Book Description
For the first time in our history, scientists are uncovering astounding medical evidence about dieting -- and why so many of us struggle with our weight and the size of our waists. Now researchers are unraveling biological secrets about such things as why you crave chocolate or gorge at buffets or store so much fat.
Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, America's most trusted doctor team and authors of the bestselling YOU series, are now translating this cutting-edge information to help you shave inches off your waist. They're going to do it by giving you the best weapon against fat: knowledge. By understanding how your body's fat-storing and fat-burning systems work, you're going to learn how to crack the code on true and lifelong waist management.
Roizen and Oz will invigorate you with equal parts information, motivation, and change-your-life action to show you how your brain, stomach, hormones, muscles, heart, genetics, and stress levels all interact biologically to determine if your body is the size of a baseball bat or of a baseball stadium. In YOU: On a Diet, Roizen and Oz will redefine what a healthy figure is, then take you through an under-theskin tour of the organs that influence your body's size and its health. You'll even be convinced that the key number to fixate on is not your weight, but your waist size, which best indicates the medical risks of storing too much fat.
Because the world has almost as many diet plans as it has e-mail spammers, you'd think that just about all of us would know everything there is to know about dieting, about fat, and about the reasons why our bellies have grown so large. YOU: On a Diet is much more than a diet plan or a series of instructions and guidelines or a faddish berries-only eating plan. It's a complete manual for waist management. It will show you how to achieve and maintain an ideal and healthy body size by providing a lexicon according to which any weight-loss system can be explained. YOU: On a Diet will serve as the operating system that facilitates future evolution in our dieting software. After you learn about the biology of your body and the biology and psychology of fat, you'll be given the YOU Diet and YOU Workout. Both are easy to learn, follow, and maintain. Following a two-week rebooting program will help you lose up to two inches from your waist right from the start.
With Roizen and Oz's signature accessibility, wit, and humor, YOU: On a Diet -- The Owner's Manual for Waist Management will revolutionize the way you think about yourself and the food you consume, so that you'll diet smart, not hard. Welcome to your body on a diet.
Customer Reviews:
Much needed information.......2007-10-11
This book explains how food effects your body so much. As a diabetic with heart disease and a large waist, this certainly is a book for me. I found it interesting and motivational. I will be sharing this book with my friends.
This is a GREAT book!.......2007-10-10
I REALLY enjoyed this book, as it is medically correct and appropriate information. It's a little overwhelming to remember everything because parts of it can get quite technical, but it is very helpful to know the "why" certain foods are detrimental to our health and our diets, and the "how" our bodies work when dieting (or not dieting). Even if you just pick up two pieces of advice from this book (I've picked up about 12 that I use every day) it will be well worth the read.
May or may not be For YOU.......2007-10-09
I have mixed feelings about this book. Even though we are all hoping to open up a weight loss book and find an effortless way to lose those unwanted pounds, we all know that the only way to lose weight is by eating less, exercising more, or both. Hence, if you strip away all the elf pictures and humor, 'You: On a Diet' really has nothing more to offer than that. So if you're looking for a new slant to things, or some cutting edge weight loss plan, you'll probably be disappointed. For example, one of the exercises the book tells you to do to lose weight is to walk. But I guess that might be good advice for readers who never thought of doing that to lose weight?
Having said that however, for what it is- a quite entertaining weight loss book that explains in plain language how your body gains/loses weight and details a sensible diet and exercise plan- it is well worth your time and money (which is why I give it 5 stars). Also recommend The Sixty-Second Motivator because dieting and exercise are useless unless you're motivated to stick with them.
BEST DECISION I EVER MADE!.......2007-10-05
More of a lifestyle reprogramming than a diet plan, this book provided me with the information and motivation to reprogram my way of eating. This "diet" really changed my life. I've lost 74 pounds in the 7 months since I followed this diet.
I started reading the book, chapter by chapter, before I began the diet. In one example, the author explained why most diets fail and how many dieters are set up to fail when they make their first mistake and "cheat" on their diets. As the author explained, everyone makes mistakes-just don't make it a habit!
In addition to the author's motivational writing, I enjoyed the cartoon drawings which helps the reader to visualize the information that the author is explaining. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about trying to lose weight, this is a really well put together book.
You on a diet.......2007-10-05
Sorry to be sarcastic but I bought this book and never read it at all. Instead, I bought myself a subscription to 24-fitness and started working out. You can change your way of eating but if you want to lose weight, you need to hit that local gym. Diets don't work! Just exercise and stop making excuses. There are gym opened 24 hours a day so you can work your lazy buttocks after 1:00 am.
Amazon.com
If there ever was a pair of docs who can make the small intestine seem truly intriguing, here they are. Dr. Mehmet Oz is an alternative-medicine maverick and a cardiologist known to implement acupuncture during open-heart surgery. Dr. Michael Roizen developed the RealAge concept of calculating one's biological, as opposed to chronological, age. Here they've whipped up a witty guide to the workings of the entire body, appropriate not just for those who can't tell their pancreas from their pituitary. Even Cheers' Cliff Claven types who think they know it all will likely be humbled by the 50-question "body-quotient" quiz that starts off the book.
With much sassy humor (they describe the adrenals as similar in shape to Mr. Potato Head's hat), they give a guided tour of the body's anatomy and major systems (hormonal, nervous, digestive, sensory, etc.) including plenty of fascinating trivia along the way. How often should you get your thyroid level checked? How much gas does the average person produce in a day? And, most important, how many times a year do most people have sex?? Drs. Oz and Roizen know. They also reveal plenty of bizarre (and potentially life-saving) facts such as this: If your earlobe has a prominent vertical wrinkle, it's likely that your arteries are aging faster than they ought to be. If only 8th-grade health class had been this fun.
