The Ruins
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • Can't Put Down
  • Plant Rant
  • Should be titled "Zero!"
  • Expectinig More
  • A MASTERPIECE OF HORROR...
 The Ruins
Scott Smith
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1400043875
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Amazon.com

In 1993, Scott Smith wowed readers with A Simple Plan, his stunning debut thriller about what happens when three men find a wrecked plane and bag stuffed with over 4 million dollars--a book that Stephen King called "Simply the best suspense novel of the year!" Now, thirteen years after writing a novel that turned into a pretty great movie featuring Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton, Smith is back, with The Ruins, a horror-thriller about four Americans traveling in Mexico who stumble across a nightmare in the jungle. Who better to tell readers if Smith has done it again than the undisputed King of Horror (and champion of Smith's first book)? We asked Stephen King to read The Ruins and give us his take. Check out his review below. --Daphne Durham

Guest Reviewer: Stephen King

Stephen King is the author of too many bestselling books to name here, but some of our favorites include: Cell, The Stand, On Writing, The Shining, and the entire Dark Tower series. King also received the National Book Foundation 2003 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, has had many movies and television miniseries adapted from his novels, short stories, and screenplays, and is a regular columnist for Entertainment Weekly. Keep your eyes peeled for Lisey's Story (October 2006), a new television series on TNT based on Nightmares & Dreamscapes (July 2007), and a graphic novel series based on the Dark Tower books coming from Marvel (2007).

When I heard that Scott Smith was publishing a new novel this summer, I felt the way I did when my kids came in an hour or two late from their weekend dates: a combination of welcoming relief (thank God you're back) mingled with exasperation and anger (where the hell have you been?). Well, it's only a book, you say, and maybe that's true, but Scott Smith is a singularly gifted writer, and it seems to me that the twelve years between his debut--the cult smash A Simple Plan--and his return this summer with The Ruins is cause for exasperation, if not outright anger. Certainly Smith, who has been invisible save for his Academy Award-nominated screenplay for the film version of A Simple Plan, will have some 'splainin to do about how he spent his summer vacation. Make that his last twelve summer vacations.

But enough. The new book is here, and the question devotees of A Simple Plan will want answered is whether or not this book generates anything like Plan's harrowing suspense. The answer is yes. The Ruins is going to be America's literary shock-show this summer, doing for vacations in Mexico what Jaws did for beach weekends on Long Island. Is it as successful and fulfilling as a novel? The answer is not quite, but I can live with that, because it's riskier. There will be reviews of this book by critics who have little liking or understanding for popular fiction who'll dismiss it as nothing but a short story that has been bloated to novel length (I'm thinking of Michiko Kakutani, for instance, who microwaved Smith's first book). These critics, who steadfastly grant pop fiction no virtue but raw plot, will miss the dazzle of Smith's technique; The Ruins is the equivalent of a triple axel that just misses perfection because something's wrong with the final spin.

It's hard to say much about the book without giving away everything, because the thing is as simple and deadly as a leg-hold trap concealed in a drift of leaves…or, in this case, a mass of vines. You've got four young American tourists--Eric, Jeff, Amy, and Stacy--in Cancun. They make friends with a German named Mathias whose brother has gone off into the jungle with some archeologists. These five, plus a cheerful Greek with no English (but a plentiful supply of tequila), head up a jungle trail to find Mathias's brother…the archaeologists…and the ruins.

Well, two out of three ain't bad, according to the old saying, and in this case; what's waiting in the jungle isn't just bad, it's horrible. Most of The Ruins's 300-plus pages is one long, screaming close-up of that horror. There's no let-up, not so much as a chapter-break where you can catch your breath. I felt that The Ruins did draw on a trifle, but I found Scott Smith's refusal to look away heroic, just as I did in A Simple Plan. It's the trappings of horror and suspense that will make the book a best seller, but its claim to literature lies in its unflinching naturalism. It's no Heart of Darkness, but at its suffocating, terrifying, claustrophobic best, it made me think of Frank Norris. Not a bad comparison, at that.

One only hopes Mr. Smith won't stay away so long next time.--Stephen King


Book Description

Eerie, terrifying, unputdownable—Scott Smith’s first novel since his best-selling A Simple Plan (“Simply the best suspense novel of this year—hell, of the 1990s”—Stephen King). The Ruins follows two American couples, just out of college, enjoying a pleasant, lazy beach holiday together in Mexico as, on an impulse, they go off with newfound friends in search of one of their group—the young German, who, in pursuit of a girl, has headed for the remote Mayan ruins, site of a fabled archeological dig.

This is what happens from the moment the searchers—moving into the wild interior—begin to suspect that there is an insidious, horrific “other” among them . . .

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Can't Put Down.......2007-10-10

A book like this comes along only too rarely. Once I picked it up, it went everywhere with me until I finished it, although I hated to have it end. After it ended, I continued to think about it. I am pushing this book on everyone so they can have it in their head like it is in mine. Scott Smith took a long time after writing his first book to write this one (first one,A Simple Plan).I hope he doesn't make us wait this long again.

3 out of 5 stars Plant Rant.......2007-10-10

Ok, so I had high hopes for this book and it kind of delivered, but I was so hyped up about it from different reviews that I was expecting more. It was different, but through out the whole book I just kept thinking that I had read this somewhere before. The premise was decent but it just didn't feel original. I don't know how to describe it, but it was like deja vu when I read this book. It could be shortened by 100 pages or so too because, while character development is good, I could have used a bit less of it. I don't care about all that drama, get to the killin'! I liked the ending, but some of it felt like a cop out.

1 out of 5 stars Should be titled "Zero!".......2007-10-09

No, nothing, nada exploration of the "evil force," or "protagonist," which is central to the storyline of this book. In short, people are minipulated and eaten by a plant????? Would have given it a zero but was compelled by the rating system to give it one star.

