Heal Environmental Illness and Reclaim Your Life is a moving account
of a schoolteacher's journey through the effects of environmental
illness. Her intense search for help leads to her discovery of
alternative healing methods. These methods take her far from her
earlier understandings and into a world where alternative health
practices bring about her dramatic recovery.

Confused by her
symptoms, the doctors can do nothing. Her mounting allergic reactions
leave Dr. Smith and her family desolate. Alone with accumulating
physical problems (from excruciating body sensations to problems with
seeing, hearing, eating, and breathing), her world becomes very
small. She sits next to her window, listening to her clock, wondering
why she is suffering so much. Through it all, the author does not
give up. Slowly, she builds on each small poignant turning point. She
shares these stories with her readers, as well as the practical
healing ideas and methods she discovers (including exercises that even
someone quite ill can do).

One of the very special features of
this book is that many of Dr. Smith's suggestions cost nothing to
incorporate. The biggest investment needed by readers is that of
cultivating willingness . . . to believe that healing is quite
possible. She describes how each seeming obstacle eventually, through
her willingness, becomes a jumping off point. Dr. Smith gives readers
the means to take control of many aspects of their recovery.

This
book is full of optimism, compassion for those who suffer, practical
advice on what to do, and energetic ways to gently and incrementally
ease back into living. She also includes her spiritual experiences,
for those who wish to call on this often ignored aspect of recovering
health. Dr. Smith's personal story (told in a stirring,
straightforward, and easy to understand manner), combined with helpful
healing ideas (also presented in a clear, useful, easy to grasp and
practice fashion), make this book a rare find. The reader is offered
hope and the means to realize that hope in Heal Environmental Illness
and Reclaim Your Life.

Dr. Smith understands what it is to live
through having EI. Her gentle and honest narrative invite you to feel
as though she is right there to offer wisdom and kindness and
help. She also knows what it is to recover! Her words are uplifting
and inspiring. Her fascinating journey provides a path for others to
discover their journey, one that well may result in seeming miracles!

In her book Heal Environmental Illness and Reclaim Your Life the author, Dr. Lorraine Smith, takes the reader into a fascinating journey into the world of the environmentally ill. In what may eventually serve as the handbook for dealing with environmental illness the author adroitly covers all aspects off the illness on not only the afflicted but their families as well.

Dr.Smith provides an extremely personal and vivid first-hand account of the long, downward spiral of declining health she experienced after being exposed to chemical solvents, and her heart-rendering account of her struggles to regain her health are powerfully told. Poignantly detailed are her many long hours of solitude and loneliness forced upon her due to the nature of the illness, something to which fellow sufferers will readily relate.

Dr. Smith's extensive research of environmental illness helps to provide a veritable wealth of information on alternative therapies not recognized by the established medical community. Her solution and the path she takes to restore her own health have provided not only a ray of hope to the many thousands afflicted with the problem but a blueprint to wellness as well.

The author is the student who excelled at the University of Toronto, where Thomas F. Homer-Dixon is a professor (and himself author of "Environment, Scarcity, and Violence"), and is now a professor at the University of Southern Florida.

Although the Central Intelligence Agency got this right in the 1970's, clearly warning U.S. policymakers that AIDS and related diseases were "the" catastrophic threat to national security and regional stability in the closing quarter of the 20th century, and although the United Nations and its various agencies have clearly understood the relationship between disease, environmental degradation, and instability--with all that instability brings in terms of crime, forced migration, and so on, the author gets five stars for doing an absolutely brilliant job of putting all of this knowledge--and his own original contributions--into a readable volume that can be understood by the most loosely-educated policymakers we have, as well as the voting public.

The author does a superb job of both crediting others (e.g. Laurie Garrett, whose stunning book "BETRAYAL OF TRUST: The Collapse of Global Public Health" we reviewed last year) while weaving his own insights into the story. ERIDs are "emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases." They matter more now because, as the author summarizes it, modern man is in a very different situation today: "individuals can travel around the world rapidly by airplane, and overpopulation and the growth of megacities have created entirely new 'disease pools' that will allow new pathogens to emerge and flourish."

The author has done a fine job of documenting how "human-induced worldwide environmental destruction" is both releasing pathogens from their hiding places in rain forests, launching new microbes that wreak havoc on aquatic life, and proliferating resistant strains of micobial terrorists we do not understand. Bacteria, in brief, are a thousand to a million times more deadly that any terrorist gang, and we would be wise to get our priorities straight as we set about pretending to govern.

As a general statement, the author appears to have done very very well as identifying intervening variables that could be analyzed, and his conclusions on what needs to be done are "President ready." He not only makes his case, he ends by calling for a massive increase in "health intelligence," and thereby demonstrates a wit lacking in most academics.