The docs' main goal in presenting all this info is twofold: first, it's your body, so shouldn't you finally learn how it works? And, second, they want to help teach ways of preserving the body's health and youthfulness. To that end, they've included an "Owner's Manual Diet," a 10-day menu plan designed not for weight loss, but to make you feel "years younger." Its simple recipes are each meant to benefit a certain body system, such as Tomato Bruschetta, packed with the antioxidant lycopene, which has been proven to boost immunity. --Erica Jorgensen
Book Description
Between your full-length mirror and high-school biology class, you probably think you know a lot about the human body. While it's true that we live in an age when we're as obsessed with our bodies as we are with celebrity hairstyles, the reality is that most of us know very little about what chugs, churns, and thumps throughout this miraculous, scientific, and artistic system of anatomy. Yes, you've owned your skin-covered shell for decades, but you probably know more about your cell-phone plan than you do about your own body. When it comes to your longevity and quality of life, understanding your internal systems gives you the power, authority, and ability to live a healthier, younger, and better life.
You: The Owner's Manual challenges your preconceived notions about how the human body works and ages, then takes you on a tour through all of the highways, back roads, and landmarks inside of you. After taking a quiz that tests your body of knowledge, you'll learn about all of your blood-pumping, food-digesting, and keys-remembering systems and organs.
Just as important, you'll get the facts and advice you need to keep your body running long and strong. You'll find out how diseases start and how they affect your body -- as well as advice on how to prevent and beat conditions that threaten your quality of life. Complete with exercise tips, nutritional guidelines, simple lifestyle changes, and alternative approaches, You: The Owner's Manual gives you an easy, comprehensive, and life-changing how-to plan for fending off the gremlins of aging. To top it off, you'll also get the great-tasting and calorie-saving Owner's Manual Diet -- a thirty-recipe eating plan that's designed with only one goal in mind: to help you live a younger life.
Welcome to your body. Why don't you come on in and take a look around?
Customer Reviews:
You: The Owner's Manual.......2007-10-06
This book is very informative. It takes the human body and breaks it down so anyone can understand it. I have learned a great deal about my body and the abuse I do to it. Would recommend it to anyone and everyone. Oh, and I love the humor too!
Heath for Dummies.......2007-10-06
Health for dummies. Fun and quick reading. But, before you buy the book. Look through the 50 question quiz. If you are interested in the questions and were not able to answer them, then go ahead and buy.
Look at the menus at the back of the book. If you are not interested in changing your diet, you might look elsewhere.
Look at Page 127-139 for an excercise plan: Very basic
Page 173 simplistic smoking cessation plan
Interesting points
1) Take half an aspirin with warm water for the rest of your life.
2) Ideal blood pressure: 115/76
2a) Systolic Pressure exerted when the heart contracts
2b) Diastolic: Pressure in arteries when the heart is at rest
3) HDL should be at least greater than 40
4) Should be maximum heart rate: Exercise hard 3 mintues. Heart rate should be 80-90% of 220 - age.
5) Recovery time after 2 minutes:Heartbeat should be 80% or drop by 66 or more beats
6) Definition of clinical depression is sadness for more than 2 weeks
7) Enamel and bone are the first and second hardest thing in your body
8) 650 muscles in the body
9) Pneumonia: Old man's friend
10) 26 feet of tubing
11) Most active muscles are in your eyes. 2 million working parts
12) caruncle: reddish pink fleshy substance on the inside corner of your eye. remnant of the reptilian eye.
Tried to be a little too funny.......2007-10-01
I liked this book, but ended up skipping over a lot of the parts that were supposed to be funny. I would have liked the pictures to be labeled correctly, not with funny made up names for body parts.
You: The Owner's Manual.......2007-09-29
Great stuff, easy read. Very informative. I read it and then my Mom read it.
Very "YOUseful".......2007-09-28
In short, just a very informative book that is successful in achieving several goals. For one, it educates the reader in the inner workings of the human body. It does this quite entertainingly through trivia, facts, and interesting pictures (for instance the authors use a lot of elves). Additionally, the book also gives you many helpful tips on self-care and how to keep your body running smoother. While there is a lot information, I really would like to have seen a reference section at the end of the book. All in all though, it's a pretty informative and amusing read that should enhance the well-being of many. Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff for readers who might need more specific info on shoulder pain and rotator cuff self-care.
Book Description
Creating memorable photographs is a process that starts before you edit an image in Photoshop, before you capture the image, even before you pick up the camera. You must first approach the subject with the proper sense of perception, with the ability to visualize the finished print before you commit a scene to pixels, but still be flexible and spontaneous. Master Fine Art photographer Vincent Versace has spent his career learning and teaching the art of perception and how to translate it into stunning images. In Welcome to Oz, he delves into what it means to approach digital photography cinematically, to use your perception, your camera, and Photoshop to capture the movement of life in a still image.