3 out of 5 stars Expectinig More.......2007-10-09

As we followed the group throughout the story, I stared to care less and less for them. The book seemed to drag on and on. I was excited at first and really got into the story. The middle lost me somewhere. At the end I was listening to hear what happened, only to be disappointed in the end. The book had such possibility, but just fell short. All in all, an okay book, but I wouldn't bother reading it unless you have some time to kill.

5 out of 5 stars A MASTERPIECE OF HORROR..........2007-10-08

Ever since the since this author blazed across the literary consciousness during the mid 1990s with "A Simple Plan", his blockbuster tale of greed and suspense, fans have been waiting and clamoring for another book by this author. While I was surprised by the author's foray into an unexpected genre, that of horror fiction, having now read it, I can fully understand why the master of the macabre himself, Stephen King, has proclaimed it to be "the best horror novel of the new century". I would not disagree. It is simply a masterpiece.

Two young American couples, Jeff, Amy, Eric, and Stacy travel to Mexico to spend three weeks in August frolicking on the beaches of the Yucatan peninsula before Jeff and Amy embark on their medical school careers. There they become friendly with a young English speaking German tourist, Mathias, and three fun-loving Greeks. All in their early twenties, they hook up and party together.

It turns out that Mathias, however, had been on vacation with his younger brother, Heinrich, and quarreled with him. Heinrich had apparently met a young woman with whom he had become smitten, and when she left him to go work on an archeological dig in Coba, he decided to follow in hot pursuit. Heinrich left Mathias a note detailing why he was abandoning him and a somewhat sketchy map of where he was headed.

When Mathias decides to go after his brother, he persuades the Americans and one of the Greeks to accompany him. Believing this to be just a day excursion, these six intrepid travelers pack lightly and set out on their adventure. Despite a warning from a well-meaning native not to proceed, they continue on their way, traipsing through jungle. When they arrive at a remote Mayan village, they know that they are close to their objective. Soon after reaching their destination, however, it becomes clear that they wish that they had never set eyes or foot upon the place. What unfolds is simply horrific.

This is a horror novel that is relentless in its pacing, building the tension and suspense slowly, while creating an atmosphere of sheer and utter dread. What makes the story so stunning is the author's description of the events as they unfold within the novel and the perceptions and reactions of those who are living the nightmare. This is a finely wrought work of horror fiction, beautifully nuanced and well-written, that will ensnare the discerning reader and keep that reader turning its pages. I simply could not put it down! Bravo!
How to Ruin Your Financial Life
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • What not to do with your money
  • Perhaps the best personal finance guide yet written.
  • Read this and then read it WITH your kids (or give it to your teen)!
  • Simple yet informative financial advice
  • Perhaps the Best Ten Bucks You Have Ever Spent
 How to Ruin Your Financial Life
Ben Stein
Manufacturer: Hay House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1401902413

Book Description

Anyone can write a book about how to get rich. The bookstores are full of them. They rarely work, though, which isn't surprising since the people who write them rarely know much about money.

But it takes Ben Stein, economist, finance expert for Barron's, commentator on finance for Fox News, and (fairly) successful investor to write a book called How to Ruin Your Financial Life. Written with the same tongue-in-cheek cheekiness as his bestselling How to Ruin Your Life, this book is a humorous road map showing you how to make something useful of the money that comes in and out of your life. Follow the rules—in reverse gear—and you're bound to be a lot better off than you are now. Follow the rules as they're written—and you're highly likely to wind up in bankruptcy court—as millions do every decade.

Here are some of the rules, just to whet your appetite: Collect as Many Credit Cards as You Can and Use Them Frequently; Compete with Your Friends to See Who Can Own the Most Expensive and High-Status Possessions; Know in Your Gut That Only Suckers Work Hard for Money and That Smarties Like You Only Have to Find an Angle; Remember That Retirement Is a L-ooo-nnn-g Way Off, and Don't Even Think about It Right Now; Bear in Mind That Only "Little People" Pay Their Bills or Taxes; Don't Bother to Own Your Own Home Because Home Ownership Is a Hassle...and many more.

This book is a laugh-out-loud way to educate yourself, your children, and your friends about how money really works...and a way to smile while you're straightening out that mess you call your financial life.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars What not to do with your money.......2007-05-12

I am in the financial planning business. I manage my money well. Often it is hard to recall some of the silly things folks do with their money and how they make financial choices. Thanks to Ben's book, it is obvious why a fool and his money are soon parted.

5 out of 5 stars Perhaps the best personal finance guide yet written........2007-03-13

Sure, there are plenty of books out there about how to get rich. They almost always fail because the authors are ignorant of how money works. Ben Stein is a true financial expert and only someone of his caliber can teach us how to blow it all. A hilariously written book and a tongue in-cheek way of assessing one's own financial foibles. I must admit that I am guilty of more than a few of these tips (I won't say which ones!) The essay titles say it all. Here are a few:

*Save money only when you feel like it, and if you just don't feel like saving, then don't.

*Forget to pay your taxes.

*Collect as many credit cards as you can and use them frequently.

*As soon as you've succeeded in maxing out your credit cards, get new ones!

*Don't think about retirement- it's a loooooooong way off.

*Start a business with inadequate capital- in a difficult field and in a difficult location- and expect it to prosper. (also titled, "Open A Restaurant.")

and my favorite...

Find a man or woman with really expensive tastes and reckless financial habits- and marry him or her!

5 out of 5 stars Read this and then read it WITH your kids (or give it to your teen)!.......2007-03-04

Ben Stein should be a keynote speaker on high schools (or even grade schools), because what he says could form the basis of an excellent class on financial literacy. After all, our kids are supposed to learn the basics of reading, writing and mathematics but...what about the basics of how to handle money? Isn't that equally important (and for those who say they learn it at home, the level of personal debt in this country is alarming, so I'd argue that point).
In any case, the humor and writing style of this book makes it very accessable and it should reach a readership that finds other financial books too dry or ho-hum. This one is not and if you simply do everything the opposite of what you'd do to "ruin" your financial life, you will be on a more solid financial path. Get this. Read it. Share it with a teenager or high school student or anyone being lured down the road to instant gratification, expensive cars and clothes and who is NOT looking at the larger picture - or their financial future.
Funny thing,too. With a little foresight and by starting early, it is possible to indulge (some) and have enough for the future. Read this book. You'll get the point.

