The Omega-3 Connection: The Groundbreaking Antidepression Diet and Brain Program

Amazon.com

A must-read for anyone dealing with depression, The Omega-3 Connection by Andrew L. Stoll, M.D., strikes yet another blow against the standard American diet. We already know that years of noshing on highly processed foods have saddled us with sky-high rates of heart disease, obesity, and related conditions. But, as we're starting to understand now, our eating habits may also be subtly altering our brain chemistry, leaving us vulnerable to anxiety disorders and depression. Only in this case, it's not just what we're eating--it's what we're not eating: foods containing omega-3 essential fatty acids--the "good fats" that help maintain optimal brain function.

In his book, Stoll, the director of the psychopharmacology research lab at Boston's McLean Hospital and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, suggests that restoring our body's natural balance of omega-3s may help alleviate (and prevent) many types of depression--even for those who don't respond to traditional antidepressants. Omega-3s may also prove helpful with other problems, such as the inability to handle stress, memory loss, and cognitive decline. The book contains a "renewal plan" designed to help readers put Stoll's concepts into practice, recipes for omega-3-rich dishes, advice for choosing supplements, and dosages for therapeutic use.

Although Stoll is quick with the caveat that much of the research on omega-3s and brain function is still evolving, he makes a compelling case for using these fats to regulate depression and other cognitive disorders. Along with major epidemiological evidence that shows lower rates of depression in those cultures that consume a great deal of omega-3s, Stoll's own studies indicate that boosting their intake can reduce depression symptoms. And Stoll cites stacks of additional studies suggesting that omega-3s can also help with major depression, schizophrenia, and postpartum depression. Going even further, Stoll makes a strong argument that omega-3 deficiency could be contributing to rising rates of teen violence and attention deficit disorders.

Of course, depression should never be treated without physician supervision. But in laying the groundwork for the omega-3s to emerge as the next big thing in natural depression therapy, Stoll certainly gives us food for thought. --Norine Dworkin

Book Description

Managing depression safely, naturally, and without side effects

For years scientists have searched for a treatment to relieve the pain of depression and other mood disorders -- one that's safe enough for nursing mothers, children, and the elderly -- without the side effects associated with medicines like Prozac, Zoloft, and lithium. Thanks to Dr. Andrew Stoll's groundbreaking research, that search may well be over.

Stoll found that omega-3 fatty acids, already known for their importance in preventing heart disease, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer, also play a crucial role in mental health. They regulate and enhance mood, sharpen memory, and even aid concentration and learning. Though these remarkable substances are abundant in common fish oils and other foods, the average Western diet includes far too few of the most common sources. Fortunately, our deficient diets and attendant depression can be reversed. The Omega-3 Connection provides readers with all the information they need to restore their natural balance of omega-3 fatty acids, including

Which omega-3-rich foods to eat
The most effective over-the-counter supplements
How to integrate flaxseed and fish oils into diet and medication plans
Simple recipes, supplement doses and sources, and more

Download Description

Ground-breaking research provides an exciting new approach to treating the most common mental problem in America -- depression. For years, scientists have searched for a "magic bullet" to relieve the pain and trauma of mood disorders -- one safe enough for nursing mothers, children with ADD, and the elderly, and one uncomplicated by the toxicity and invasive side effects associated with mood regulators like Prozac, Zoloft, and lithium. Thanks to Harvard's Andrew Stoll, the search may finally be over. Stoll found that Omega-3 acids, already known for their importance in preventing heart disease and cancer, play a crucial role in mental health -- regulating and enhancing mood, sharpening memory, and even aiding concentration and learning. This substance, so essential to our health, is found abundantly in fish and flax oils and occurs naturally in humans, but is often depleted by our Western diet and lifestyle. In his revolutionary program, Stoll presents readers with all the tools for restoring their natural balance of Omega-3 -- including the foods to eat and how to choose the most effective over-the-counter supplements. Featuring information on how to integrate flaxseed and fish oil into diet and medication plans, simple recipes, supplement doses and sources, The Omega-3 Connection offers an entirely new, practical method for improving mental health.

Customer Reviews:

The Omega-3 Connection.......2007-07-09

I found this book helpful and am incorporating its suggestions into my diet. Good read.

best book on the subject.......2007-01-12

What I liked best about this book is that it gives a comprehensive review of a tremendous amount of information, and does so in an organized, understandable, straightforward way. There is a good balance of scientific information, personal experience, and sound, solid advice. Dr. Stoll is one of the worlds top experts on this subject, so I trust the information in the book. I liked it so much, that I bought a few copies to give to my patients.

YES - YES - YES ! ! !.......2006-07-05

What the author says is true! His program works! I am at last free of insomnia and depression. Even anger has become fully under my control.

At age 68 I am not becoming rich and fameous; but I am becoming myself as I was at a much younger age. I have even happily gone back to work.

Ground Breaking Research; Vital Information.......2005-10-16

This is a book that can be life changing. It's extremely solid, clearly written, for the lay person, and fully documented, and it concerns Dr. Stoll's claims as to the benefits of taking Omega-3 oil supplements. It was recommended to me by a Nurse Practitioner at the Hospital Clinic where I go for regular medical care, and it has caused a revolution in my life. We live in a wilderness of self help and health care books that can confuse us and numb us with their contradictory claims. But be assured this book is a thorough and brilliant record of the results of actual medical research. Dr. Stoll's work with Omega-3 was done at Harvard, and he knows whereof he speaks. He is not the only one recommending that we take Omega-3 supplements to make up for the deficiencies in our "modern" diet. Indeed many many doctors are now talking about this, and word can not spread too fast. Read this book. And take it from this reader: there is indeed a profound" Omega-3 connection, " and it's vital that we avail ourselves of this substance for better health.

Best discovery for everyone.......2005-01-05

This is one of those books where after you read it your life style will change. We spend billions of dollars on health care at the treatment level when we should be focusing on the cause.

As a physician treating cardiovascular disease the cause is in our diet. Read it if you want to know more about yourself and lead a healthy life.

[...]

This is an excellent book on the omega-3s, which are health providing substances found in fish oil. Either way, this is an excellent book for learning more about omega-3s.

The Omega Diet: The Lifesaving Nutritional Program Based on the Diet of the Island of Crete

Average customer rating:

Nothing special
Really?
Lifesaving Stuff!
The best diet book !!!
A valuable reference

The Omega Diet: The Lifesaving Nutritional Program Based on the Diet of the Island of Crete
Artemis P. Simopoulos , and Jo Robinson
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Mediterranean Diet
The Omega-3 Connection: The Groundbreaking Antidepression Diet and Brain Program
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The Mediterranean Heart Diet: How It Works and How to Reap the Health Benefits, with Recipes to Get You Started

ASIN: 0060930233

Amazon.com

Is it really possible that eating more fat is the key to better health? It depends on the fat, according to Dr. Artemis Simopoulos. The Omega Plan shows, in great detail, the difference between omega-3 fats, those found in fish and some green vegetables, and omega-6 fats, which are found in most meats and vegetable oils. The former have heart-protective and cancer-preventive properties; the latter, she writes, cause obesity, heart disease, cancer, depression, and a host of other ills. Omega-3 fats are at the heart of her plan, along with ample servings of fruits and vegetables. Unlike diets based on deprivation, Simopoulos offers some fairly lush food choices, including an ounce of cheese every day. Best of all, The Omega Plan is bursting with so much useful information about food shopping and preparation that you'll be able to use its advice the second you put the book down.