- Adapt your workflow to the image so you always know how best to use your tools
- Turn a seemingly impossible photographic scenario into a successful image
- Practice âimage harvestingâ to combine the best parts of many captures to create an optimum final result
- Create black and white prints that have the look, feel and ârichnessâ of traditional silver prints without ever leaving the RGB color space
Customer Reviews:
Adding drama and depth to images.......2007-10-11
Welcome to Oz by Vincent Versace
Subtitled "A Cinematic Approach to Digital Still Photography with Photoshop"
ISBN 0-7357-1400-2
New Riders
Reviewed by Hal Work of the Eureka Photoshop Users Group
Finally, someone wrote a book about the process of vision in Photography using Photoshop. Versace shows how to add drama and depth to an image through subtle, though involved, means. The efforts are worth it.
While Versace introduces a number of compositional philosophies, this is not just a touchy-feely book. There are a number of carefully thought out exercises that demonstrate his points. Each takes hours and are well work the time. A CD is included with example files. The book is using Photoshop CS2. That will have no effect on the lessons being taught.
He shows how to direct the viewers eyes through an image. By using image maps, variable opacity masking, and creative render lighting for the most part , he accomplishes this.
The back cover of the book truthfully states:
- Adapt your workflow to the image so you always know how best to use your tools
- Turn a seemingly impossible photographic scenario into a successful image
- Practice "image harvesting" to combine the best parts of many captures to create an optimum final result
- Create black and white prints that have the look, feel, and "richness" of traditional silver prints without ever leaving the RGB color space
I am taking his lessons to heart. I've begun incorporating some of these philosophies into my own work. It is making for a much more interesting ride.
contemporary approach.......2007-10-09
I like this non text book style, contemporary and philosophical in thought. The book is filled with beautiful photoshoped images. Unfortunately there are quite a few image typeset problems the before and after images reversed and the colour cast removed image looks worse than the before image, this can be annoying until you realise they are publishing problems. This is very surprising and unfortunate for this high quality book.
The Grammar of Seeing Applied to Practical Photoshop.......2007-10-08
Vincent Versace has clearly articulated the principles by which our eye moves across an image (the "grammar of seeing") and applied them to the enhancement of images through Photoshop in a very detailed step-by-step guide. He spends an entire chapter on each of six images of different types (portrait, nature up close, figure study, etc.) showing how the careful management of light in an image can turn a good photograph into a great one. Follow his lessons, with the enclosed CD-ROM, and you will emerge with a deep grasp of Photoshop tools that you can use on any kind of images. Highly recommended.
Dust collector big time.........2007-09-24
A postprocessing photoshop book. But a bad one of its kind. The first example he uses is a portrait of an female actor he tries to make better in photoshop. It ends up with very very yellow skintones. Im surprised he didnt see it himself before publishing. He uses a lot of time, too much, explaining about selective focus done with gaussian blur and layermasks. Why not get a fast lens and save all that paintwork- it didnt take me to OZ!!
3rd Party Req. not mentioned.......2007-09-12
After much anticipation and excitement....This book requires third party plug-ins, to complete the lessons as described..only good for 15 days. Sorry to say I am disapointed because nowhere in the Descriptions, Editorial reviews etc... does it mention this oversight!!!. I'm feeling kinda deceived right about now!!..... made it to page 17.
Book Description
When Mehmet Oz or any of New York's leading doctors has a patient whose life depends on losing weight, they call on Joel Fuhrman, M.D. In EAT TO LIVE, Dr. Fuhrman offers his healthy, effective, and scientifically proven plan for shedding radical amounts of weight quickly, and keeping it off.Losing weight under Dr. Fuhrman's plan is not about willpower, it is about knowledge. The key to this revolutionary diet is the idea of nutrient density, as expressed by the simple formula Health=Nutrients/Calories. When the ratio of nutrients to calories is high, fat melts away and health is restored. Losing 20 pounds in two to three weeks is just the beginning. The more high-nutrient food Dr. Fuhrman's patients consume, the more they are satisfied with fewer calories, and the less they crave fat and high-calorie foods. Designed for people who must lose 50 pounds or more in a hurry, EAT TO LIVE works for every dieter, even those who want to lose as little as 10 pounds quickly. No willpower required-just knowledge!
Download Description
When Mehmet Oz, Dean Ornish, or any of New York's leading doctors have a patient whose life depends on losing weight, they call on Joel Fuhrman, M.D. In EAT TO LIVE, Dr. Fuhrman offers his healthy, effective, and scientifically proven plan for shedding radical amounts of weight quickly, and keeping it off.Losing weight under Dr. Fuhrman's plan is not about will power, it is about knowledge. The key to this revolutionary diet is the idea of nutrient density, as expressed by the simple formula, Health = Nutrients/Calories. When the ratio of nutrients to calories is high, fat melts away and health is restored. Losing 20 pounds in two to three weeks is just the beginning. The more high-nutrient food Dr. Fuhrman's patients consume, the more they are satisfied with fewer calories, and the less they crave fat and high-calorie foods. Designed for people who must lose 50 pounds or more in a hurry, EAT TO LIVE works for every dieter, even those who want to lose as little as 10 pounds quickly. No willpower required-just knowledge!
Book Description
A decade ago, The Oz Principle took the business world by storm. At its root, the principle works like this: Like Dorothy and the gang in The Wizard of Oz, most businesspeople have the tools to succeed, but when things go wrong they blame circumstance or others instead of looking within for the true cause of unsatisfactory results. Once individuals learn to accept responsibility, they can use the Oz Principle to become better leaders.
Now, with corporate scandals in the headlines and the culture of victimization running rampant at every level of the business world, Roger Connors, Tom Smith, and Craig Hickman return with a new edition of The Oz Principle. Fully revised, this edition will update the statistics, concepts, and relevant companies through fresh, timely anecdotes and stories.