4 out of 5 stars Simple yet informative financial advice.......2006-07-24

Ben Stein knows how to dispense basic financial advice. Don't put it in a stuffy investment tome and don't give it as a lecture. Instead use sarcasm and satire, presenting poor financial decisions in an absurd manner which will hopefully induce people who need the advice to follow it. Let's face it-nothing Ben says is complicated-it's all common sense-and nothing should really even need to be said. But this book is for people who don't have a lot of financial sense, who don't save money and have a tendency to get bamboozled by get rich quick schemes. Stein shows, in a simple and unmistakable way, the folly of 55 poor financial decisions that are, alas, common. An example: in one short chapter Ben advises making only the minimum payments on credit cards, and in another he advocates transferring balances so you'll never have to pay them off. In doing so he points out what a poor decision this really is, and hopefully inspires people to avoid this pitfall. This book works because it is both simple and informative, without being either condescending or boring.

5 out of 5 stars Perhaps the Best Ten Bucks You Have Ever Spent.......2006-04-30

Most people in the US could really use this book. So many people believe things about finances that are not true or they don't think about their finances at all.
Anyway, Dr. Ben Stein will straighten the reader out with this excellent book (I hope).
Dr. Stein uses a sarcastic approach to helping the reader see what he/she is doing wrong. I nearly split my side laughing about the late night infomercials. Stein hammers away at people for not saving money or charging up credit cards, etc.
At the end of the book Dr. Stein tells the reader to save a portion of their income and buy index funds, annuities (which I wouldn't do), CD's, and good mutual funds.
Ben Stein has a Ph.D in Economics, so I think we should take him seriously.
How To Ruin Your Financial Life is a great book for students and for those who have just plain been getting kicked around by life.
An excellent buy. Don't delay this purchase.
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Calculations are only as good as your numbers
  • Pants on fire?
  • Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
  • Very Interesting
  • History as Science Fiction
 History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

5 out of 5 stars Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

5 out of 5 stars Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

5 out of 5 stars Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

4 out of 5 stars History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
The (Mis) Behavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Risk, Ruin And Reward
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good on explanation, light on math, heavy on boasting
  • For the financial theorist in you
  • Interesting Read
  • The trillion dollar book
  • Fat Tails & Pocketbook Implications
 The (Mis) Behavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Risk, Ruin And Reward
Benoit B. Mandelbrot , and Richard L. Hudson
Manufacturer: Perseus Books Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  1. Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets
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ASIN: 0465043577

Book Description

From the inventor/founder of fractal geometry, the award-winning book that turns modern financial theory on its head

Mathematical superstar and inventor of fractal geometry, Benoit Mandelbrot, has spent the past forty years studying the underlying mathematics of space and natural patterns. What many of his followers don't realize is that he has also been watching patterns of market change.

In The (Mis)Behavior of Markets, Mandelbrot joins with science journalist and former Wall Street Journal editor Richard L. Hudson to reveal what a fractal view of the world of finance looks like. The result is a revolutionary reevaluation of the standard tools and models of modern financial theory. Markets, we learn, are far riskier than we have wanted to believe. From the gyrations of IBM's stock price and the Dow, to cotton trading, and the dollar-Euro exchange rate--Mandelbrot shows that the world of finance can be understood in more accurate, and volatile, terms than the tired theories of yesteryear. The ability to simplify the complex has made Mandelbrot one of the century's most influential mathematicians. With The (Mis)Behavior of Markets, he puts the tools of higher mathematics into the hands of every person involved with markets, from financial analysts to economists to 401(k) holders. Markets will never be seen as "safe bets" again.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Good on explanation, light on math, heavy on boasting.......2007-09-22

(Mis)Behavior of Markets is a wonderful book for people looking to understand why modern financial modelling does not adequately explain real market prices and their fluctuations. The authors are quite good at pointing out the shortcomings of current models that can be easily verified by the reader with web access. They also give a decent overview of how an alternate mathematical view shows promise in improving our understand of market volatility. I took away from it that markets are far more chaotic than we currently appreciate (their view) and short-term investors will suffer the costs of this (my view).

There are two points where the book falls short. While it makes generous use of graphs to explain mathematical relationships, it could stand a fair bit more formalism in explaining the math. This isn't supposed to be an academic treatise, to be sure, but the informality made it hard for a skeptic to follow every logical step in the reasoning.

The book may be light on math but it sure isn't light on self-esteem. The author (I'm assuming these parts are chiefly written by Mandelbrot) feels the need to end most of his paragraphs with a reminder of how his contemporaries have underappreciated his groundbreaking research. I'm sure he's smart dude but I kind of assumed that whe

4 out of 5 stars For the financial theorist in you.......2007-09-13

Mandelbrot is, of course, a genius. In this book Mandelbot attacks orthodox financial theory and substitutes a fractal view of how markets everywhere behave. It's all interesting and Mandelbrot writes in a very accessible style. The conclusions he draws are non-controversial (markets are turbulent, markets are far riskier than we think, etc). An alternative to evaluating risk and reward is offered and might be of interest to theoretical finance people and perhaps some people who trade as a hobby or for a living and like to ponder ways to avoid severe financial loss or ruin. Having known a few traders in complex financial derivatives who did experience ruin, the topic is of great interest to me. As a long term investor who relies mainly on index stock and bond funds and real estate for my investments, I'm happy to see Dr. Mandelbrot's wild graphs in a book and not on my financial statements (fingers crossed!).

3 out of 5 stars Interesting Read .......2007-06-30

I found Mandelbrots piece is fairly easy to read given the material he is attempting to cover. It points out the errors of many of the modeling techniques which exist. I always find this helpful as possibly the most important part of any modeling exercise is to know where your model falls short and what it might not be able to predict.

5 out of 5 stars The trillion dollar book.......2007-06-19

This book should be required reading for all of Wall Street's money managers. It would have saved billions of their clients' money.