Book Description

The medically proven diet that restores your body's essential nutritional balance

"Good fats"--essential fatty acids--influence every aspect of our being, from the beating of our hearts to our ability to learn to remember. There are two types of essential fatty acids (EFAs), omega-6 and omega-3. The problem with our modern diet is that it contains far more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3s. This hidden imbalance makes us more vulnerable to heart disease, cancer, obesity, autoimmmune diseases, allergies, diabetes, and depression.

The Omega Diet is a natural, time-tested diet that balances the essential fatty acids in your diet. It is packed with delicious food that contain the "good" fats, including real salad dressing, cheese, eggs, fish--even the occasional chocolate dessert--and an abundance of antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

The Omega Diet provides:

seven simple dietary guidelines for optimal physical and mental health
a concise guide to the foods you need to restore your body's nutritional balance
a diet plan that lets you eat fat as you lose fat
fifty delicious recipes that are quick and easy to prepare
a comprehensive three-week menu to help you get started

Customer Reviews:

Nothing special.......2007-09-29

Nothing contained in the book that hasn't already been printed about food and etc. They advocate Canola Oil over Olive and that is the first I ever read that. Other than that I wouldn't recommend to purchase it.

I have Lupus and was looking for a cleaner, something different daily eat book.

Really?.......2007-06-01

I was surprised that this book was copyrighted in 1998. It seems that we have just now caught up with what she knew back then about essential fatty acids. That part of the book is very good and I am glad that we have finally caught up with her on this.

I haven't tried any of her recipes but I it seems that many of the recipes do not follow her traditional Greek way of cooking. I mean canola oil, for instance, certainly is not a part of traditional cooking anywhere. It is a relatively modern phenomena. She also uses white sugar and white flour in some of her recipes. Come on! These things were not part of the traditional Greek diet. And, really, do you think they used low-fat dairy products. Give us a break!

Lifesaving Stuff!.......2006-11-03

Great recipes, great information. Two RN's and my cardiologist all give this book a really big thumbs up! Plus, and this is a seriously big plus, you never feel like you're dieting.

The best diet book !!!.......2006-08-27

This book is a classic, and will be for a long time !!! The best way to eat healthy, and stay strong. Many of her predictions have already come true - i.e omega -3 eggs, canola oil in many foods. Has worked to maintain my weight for several years, and great cholesterol levels.

A valuable reference.......2006-07-12

"The Omega Diet" clearly explains just what exactly constitutes a truly healthful diet. In easily understandable language, Dr. Simopoulos outlines a simple, medically sound plan based on seven guidelines that can restore your body's nutritional balance and help it to function as nature intended. She emphasizes the importance of eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants and warns against consuming excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, saturated fats, and refined carbohydates, all of which can contribute to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and a host of other maladies that afflict many millions of Americans. You really owe it to yourself to read this book.

Also recommended: "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen," by Sonia Uvezian. The wide range of flavor-packed, easy-to-follow recipes in Uvezian's book prove that delicious food and healthful food can indeed be one and the same.

The Omega Rx Zone: The Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil

Average customer rating:

Best Book Ever on Essential Fats
I am a trained weightloss counselor and teach the Zone
Good Info and also self-serving
It really works!
This book is brilliant

The Omega Rx Zone: The Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil
Barry Sears
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Zone Perfect Meals in Minutes: 150 Fast and Simple Healthy Recipes from the Bestselling Authorof the Zone and Mastering the Zone

Accessories:

Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)
Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor
RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device

ASIN: 0060393130
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Book Description

Enter the Omega Rx Zone!Seven years ago, with his bestselling book The Zone, Dr. Sears alerted the American public to the growing dangers of high-carbohydrate diets and how they were responsible for our current epidemic of obesity. With his simple dietary recommendations for moderate carbohydrate consumption balanced with low-fat protein and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, he has helped millions lose excess body fat, treat heart disease and diabetes, and reverse the aging process.

In The Omega Rx Zone, Dr. Sears greatly expands the potential of the Zone to alter how we think about chronic disease in general -- and in the process allows us to reach our full genetic potential as human beings. Drawing upon his own research as well as recently published studies, he shows how a revolutionary new technological advance in fish oil manufacturing, never before available to the general public, may be the magic bullet that will transform medicine. This new pharmaceutical-grade fish oil offers extraordinary health benefits ranging from helping to treat chronic disease to improving athletic performance and emotional well-being. What makes high-dose fish oil so beneficial? It allows your brain to work at peak efficiency, controlling the hormonal responses that ultimately govern your body and your emotions.

So how is this new generation of fish oil different from yesterday's dreaded cod liver oil? As Dr. Sears explains, the fish oil doled out by our grandmothers and currently sold at health-food stores has never been pure enough to be used in the quantities it takes to feel its potential benefits. The new pharmaceutical -- grade fish oil is more concentrated, free of danerous toxins, and has been clinically tested with spectacular results.

The Omega Rx Zone is a groundbreaking dietary program coupled with guidelines for supplementation using pharmaceutical-grade fish oil that allows us to fine-tune our minds and bodies to reach the full potential of the Zone. With his solid research, practical advice, and infectious enthusiasm, Dr. Sears continues the evolution of his Zone technology that will enable everyone to reach his or her maximum genetic potential for optimal health and vitality for life.

Customer Reviews:

Best Book Ever on Essential Fats.......2004-12-29

This is the definitely the best book available on this topic - avoid all others because they aren't any informative than a brochure (I've bought them all).

He presents highly specific information while still not getting too academic.

One caveat: you certainly don't have to get his outrageously expensive fish oil products. I get the Natural Factor's Dr. Murray fish oil from either iherb.com, vitaminlife.com, or www.thdv.com. I also get 1/3 of my daily fish oil from puritan's pride (consumerlab.com says they're free of all toxins)

In general, he gets a little too paranoid about contaminants. Check out consumerlab.com for acceptable products.

Good Luck!

I am a trained weightloss counselor and teach the Zone.......2003-09-01

The OmegaRXZone is an excellent source of information on Omega 3 Fish Oil and what it may do to improve your health, both mentally and physically. A tremendous amount of studies on Omega 3 are being done and many more that have been completed. Sear's OmegaRxZone gives you a summary of many of the already completed research projects in simple language that the layman can understand rather than searching through medical articles that usually go way over our heads. The book suggests that large doses of the oil may may improve several major health problems that Americans are suffering with. Taking Omega 3, eating within " Zone " guidelines, a little walking and staying away from partially hydrogenated fats has turned the lives and health of many of my clients around. The book is a sales pitch for Sear's Oil because it is purer than most other company's Omega 3, an important factor as the oceans become more polluted. It is also a pitch for the Zone Nutrition program, which is probably the safest and one of the least restraining weight loss programs out there. As long as the salesman is selling a great product it is worth " the listen. " My only relationship to Sears is that I believe in his program and feel he is doing what he can to get America healthy again. This book is for #1. Nutrition buffs, #2. People who would like to be educated about the good effects that the right combination of foods and Omega 3 can have on your body, #3. Adults with health problems such as Heart Disease, Arthritis, Cancer and Neurological problems.

Good Info and also self-serving.......2003-08-29

My wife always brought home and tried several different "diet" books. I was (and still am) skeptical of most. Then, coincidentally on the same day I came home from the doctor with a Cholesterol reading of 285, she brought home from work (library) a copy of this book. I read it. First one made some sense in terms of balanced eating lifestyle. In retrospect, I see now it is all his old stuff + High grade fish oil. But for a first timer, it was helpful. There are, as I found out later, plenty of info on Fish oil. But the Balanced, lo-grain diet was most helpful, and avaiulable in the other books. And one can get a good quality Fish oil (Dr. Murrays RX Omega from iherb.com) at a real reasonable price.
After being in the ZONE for 4 months and taking Fish Oil, my Total cholesterol dropped to 204! And my weight dropped 25 lbs!