Customer Reviews:
I built a company culture on this book!.......2007-10-02
I'm now using this book to build a corp. culture for the second time. I buy a copy for every employee. I know they don't all read it. But, we use it as the text for company meetings, training and performance expectations. Big help in getting people to take more responsibility for our success as a company.
enjoyed the book.......2007-09-30
normally I am a cynical employee and our company is going into this hot and heavy. I figured that for once I should read about something before I talk bad about another fad. I read it cover to cover with a open mind and I agree with what it is pushing and I hope that my company really tries to follow the example.
Sadly, I do not see this taking hold where I work as the "CYA" principal will never go away and that is a shame.
Old Fashion.......2007-06-08
I guess i can understand the purpose of the material. However, it all seems to be common sense to a recent college grad who had to do any teamwork. I would find books on "treating women equal" just as useful. The concept is outdated, these things are already being taken care of in society.
Hackeneyed cliches and unsupported conclusions.......2007-05-15
I could not have been more disappointed in a supposedly useful business book. The entire book consisted of assertions on how "accountability" leads to better results, without a single empirical example to support it. Rather, there were plenty of quotes from Jack Welch (he who had 5 good years out of 20 at the top) and anecdotal stories linked to the Wizard of Oz. How dumbed down has business press gotten? What's next, management according to "Go Dog Go"? It was just bloody awful
Book and tape combo.......2006-02-19
I listened to the tape and used the book as documentation of the most important parts. It worked really well as a study method.
Book Description
The Truth about Beauty is a revolutionary guide to transforming your shape, your looks, and your life without drugs, deprivation, sweat, or surgery. Renowned holistic beauty expert and health advocate Kat James introduces pro-beauty lifestyle upgrades that will help readers shed the toxic mindsets and popular regimens that sabotage our bodies, and recreate ourselves from the inside-out with stunning physical rewards. Backed by current science and based on the author's own remarkable transformation, this indispensable resource will help readers:
* Discover the three crucial elements missing from standard beauty and body approaches
* Learn why chemistry counts more than calories
* End food cravings and reshape their body
* Reverse wrinkles without acids and conquer chronic skin issues without drugs
* Convert dozens of autopilot routines into powerfully transforming beauty rituals
The book includes an extraordinary Resource Guide filled with the most affordable and appealing science-backed solutions that maximize your vitality and quality of life.
Kat James's advice has been featured on Today and MSNBC and in Vogue, O, Self, and Seventeen. Her clients have included both everyday women and celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Kate Hudson. She is a regular columnist for Better Nutrition and founder of the science-based Web site, InformedBeauty.com.
Customer Reviews:
interesting, informative read.......2007-05-19
I couldn't put this book down. A friend lent me her copy, and I loved it so much I ordered my own before I was even finished reading it. I learned so much about health and beauty and the things around us that drag them down. I have gone on to some of the other books and topics mentioned in this one, and have significantly changed my lifestyle, due largely to the information from Kat's book. I recommend it to any woman who wants to take better care of herself, feel better, and look better. It won't just benefit you; it will benefit all those around you. A fun and easy read--it is definitely worth the money.
Good reference.......2007-05-16
Great book loaded with information on ways to get healthier and think healthier about the way we women look.Fabulous product suggestions. She never leaves you wondering how do i do that or where do i get this?
Excellent Resource.......2007-05-14
Though the first part of the book is somewhat mundane it more than compensates for it in the resouces section. James not only lists the best products for one's diet, skin care, healing specific problems, and anything having to do with good health, but she also lists stores where they may be found complete with addresses. Her listings are impressive and invaluable. The resouces section alone is well worth the price of the book. For anyone who neither reads nor understands labels, this book is a "must have."
A great book that shows health and beauty go hand in hand.......2007-02-02
Even before I read The Truth about Beauty, I already bought a lot of natural and organic products, shopped at health food stores, and used traditional Chinese medicine. But despite being generally attuned to the problems with chemicals, overly processed foods, pharmaceuticals, etc., I still had some blind spots, especially when it came to issues of "beauty." For example, with my skin I was still using the old "search and destroy" method. But this book opened my eyes, and I have had much more success since I gave that up and started following James' advice about fixing the skin from the inside out.
The book does a great job of connecting health with beauty and explains a lot of concepts that even a natural food consumer might not know a lot about. For example, I had always thought of low-carb diets as being a lot of baloney (so to speak), but the way James explains the glycemic index makes total sense. I especially like her idea of "upgrading" and the specific examples she offers, like drinking spritzers instead of soda.
The resource index is also really useful, although some of the products may seem expensive. If you shop at Wal-mart for all your food and toiletries, yes, you will pay more for natural products. But if you buy department store brands like Clinique, you will be able to find plenty within your budget. Also, I find that I use a lot fewer products in general now that I've started following the kind of simple regiment James prescribes.
All in all, I would recommend this excellent book to anyone who has beauty issues.