Let's look at the Long Term Capital disaster. Intelligent people, Nobel laureates, so what went wrong? The answer is simple: fat tails! (The concept that supposedly one-in-a-billion events are, in fact, not unusual). Clearly, it was not lack of intelligence that caused their downfall, but a childish reliance on flawed financial theories.

Mandelbrot identifies and explains the flaws. True, he does not provide an alternative theory, but perhaps the whole point is that financial markets, being chaotic systems, are not predictable.

Let's look at another chaotic system, the weather. Here the parameters such as temperature, wind speed, humidity, are easily measurable. Yet, we still cannot predict the weather accurately for more than a day or two. How then can the stock market, which is far more complex than the weather, be predictable, when most of the parameters that affect it are not measurable, and some are not even known?

Perhaps the weakest part of the book is the beginning of a theory that Mandelbrot tries to found. He suggests that fractal equations produce charts that look and feel like real stock price charts, and that there might be some connection that can be exploited to predict or describe financial markets. He does not, however, go beyond this suggestion and hopes that someone else would develop his theory.

Bottom line: Mandelbrot's "fat tail" theory explains the financial disasters suffered by many "brilliant" money managers. It does not predict the market, but explains the risks of conventional capital market theories. It saves you money, and after all a penny saved is a dollar earned.

4 out of 5 stars Fat Tails & Pocketbook Implications.......2007-06-14


As the growing evidence mounts that the foundation of CAPM, MPT and Black-Scholes' use of the Gaussian model (i.e. Bell Curve) for market fluctuations are false, what is one to do? The author attempts to warn us of these false models, not to specifically take aim at the authors, or to specifically make us money, but in an attempt to not lose it.

The 1st part of the book "The Old Way", the author provides ample background on how the most widely used finance models came about and the genesis of their theories (read as Gaussian). The second part "The New Way" provides additional background and reasons we should find alternatives, as we don't want to fall into the "man with the hammer" syndrome. The last section "The Way Ahead" is highlighted with Chapter XII in describing the ten heresies of finance so you can avoid them.

Whether you believe in fractals, or not, it is at least worth knowing their implications as power-laws, or scaling factors, do occur very frequently in nature. Some other worthy books on the subject that may be deserving of shelf space are The Black Swan, Ubiquity, and Deep Simplicity.

Of note, let us not forget, to quote Mr. Mandelbrot, "The origin of Gaussian analysis in astronomy conditioned scientists to assume that, in a messy world, there would always be a few anomalous bits of information, to be later ignored before the data crunching". Take for example that during the `80s, 40% of the positive returns from the S&P 500 came during just ten (10) days.
The Necessity for Ruins, and Other Topics
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • good
  • Reflections on THE NECESSITY FOR RUINS
 The Necessity for Ruins, and Other Topics
John Brinckerhoff Jackson
Manufacturer: University of Massachusetts Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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LandscapeLandscape | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0870232924

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars good.......2007-09-24

the book arrived quiclky and I'm happy with it nevertheless it as some underlined sentences (used books are usually like this) but it's quite ok.

4 out of 5 stars Reflections on THE NECESSITY FOR RUINS.......2000-04-25

J. B. Jackson, the founder and longtime editor of the journal LANDSCAPE, helped readers appreciate, and understand, the modern American landscape--parks and cemeteries, to be sure, but also commercial strips and house types, roads and streetscapes--in all of its marvelous complexity. This short volume contains a number of Jackson's vintage essays. The first and last chapters explain the author's approach to the landscape. Other essays include discussions of gardens and sacred groves, the domestication of the garage, and keys to reading streetscapes. The title essay, "The Necessity for Ruins," begins as a reverie on the importance of public monuments before wryly concluding that history has fallen victim to preservation and the heritage industry. These engagingly written essays are the product of an enquiring mind determined to find meaning in our everyday surroundings..
Raising the Ruins: The Fight to Revive the Legacy of Herbert W. Armstrong
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A good work on the subject, given the competition
  • Raising the Ruins of Pervert W. Armstrong
  • Informative and accurate
  • A Story of Faith and A Fight for Truth
  • Sad Sad Sad
 Raising the Ruins: The Fight to Revive the Legacy of Herbert W. Armstrong
Stephen Flurry
Manufacturer: Philadelphia Church of God, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 097455071X

Book Description

It is the Most Astonishing Story in Modern Religion

What happened to the global humanitarian empire of Herbert W. Armstrong, one of the foremost religious leaders of the 20th century?

Here is the shocking, gripping untold story of the doctrinal hijacking and spiritual destruction of the Worldwide Church of God after the death of its founder.

It is the story of a cabal of leaders who destroyed Mr. Armstrong's work, sold the church's assets and hoarded the money.

It is the story of the life-and-death, six-year court battle that ensued when a faith-filled few held fast to his mission and sought to defend his legacy by Raising the Ruins.

Herbert W. Armstrong was the world's leading televangelist and one of the most prominent religious leaders of the 20th century, watched, read and followed by millions worldwide. But his legacy of Bible-based humanitarianism came under attack after he died. The cabal of leaders who took control of the church he founded, after pledging to "follow in his footsteps," methodically destroyed all he had built. Those who would stop them were silenced or excommunicated.

Had it happened in the corporate world, the CEOs and executives responsible for hijacking a corporation and robbing its investors would have been fired, if not prosecuted in a court of law.

Never before has this shocking story been told in such riveting detail. Drawing upon official reports, internal memos, court depositions and personal interviews, Stephen Flurry exposes the depth of corruption and deceit that was "Tkachism" - the administration of Joseph Tkach, who succeeded Mr. Armstrong as pastor general of the Worldwide Church of God.

In this book you will learn:

*How Tkach's men altered doctrines under Mr. Armstrong's nose even before he died.

*How the Tkach transformation was driven from the start by an agenda that even shocked most of the top ministers.

*How early on, Tkachism brazenly denied its radical changes before the church members.

