The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

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Lia Lee was born in 1981 to a family of recent Hmong immigrants, and soon developed symptoms of epilepsy. By 1988 she was living at home but was brain dead after a tragic cycle of misunderstanding, overmedication, and culture clash: "What the doctors viewed as clinical efficiency the Hmong viewed as frosty arrogance." The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is a tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions, written with the deepest of human feeling. Sherwin Nuland said of the account, "There are no villains in Fadiman's tale, just as there are no heroes. People are presented as she saw them, in their humility and their frailty--and their nobility."

Book Description

Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction

When three-month-old Lia Lee Arrived at the county hospital emergency room in Merced, California, a chain of events was set in motion from which neither she nor her parents nor her doctors would ever recover. Lia's parents, Foua and Nao Kao, were part of a large Hmong community in Merced, refugees from the CIA-run "Quiet War" in Laos. The Hmong, traditionally a close-knit and fiercely people, have been less amenable to assimilation than most immigrants, adhering steadfastly to the rituals and beliefs of their ancestors. Lia's pediatricians, Neil Ernst and his wife, Peggy Philip, cleaved just as strongly to another tradition: that of Western medicine. When Lia Lee Entered the American medical system, diagnosed as an epileptic, her story became a tragic case history of cultural miscommunication.

Parents and doctors both wanted the best for Lia, but their ideas about the causes of her illness and its treatment could hardly have been more different. The Hmong see illness aand healing as spiritual matters linked to virtually everything in the universe, while medical community marks a division between body and soul, and concerns itself almost exclusively with the former. Lia's doctors ascribed her seizures to the misfiring of her cerebral neurons; her parents called her illness, qaug dab peg--the spirit catches you and you fall down--and ascribed it to the wandering of her soul. The doctors prescribed anticonvulsants; her parents preferred animal sacrifices.

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When three-month-old Lia Lee arrived at the county hospital emergency room in Merced, California, a chain of events was set in motion from which neither she nor her parents nor her doctors would ever recover. Lia's parents, Foua and Nao Kao, were part of a large Hmong community in Merced, refugees from the CIA-run "Quiet War" in Laos. Parents and doctors both wanted the best for Lia, but their ideas about the causes of her illness and its treatment could hardly have been more different. The Hmong see illness and healing as spiritual matters linked to virtually everything in the universe, while the medical community marks a division between body and soul, and concerns itself almost exclusively with the former. Lia's doctors ascribed her seizures to the misfiring of her cerebral neurons; her parents called her illness qaug dab peg - the spirit catches you and you fall down - and ascribed it to the wandering of her soul. The doctors prescribed anticonvulsants; her parents preferred animal sacrifices. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down moves from hospital corridors to healing ceremonies, and from the hill country of Laos to the living rooms of Merced, uncovering in its path the complex sources and implications of two dramatically clashing worldviews.

Customer Reviews:

A Paradigm of the Complexities of Modern Medicine in Relation to Cuture and Ethnicity.......2007-09-30

I read "The Spirit Catches You, and You Fall Down" as a required reading for a Sociology course on Health and Ilnness in Society. This is simply put, an amazing piece of work, that not only is thorough, but has a great deal of emotion and you really are able to sense the pain, frustration, and joy, of both the Lee family and the medical community that cared for her. This work is also a testiment to the Hmong people and culture, who are often grealty overlooked in US Asian American culture. Anne Fadiman goes into great detail describing their culture, from it's language, history, and religion both here and in Loas, and to their unfortunate and tragic involvement in the US war in Vietnam which landed them in refugee camps in Thailand. My opinions vacillated at times from anger to empathy for her parents and their inability and refusal to follow the doctors advise, that could've saved their daughters life. I encourage this book to be read by anyone going into the medical field where you will encounter a myriad of ethnicities, that often fly in the face of conventional US medicine. This is nonfiction that reads with the excitement and personality of a well crafted novel.

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down .......2007-09-26

exceptional book for those involved in anything dealing with human relationships. gives unbiased information from all sides of the issue (language & cultural barriers resulting in medical "errors")
this book smacks you in the face with your own preconceptions about what families know about their child, and what professionals know about their field, and how sometimes those two don't mesh, resulting in the child being put in the middle.
oh yeah, and every once in a while you will want to yell out about "the guy hiding behind the rock." because hindsight is so clear!

Great introduction to cross cultural communication.......2007-09-04

I was assigned this book as a supplement to a Cross Cultural Communication class. It's a very interesting read about a young girl who gets caught between Eastern and Western medicine. It makes a good read to see how CCC can be so important in our daily lives. It has a good lot of medical jargon and even more characters. There are a lot of doctors that are important for various reasons. It is certainly not a light beach read. Once you read it though you'll want someone else to read it to have someone to talk about. You can get in long discussions over who is "right" and if there is a right.