A life-changing book!.......2007-01-11
I had the great fortune to meet Kat James and hear her speak at the Alive! Expo in Seattle in 11/06. She is as compelling a public speaker as she is an author. She tells her own story in the book, which makes it resonate just that much more strongly. This book, simply put, has changed my life. I followed almost all of Kat's recommendations, and have used the buying guide at the back to replace many of the personal care products I used for years without thinking of the chemicals contained in them. I'm eating organic foods and have lost 25 lbs. since I read this book three months ago. I bought it for several women friends for Christmas, and they're loving it, too. I cannot recommed the book highly enough. Read more at www.informedbeauty.com
Book Description
Every day headlines are filled with examples of narcissistic individuals in positions of power who are nothing more than impostors plundering and wrecking havoc on the lives of others. From the corporate moguls of Enron and WorldCom to the clergy leaders of the Catholic Church, we daily encounter narcissists and the self-serving systems that enable them. Helping people reclaim their lives from this sinister exploitative force is the mission behind Payson's book, The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists: Coping with the One-Way Relationship in Work, Love, and Family. Using simple metaphors from the American classic, The Wizard of Oz, Payson illustrates how Dorothy's journey captures all the seductive illusions and challenges that occur when we encounter the narcissist. Empowering the reader with the ABCs of unhealthy narcissism and the unique problems that occur when a person becomes involved with the narcissist, Payson gives step-by-step practical tools to identify, protect, and heal from these destructive relationships. Largely un-addressed in the psychology and self-help literature, this ground breaking book offers hope and help to those who have been drawn into these devastating relationships. She includes illuminating case studies that identify the problems that occur in the different types of relationships, from co-workers, to friends, to parents, to lovers. Readers employing these insights and skills will find new abilities to identify and protect against the narcissist's manipulations and take back control of their lives.
Customer Reviews:
Lightbulb moments!.......2007-10-05
The recent demise of a particularly confounding romantic relationship sent me looking to purchase my very first "self-help" book. Most of the time, people make sense to me. However, a year's worth of WTF? with this person really had me confused, as I'd never met someone quite so self-obsessed, empathy-free, and with a hair trigger temper if his knowledge/opinion was questioned. This book was really a lightbulb moment for me-- it really put into context not only his confounding behavior/actions, but also my inexplicable responses/behavior that were, frankly, not the me I thought I was. It's been an eye-opening experience to understand the overt narcissist/co-dependent relationship, and to see how I have been in this same dance (in subtle and not-so-subtle ways) a number of times with friends, family, and at work. Some of these relationships I could (and did) walk away from. For those that I feel I can't (family, co-workers), this really gave me the knowledge to understand the dynamic and deal with it effectively, rather than continue to get emotionally caught up in the situation and, ultimately, give the narcissistic personality the "knee-jerk" reaction that s/he thrives on.
The reviews really sold me on this book, and I certainly was not disappointed (in spite of my cynicism). Very well written, very highly recommended!
Helpful but specific.......2007-10-02
A friend was brave and wise enough to tell me she thought my adult sibling has this disorder. For years our family has been wondering about my sibling's difficult personality, focus on self, and lack of compassion for the rest of us. We have been living a life of self-blame and wondering what we did wrong. Receiving a "diagnosis" of NPD is like someone finally opening the window in a very stuffy room.
This book is good, but it makes for slightly more difficult reading than books such as the more colloquial _Help! I'm in Love with a Narcissist_. However, if you already know for sure that someone has NPD and are looking for answers to "what do I do?" instead of the "why," a book on setting boundaries might be more helpful--most books on NPD end up pointing you in that direction, anyway, but without much guidance themselves on the subject.
Unfortunately, most books on NPD (such as this one) seem to be about one or more of three relationships; an NPD: parent, boss, or spouse/significant other. It may be difficult for those of us who don't fit this mold to glean useful information from books which break down the NPD person into specific roles.
I also question the author's advice to write a letter to someone with NPD. A parent and I have been in correspondence many times with my sibling, and have always been surprised at how easily my sibling can misconstrue the written word, only to turn it around into a quick (or long) attack. Writing to my sibling is a scary endeavor. However, that's hopefully the only advice that seemed like it might backfire so severely, so most of the book is truly helpful and informative--especially if this topic/diagnosis is a new one.
Wizard of Oz, & other narcisists.......2007-08-07
Straightforwardly laid out with a crystal clear logic. I only wish I could have read this book 20 years ago. It would have saved me much heart-ache & confusion.
Narcissism, a how (not) to book.......2007-07-14
This book was a very in-depth study of the narcissistic personality disorder. It taught me how to recognize the pitfalls in dealing with narcissistic people, and how to manage your own behavior when embroiled in a personal/professional relationship with individuals suffering with this disorder.
Depends on what you are seeking.......2007-07-05
I am an adult child of a narcissistic parent. I found chapters 1 - 5 very interesting with a fascinating take on how different children within the same family can receive somewhat different abuse from a NPD parent and/or how those children respond to their individualized suffering. I found this book as helpful (but no more helpful) than the two others I had read in providing strategies to limit NPD abuse. From Chapter 6 on (roughly the last third of the book), the book was of limited use to me as it talked about having an NPD individual in an intimate love relationship or a social/professional relationship. I finished the book, but realized that for my purposes I had really finished it after Chapter 5.
Book Description
Everyone needs to become a smart patient. In fact, in the worst cases, your life may even depend on it. Number one bestselling authors and doctors Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz have written this indispensable handbook to help everyone to get the best health care possible -- by making everyone into their own medical detective.
Witty, playful, at times offbeat, but always authoritative, You: The Smart Patient shows you how to become your own medical sleuth, tracing your medical family tree and wending your way through the pitfalls of any health care situation. Written in conjunction with the health care community's leading oversight group, The Joint Commission, the book shows readers in clear, easy steps how to take control of their own health care and deal with all matters that may come up when facing a medical case: from choosing the right doctor, hospital, and insurance company to navigating prescription drugs, specialists, treatment options, alternative medicine, pain management, or any problem that might arise.