*How Tkachism slashed media operations under the pretense of "wise stewardship"--while income soared at a record $1 billion in five years.

*How Tkachism shamefully forced out the very members whose contributions had built the multi-million dollar empire.

*How Tkach's men told church members the message of Mr. Armstrong's magnum opus, Mystery of the Ages, was still official, while they secretly trashed 120,000 copies of the book.

*How Tkach Jr. considered it his "Christian duty" to stamp out Mr. Armstrong's writings.

*How Tkach Jr. nearly achieved that goal in a six-year legal battle, but then, for fear of being exposed, surrendered.

*How the marvelous wonder of Mr. Armstrong's work is being raised from the ruins.

Worldwide Church of God leaders today present themselves to the mainstream evangelical world as a band of courageous truth-lovers who sacrificed everything to follow Jesus Christ. The stubborn facts of what they did, however, tell a far more sinister story - a story they have done their utmost to keep buried. This book exhumes those facts and exposes them to the furious light of day, as they should have been all along, for your scrutiny.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars A good work on the subject, given the competition.......2007-08-29

A large and fairly well-documented work on the topic. Given that the author does have a vested interest in promoting his OWN splinter group, the reader does have to be very careful in separating the factual accounts from the glossed-over "spins". However, since the other two major works on the Armstrong group are Tkach's "Transformed by Truth" and Feazell's "Liberation of the Worldwide Church of God", both of which are just as compromised by agendas, this book is no less reliable. Good information here, and excellent footnotes - just like the previously mentioned books, don't check your brains at the door before reading.

1 out of 5 stars Raising the Ruins of Pervert W. Armstrong.......2007-08-13

"As a former PCG member, I remember the whole battle over Armstrong's writings and the rhetoric Gerald and Stephen Flurry used to tell their membership. Needless to say, when I started reading this book, I felt like I had already read it multiple times. I already knew everything it said.

The one thing that should be made perfectly clear to casual readers who do not subscribe to Armstrong's teachings after reading this book is that the PCG does not worship God, they worship Herbert Armstrong.

Raising the Ruins basically tells the story of the lenghts they were willing to go to in order to be able to print their lord and savior's literature which mostly consisted of spending millions of dollars from their membership, many of which live in poverty because of all the money they give to the church.

Victory indeed."

The only "ruins" Gerald and Stephen Flurry are interested in raising are the same propaganda tools Armstrong used to fool a smattering of poor, blindly devoted, uneducated followers into giving him money that should've gone to making a living and/or raising families that instead, went towards making Armstrong rich as he sipped champagne from crystal glasses, ate prime rib off of gold plates, and lived in complete and utter opulence.

Armstrong was nothing more than a salesman who plagarized cult propaganda from Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists and Mormons in order to conjur up a false gospel of his own to sell to people.


These "ruins" are best left dead. Thanks in large part to the internet that easily exposes this sort of obselete, bush league, chop shop style pshychological propoganda, it is largely seen for what it is.

Complete and utter nonsense.

3 out of 5 stars Informative and accurate.......2007-07-12

The book is well written and extremely well documented. However, you can feel the author's anger and contempt for the individuals he writes about and that can be slightly off putting, but I understand the history and context for his feelings so I was able to put them aside and continue with the book. At the end of the book where he writes about the conclusion of the court case he does make it sound like the PCOG was the only church involved and that isn't accurate. There were many other off-shoots that participated in the paying of fees in order to get the writings of Mr. Armstrong. It's an interesting history of what happened to the Worldwide Church of God and how Satan's influence over men destroyed God's church.

5 out of 5 stars A Story of Faith and A Fight for Truth.......2007-07-08

As a former member of the Worldwide Church of God who lived through the events described in this book -- until I was disfellowshipped in 1995 -- I found this book to be truly inspirational. For me, it filled in many of the blanks of missing information I hadn't known at the time, and confirmed what I had suspected about the Thach's. I am not a member of the Philadelphia Church of God, but I applaud what Gerald Flurry did in battling the WCG against all odds, and winning in the end. He had the faith and courage to fight for the 'truth once delivered'. Stephen Flurry has documented in this book a 'David and Goliath' story of faithfullness. Of course, those who hate Herbert W. Armstrong will find fault with everything in this book, but for those few -- especially if you were in WCG after Mr. Armstrong's death -- then, this book is for you!

1 out of 5 stars Sad Sad Sad.......2007-05-05

I was a member of the Worldwide Church of God for many years and welcomed Joe Tkach changes. Mr. Flurry is a bitter man unable to see why these changes had to happen. He does not talk about the lives that were destroyed before the changes. So Sad. Mr. Flurry needs to pray hard and understand that God has a plan.
Ghostly Ruins: America's Forgotten Architecture
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Disappearing fast
  • Spectral visions
 Ghostly Ruins: America's Forgotten Architecture
Harry Skrdla
Manufacturer: Princeton Architectural Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1568986157

Book Description

Ghostly Ruins shows you both the life and death of thirty structures, from transportation depots, factories, and jails to amusement parks, mansions, hotels, and entire towns. Author Harry Skrdla gives a guided tour of these marvelous structures at their peak of popularity juxtaposed with their current state of haunted decrepitude. Like a seasoned teller of ghost stories, Skrdla’s words and images show you what lies beyond the gates and beneath the floorboards. There are the infamous Eastern State Penitentiary and Bethlehem Steel factory in Pennsylvania, the Packard Motors Plant and Book-Cadillac Hotel in Detroit, and Philip Johnson’s New York State Pavilion from the 1964/65 World’s Fair.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Disappearing fast.......2007-03-10

A very impressive photo documentary of buildings and places that have been left to uncertainty, the elements, or destroyed. The brief histories given for each place makes for some interesting reading. The photographs are magnificent, I wish I could step into them and see all the photographer saw at the time the places were photographed. It is sad to think some of these places will be left alone to fall apart or destroyed. This book really brings to mind how precious and unique these places are.