Oh so predictable..........2007-08-07

Detailed, researched look at the Hmong people of Vietnam in America through the experiences of one family in the medical/hospital system as they try to help their epileptic child. Although the action takes place in California, the story would probably have been similar no matter where the family lived. Non judgemental author keeps reader engaged. Structure of the book with alternating chapters detailing the history of the Hmong and then the specific family works well. Cross cultural misunderstandings seem inevitable given language and cultural differences. Sad without being depressing.

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down.......2007-08-01

An excellent book. A powerful and moving true story of a cultural east/west clash, especially concerning medical care. I couldn't put the book down. Enlightening also when it comes to the drugs used in treating status epilecticus, specifically in children under three. I also appreciated learning about some of the political history regarding the beautiful people of Laos. My heart goes out to the Hmong people.

Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook

Average customer rating:

Missionary student, have used this book.
common sense
A village health care handbook for Africa, not an EMT manual.
Very VERY basic
Very useful material

Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook
David Werner , Carol Thuman , and Jane Maxwell
Manufacturer: Hesperian Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0942364155

Customer Reviews:

Missionary student, have used this book. .......2007-08-15

Excellent for use in third world countries. Every missionary should own a copy of this book. The only reason I do not give 5 stars to this book is because of the philosophies of David Werner on community development, which contradict biblical community development ideas. For instance, he promotes some non-conservative ideas about birth control. So Christians, just be careful whose hands this book gets into. I would give the same warning about the "where there is no women doctor" book. That one is definitely not worth buying, you're better off with a good basic handbook on childbirth and prenatal care.

common sense.......2007-08-05

or lack thereof, c'mon people give me a break! If there is no doctor around and you are in need of medical attention then MOVE! stop whining because you have not lifted your feet for the entire existence of the planet! This kind of thing just nauseates me. I wish them well but c'mon, move away from despair and get closer to somewhere that a doctor can help you! Progression is hard I suppose.

A village health care handbook for Africa, not an EMT manual........2007-05-30

Judging this book by its intended purpose it looks very good. Many things are basic like cleanliness, diet, don't smoke ciggarettes, etc. But I thought some were not so basic (and I couldn't find them in my boy scout manual). For example:
Page 67: the possible medicines needed for injection (Appendicitis - ampicillin or penicillin with streptomycin, syphilis - benzathine penicillin, gonorrhea - kanamycin, etc).
Page 154: six different vaccinations and the reccomended ages.
Page 169: a flowchart to care for a person with acute diarrhea (when would you give them metonidazole, or co-trimoxazole, or ampicillin?).
Page 180: treatment for pneumonia.
Page 208-210 chart: 38 different types of skin problems which include onthocerciasis, vitiligo, and kwashiorkor.
ETC.
Also the basic stuff is so well laid out that I could see it helping a worker organize their thoughts along the lines of "What do I need to check?" or "What do I need to teach those who don't know the basics?". If you were in a remote situation, people were sick wanting you to help them NOW, and THERE WAS NO DOCTOR this manual would be very reassuring to have. Stress can make you forget basics. Or maybe if you were in the States and couldn't afford health insurance and wanted to be sure you were in true need before you went to the doctor who will bill you for walking in the door?

Very VERY basic.......2007-04-26

Unless you have no experience with basic medical care you will likely find this book very elementary and you would be better off buying a boy scout's handbook, although it wouldn't cover some of the female items, it would give you more information on dealing with the day to day.

The numerous references about 'seeing a doctor' defy the title and purpose implied by the book.

Very useful material.......2007-02-24

David Werner has assembled a wonderful primer for anyone rendering care in the third world. There is useful information for everyone from lay people to MDs, well worth the time it takes to read the book. I especially like the succinct treatment plans with common and inexpensive medications. Treating patients in the third world without a laboratory, X-ray, or other modern tools takes a different mindset that WHERE THERE IS NO DOCTOR puts into perspective.

Strongly recommended. I'm taking a copy back to the mountains of Panama with me next week.

Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness, Sixth Edition

Average customer rating:

Great Informational Book
It is always good to read the text before...
Not a good resource for this important area of inquiry

Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness, Sixth Edition
Rachel E. Spector
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0130493791

Book Description

The sixth edition of this best-selling resource continues to teach nursing, health professions, medical and social science readers the importance of cultural competence and cultural awareness in the health care industry. The new edition will include revised organization to create a better flow of content, new content on gererational differences, updated chapter on health care delivery system, updated illustrations and tables and MediaLink icons. For undergraduate and graduate courses in patient care and basic health related profession programs, as well as medical, social work, and other health disciplines.