It really works!.......2003-08-26

This is a great book for the lay reader. It introduces one to a set of difficult concepts without ever talking down to you but not requiring you to get a degree in biochemistry before reading it. There is a wealth of references to studies done by major universities around the world which is really appreciated. I started using the Zone Dietary protocols in 1995 when his first book was published, Enter the Zone. It worked just as he said it would. Over the last two years I've strayed and gained about 10 lbs of unwanted body fat. Having recently gotten myself reorganized, I've started again and not only has the fat just melted off, but my BP has lowered. I've also started taking the Omega3 and can tell a difference. There are other books on Omega3 but Sears has a way of dealing with the subject that gives one the sense of talking to a family member about the stars: he's right there and present and witty and smart. I only wish I'd known about Omega3 years ago. It, too, works. And what in this day of endless infomercials is more fascinating than to find something that works just as its promoter says it will???
My only criticism of the book is in the editing and proof reading. The publishers should be horse whipped.

This book is brilliant.......2003-06-09

His writing style is very clear and easy to follow. Or at least it was for me, since I am trained as a Chemist.

It was nice that he explained some very basic details that are missed when people get stuck in their fad diets.

1. Rebuffs the Atkins diet (high protein, high fat, low carbohydrates) as being metabolically unbalanced. And explains WHY.

2. Makes a clear distinction between "good" and "bad" carbohydrates. Fruit and vegetables ARE carbs, but they are generally "good." But even among them, some fit into the category of "bad." (Corn, potatoes, mangos).

3. Points out the regulating what you eat consistently (i.e., at each meal) is a better way to go than going on six week diets. There is no way to lose weight but by eating right.

4. Shows the *detailed references* upon which his reasoning is based. And demonstrates how his diet was tested and survived the authentication process in other studies.

5. Explains some things that are often overlooked: A. The obstructive bureaucracy involved in the FDAs assignment of categories to foods and the resulting slowness of change of conventional diets (The FDA is the reason that drugs cost so much in the US, in spite of what some of these babbling neo-hippie protestors would have us believe about "corporate greed.") ; B. The fact that humans are eating higher levels of foods that were actually not available to use 100,000 years ago when people were essentially the same as now, but with different diets. We were actually not evolved to eat such things as we are now; C. Debunks some of the common myths about exercising and then eating *whatever* after that will undo all that you've just done.

6. Gives the Reader's Digest version of the behavior of the body under abnormal circumstances (excess insulin production, etc.)

His writing style is also fabulously easy to read, and the book is set up in such a way that you can find the papers to get more detailed discussions of some facts of which he gives the Reader's Digest version in the passages.

Some aspects may be too technical for people who don't have any background in science. And in that case, then you can get "Entering The Zone" and it will tell you essentially the same things as this book does, without the emphasis on high dose fish oil.

I'm sure that Dr. Sears has made a lot of money on this book. It's Stephen Covey revisited-- Packaging old wine in new bottles and making a mint off of it.

From Alpha to Omega, An Introduction to Classical Greek, Rev Third Edition
Average customer rating:

Imperfect, in a Grace Jones sort of way

Using this book helps

Less here than meets the eye

Looking forward to 4th Edition

Hillarious

From Alpha to Omega, An Introduction to Classical Greek, Rev Third Edition
Anne H. Groton
Manufacturer: Focus Publishing/R. Pullins Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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From Alpha to Omega Ancillary Exercises

Answer Key from Alpha to Omega

Greek, Classical Vocabulary Cards: Academic Study Card Set

Pocket Oxford Classical Greek Dictionary

Oxford Grammar of Classical Greek

ASIN: 158510034X

Book Description

A beginning text in Classical Greek which approaches the language from a grammatical point of view. Fifty brief lessons allow a structured introduction to the language. Short readings follow each lesson beginning with lesson five, and include Aesop, Plato, Thucydides and many others. This book also has a companion text for ancillary exercises. Tutorial software for this text is also available.

Customer Reviews:

Imperfect, in a Grace Jones sort of way.......2007-01-13

"From Alpha to Omega" is an introduction to the classical Greek of Athens (Attic). I'm using it in conjunction with Pharr as I attempt to study Homeric Greek. There are some differences in the dialects, but I like Groton's text because it provides explanations that are relevant to Homer's Greek, and I find the layout much easier to navigate than Pharr's. The book is very good either as a primary text in classical Greek or as a companion to a text in Homeric Greek.

This text was recommended to me by a colleague in Classics who loaned me hers. I liked it enough to buy my own. It isn't a perfect text by any means. It is far more detailed than is needed or wanted by most students of Greek, and I'd hate to have to cover the entire thing in two semesters. I have a fairly good language background, but unless I were a Classics major or were taking no other courses, I'd be overwhelmed by it. A teacher who wants to attract students from other majors into a few semesters of Classics should definitely use a different text.

I think Groton's text is very good for the student who has considerable language experience, or the person like me who can't remember the whats of a language without a thorough grasp of the hows and whys. It's also good for the student who wants to continue studying Greek beyond the first year. If your interest doesn't extend beyond a basic course, this text will likely be a frustrating overload.

This text isn't perfect, but it's perfect for me. Whether it's perfect for you depends on your learning style, your language experience, and your expectations for continuing with Greek. Whether it's perfect for you or not, I strongly recommend buying "From Alpha to Omega: Ancillary Exercises" (Jon Bruss) to go with it. Because Groton's text is detailed, so are the ancillary exercises. You don't have to do all of them, but they really will help you understand and remember the material in the text.

Using this book helps.......2004-03-13

It is an very good companion to a classroom setting, which I am currently enduring, especially with the ancillary exercises which are also essential. I do enjoy the extra detail & find that annotating the book makes classroom note taking unnecessary. It is very well organized: the E-G/G-E dictionaries are keyed to the chapters, & the index, with topics keyed to sections rather than pages, extremely helpful & thorough. When a new principal part is introduced, all principal parts of all previous verbs are reprinted. When the old brain is burned out, just reading the grammatical explanations is therapeutic. It would be nice to have the Greek passages double spaced or in a larger font, so that my work/glosses can be pencilled right into the text, but I doubt any publisher would spring for that. No doubt about it, learning Ancient Greek is tough, tough, tough, unless you have a hoover for a brain. Using this book (with a good prof) helps.

Less here than meets the eye.......2003-12-11

Groton has been our class textbook through Greek 100 and, so far, half of Gr 200. At the start we were very enthusiastic about it, especially those of us who learned Latin from Wheelock, but after a while.... The book is similar to Wheelock's Latin, but much less accessible. The layout is dreadful (particularly the appendices). Ms Groton tells us far more than we need (or want) to know about some things: digammas, thematic vowels, quantitative metathesis and so forth. But more importantly, the readings are inadequate and the exercises will drive you nuts: Is it really useful to know how to say "Either have I now made clear who the stranger is, or shall I also announce what name he has?"?

If you are using Groton, get the Ancillary Exercises as well. They're a big help. You might also get the Loeb Xenophon and try to read it with a lexicon. The point after all is to learn to read greek.

Looking forward to 4th Edition.......2003-11-09

As a first year Greek student I base my opinion of this text not on my expertise in the language but on my use of the text itself.

I have no complaints about the content of the text; it seems reasonably paced and thoughtfully developed.

My two critiques (I hope contructive in anticipation of the 4th edition)are thus:
1. The text still contains typos (including within the Greek paradigms) that I am surprised to find in a third edition.
2. The formatting of paradigm tables (particularly in the appendices) leaves something to be desired. The content is complete but they could be laid out better. I suspect that formatting has been compromised for the sake of space. My own opinion (speaking chiefly as a spreadsheet fanatic) is that it would be worth killing a few more papyri for the sake of tables that are intuitive to look at. I would gladly incur the necessary extra cost.