5 out of 5 stars Spectral visions.......2007-01-12

A fantastic and haunting look at some once grand and beautiful buildings. An excellent commentary with history, that creates a mood thick with the cobwebs of time. The best I have seen that deals with the wealth of archietectural gems we have lost over the years. After reading, one is so much more aware of the crumbling buildings that surround us all over the nation, and maybe will be moved to save future ruins from total destruction.
Rising from the Ruins
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • This book rose from the ruins 2/3 of the way through
  • Funny & Fascinating
 Rising from the Ruins
Daniel J. Peters
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679433066
Release Date: 1995-02-28

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars This book rose from the ruins 2/3 of the way through.......2002-04-17

The copy I have of this book has a great picture on the cover: a Tikal-style pyramid, somber gray gleaming under moonlight amidst a thick, dark green jungle. I dug in, expecting a book of adventure and mystery in the secret depths of hidden ruins...

Not quite so. The story begins with a disenchanted, out-of-work academic, who to distract himself from his lagging self confidence and boredom begins a life of crime... stealing the ornaments off of people's lawns. It's actually quite funny, and our hero, Harper, has a sarcastic sense of humor that kept me chuckling.

However, when his luck turns, and Harper heads off to join an archaelogical team among Mayan ruins, there's a long run of ho-hum details of camp life, speculations about the fictional village that the crew is digging up, and a lot of incredibly petty bickering among them. I could hardly keep my eyes open during this central portion of the book.

The last third starts picking up speed as Harper accumulates more enemies among the crew, and they encounter a group Guatemalan refugees. They must decide whether to help them with food, at the risk of losing their digging permit from the Mexican government. Following on the heels of the refugees are soldiers hunting them down and who briefly put the team in danger. These events add some spice, and so does Sancho, the friendly jungle pig.

The end of the book ties the pieces up nicely, and its message clarifies why the characters (and the reader) had to endure all that bickering. I was able to make peace with the book by its end, and with the help of Harper's sense of humor, was able to give this book a 4.

5 out of 5 stars Funny & Fascinating.......2001-08-14

The best "read" I've had all summer. The setting is an archeological dig in Mexico. The characters are very human, and intuitively helping each other to heal, while working hard and playing hard. The Mayan history is fascinating. The jungle is described vividly. The laughter and the love bubble up easily. The jacket cover says "a powerful story of personal redemption and marital survival." And it's told with wit and clever wordplay. A lot of fun.
The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Awesome book!
  • An Instant Addiction
  • Better for youth than for adults
  • Pretty Good
  • Deja vu
 The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1)
John Flanagan
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142406635

Book Description

He had always wanted to be a warrior. The Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways, made him nervous. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now fifteen year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't realize yet is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied . . . .

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Awesome book!.......2007-10-01

What a great book! We read it aloud to my son who is almost seven and my husband and I loved it as much as he did. Great messages and excellent adventure without being too scary or bloody; although the author certainly is a master at creating an element of fear and anxiety through the elements of evil the young apprentice must face. A very good read! We are very excited to read on into book 2.....

5 out of 5 stars An Instant Addiction.......2007-09-22

I always love running across a book that I can devour in one sitting. This was truly a wonderful read.

3 out of 5 stars Better for youth than for adults.......2007-08-16


Young Will, a ward in the Redmont fief under Baron Arald's protection, is an orphan through and through. When he was just a babe he was dropped on the Baron's hands with a note that said "His mother died in childbirth. His father died a hero. Please care for him. His name is Will". Without even the security of a last name Will grew up in the fief with a few other orphan friends, Alyss, George, Jenny, and Horace. Now comes the time of the craft master's choosing for young apprentices and all of them have their designs on different areas of expertise. Horace and Will both want to go to Battleschool, even though Will's small stature may prevent him from doing so. Alyss wants to become a diplomat under Lady Pauline, George has his sights set on scribe school and Jenny on the kitchen's under the tutelage of Master Chubb. All of them get their chosen areas of study save Will, whose size is the cause for him to get rejected. However, a man named Halt, Remont's Ranger, sets up a test for the young man and once Will passes it Halt invites him to apprentice under him, learning the arts of stealth and cunning that will aid him in becoming a Ranger.

I didn't enjoy this series as much as I would, and for all accounts, should have. But let me just say first off that there is nothing wrong with this book. The story is fun, the writer's skill echo of Lloyd Alexander, T.H. White, and Tolkien in bits... However, I found myself not paying attention in large chunks and not caring when I resumed my focus. I think this is a great book for younger people. I would have probably loved it myself when I was ten or twelve. However, this is not one of those youth fantasy books that carries into adulthood, I'm afraid. There's too much of other fantasy writers that I like who have done it better than Flanagan. I found I could sate my curiosity about the rest of this series by reading the plot assessments on Wikipedia, rather than spending anymore time reading the actual books.

That having been said, I still plan on recommending this to young readers in the future. It was a fun medieval world that Flanagan has set up, and I am a little disappointed that I didn't like it more than I did. It could be engaging to some, but not for me, I'm afraid.

4 out of 5 stars Pretty Good.......2007-08-02

I found this book to be quite good and would recommend not only to children, but to adults as well.This book is totally different from Harry Potter.The book is well-written and relatively fast moving. The book introduces us to Will, a child that was a ward of a baron who was selected by the Rangers, a mysterious group in the kingdom. We follow Will as he discovers what it is to be a Ranger and how he grows into the role of an apprentice to one.

2 out of 5 stars Deja vu.......2007-07-10

I must admit, first of all, that I only read the first third of this book and then skipped to the last two chapters. I tend to do that often, but only when I get bored.

This book might be good for young readers who have had little exposure to fantasy novels or movies, otherwise it just contains too many cliches and worn-out plot events to be entertaining. The writing quality is about on par with Eragon and contains such classic devices as: a main character with unknown parents, a child left on a doorstep with a note, master warriors who don't exploit an enemy's one obvious weakness (but a hero who does), a mentor who makes their apprentice do chores, humanoid creatures with dog/bear-like faces, etc. It also features a hero who doesn't know what he should do for a living despite being able to scale smooth walls without a rope, sneak past trained palace guards without being heard or seen, is surprisingly strong as well as agile, cunning... you get the point.