Accessible, humorous, and filled with information that you need, You: The Smart Patient is a book for every patient and all those dealing with a loved one's medical issues.
Customer Reviews:
Patient Advocacy at it's best.......2007-09-03
This book is written toward the average layperson and something that has been needed for a long time. As a nurse, I read this book as research. I speak on the topic of patient advocacy and have an independent practice as a case manager. This information (for the most part)is the very information I share with others on a regular basis. For anyone who has ever left the physician's office confused about what they are expected to do next, this book will encourage you to take control of your own health information. I feel that anyone who takes this information to heart will become a smarter patient, one who is in more control of their medical health, and able to save money from unnecessary repeated diagnostic studies and the like. The resources and health history sections are worth the cost of the book.
Know yourself.......2007-07-26
Millionaire in 365 Days: The Daily Plan to Get There
It is great to know what is happening....medical terms can be confusing and this is a great easy read....
Great chance to meet Dr. Oz: He really knows what he's talking about.......2007-06-19
I've read this book and it has really changed my outlook on health care. You really need to get to know how the system works in order to get the best from it. Through this book, Dr. Oz helped to give me gain those core insights to make more informed decisions. I am a huge fan of his work and am so excited to be attending one of his five special health care workshops this summer. His workshop will offer education on the human body and better weight and health management. The name if the tour is "It's all about you" and that's the frame of mind I'm in right now. I am ready to put myself and my health at the center of my life. I hope you can join me in getting to learn from and possibly meet Dr. Oz.
[...]
A must have.......2007-05-20
A very informative book printed in laymans terms. Every household should have one of these.
Excellent Resource.......2007-03-29
Every year, medical mistakes cause an estimated 44,000 to 98,000 fatalities - at least twice the number claimed by drunk driving. Another 40,000 people also die and 1.3 million are seriously hurt because of medication mishaps - many due to doctor or pharmacist error.
The solution, say these physicians? Become a "smart patient." Arm yourself with information, ask questions and participate in every healthcare decision, from hospital choice to medication management. This book is an excellent resource for doing just that.
Average customer rating:
- It Would Put the Wicked Witch Off Reading
- The misunderstood witch.... UNDERSTOOD!
- Wicked Wasted My Week
- Enigmas, akimbo, and snares, Oh My!
- Horrors! Horrors!
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Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Gregory Maguire
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0060391448 |
Book Description
Following the traditions of Gabriel GarcÍa Marqu,z, John Gardner and J.R.R. Tolkien, Wicked is a richly woven tale that takes us to the other, darker side of the rainbow as novelist Gregory Maguire chronicles the Wicked Witch of the West's odyssey through the complex world of Oz -- where people call you wicked if you tell the truth.
Years before Dorothy and her dog crash-land, another little girl makes her presence known in Oz. This girl, Elphaba, is born with emerald-green skin -- no easy burden in a land as mean and poor as Oz, where superstition and magic are not strong enough to explain or to overcome the natural disasters of flood and famine. But Elphaba is smart, and by the time she enters the university in Shiz, she becomes a member of a charmed circle of Oz' most promising young citizens.
Elphaba's Oz is no utopia. The Wizard's secret police are everywhere. Animals -- those creatures with voices, souls and minds -- are threatened with exile. Young Elphaba, green and wild and misunderstood, is determined to protect the Animals -- even it means combating the mysterious Wizard, even if it means risking her single chance at romance. Even wiser in guilt and sorrow, she can find herself grateful when the world declares her a witch. And she can even make herself glad for that young girl from Kansas.
In Wicked, Gregory Maguire has taken the largely unknown world of Oz and populated it with the power of his own imagination. Fast-paced, fantastically real and supremely entertaining, this is a novel of vision and re-vision. Oz never will be the same again.
Download Description
Packed with e-book extras, including the original classic, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, and the Reader's Group Guide. When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only one side of the story. Meet Elphaba -- a smart, prickly, little green-skinned girl who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil. When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil? Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to be the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.
Customer Reviews:
It Would Put the Wicked Witch Off Reading.......2007-10-08
I got this book after seeing Wicked the Musical. The character of Elphaba, the predestined Witch, was presented as a sympathetic character. All of the book's best setup ideas are in the musical, and ideas that should have been obvious in the book but weren't were also in the musical. I made the mistake of getting this book to read all the details the musical didn't include.
Simply put, there are no details the musical doesn't include. Possible Spoilers: The foundation of the book is clever, but never developed: Elphaba is an outcast, made more so by her care for the Animals, the ones that can speak, that are being oppressed and worse. She gets hold of a magic book the Wizard can't read, and then proceeds to do nothing with it. Her relationship with Fiyaro, explained fully in the musical, is never explained in the book! Then there are the long, rambling conversations that go nowhere and have no point.
I think the author as a child must have been subjected to long, rambling & meaningless (to him) conversations between family members at social gatherings, as this is how he perceives all such gatherings; as much talk about nothing, vague (and obtuse) reflections on the "nature" of good & evil, etc; he presents all the characters as ninnies in their incoherent discussions, except for the Witch who also participates, and inevitably is seen as a ninny too for participating in them. The author does this dozens (and I mean dozens) of times in his book. To what purpose? It's never explained. What starts as a sympathetic character eventually grates on the nerves as she is never deveoped, her motivations become flatter and flatter, explanations are never forthcoming, and she's seen as weak & ineffective throughout the whole book. If she's so helpless, why does the Wizard see her as a threat? That's never explained either. The dialogue between characters is stilted, disconnected, sometimes illogical to the point where you're shaking your head and putting the book down to spare yourself a headache, when what you want is an engrossing and uplifting read. This book is the opposite of engrossing; it's off-putting, and a continual trudge uphill to find something meaningful in it.