I recommend this text but sincerely hope a 4th edition is in the works.

Hillarious.......2003-07-26

This book was my first introduction to the language. It is a good mix of reading selections (which grow in size and complexity as you progress), vocabulary, and blurbs in English about the function of the language. The exercises given in each chapter exhasperate and delight as you realize that you are translating a sentence which reads, "Hurry, O Goddess! They hasten out of their tents and into the ocean." Or, "Pay heed, O Lady of the house! The letters are on the couch!"

Ever wonder how to decline "Socrates"?

This book is best if you have a good sense of humor. The one thing it is not very helpful with is accentuation. It does explain the topic, but it's explanation is quite poor.

Omega Rx Zone: The Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil
Average customer rating:

One of the most important Medical finds in Nutrition!

excellent explanation of essential fatty acid nutrition and decreasing inflammatory prostaglandin production

Excellent omega-3 research

Omega Rx Zone: The Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil
Barry Sears
Manufacturer: Harper
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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What to Eat in the Zone: The Quick & Easy, Mix & Match Counter for Staying in the Zone

The Zone: A Dietary Road Map to Lose Weight Permanently : Reset Your Genetic Code : Prevent Disease : Achieve Maximum Physical Performance

The Top 100 Zone Foods : Supercharge Your Health

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 0060741864
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Book Description

Introducing the next generation of the Zone – Dr. Sears's The Omega Rx Zone, a revolutionary new plan that uses cutting–edge research on fish oils to take you to entirely new level of the Zone. Enhanced brain power, improved physical performance, and amazing disease–fighting power – they're all here.

Dr. Barry Sears revolutionised nutritional thinking around the world with his landmark No 1 New York Times bestseller The Zone in 1995. Dr. Sears described how a scientifically proven plan of moderate carbohydrate consumption balanced with appropriate amounts of protein and fat helps you lose weight, fight disease, and slow the signs of aging.

In The Omega Rx Zone, Barry Sears presents for the first time his amazing new scientific discoveries that take the Zone to a whole new level. With years of research to back him up, he maintains that consuming carefully calibrated amounts of high–quality, pharmaceutical–grade fish oils in combination with the Zone diet will offer you unprecedented health benefits – benefits that are not achievable by following the Zone diet alone.

Customer Reviews:

One of the most important Medical finds in Nutrition!.......2007-09-15

I have survived a most certain terminal cancer. In fact the MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston Texas, says that I'm the only one to have survived in the whole world.

But, as an aftermath, I have severe chronic pain because my brain has rewired itself due to the horrible pain I went through fighting the cancer. The condition is referred to as the Gate Theory. It now can be seen on MRI's. It took me 6-months to find the right doctor to treat it. He's been a pain specialist for 17 years and belongs to a group of doctors who rely on "MD Evidenced Nutrition" to understand what "natural" things work.

He put me on a heavy dose of Morphine to counter the pain, but he also put me on Fish Oil, not just any fish oil, but the oil referred to in this book, and I started thinking better and have taken on some minor work as a result. It's almost been a miracle.

Long_chain-fatty-acid-3, pharmaceutical grade, has done wonders. Because of this book I now understand why.

Many doctors assisted Dr. Sears in the writing of this book so that civilians, like me, can understand it. It's not a "fad" book at all. Just look in the back and you will see over 100 pages of clinical references backing up what Dr. Sears states in the book.

It's a must have to stay well and a must have to survive a serious illness.

excellent explanation of essential fatty acid nutrition and decreasing inflammatory prostaglandin production.......2007-02-01

The Omega Rx Zone, by Barry Sears is an excellent explanation of essential fatty acid nutrition and decreasing inflammatory prostaglandin production. Dr. Sears successfully translated volumes of leading edge biochemical research into an explanation non-researchers can comprehend, with some sustained effort. Other books explain the fundamental Omega 6/Omega 3 essential fatty imbalance, but most fail to explain how increased Eicosapentanoic Acid (EPA) can inhibit excess inflammatory prostaglandin production, by down regulation of the 5 delta desaturase enzyme. In addition Dr. Sears explains how decreasing Arachidonic Acid levels reduces production of numerous inflammatory leukotrienes, produced by LOX 5 and LOX 15. More importantly, Sears explains how increasing EPA and Decosahexanoic Acid (DHA) can dramatically reduce symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder, Depression, Osteoarthritis, Emphysema, Alzheimers Disease, High Blood Pressure, Atherosclerosis and other disorders. Sears provides many anonymous case histories illustrating patient improvements with high dose, pharmaceutically distilled fish oil. Sears also explains cultural variations in essential fatty acid intake which correlate with depression and suicide rates. The Omega Rx Zone is a surprisingly readable explanation of some complex biochemistry and immunology.

Steven Sponaugle
Research Director, Florida Detox

Excellent omega-3 research.......2006-01-08

This book gives a complete and easy to understand of the complex way in which the EPA&DHA long-chain fatty acids influence the hormonal system, and how their lack in the diet affects the body. The author explains why eating fish is not the best way to get omega-3's, mainly because of the heavy chemicals that fish accumulate in their tissues. He describes the differences between different types of fish oil and why (in his opinion) pharmaceutical-grade fish oil is the best way to supplement omega-3. He explains which blood test will tell you how healthy you are.

There is also a very interesting hypothesis on how a diet rich in omega-3 helped the development of the human brain in its early stages of evolution.

There are detalied explanations of how diseases such as cancer and auto-immune illnesses are related to long-chain omega-3's. The author explains how "silent" (cell) inflammation is the cause of many (if not most) major diseases today, especially chronic conditions.

There are explanations of the relationship between omega-3's and emotional well-being, as well as how they improve mental abilities.

As a sidenote, apparently there is currently only one brand on the market that satisfies the author's standards. They have a comparison table on their website showing how their brand offers the most omega-3 per dollar (to convince that it is worth the high price)--but they only compare with certain brands--and I know of at least another highly respected fish oil brand that offers even more omega-3's for half the price. So the only argument left is that pharmaceutical-grade fish oil is completely free of contaminants, whereas other types of oil are not. This argument is in my opinion not very strong, because there are enough brands (such as the one I was talking about before) that have levels of contaminants so small that they are not detectable in a lab--therefore which are really of negligible risk (compared for instance with the toxic substances found in our tap water).

Nevertheless, the in-depth analysis on the remarkably positive effects of EPA&DHA's on health is excellent, and I highly recommend this book.

The Constants of Nature: From Alpha to Omega--the Numbers That Encode the Deepest Secrets of the Universe

Average customer rating:

Historical and Baffling at times!
Are there any constants in the universe?
Good book
ARE FINE-TUNED CONSTANTS EVIDENCE OF GOD?
Barrow embraces change.

The Constants of Nature: From Alpha to Omega--the Numbers That Encode the Deepest Secrets of the Universe
John D. Barrow
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

The Book of Nothing: Vacuums, Voids, and the Latest Ideas about the Origins of the Universe
The Anthropic Cosmological Principle (Oxford Paperbacks)
PI in the Sky: Counting, Thinking, and Being
Impossibility: The Limits of Science and the Science of Limits
The Infinite Book: A Short Guide to the Boundless, Timeless and Endless

ASIN: 0375422218
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Book Description

A major contribution to our understanding of the basic laws of the universe -- from the author of The Book of Nothing.

