auditory Pattern Identification - Passive hearing techniques designed to relieve the mind of the tendency to "work" to figure out musical patterns

4. Beauty - Resolution between dissonance and consonance found in harmonies, melodies, and performances

Here are the eleven musical pieces found on the Relax and De-Stress CD:

* Aria Lento by Bach
* Reverie by Debussy
* Concerto for Oboe and Strings Sarabande (with nature sounds) by Corelli-Barbirolli
* Arioso from Cantata No. 156 - Bach
* Intermezzo Op. 116 No. 4 in E Major - Brahms
* Concerto for Oboe K. 314, Adagio non troppo by Mozart
* Cello and Piano Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65 Largo by Chopin
* Sonata Andante transcribed from Cello Suite No. 3 by Marcello
* Sonata in A Major D959 Andantino by Schubert
* Winter, Largo from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi
* Meditation by Moussorgsky
* Theme from Largo of "The New World Symphony" by Dvorak

I've listened to Dr. Andrew Weil's Music for Self-Healing: Relax and De-Stress several times and find it to be very relaxing. Aesthetically speaking, these aren't musical selections I'd put in my stereo to listen to for pleasure, yet I can tell a measurable difference in both my mood and bodily state after I begin listening to this CD.

In fact, I'm listening to Relax and De-Stress right now and I'm noticing that my breathing has deepened and slowed--and that tension in my shoulders and neck seems to have melted away.

If you're looking for a soothing CD to put in the stereo after work or perhaps to listen to while you make dinner or get ready for bed, I can recommend with confidence the Relax and De-Stress compilation arranged by Joshua Leeds.

(Note: Although the Amazon.com description says "audiobook", it is NOT. This is a psychoaucoustically arranged musical CD WITH sixteen pages of liner notes.)

Terror on the Highway: Rage on America's Roads

Average customer rating:

A pick for any college-level collection

Terror on the Highway: Rage on America's Roads
Paul Eberle
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Stress Management | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Foreign | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Violence in Society | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1591023793

Book Description

A doctor chases, then assaults an elderly woman after she cuts in front of his BMW; a teenager shoots another driver because the driver "looked at him with disrespect"; one man kills another because "he was driving too slow." These are a few of the many examples of extreme road rage documented by Paul Eberle in this shocking look at the havoc caused by angry people in their cars. Eberle makes it clear that young and old, men and women, and all socioeconomic classes are involved in this epidemic of rage and violence on our highways. In 1998, the California Highway Patrol recorded 209 incidents of Assault with a Deadly Weapon in which a motor vehicle was the weapon used, and in the same year the media reported more than 4,000 stories on road rage nationwide. The problem has only gotten worse.

Eberle lists the warning signs of potential road-rage drivers, suggests ways to avoid such dangerous individuals, discusses the psychology of the car as "holy icon" and the effects of traffic congestion on "mad car disease," expresses skepticism about psychologists specializing in aggressive driving, and proposes ways to reinvent our cities to make them less stressful, dangerous places. Complete with graphic pictures showing the dire consequences of driving while enraged, Terror on the Highway should be mandatory reading in all driver education classes.

Customer Reviews:

A pick for any college-level collection.......2007-04-19

TERROR ON THE HIGHWAY: RAGE ON AMERICA'S ROADS considers all socio-economic classes involved in incidences of road rage on the highways, listing the signs of potential road-rage drivers, suggesting how to avoid problems, and covering the effects of traffic and tension on developing such drivers. From ways of making highways less stressful places to understanding human aggression and what encourages a hostile environment on the road, TERROR ON THE HIGHWAY is a pick for any college-level collection concerned with social issues and public safety - and for many a public library.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Motherhood Lost: A Feminist Account of Pregnancy Loss in America

Average customer rating:

An insightful and well-researched book on miscarriage

Motherhood Lost: A Feminist Account of Pregnancy Loss in America
Linda L. Layne
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Grief & Bereavement | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Feminist Theory | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0415911486

Book Description

Nearly 20% of all pregnancies in the U.S. end in miscarriage or stillbirth. Yet pregnancy loss is seldom acknowledged and rarely discussed. Opening the topic to a thoughtful and informed discussion, Linda Layne takes a historical look at pregnancy loss in America, reproductive technologies and the cultural responses surrounding miscarriage. Examining both support groups and the rituals they create to help couples through loss, her analysis offers valuable insight on how material culture contributes to conceptions of personhood. A fascinating examination, Motherhood Lost is also a provocative challenge to feminists and other activists to increase awareness and provide necessary support for this often hidden but critically important topic.

Customer Reviews:

An insightful and well-researched book on miscarriage.......2003-10-20

Finally, a book about miscarriage that goes beyond the medical facts! I appreciated Dr. Layne's critical analysis of how American culture, medical technology, and support groups affect and deal with pregnancy loss. I often wondered how pro-choice women experienced and understood miscarriage and why it was downplayed or overlooked in the women's health movement and literature- this was the first book I found in which these subjects were addressed.
The last chapter is an inspiring research and socio-political agenda for raising awareness of pregnancy loss and increasing support to those affected by it. There is an extensive bibliography to refer to for further reading and the entire book is well-referenced.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring the complex issues related to pregnancy loss in more depth.

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