Ultimately, you lose patience and start thinking for yourself about the giant plot holes and contradictions. For me the most basic one became this: Here we have the Wizard, a powerless man magically but who has a lot of guards & spies. Then we have the Witch, a natural magician, in possession of a dangerous tome, as well as part of a huge underground rebellion. The Wizard simply kidnaps her lover's family, and the Witch has to beg on her knees, crying, to the Wizard to get them back, without ever using her powers or her connections to save them. Is this consistent with the character? Is this our brave & indomitable Witch? Should we care about her after this as a viable or even an effective character, since she is not the character described at the beginning of this novel? We understand she's going to be different than the Baum character, but she should at least be consistent in some way within this story. Also the "huge rebellion" is hugely meaningless, as it never succeeds in anything and simply disappears eventually, never mentioned again!
The book makes allusions to Nazi Germany in its persecution of the Animals. In this author's view, from what he has written, Hitler would never have been defeated; he would simply have gone on and on, without opposition, as any rebellion or resistence is futile. And what is the point then? The author doesn't make one; we are left then with the author's perspective that true evil once in power can never be defeated, only endured till it kills us. Whether the author intended it or not, that is the moral of this book. Is it worth slogging through hundreds of pages of disconnected characters and events to get to that charming point?
I can't call it a story, as ultimately, it isn't one -just disconnected scenes & rambling, pointless dialogue. He really should have read his own book before publishing it. I don't understand why the people he credits for "reading the book early" didn't point out these giant flaws, the fact that she never (I mean never) uses her powers, and that she never develops (nor does anyone else) after college. Nor do I understand the Publisher not pointing this out and requesting a decent rewrite. (Which frankly, I think would have been beyond his capacity as a beginning writer). What he needed was an experienced (and better) cowriter to flesh out and develop the characters, and eliminate all of the rambling that does not progress or add to the story.
If you care for this character, don't read the book; you'll get no insight as to her motivations, or anything else.
You'll actually stop sympathizing and caring about her character. See the musical instead. The person that wrote the book for the musical did a better job than the author did in writing the novel. The musical Wicked is far better than this author deserves for it to be, considering the source material.
The musical does the Witch justice; this book, I'm afraid, does just the opposite, both for the Witch, and its readers.
The misunderstood witch.... UNDERSTOOD!.......2007-10-05
What can I say about this book?
Only that it was a honorable classic. I was able to fully understand the madness of the infamous witch, her story corrected my thoughts. We were all lead to believe that Elphaba was hateful and despied poor Dorthey, but that was not the case according to Maguire's novel. As a little girl I asked myself why was she so wicked? and did she have a life before Dorthey's time? This book clearly gave me perspective in that matter. Elphaba's stormy, weird and excitable sexual relationship with Fiyero also mad me love this book, because who would think that The Wicked Witch of The West had sex? Maguire makes it loud and clear that she did and LOVED it!
Another creative part of this book was the description of Nessarose and Galinda. He allowed me to get a full review of the charaters of Oz. And as a child I was scared of Munchkinlanders and after reading this book I confired that I still am!
Filled with hidden messages and funny sexual acts Wicked turned out to be my most beloved book of this year (2007)
And I am off to Broadway to see the play...........
Wicked Wasted My Week.......2007-10-05
Wow was I disappointed in this book!!! Had heard great things about it and thought the concept would be interesting. It was the furthest thing from interesting and in fact was the worst book I've read since high school.
The plot rambles with most of the book irrelevant to the "story". Characters come and go with no direction. They pop up, seem interesting, then they go away without much explanation.
I am no author, but I think Maguire really missed out on creating a truly interesting story. Would be nice if someone else took a real crack at creating somthing intriguing.
Luckily I just borrowed the book from my sister. Don't waste your hard earned cash.
Enigmas, akimbo, and snares, Oh My!.......2007-09-28
I liked the book because of its originality.
However, the story would flow and then get stuck in its attempt to confuse and irritate the reader into skipping over big parts of the book.
The journey of the Witch is so convoluted, that I had to back track. Enjoying this book took a lot effort. I like to be entertained when I read fiction, not work myself into a dither trying to understand where the story is going. When it gets bogged down with theories and who is who and where and when,...it is rather boring. BUT.. the parts that tell you about her childhood, schooling...is entertaining.
Horrors! Horrors!.......2007-09-23
This book was painfully disappointing. The plots meanders here and there and never fully develops. The writing is mediocre, and the book left me feeling cheated. The books sums itself up with the only funny line in it - "Horrors! Horrors!" Don't waste your time!
Amazon.com
Mehmet Oz is a Renaissance man of cardiac care, combining yoga, aromatherapy, hypnosis, energy healing, music therapy, acupuncture, and visual imagery into his surgery practice at the Complementary Care Unit of New York City's Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. He's adamant that the relationship between traditional and alternative medicine should be symbiotic, not mutually exclusive. His patients are proof of this: when treated holistically, not as just "another transplant patient" with a plaque-addled heart, they perceive less pain during surgery and recuperation, are less likely to suffer depression, and heal more quickly.