The constants of nature are the fundamental laws of physics that apply throughout the universe: gravity, velocity of light, electromagnetism and quantum mechanics. They encode the deepest secrets of the universe, and express at once our greatest knowledge and our greatest ignorance about the cosmos.

Their existence has taught us the profound truth that nature abounds with unseen regularities. Yet while we have become skilled at measuring the values of these constants, our frustrating inability to explain or predict their values shows how much we have still to learn about inner workings of the universe.

What is the ultimate status of these constants of nature? Are they truly constant? And are there other universes where they are different?

John D. Barrow, one of our foremost mathematicians and cosmologists, discusses the latest thinking about these and many more dramatic issues in this accessible and thought-provoking book.

Customer Reviews:

Historical and Baffling at times!.......2007-08-27

Barrow's has a good humour about philosophy but also takes it seriously enough to explain all concepts clearly. Numbers are not my thing but this one pulled me in pretty tight. This bloke knows his stuff but the book is very readable. If you're interested in math and M Theory stuff, this a good one. It starts from the beginning when measurements were first used and numbers' significance in the universe, thus spiralling into some fairly complex and modern issues.

Are there any constants in the universe?.......2007-02-23

In considering physics, Einstein once asked whether God had any choice in laying out the rules.

After discussing the history of human measurements (historically a product of chance), Barrow turns his attention to the so called physical constants of measurement and ultimately asks the question of whether they too are a product of chance (albeit on a different scale).

Though admittedly he makes errors along the way (like saying it takes 3 seconds for light to reach Earth from the sun instead of eight minutes), Barrow nonetheless manages to create a physics book that accessible makes cutting edge insights available to the casual reader.

And what Barrow has to say about the "constants of the universe" and perhaps their ultimately changeable nature speaks mightily to the boundless enigma that is the universe (perhaps one of many) in which we live.

Good book.......2007-01-13

This was an entertaining book but a little tedious at times. Also it was not exactly what I expected. I thought it would be more of a description of different physical phenomena, while this is more like a survey of different historical approaches to uniting all constants with one theory, which constantly failed but shed light on many side issues along the way.

ARE FINE-TUNED CONSTANTS EVIDENCE OF GOD?.......2006-09-30

As one who believes that life is a natural property of the universe, I am intrigued by the concept that the constants of nature seem to have been fine-tuned to make life possible. The conservative Patrick Glynn asserts, in God: The Evidence, that they constitute essentially incontestable evidence for what was once merely a matter of faith: "the existence of soul, afterlife, and God." The notion that the universe is really an infinite multiverse, and that we just happen to inhabit one of the infinitesimal few whose constants make the wildly improbably string of coincidence leading to our existence possible, is dismissed as far-fetched nonsense propagated by atheistic scientists desperate to find some way to justify their materialist dogma.

While I once considered the notion of a multiverse to be unlikely, further study has convinced me this is not so. However, even if the multiverse is a fact, the theory offers no more support for materialism than fine-tuned constants constitute evidence for a God whose existence is completely external to the universe. We have no way of examining these other universes, and hence no way of knowing that they have constants incompatible with the evolution of life and intelligence. If consciousness is intrinsic to physical existence, and there is no compelling reason for insisting that it is not, then the constants of nature would necessarily have "fine-tuned" values.

It is odd that John Barrow's interest in this possibility arouses such animosity and ridicule in some people. Is the idea that our existence might not be an accident really so distasteful? There are those who argue that the anthropic principle should instead be called the insectoid principle since the constants are also fine-tuned to produce insects. True enough, but insects are unable to discuss the matter. We are.

Dr. Barrow's book is an excellent choice for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of some of the intriguing coincidences of nature, and of the myriad ways in which these coincidences have been interpreted by scientists of different historical eras. There are some minor errors in the book, such as the sun being three light-seconds from Earth instead of eight light-minutes, but these are really important. The one question I have is the claim that human behavior, even if free will is illusory, is unpredictable in principle because if people are aware of the predictions made about their behavior, then they can act to falsify those predictions. But if free will really is illusory, why should the scientist not be able, in principle, to predict that behavior also?
(Peter Payne, author of CAPTAIN CALIFORNIA BATTLES THE BEELZEBUBIAN BEASTS OF THE BIBLE)

Barrow embraces change........2005-10-03

Interesting and topical to a discussion on the possibilities of existence. Barrow explores the difficulties of objective measurement, Einstein's fascination with what the universe could have been, Eddington's strange love of theory over experiment, the position of Dirac in the coincidence vs. consequence of habitable places, and the unexpected finding of possible variance in the fine structure constant from the worlds earliest known nuclear reactor.

The Queen of Fats: Why Omega-3s Were Removed from the Western Diet and What We Can Do to Replace Them (California Studies in Food and Culture, 15)

Average customer rating:

good description of science of omega fats
Excellent
Balancing Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids In Your Body
Fish Oil will save you Life and Mind
A MUST READ

The Queen of Fats: Why Omega-3s Were Removed from the Western Diet and What We Can Do to Replace Them (California Studies in Food and Culture, 15)
Susan Allport
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Food Science | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

The Omega Diet: The Lifesaving Nutritional Program Based on the Diet of the Island of Crete
The Omega-3 Connection: The Groundbreaking Antidepression Diet and Brain Program
The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why
Reverse Heart Disease Now: Stop Deadly Cardiovascular Plaque Before It's Too Late
Sugar Shock!: How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life-- and How YouCan Get Back on Track

ASIN: 0520242823

Book Description

A nutritional whodunit that takes readers from Greenland to Africa to Israel, The Queen of Fats gives a fascinating account of how we have become deficient in a nutrient that is essential for good health: the fatty acids known as omega-3s. Writing with intelligence and passion, Susan Allport tells the story of these vital fats, which are abundant in greens and fish, among other foods. She describes how scientists came to understand the role of omega-3s in our diet, why commercial processing has removed them from the food we eat, and what the tremendous consequences have been for our health. In many Western countries, epidemics of inflammatory diseases and metabolic disorders have been traced to omega-3 deficiencies. The Queen of Fats provides information for every consumer who wants to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and obesity and to improve brain function and overall health. This important and compelling investigation into the discovery, science, and politics of omega-3s will transform our thinking about what we should be eating.
* Includes steps you can take to add omega-3s to your diet
* Shows why eating fish is not the only way, or even the best way, to increase omega-3s.
* Provides a new way to understand the complex advice about the role and importance of fats in the body
* Explains how and why the food industry has created a deadly imbalance of fats in our foods
* Shows how omega-3s can be reintroduced to our diet through food enrichment and changes in the feeding of livestock

Customer Reviews:

good description of science of omega fats.......2007-08-05

First-rate science writing. I had some very high-level understanding of omega fats when I started the book (I knew the main acronyms, and the importance of omega-3-to-omega-6 dietary balance) but by the end I had a much better feeling for the omega fat family trees, their function, impact on health, plus there is a truly fascinating speculative chapter on why omega-3 and omega-6 have different effects in the body. It's written from the historical point of view, which I think is a fine approach generally - one touches the main ideas again and again which is helpful for understanding, but it's in the context of the historical story so it doesn't seem like pointless repetition. One small criticism is that the author seems to have wanted to keep the presentation as an 'essay for the interested layman' and to avoid it looking like a biochemistry textbook. But the chapter on membranes was just one place that could have benefited from figures. And there are warnings about saturated fat which will surely be of interest to anyone who is a reader of this book, but the background info is way too terse to justify the statements made (so Finland reduced saturated fat and heart disease went down - that alone is no basis for the conclusion that 'saturated fat is bad').

In summary, a great book if you want the science of omega fatty acids. If you just want dietary advice, don't buy this - get Simopoulos's Omega Diet or Michael Schmidt's book instead.