In short, this isn't a bad book, but most books aren't. This is just a mediocre book. There is plenty of room in this world for mediocre books, but I would certainly hope you look a little harder for something more satisfying.
The Cortisol Connection: Why Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health - And What You Can Do About It
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Sensible guide for reducing stress and feeling better
  • Some science and lots of baloney
  • Good advice on controlling stress and cortisol
  • Do you think Dr Talbott's cortisol levels are up?
  • Hidden Danger!
 The Cortisol Connection: Why Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health - And What You Can Do About It
Shawn M. Talbott , and William Kraemer
Manufacturer: Hunter House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Weight LossWeight Loss | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Weight MaintenanceWeight Maintenance | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Stress ManagementStress Management | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0897933915

Book Description

The hormone cortisol, activated by the fight-or-flight (stress) response, is emerging as a major culprit in a variety of health problems. The Cortisol Connection explores the documented relationship between elevated levels of this hormone, chronic stress, and such health conditions as obesity, depression, suppressed immune system, osteoporosis, and hypertension. The book shows how to control cortisol through supplements, dozens of which are discussed in detail in a chapter on the SENSE program (Stress Management, Exercise, Nutrition, Supplementation, Evaluation), with short, practical recommendations in each category. Also included are warnings on the use of ephedra- and caffeine-based weight-loss supplements, which actually cause weight gain, along with resources and references.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Sensible guide for reducing stress and feeling better.......2007-10-02

Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (9/07)

If you are living in the USA, or really anywhere in the so-called "developed" world, chances are you are stressed beyond belief. While stress used to be taken lightly in the past, there was a lot of research performed on how it affects us and in recent years doctors are calling attention to all of the risks associated with it. If you think your life is not really complicated enough for you to qualify as being under stress, consider this paragraph from "The Cortisol Connection" by Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., which clearly shows that one does not need to be a CEO to be under stress:

"The most direct example of the chronically elevated human stress response can be observed every day in the lives of a large part of the American (and worldwide) population. Those are the folks who are driving a junker car (and hoping it makes it) to their second job. They are hoping that the money from that second paycheck will last until the end of the month when the bills are due. They are not the people whom you see commiseration about their terrible jobs on sitcoms such as Friends. The constant unrelenting stress of making ends meet, job instability, sleep deprivation, poor diet, lack of outlets for stress, and overall lack of control combine to increase the risk of disease by a factor of five to ten!"

A factor of five to ten is scarily high, so getting stress and the risks under control would certainly be a good idea. "The Cortisol Connection" is an extremely helpful guide in this process, clearly explaining the risk factors, possible effects of those factors and ways and means of controlling stress and taking control of your life. The proposed solution, called the SENSE Lifestyle Program, is more than a diet, since it incorporates several key elements; such as stress management, exercise, nutrition and supplements. Although the book is very detailed and in parts quite "technical," the overall program seems to be eminently sensible and not impossible to follow.

While I have no experience in the medical field and cannot evaluate the book from that perspective, I was clearly impressed by the amount of research that went into this book, as is evident from the extremely extensive "References" section. I found the language easy-to-follow and easily understandable. While an average reader might not care for all the medical references and explanations, I believe most anybody could and should follow the recommendations of the SENSE Lifestyle Program, especially since it was extensively researched and tested.

I would highly recommend "The Cortisol Connection" to any reader who wants to take responsibility for his or her own health and well-being and actually do something about it.

1 out of 5 stars Some science and lots of baloney.......2006-10-04

Current scientific understanding of cortisol's role in stress, disease, weight gain and so on is useful general information, even if it doesn't tell specifically how to endure and surmount the stress of modern life. However, this information is conveyed much more effectively in other books such as Sapolsky's _Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers._

The distinctive feature of _The Cortisol Connection_ is that it tells you what to do about excessive cortisol secretion. Unfortunately, what it tells you do to is complete baloney. A few of the many nutritional supplements he recommends -- magnesium, for example, might be mildly helpful for a few people who have bad eating habits and don't take conventional vitamins and minerals.

All the other recommendations for nutritional supplements lack scientific foundation. Any author can just make this stuff up. Then another author cites the first author, a third author cites the second, and a fourth author cites the first, in a round robin of nonsense. Then other authors claim that these multiple citations prove that the value of such supplements is well-recognzied. This kind of pseudoscience stinks to high heaven, and it makes modern life more stressful than it must be.

4 out of 5 stars Good advice on controlling stress and cortisol.......2006-06-30

Don't automatically dismiss this book because Shawn Talbott, comaker of the Cortislim brand of supplements, is the author. He does not hawk his wares in this book. Instead, he talks about common-sense issues relating to chronic stress in modern society and the simple steps you can take to reduce that stress.

Most humorously he compares humans to Zebras and discusses that while the Zebra and the human both have the same fight-or-flight mechanism that releases the stress hormone cortisol during times of emergencies, at least the Zebra is responding to events in which he can quickly flee or actually fight. Humans in modern society have the fight-or-flight mechanism in response to situations in which they cannot quickly resolve the problem - credit card bills, layoffs, mortgage payments, even traffic jams. Since fighting or fleeing are not options, the hormone cortisol builds up in our systems on a semi-permanent basis eventually causing such problems as insulin resistence, autoimmune diseases, and even cardiovascular disease.

The author talks about simple steps you can take to reduce the effect of this inevitable stress on your health via the SENSE program which stands for stress management, exercise, nutrition, supplements, and evaluation. Again, most of his advice is good common sense, and he backs up what he says with chemical descriptions, in layman's terms, of what is going on in your body as you apply or fail to apply stress management techniques.

The section on supplements is general and all-in-all pretty good advice. The author suggests vitamins B and C as well as magnesium for targeting stress in general. The author suggests lesser known supplements such as magnolia bark, epimedium, and L-theanine for actual cortisol control. These just happen to be some of the ingredients in the author's Cortislim supplement, as well as other brands of cortisol control supplements, but since the author never mentions the product by name, he really isn't guilty of advertising.