While med school at the University of Pennsylvania didn't expose Oz to the holistic healing methods he employs today, his upbringing in Turkey and exposure to cultures worldwide did leave him open to new ideas. Oz helped develop the LVAD, or left ventricular assist device, which helps the heart of a patient awaiting a transplant keep pumping. Piqued when he was asked about his patients, "But has restoring their hearts restored their health?"--and he had to respond, "No"--Oz started incorporating one alternative method after another into his practice. He started with massage after seeing how it rejuvenated his wife after childbirth.
Healing from the Heart is not for the weak of stomach; Oz occasionally gets graphic, such as in the opening heart-transplant scene: "I finished closing the last tiny bleeder, then called for the electric saw, which was plugged in and handed to me by its metallic handle ... the saw cut through the bone like soft pine." If there's anything that might inspire you to pass up greasy French fries, this book is it. Current cardiac patients and their families will be enthralled by the tale of Oz's holistic revolution and his patient-success stories, and other health practitioners would do well to pay attention to what he advocates. --Erica Jorgensen
Book Description
"The medicine of the new millennium."--Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Healing Words
Dr. Mehmet Oz, celebrated heart surgeon and co-founder of the Complementary Care Center at New York's Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, is spearheading the health-care revolution that is yielding powerful new healing tools that will forever change the way we think of medicine. In this ground-breaking book, he describes his pioneering work--combining cutting-edge Western medicine with such Eastern techniques as acupuncture and chi-gong, as well as such controversial therapies as hypnosis, music, massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, and energy healing. The inspiring and affecting stories of his patients are the heart of this book--from the extraordinary discipline of Frank Torre, who used his professional sports training to "psych" himself into healing after heart transplant surgery, to the "impossible" recovery of blues great Johnny Copeland, who was roused from a seemingly impenetrable coma through the force of his own music. In recounting his patients' experiences, Dr. Oz forges a blueprint for the radical new medicine of the next millennium--drawing on the best from Eastern and Western therapies and empowering patients to become partners with doctors in promoting their own recovery.
Customer Reviews:
An unexpected side effect.......2007-02-16
I rate this book very highly with relation to what it teaches regarding cardial care.
What also struck me is a reference to what he experienced in Turkey, were Dr. Oz spent a vacation as a child or teenager. He refers to this somewhat timidly.
Can you imagine: there was no toilet paper. It was explained to him, that Turkish people, like Indonesians and other Asian people refrain from rubbing an obnoxious substance into a tender skin with paper, which Western people have been led to believe represents cleaning, but rather prefer using water and their left hand.
People that use their right hand's middle finger to signal derision, don't know what they are signaling about. Dr. Oz mentions, that the Eastern method of personal hygiene also diminishes the survival rate of hemorrhoids.
So it would seem that the book promotes health of heart as well as of another , but less admired, part of the human anatomy. A double whammy so to speak.
Not yet Synergy.......2006-11-07
Dr. Oz is, I guess, trying to be a complementary surgeon, and he does okay in his explanations of the typical complements i.e. yoga, music, but he is still a surgeon, and his belief in surgery comes through loud and clear. Just as the "YOU" books are deceptive in their attempt to woo the reader into believing this is a new approach to medicine. Alternative therapies were mainstream medicine long before Oz decided to be a revolutionary. Hard to read a book based on false premises. I much prefer the truth, even it sounds to some as being "too loving." Read Rayna Gangi, Deepak Chopra- let these guys go be surgeons.
Heart on Heart!!.......2006-11-04
Great information and easy read. I learned more in one book than the other 5 I read on the heart and the things we can do to help heal. As a yoga instructor I will recommend this to my ailling students.
The Heart Can Thrive on Positive Thoughts........2006-06-19
Dr. Oz, the heart wizard, is of Turkish descent and attempts to combine East and West traditions of healing during post-surgery. He is a heart surgeon located in New York City. First of all, he is searching for the elusive one universal healing endeavor. Some things we all need are recommended such as Love is a major healing force, as is religious faith in one God. He is of the opinion that modern medicine is not perfect. Nothing is perfect, not even beauty, he says.
Music can be healing or it can turn destructive if your favorite network plays exactly what you dislike the most, as mine is currently doing, as an irritant. Believe me, I have the emails to prove it is done on purpose just to make me hurt. But I push a button until that awful stuff is over, so it really doesn't fulfill the purpose they intend. There are devils on earth.
Pets can be a reason to live. Some are actual life savers for their owners. The purpose of healing is to bring us in harmony with ourselves. Sounds like Depock Chopra.
Our minds and emotions affect our immune systems. Depression, loneliness, and stress (brains and bodies) can cause death. Emotions are not only in our heads but affect all of our body cells. All cells are geared to know what each is supposed to do, independent of messages from the brain.
He talked about the Greek myth of Psyche and Cupid, god of Love. She needed the knife so as to be armed to deal with consequences. Who knows when an ardent lover will turn violent.
A Good Combination.......2006-02-23
The view that all types of medicine (western and eastern) working together makes sense. This book seems to encorage a balance between both. I enjoyed it.
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Whether you're carrying a few extra pounds of fat on your thighs or a suitcase's worth in your belly, it's hard not to think about fat. You feel it when you walk, you roll on it when you sleep, and you curse it when you try to slide into last year's jeans. But while most of us are intimately familiar with how fat looks on the outside, we're not quite as familiar with how it works on the inside.
Print out this exclusive shopping list, created by Michael F. Roizen, MD, Mehmet C. Oz, MD, and UnitedHealthcare, to get a jumpstart on the waist-reducing, health-boosting plan you'll find in YOU: On a Diet.