Excellent.......2007-01-29

An excellent history on fats in the western diet and some simple helpful tips on how to eat healthier.

Balancing Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids In Your Body.......2007-01-11

The book does an excellent job of pulling together the results of many years of research studies into the effect of diet on the health and physical well being of peoples from around the world. It points out the importance of balance for the various fatty acids and steps one may take to work toward this balance; i.e., dietary actions to take and avoid. It is heavy on the chemistry involved, but persons not interested in the chemical details can still learn a lot. My belief is the author has great credibility. I have changed my diet aimed at balancing the omega 3s and omega 6s.

Fish Oil will save you Life and Mind.......2006-11-26

Journal of American Medical Association Oct 18th, 2006
"Modest consumption of fish...reduces risk of coronary events by 36%...and total mortality by 17%." Do you know if fish oil was $80/month like many of our medications that EVERYONE would be on it, but because it is only $5/month, very few doctors recommend it.
American Journal Of Psychiatry June 2006
Fish oil is beneficial in reducing suicide risk, mood disorders and childhood depression.

A MUST READ.......2006-11-20

I heard her interviewed and immediately ordered the book and then I couldn't put it down. I'm a voracious reader, a biochemist and a mom (i.e. family food director). All I can say is OHMAHGAWD. I have ABSOLUTELY no idea how non-chemists perceive this book, but I have now seen the light and I will be eating lower on the food chain, but not so low as the seeds! LAurie

The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead

Average customer rating:

Insurmountable Blabberdash
Very well-educated, full-tilt lunatic
unmitigated drivel
Tipler's Imagination Crosses the Universe
A Loooong string of "if's"

The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead
Frank J. Tipler
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The Physics of Christianity
The Anthropic Cosmological Principle (Oxford Paperbacks)
Mind of God: The Scientific Basis for a Rational World
God and the New Physics
The Fabric of Reality: The Science of Parallel Universes and Its Implications

ASIN: 0385467990
Release Date: 1997-09-18

Book Description

Is there a higher power in the universe? What happens to us when we die? Leading physicist Frank J. Tipler tackles these questions and more in an astonishing and profoundly important book that scientifically proves the existence of God and the physical resurrection of the dead.

Customer Reviews:

Insurmountable Blabberdash.......2007-08-06

A collection of poorly edited lines of arguement that go off at a tangent to each other. The relationships between the different ideas are barely demonstrated and proven properly before the synthesized new idea is used as a launching-pad for another discussion on another 'breath-taking' idea. He does not address many of the fundamental issues of religion. He also does not elucidate his definition of 'God', which handicaps my understanding of his point of view, and therefore, the intention of the whole book.

Very well-educated, full-tilt lunatic.......2007-05-12

This book is different. Its author is a very well educated scientist. He makes what appears, page to page, to be a logical and scientific argument in favor of the immortality of the soul. The book has many entertaining moments, and it is certainly an intriguing brain teaser.

However, I am sorry, in the end, it is just a really up-market version of Elvis in the UFOS. This guy is flat out nuts. And his argument does not really connect science with religion in any recognizabler manner. Rather, it is a weirdly personal vision of how, at end of the Universe, when everything is crunching into the opposite of the Big Bang, giant computers in the sky will virtually replicate all of us, as software on their infinite hardware. Kind of the Book of Revelations, re-written by a geek, with all the poetry taken out of it.

Like I said, the guy is nuts. He makes one logical leap after another, and goes off to a conclusion that just makes no sense. He is absolutely ignorant of the religious and theological literature. What he is basically doing is making a highly personal argument, based upon his own speculations which were loosely inspired by some of science's recent findings. Not really worth reading, unless you have a taste for well educated lunatics making weird arguments.

unmitigated drivel.......2007-04-14

The science fiction religion that Frank Tipler invented in this book is as puerile and Alice-in-Wonderland as the science fiction religion invented a generation ago by L. Ron Hubbard for the avowed purpose of parting fools from their money. But unlike Hubbard, Tipler is not a conscious humbug peddling whatever Big Lie the gullible will swallow. He appears to believe that his undisciplined speculation is a plausible extrapolation of the laws of physics.
As far as I can determine, Tipler's book is written in English. At least, the individual words are English. But they are put together in a manner reminiscent of the gibberish Evangelicals tout as "speaking in tongues."
According to Tipler (page 1), "I shall show clearly how physics will permit the resurrection to eternal life of everyone who has lived, is living, and will live." If any reader believes that Tipler succeeded in doing that, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn that I think will interest him. Tipler reaches the conclusion that physics proves the existence of God by starting from the assumption that physics proves the existence of God. Even such other peddlers of pseudoscientific theobabble as William Dembski and Michael Behe have refrained from endorsing Tipler's mushroom fantasy.

Tipler's Imagination Crosses the Universe.......2007-01-16

This book may stretch plausibility a little but it has some good practical suggestions for colonising the universe in the future. Sending a 100g universal constructor and computer together with Earthly genetic material at 0.9c to neighbouring star systems and beyond is appealing, but a little further in the future than anticipated in the book. What are the chances that a von Neuman probe as described will survive such a journey to a neighbouring star through the interstellar medium? Every (atomic) particle it encounters will appear as a cosmic ray, let alone small specks of dust! Something more is needed to solve this problem. I believe also that Dr Tippler's contention that there are no other living species out there is probably incorrect, and he therefore falls into the human-centric theories and assertions of old. Nevertheless, a good read, with its main contribution being speculative means of survival and proliferation in a future universe.

A Loooong string of "if's".......2006-10-05

The thesis in this book is that God (aka "the Omega Point" - an omniscient entity reminiscent of "Vger" in Star Trek) does not currently exist (but will develop at some point in the future) and will choose to replicate (emulate) exact duplicates of every human who has ever lived, in a virtual-reality Heaven. I made a list of the "if's" mentioned in this book, that all have to happen for this to occur:

IF
*strong (indistinguishable from human) artificial intelligence is possible
AND IF
*we can develop self-replicating interstellar probes
AND IF
*humans can be completely grown/raised/educated from stored DNA
AND IF
*on every planet, these seeded human colonists accept the destiny we assigned to them
AND IF
*nanotechnology is developed
AND IF
*250-gigwatt lasers are feasible
AND IF
*cost of materials relative to wages drops exponentially every 50 years
AND IF
*antimatter exists, can be feasibly manufactured, and harnessed as a means of propulsion
AND IF
*the universe is closed (will eventually contract)
AND IF
*a virtual "emulation" of a person in a computer is the same "consciousness" as the original person
AND IF
*all information in the physical universe can be retrieved without loss or distortion
AND IF
*a simulation of a living being also recreates perfectly its unexpressed internal states
AND IF
*emulations of every person in history can be made without also re-creating their diseases, conflicting ideologies, etc.
AND IF
*the cost of doing good is not significantly greater than the cost of doing evil, then an omniscient entity will choose the good
AND IF
*intelligent beings in the far future will have the desire to resurrect us to a life we will enjoy

THEN
on this basis, we might have hope of eternal life, "heaven," and a benevolent god.

If the thesis of this book is true, it won't matter what you believed anyway - resurrection is inevitable/inescapable. But personally I'm not going to bank my eternal existence on all these dice rolling the right way, billions of millenia from now. In my view, this requires much more "faith" than simply trusting in the conventional claim of Christianity...In my opinion, "Pascal's Wager" is a much better bet.

Average customer rating:

Omega: A fast paced space epic
'Messy' but good Sci-Fi
This series draws to a final showdown with the belligerent Omega Clouds
Everyone talks about the weather but no one ever does anything about it....
Omega - One of McDevitt's best!!!!