I really have only two negative comments. First, the author is wrong to tell people to not have their cortisol tested scientifically by a lab, since these tests are quite reliable, and it will do you no good to apply the right solution to the wrong problem. The second negative comment is that some of the lesser known supplements can have negative side effects on susceptible individuals. For example, the author promotes the use of ginseng as an "adaptogen", or an agent that helps or adapts the body or protects it from stress. In fact, ginseng can cause dangerous blood pressure rises in susceptible individuals. If we are talking about someone who may already have elevated blood pressure due to stress, the combination could be lethal. Thus you should do some further investigation before ingesting the lesser known supplements suggested in the book.

On the whole, though, this is a helpful manual for dealing with chronic stress and you should see some improvement in your health and state of mind by following the author's advice. Just be careful when dealing with nutritional supplements. Just because something is all natural does not mean it is safe for everybody.

1 out of 5 stars Do you think Dr Talbott's cortisol levels are up?.......2006-01-16

I know I'd be stressed out if I was him.
Don't put on too much weight Shawn. Take your Cortislim !!!

http://consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/ftc_cortislim.html
Cortislim Promoters Forfeit $4.5 Million in FTC Settlement
September 21, 2005
Three defendants will forfeit $4.5 million in cash and other assets to settle Federal Trade Commission charges stemming from their roles in the marketing of CortiSlim and CortiStress, dietary supplements promoted for weight loss and disease prevention


In its complaint, the FTC alleged that the defendants made false or unsubstantiated product claims and used deceptively formatted infomercials in pitching the dietary supplements.

The surrendered assets will include an investment partnership and related charitable foundation, a speedboat, a truck, and a variety of real estate interests. As part of the settlement, the defendants cannot seek a cash refund of state or federal taxes for 2003, 2004, or 2005 that were paid prior to the settlement.

The FTC alleges that advertising claims about CortiSlim's ability to, among other things, cause rapid, substantial, and permanent weight loss in all users were false or unsubstantiated, as were claims about CortiStress's ability to reduce the risk of, or prevent, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

The FTC also alleges that CortiSlim and CortiStress infomercials were deceptively formatted to appear as talk shows rather than advertisements. The advertising campaign for CortiSlim ran nationwide, including ads on broadcast and cable television, radio, print media, and the Internet.

The defendants in the settlement announced today, California-based Pinnacle Marketing Concepts, Inc. and its president, Thomas F. Cheng, and Utah-based Shawn M. Talbott, cannot make benefit or efficacy claims for any dietary supplement, food, drug, cosmetic, or device unless the claims are truthful and substantiated. Litigation continues against the four defendants who have not settled.

In September 2004, the Commission filed a complaint against Window Rock Enterprises, Inc.; Stephen F. Cheng; Infinity Advertising, Inc.; Gregory S. Cynaumon; and Shawn M. Talbott. The Commission later amended its complaint to add Pinnacle and Thomas F. Cheng as additional defendants.

The FTC announced two separate stipulated final agreements and orders for permanent injunction today, one with Pinnacle and its president, Thomas Cheng, who the FTC alleges participated in the marketing of Cortislim and CortiStress; and one with Talbott, who the FTC alleges formulated the two products and participated in the advertising.

Both orders prohibit the making of certain claims about CortiSlim and CortiStress and require competent and reliable scientific evidence to support any other claims made about the products.

The orders also bar misrepresentations of any tests or studies and prohibit claims about the performance, effects on weight, or other health benefits of any dietary supplement, food, drug, cosmetic, or device unless the claims are true, not misleading, and substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence. Finally, both orders prohibit the use of deceptively formatted television and radio advertisements and require the use of "paid advertisement" disclosures for television ads longer than 15 minutes and for radio ads longer than five minutes.

The settlement with Pinnacle and Thomas Cheng requires them to give up $3.4 million in assets: $700,000 cash; the net proceeds from an investment partnership and related charitable foundation; a $215,000 boat; a $40,000 truck; and a $450,000 property lien. If they are later found to have misrepresented their financial status, the two defendants would be liable for a $23.8 million judgment.

The settlement with Talbott requires him to give up $1.12 million in assets: $225,000 cash; $350,000 from equity in property in Centerville, Massachusetts, or title to the property; $38,700 from the sale of a timeshare in Hawaii or title to the timeshare; and cash equal to 80 percent of the current market value of a property in Lisbon, Ohio, or title to the property. If Talbott is later found to have misrepresented his financial status, he would be liable for a $3.5 million judgment.

Under the agreements, the defendants also assign to the FTC all claims they might have against the other defendants in this case, and they will not use their settlement with the Commission as a basis for seeking a cash refund of income taxes that they reported as paid. In addition, the agreements include standard record-keeping provisions and require the defendants to distribute copies of the orders to certain entities and individuals.

2 out of 5 stars Hidden Danger!.......2006-01-01

Overall, the book is fairly well written and easy to follow. The recommendations (dietary and other) would probably be helpful...if indeed your problems are due to elevated cortisol levels. However, on pgs. 78-79, the author makes the serious mistake of discouraging the use of hormone testing to determine actual cortisol levels. Instead, he recommends that you use his questionnaire (pg. xvi) as your sole guideline. Unfortunately, most of those questions deal with general stressors which nearly everyone experiences, along with other general health related questions. The point is, anyone could get a high score on this questionnaire, including those with high cortisol; low cortisol; fibromyalgia; chronic fatigue syndrome, and any number of other ailments. This creates a very serious problem, because if someone with low levels of cortisol (common in CFS, for instance) were to take some of the supplements that the author recommends, that person's already weak adrenal glands would be depleted even further, with potentially catastrophic consequences. So, my recommendation is to read this book with an open mind, but definitely get your cortisol levels tested (contrary to the author's opinion, salivary cortisol testing has proven quite reliable) before using any of the herbs or other supplements suggested.

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