The notes are excellent, there is no bibliography, and the index is so mediocre it might as well not have been included--there is also no biography of this talented author, a grevious lack. The book should be reissued with this deficiencies being corrected.

For vexing reasons, political scientists have long neglected the role of health in understanding societal stability and regime transitions. Price-Smith begins to fill this void by offering this excellent genesis for the field of health security. Using some of the models developed by Thomas Homer-Dixon regarding nonrationality and complex causality, Price-Smith critically examines how HIV, malaria and TB, among other, could have potentially devastating consequences--for the developing and the developed world.

What makes this book all the more useful is that Price-Smith goes beyond the anecdotal or journalistic accounts that have dominated our understanding of public health's relationship to politics. He provides both rigorous statistical analysis and compelling case studies to prove his points. His writing style is clear and unassuming, a welcome approach for those without an extensive public health/biology background.

I think this is quite a nice book with some great pictures to complement the text, which tells of a mining town and many interesting stories surrounding the gems found there.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a passion for general science, gem & minerals, geology or who is a history buff. It is a smooth read from start to finish, and details many interesting facts with wonderful pictures. Most importantly, however, it tells of a world-class mine in a "farmer's piece of the world" that few know about.

In college I met one of the sons of George Braziler, the publisher, and feel that the wonderful quality of their art books reflects the generous and thoughtful nature of their family. The prints are meticulously reproduced, complete with woodgrain. The written text takes the reader back to another time within a totally different culture with subtle details explained. More generally, Japanese prints represent an effort to provide art to the normal working people, not just wealthy aristocrats. Hiroshige memorializes the exquisite and delicate mood of ancient Japan and lets you feel their experiences.

Darcy Kishida (midk@crisscross.com) Anyone who has ever visited modern Tokyo knows what a dreary and uninviting place it can be. Monotonous rows of offices, apartments with no charm whatsoever, and a shocking lack of architectural originality conspire to rob the metropolis of most of the character it once had. "One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo" will, if not completely change your opinion of Tokyo, at least make you see the city in a new light, enabling the reader to look past the run down buildings and aging neon and view the city as it used to be: an enchanting place virtually untouched by foreign influences and filled with ancient shrines, women in kimono, swaggering samurai, Kabuki theaters, the pleasure quarters, and everything else we associate with old Japan. It will also, if you're not already, make you fall in love with the art of ukiyo-e. "One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo" succeeds in two ways. First, from a purely artistic point of view, it is a stunning collection of all 118 prints in Hiroshige's "Meisho Edo Hyakkei" series (One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo), full-size and faithfully reproduced from the Brooklyn Museum's high quality set of mostly first edition prints. The book is unique in that it includes, in addition to the acknowledged masterpieces such as "Plum Estate, Kameido" and "Sudden Shower over Shin-Ohashi Bridge and Atake," many inferior prints which are rarely, if ever, seen. Here though, every print, even the obscure ones, is given its own commentary. Henry D. Smith II, a professor of Japanese history at Columbia University, wrote the commentaries accompanying the plates and explains in his introduction that only focusing on the stronger designs "discourages the appreciation of the many strong features of the lesser designs, and it also distracts attention from the descriptive qualities that clearly appealed to Hiroshige's audience and that can teach us much today about the city of Edo and its culture." Also significant is the fact that "One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo" shows us the series as it was meant to be seen. Those who are familiar with Hiroshige already know that this was his last series and it was enormously popular. As was the case with most ukiyo-e prints, the first edition copies were generally of the highest quality, with sharp, clear lines and delicately graded colors. In later printings, which are comparatively plentiful, a sharp drop in the subtlety of color becomes obvious and the once clean lines begin to blur. The majority of the prints from the Brooklyn Museum fall into the former category. As Professor Smith notes, the great success of the series "led to countless later impressions of far inferior quality, eliminating the most refined printing effects and transforming the color schemes in ways that utterly destroyed the expressive intent of the first impressions." Even to the untrained eye, a side-by-side comparison between a high quality, early impression and a hastily made later one will quickly make this clear. Any ukiyo-e connoisseur will tell you that there is really nothing else like a well-preserved, first edition copy of a favorite print and these are in abundance in "One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo". As impressive as the prints are, however, the commentary is what steals the show here, giving the reader fascinating glimpses into what was the city of Edo and its inhabitants. It has the effect of turning the prints into virtual postcards, which, in the absence of Edo era photographs, serve as a precious visual record of the city and its customs. In his commentary, Smith has the uncanny ability to make even the most mundane details fascinating. Mediocre plates, which would normally hold your attention for only a few seconds at most, are given substance and life by Smith, whose keen eye and attention to detail turn these lesser designs into mini history lessons, travel guides, or short biographies. A good example is plate 70 (Nakagawa River Mouth), which, artistically, this writer considers among the worst of the series. Here were are given a short history of Edo's canal system, learn where its citizens procured their salt, and discover how the scene has changed in the last 150 years. The print is thus saved from obscurity by, ironically, acting as a sort of visual supplement to Smith's text instead of the other way around. The amazing variety of the locations and subject matter of the 118 views and their astute commentary combine to bring Edo alive for the viewer, making it seem strangely familiar and real. We regret the loss of so many beautiful places to modernization and cherish the few precious gems that remain. "One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo" will make those who have never been to Tokyo want to go and former residents want to return for a visit. As for the fortunate who live there now, this book can only increase their appreciation of the city and its unique history.