Omega
Jack McDevitt
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Adventure | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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Chindi
Deepsix
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Polaris
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ASIN: 0441012108

Book Description

A civilization-destroying omega cloud has switched direction, heading straight for a previously unexplored planetary system--and its alien society. And suddenly, a handful of brave humans must try to save an entire world--without revealing their existence.

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Customer Reviews:

Omega: A fast paced space epic.......2007-10-09

General Outline:
Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchens is just trying to enjoy her new directors job at the academy when one of those pesky omega clouds (if its not natural the cloud descends on it and destroys whatever intelligent life it finds, space ships, planets,etc) turns up. Unfortunatley since they were first discovered, by her on her first mission, there hasn't been much progress on doing anything about them. After all what's the big deal, it's 1000 years away from earth, its sombody elses problem. This cloud though does not want to follow the rules and it turns when it detects life on a planet the humans were not aware of. So starts the race to either destroy the cloud or turn it away from the defenseless planet and maybe finally understand what the clouds are exactly.
-------
If you like books that have a lot of detail but keeps the story moving you proably wont be able to put this book down. If on the other hand you dont like a story that bounces around a bit between the numerous characters with a few fast forwards and then rewinds and then slows down towards the middle... don't put the book down the end makes up for when the omega cloud finally reaches the planet. Then its *focused*. I really like this book, these type don't seem to come around much where the author makes the nuts and bolts of things really interesting. The only thing that was a little annoying was the fact that most of the main characters from the previous books are older, therefore in some cases they can't do what they want due to careers (Hutch), tunnel vision(David), and various other minor charaters(this book is definetly THE END for some characters)it may be realistic but its annoying because there annoyed that they cant go out there beat the alien baddie up. All in all would recommend this to anyone who likes good fast paced scifi.

'Messy' but good Sci-Fi.......2007-09-03

Most novels follow a story relatively tightly, and generally the relatively few characters are important throughout the whole plot.

"Omega" is not such a novel. There are two main threads, loosely linked. In the far future, a destructive cloud called an 'Omega' will wreak havoc on Earth. The first thread is what most people would imagine would be the primary thread, the discovery of just what these Omega Clouds are. Instead, it's the second thread, the efforts to save another planetary civilization from another Omega Cloud, which takes center stage.

For those who find Priscilla Hutchins their favorite character in this 'series' (a loose series at best, as it's generally possible to read any given book without reading the others), disappointment likely awaits. She's relegated to a much different, and lesser, role than in the previous books. McDevitt also generally introduces a great many characters in his books, and this is no exception. Many of the characters are described and appear in what seems a prominent role, only to be relegated to the sidelines. Characters die, sometimes with shocking suddenness. Questions are brought up and then seemingly ignored (although he rather 'tidily' answers all questions at the end in an odd 'voice'. It's written much like the text that appears at the end of movies, describing what happens to everyone after the main events, and feels a bit jarring.

Other than what felt like a jarring ending, the book was well done. The writing style is clear and evocative, and I like that there are touches like 'newspaper headlines' at the end of some chapters to give a hint at the kind of world the characters live in outside of the events of the story. The characters are well defined, in spite of the number of them, but sometimes inconsistency in their reactions occur. At least they appear inconsistent because we as the reader, don't get enough time to learn about most of the characters in depth due to the sheer number of them. The pacing goes from slow and leisurely to fast and furious.

In short, this doesn't come across as a highly technical, tight, piece of writing. It comes across instead much as life does. There are flaws yes, but it's worth a read for those wanting intelligent, thoughtful sci-fi.

This series draws to a final showdown with the belligerent Omega Clouds.......2007-08-27

Nearly a decade after her exploits in *Chindi*, Prscilla "Hutch" Hutchins has hung up her wings and settled down into an administrative position with the Academy of Space and Technology. Like most of humanity, she is only worried about the impending doom from the Omega Clouds - which travel the galaxy destroying anything the seems to be created by sentient life - when she is thinking about it; but, since that confrontation is 900 years away, it seems remote and something for tomorrow.

But, everything changes when a routine science expedition observes an Omega Cloud change course and head for an unexplored star system. They soon discover a world populated by a pre-technological civilization. Suddenly, the threat of the Omega Clouds become an obsession with Earth as everyone is moved by the plight of the cute and lovable humanoid creatures (a reaction not unlike people's reaction to cute and endangered species on Earth like the panda or koala). Hutch finds herself at the center of it all as she struggles to summon the spacefaring resources and technology of Earth in a desperate effort to save the unsuspecting planet from destruction - all while trying to not interfere with the developing species or reveal their presence.

*Omega* is all action from start to finish, but of course it is also an intelligent science fiction story as all McDevitt books are. A superb ending to this chapter of the "Chronicles of Hutch".

Everyone talks about the weather but no one ever does anything about it...........2007-08-18

The heroes of _Omega_ have a bit of a challenge. In this setting, part of the rather loosely connected series of novel titled the Academy series, huge, many kilometer-wide entities called omega clouds or simply just omegas cruise the dark between the stars. Seemingly innocuous, they are actually a grave threat to all civilized life. For some reason not know to researchers, the clouds attack anything with right angles or too many straight lines. Using lightning, vast tendrils of cloud, and if on a planetary surface high winds and more, they utterly wreck anything they come across, whether it is a research ship that blunders too close to the clouds or buildings on the ground. Sadly, a number of ruin sites on various worlds had been destroyed by omegas, but fortunately resulting in very little loss of life.

However, while on a research mission an Academy survey ship notices one of the omegas sharply veering towards an unexplored planetary system. That ship, while about to go home, is with apologies from headquarters diverted to the system to see what caught the interest of the cloud. While the Academy pretty much exists to find and study intelligent life, so very rare in the galaxy, they sincerely hope that sentient life, past or present, doesn't exist in this system.

The omegas are indestructible. No one has been able to devise any weapons to destroy the nearly planetary-sized gaseous entities or even cause them any harm. If they are intelligent they do not respond to any communications whatsoever. They merely push inexorably towards their target, not satisfied until the object is annihilated. While some early successes had been had with diverting clouds, at least temporarily, research on the clouds is poorly funded. When the clouds were first discovered, there was quite a panic over them, as one was found to be heading towards Earth...in a few thousand years. Not exactly a pressing issue.

When the survey ship reaches the system, they find suddenly that defeating the omegas is indeed a pressing issue. This world is a living world, one inhabited by a sentient race called by the discovers the Goompahs, a human-sized race with pale green skin, large eyes, and huge floppy feet, the name derived from a popular children's television show (the Academy pushed the name Korbs for the race after the alien's name for the world, which was learned later on, Korbikkan, but unfortunately popular perceptions and media usage of the name Goompahs stuck). While not a space faring or even particularly technological race, the Goompahs are quite a bit above the living sentient aliens discovered thus far, possessing a series of beautiful and peaceful trading cities complete with temples, sailing ships, museums, libraries, and bustling market places.

The survey ship is charged with doing its best to help save the Goompahs from the omega, which will arrive in less than a year, doing what they can to research them, planting listening devices to record Goompah language so that linguists can learn to speak it, and generally obeying the Protocol, which forbids interfering with alien cultures, all while gathering intelligence and seeing if there was anything they could to do save the aliens.

While the Academy, lead by the hero of previous books in the Academy series, Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchens, scramble to put together a rescue mission to supplement the hard work of the _William B. Jenkins_ (the survey ship) and race there ahead of the cloud, the survey's ships crew make a discovery. The Goompahs are deathly afraid of humans, as they closely resemble the form taken by the demons of their mythology. Under no circumstance will they stand to listen to human visitors, but instead run away screaming.