The previous review summed it up well but I just wanted to chime in since this is one of the most delightful and memorable novels of the last year. Smith's characters are so well drawn that they become real and the details about dog training are fascinating. This book truly was too short since I didn't want my sojourn into Hartley and visit with Sally, Michah, Tanner, and all the rest to end. Hopefully there will be a return visit soon.

When Sally's best friend since childhood, Deb, asks Sally to care for her newborn child "if anything ever happens," Sally says of course...just as most of us would, feeling honored even though we know it would never come about. However, one day something does happen -- and Sally is to have the care of fourteen-year-old orphan Micah and his high-energy dog, Sophie. Sally loves Micah as her own and has watched him grow up, but she's at a loss for what to do for a grieving teenage boy, and she dislikes dogs. A lot. Always has. Her three cats don't like them either.

Luckily Sally has some marvelous friends (most of whom we've met in previous books (written under the pen name Annie Kimberlin), so they feel like friends to me, too) who help her with Micah and Sophie and introduce her to Tanner Dodge, trainer extraordinaire, "The God of All Things Dog."

Although the spine of HOME AGAIN says romance, there is so much more going on here. I'm amazed at how much Ms. Smith is able to put into 381 pages. I just wish there could have been so many more, as this was one of those books that I didn't want to end! Obviously there are pets in the story -- and these pets are not just window dressing; they are secondary characters who affect other characters and the storyline. We get to see a sort of "Disneyland for Cats," service dogs working and being trained, pet dogs going to all kinds of fun places and competing in shows and obedience, and some really big goldfish (find out Sally's secret for getting them so big and long-lived!)

There are a lot of relationship interactions here: long-term friendship (between humans *and* animals); learning to trust others as new friends; parents who are no longer a part of one's life for various reasons; extended family; and of course the strange and strained not-quite-Mother/Son, not-quite-Aunt/Nephew dynamic between Sally and Micah.

If I had to choose one thing that has made Annie Smith one of my very favorite writers of contemporary novels, it would have to be her characters -- her human characters. I love books with pets, but even more than that, I love books with characters who are people I'd like to be friends with. Sally and Sylvie and Karen and Jessie are all people with great quirks that I can relate to -- Sally has magnetic poetry on her refrigerator and talks back to the television, correcting the grammar of the TV weather person. There are references to Star Trek, Monty Python, Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, the Cat Who books, art dolls, and just how goofy-but-lovable Bulldogs can look while competing in Obedience.

But you don't need to be quirky nor a pet lover to enjoy HOME AGAIN. Anyone who likes novels with serious depth, a range of emotions, and many, many dimensions of real life will find Annie Smith an author to read and keep.

I saw a quilt at the Quilt Beginnings (quilt store) with a quilt made from this book. It was gorgeous! They used all fabrics from one collection. It was made with lots of rectangular blocks (so it was easy to piece), with an applique border (so it looked complicated enough). I now have collected the fabrics for it, and will be making it soon for fall 2002!

If you're like me and love to see autumn in all its glory, you will love this book. There is something for everyone, from piecing to applique, for beginners or advanced quilters. The photographs are beautiful and the instructions are easy to follow. The book covers both traditional designs and for those that like to walk on the wild side, there is something for you also. This is the first book I have purchased that seems to have something that will please everyone. My biggest problem now is deciding which project to do first.

This edited volume is a comprehensive treatment of the study of homicide. Smith and Zahn recruited some of the best homicide researchers to make contributions to the book. The text is comprised of nineteen chapters which are divided into six substantive sections, covering everything from theoretical and methodological issues to the examination of homicide in specific populations and proposed solutions for preventing homicide. If you want to cut through the rhetoric of the media coverage of murder, and have a better understanding of homicide, this is a MUST read.

As the title suggests, this is designed to be a sourcebook on homicide research. This book presents 19 chapters on a wide variety of topics related to homicide including juvenile homicide, the connection between firearms and murder, African Americans and homicide, and serial murder. The chapters are written by some of the leading researchers in the field, and present a concise discussion of the key issues surrounding the topic. In addition to this, Smith and Zahn provide a comprehensive bibliography for those interested in further exploring this phenomenon.

To Mr. Ex-navyman: What's a dessert island? Are there parfait trees? Pudding ponds? Candy fish? Where do I get my ticket?

Having been at sea and on land during my experiences of the Vietnam war, knowing the importance of survival not only at sea, but also on land is the key factor to staying alive and being rescued. This matter in book form gives good accounts of how make do with what you have and at the same time show all the practical ways from dehydrating and starving to death not to mention going completely insane from pure boredom. Yes rowboats and luxury liners do sink as well as aircraft falling out of the sky. Ones ability to effectively take control of the situation and keep all parties alive through clear thinking and good judgement is the key to Survival not only at sea, but even on a waterless dessert island. All the material collect from naval research is founded on actual experineces of those that had to use there whits and enginuity to survive until rescued. A must for the international traveler

Harry Gailey has authored an articulate expose, really, which peels away the years of distrotion and myth that have grown out of this unfortunate incident (the Smith vs Smith controversy, in which Marine Lt General Holland Smith relieved his subordinate, Major General Ralph Smith, USA, of command at Saipan). Orignially Gailey had heard from Edmund Love, the 27th Infantry Division historian, that it was common knowledge amongst those of the 27th that MG Ralph Smith was unjustly relieved (the 27th ID was Ralph Smith's division). Without going into detail about the how's and why's of the book, suffice it to say that this book gives a revealing critique of the marine General, the events leading up to Saipan which shaped his opinions, and a systematic demolition of the rumor that the 27th troops were cowardly and inept. It also provides the day-to-day history of the fighting, the heaviest of which fell on the 27th. This is a true story of interservice hatreds and should be back in print.

Marine Corps Lt. Gen. H.M. "Howlin' Mad" Smith, Commander of V Amphibious Corps on June 15, 1944 lead the assault against Saipan in the Marianas. Ashore was the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions, who suffered sufficiently heavy initial casualties to commit the Army 27th Division. The three divisions advanced eastward across the waist of the island. Leaving only two battalions of the 27th (one said to be under strength) to destroy the enemy in the southeastern part of the island, H.M. Smith pivoted the two Marine Divisions and the bulk of the 27th in a line advancing north. The 27th was now assigned the center of the line facing the central highlands. By the eighth day of the battle for Saipan, the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions had advanced rapidly on each side of the island. The 27th lagged far behind, creating a "U" shaped front and the threat of open flanks for both Marine Divisions. The elements of the 27th left in the southeast were likewise making little progress. Whether these developments were due to the Army facing the enemy on far more difficult terrain and defended by greater numbers, is the subject matter of Gailey's book. On June 24, H.M. Smith, without any reconnaissance by members of Corps staff, relieved his subordinate, Maj. Gen. Ralph Smith. The resulting furor in the media caused a firestorm and increased the inter-services resentment.

Tracing H.M. Smith's bitterness to his earlier experience with the 27th on Makin, Gailey skillfully builds a case against Howlin Mad. In fairness, this book should be read together with H.M. Smith's "Coral and Brass". That autobiographical work was written largely as an explanation of the dismissal. It is beyond the scope of this review to compare the two divergent views but, by and large, one is left with the conviction that the accepted historical view is based more upon the preconceptions of the Hearst Newspapers and Time Magazine and not fact. Like MacArthur, it would appear that Howlin' enjoyed the favor of the press.

H.M. Smith was a genius at training, tactics and logistics. His service to his country and the Corps can not be overstated. His ability as a field commander is not as clear. Gailey has done much to restore the name of Ralph Smith and the men of the 27th Division who subsequently had to carry the stigma of cowards when they later fought on Okinawa.

Most civilized persons would consider this reference as essential as a dictionary or atlas. It is entirely important to remember that some things in life should be ordered, standardized, and predictable, even when (especially when) they are based upon random chance along with strategy.

Like any good reference, it is important not only to own this book and to be familiar with it, but to use it. It is fun to read, and promotes a sense of reaffirmation when the modern world constantly attempts to paint every issue in shades of gray. It's just too bad there is not a section in this edition for dealing with election disputes.

Unless you have been part of a weekly poker game, you may not understand why I like this book, particularly the section on "ethics and etiquette," so much. There really is some honor among thieves. Life really is more fun (and chaos more enjoyable) when we adhere to the letter and spirit of the rules.

I first bought this book over a dispute in poker I had with a friend. You can imagine my shock when I found out he was right. Since then, the cover has been worn off my copy from repeated use. This book is great for settling disputes and learning new games. A must have for anyone who plays cards.