Essentially the book is one long rescue plan, as the Academy struggles to save a race that they can't talk to (they learn the language rather well but have to face deep-seated prejudices against the human form) from a force they cannot stop and probably can't divert. Much of the book along the way is also an exploration of Goompah culture, which comes off as I thought a bit idyllic, even utopian, though explanations are offered at the end as well. The book is also a tale of the study of the mysterious nature of the omegas. What is their origin? Are they artificial or natural? Where do they come from?

All in all a good adventure book, it had an interesting climatic ending.

Omega - One of McDevitt's best!!!!.......2007-06-27

So...what would YOU do? You have an opportunity to save a planet full of people, but the very act of saving them may also kill them.
McDevitt takes on this challenge. His characters attempt to save a planet of 'people' before the Omega Cloud destroys them. Well written and quite thougth provoking.

The Fall of Lucifer (Chronicles of Brothers)

Average customer rating:

interesting look at THE FALL OF LUCIFER
It gets an extra star for descriptions, though they those became psyheldelic at times, like blue sabertooth tigers and stuff.
Quiet, please!
AMazing
Great book-

The Fall of Lucifer (Chronicles of Brothers)
Wendy Alec
Manufacturer: Realms
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1591858143

Book Description

What was he thinking? by Margaret Becker (Review of Wendy Alec's The Fall of Lucifer)

Fiction: imaginary, pretend.

My favorite type of fiction usually falls within the realm of Reed Arvin's Blood of Angels and Patricia Cornwell's Predator --mystery, murder, law, real-life situations made up. I'm not generally a huge sci-fi fan (too many vivid nightmares after the fact). That's why Wendy Alec's book The Fall of Lucifer sat on my desk for longer than it deserved. Alec's "quasi-fictional" story is a behind-the-scenes look at Lucifer and his role in our history. (Amazon.com offers this background statement on the author: "Wendy Alec's call to the body of Christ to work in the area of creative evangelism in the media, has been integral in the pioneering and establishing of Europe's first Christian television network--God Digital.)

Evil--and the depths it will go to--has always been a mystery to me. And right up there along with that, is the ultimate questions: Why would a being that dwelt with God, as one of His beloved, turn against Him?

The Fall of Lucifer addresses those two conundrums eloquently, in almost poetic terms. The transformation of Lucifer from devoted lover of God to evil destroyer of all things good, is presented in vivid, passionate terms that manage to bring you to the cusp of empathy for Lucifer--for a moment at least.

Along with the cataloging of Lucifer's catharsis is the imagined story of his relationship with other angels, specifically Michael and Gabriel, who, in this version, are his brothers. Their brotherly tension is written soulfully right down to their parting of ways, with descriptions that could be superimposes on any of our own worst family gatherings.

Wendy Alec has covered many biblical milestones in the book, including a beautifully chronicled fall of Eve, and Christ's sacrifice. It is emotional and elegant, written with fresh insight into what could have transpired in unseen realms throughout eternity.

If you enjoy rich, fast-paced science fiction or even if you're curious about a different perspective on the "could'ves" of our Christian history, this exciting book will keep you engaged and leave you with food for thought.

Customer Reviews:

interesting look at THE FALL OF LUCIFER .......2007-08-14

After Yehovah, there is the great trio; regents of the almighty. Lucifer the eldest is the favorite as the light bearer viceroy; Michael is the mightiest warrior and general of the angel army; and Gabriel the youngest recently has arisen to their level as the revelator.

Heaven has been harmonious for eternity until the announcement by Yehovah. He is creating a new race not of angelic matter, but from a DNA coding in his image. None of the angelic horde feels comfortable with the pronouncement, but of the lead threesome, only Lucifer feels betrayed by his heavenly Father. Michael and Gabriel do not understand the rationale behind God's decision, but remain true and loyal as they assume that there are things even they as his immediate lieutenants cannot understand. When Yehovah ignores his plea not create such an abomination, an ouraged Lucifer revolts. Yehovah punishes him by sending him to live on earth with his new species. However, instead of moping, Lucifer as Satan plans to destroy the heavenly monstrosity.

This is an interesting look at THE FALL OF LUCIFER in which the description especially of pre-human heaven is vivid and deep. Lucifer as the title character is fully developed so that when Yehovah announces the new non-angelic species, his anger and disappointment is palatable and remains at that level even after he loses the heavenly battles and becomes exiled; rage keeps him going. Although Yehovah, Michael, Gabriel, and the rest of heaven seem underdeveloped especially next to the emotional three dimensional Lucifer, with a nod to Milton's PARADISE LOST Wendy Alec provides an interesting tale of how the human genome's Godly creation provoked a heavenly war.

Harriet Klausner

It gets an extra star for descriptions, though they those became psyheldelic at times, like blue sabertooth tigers and stuff........2007-08-12

Anyone who read "Chronicles of the Host" can tell that this is simply a more opulent version of that same story, as both stories begin with Gabriel's coronation.

Also the author needs to get some basic science terms correct:
1. Note to the author: Galaxies are smaller than universes, and universes are not the same as solar systems. Stop using the terms galaxies and universes interchangeably.
2. Angels are silcon-based lifeforms, but silicon is not a spiritual based material as described.
3. The human genetic code awes the angels with its complexity, but they forget to realize that the genetic code of all organizms is more or less as complex as that of a human.

Character development, please. Eve instantly turns evil, with nary a snide comment from Lucifer. Lucifer himself jumps from being all depressed about God abandoning angels, to being all egotistical, without any coherent explantation s to why. Also he kills his pet panther for absolutely no reason, then cries about it. Lame scene. What, we're in heaven with machines that can create galaxies and codify genetic structures for life itself and but we can't bring a dead cat back to life?

There's a laughable scene in the beginning where an archeologiest discovers the writings which comprise this book. His filthy, sinful, Muslim assitents touch them and get incinerated (As the author can't resist the oppotunity to fry some heathens). The archeologist dosen't react at all to blantent supernatrals slayings of human beings right in front of him. He just steps over their burned corpses obliviously and says something like "We finally found the angelic writings." Yeah, never mind about the dead guys or spontaneous pillars of flame that can incinerate people, the cool writings are what's of immediate importance.

Also there is the retarded concept of angel "younglings," who are small, cute and get into trouble and get their heads stuck in machines in heaven's laboratories, as if they Santa's elves. What is this heaven?, or a cartoon series? Hobworts? Willy-Wonka's choclate factory?

Quiet, please!.......2007-08-06

Find a place with no distractions, maybe not the subway, bus, or beach; you really need to experience the imagery in this book. Can you read in color? I hope so. The pictures of heaven just beg to be put on the screen - or maybe my imagination (when combined with the articulation of beauty from Wendy Alec) surpass what today's graphics can do. The relationship of the "brothers" and disintegration of same was amazing to experience. Remembering that this isn't the Bible, and it doesn't change your theology, it does, however, give you moments of clarity over issues in the Holy Word when you say, "you know, that is how it could have happened."

AMazing.......2007-06-24

This book was amazing. Even if you do not believe in Christianity this is still an amazing read. Wendy is an awesome writer and knows hoe to draw a story. I was unable to put the book down. I can not wait to read the rest of the Chronicle.

Great book-.......2007-06-19

I really enjoyed this book. Although some of the writing seemed a bit simplistic, especially with the dialogue, it didn't detract too much from a descriptive and thought provoking story. The descriptions of Heaven were quite beautiful and awesome. What I really liked is the way it portrays an ongoing, epic battle between God's love for mankind, and Lucifer's hateful jealousy. I felt drawn into this epic, and it left me thinking more about the part I have to play in this world, and about the power of love.

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