Customer Reviews:

Great Informational Book.......2007-02-24

The chapters are long and detailed and filled with statistics and charts that physically show the information being presented. Overall it is a well put together book that remains uniform throughout.

It is always good to read the text before..........2005-11-27

The book is based on some solid quantitative studies and it is important that we read the text first before inclining to accept any particular views invoked by reviews. I suggest that you read the text first and then make your mind based on your reading.

Not a good resource for this important area of inquiry.......2005-05-10

This review updated by author on March 21, 2006:

I recently (Spring 2005) used this text in an undergraduate health professions course titled "Diversity in Health and Illness". The author addresses a broad scope of cultures, issues and responses to cultural needs in health care. Although the book contains much that is useful, my students found it to be, on balance, confusing and disorganized.

I believe much of this response can be attributed to poor editing. We identified numerous spelling and grammar errors throughout. Poorly edited content is also evident in several chapters. Example: "...this chapter has introduced the dominant culture's perception of health and illness through countless lenses" (pp. 67). Similarly, "...countless letters are displayed attesting to the healing powers of this statue" (pp. 106). Isn't there a more accurate word to use in place of `countless'? More importantly, ethnic and race labels are not used consistently. "Hispanic" and "Latino" are used as though they are strictly interchangeable; ditto for "Black" and "African American." Term consistency would enhance clarity.

My concerns with the text are more fundamental and numerous but I will limit myself to a few examples:

USE OF SOURCE DATA AND REFERENCE MATERIALS
Although the text is heavily laden with descriptive statistics, comparative data is often not included, thus limiting interpretations. For example, the discussion of rising expenditures for unconventional therapies in the U.S. (pp. 96) includes expenditure estimates for 1990 and 1997. Without companion statistics for conventional therapy expenditures, readers are unable to asses the magnitude of the trend. Similarly, the description of the African American population as young (54.4% are under 18 - pp. 233) is not very enlightening in the absence of corresponding percentages for the white population and the overall American population. Figure 10-3 adds little additional information.

References for culture group descriptions are often either very old (1950's - 1970's), not the definitive works, or are not sufficiently academic (encyclopedias and web pages), and should be replaced with citations for newer research reported in more rigorous formats. Several important sections contain insufficient or no reference citations. The "Health/HEALTH Care Choices" section (pp. 85) contains numerous historical claims but only a single reference to the American Heritage Dictionary.

OUT OF DATE THEORIES
Some of the sociological and anthropological concepts presented do not represent current theoretical stances. I was especially interested in exploring citations for the "Cycle of Poverty" discussion in Chapter 2, as this blame-the-victim concept has fallen out of favor in sociological circles because it ignores structural realities that are beyond the control of individuals. This conflation of structural problems with cultural phenomena inadvertently creates a situation where the subtle racist beliefs we all learn through our socialization is reinforced in the classroom. Sadly, the only citation provided in this section, (Spector 1979, pp. 148-152), refers to an earlier edition of this book. Original references should be provided.

The Chapter 3 discussion of the sick role is limited to functionalist models presented by Talcott Parsons (1966) and Edward Suchman (1965). As our society ages we are experiencing increasing levels of chronic illness and more patients cannot expect to fully recover. More recent examinations of the illness experience would be appropriate.

CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS
The discussion of historical background for Native American cultures (pp. 186-188) is particularly dismal. While somewhat correct in broad outlines, the text reads like a less-than-distinguished freshman research paper, and includes various repeats. The discussion of traditional health beliefs and practices is limited to those of the Navajo and Hopi - important southwestern groups - but not representative of all Native Americans. Sources cited are limited to a few 1960's and 1970's references. Strains of the Noble Savage are also evident, particularly with reference to the discussion of "True Indian love" and domestic violence (pp. 200).

The role of voodoo in African American traditions is somewhat overstated (Chapter 10), and is presented as an explanation for present-day underutilization of the allopathic system (pp. 239). At the same time, more realistic explanations are omitted. Chief among those are the disproportionate poverty experienced by the community as well as recent and historical sources of distrust between the African Americans and the largely white medical establishment (e.g., antebellum forced medical experimentation, Tuskegee Experiment, Holmesburg Prison Experiments).

INTERPRETATIONS
My graduate degree is in anthropology, and although I expected some level of disconnect between my training and the nursing orientation of Spector, I found myself admonishing my students several times over to ignore specific passages and sections in this text as irrelevant or just plain wrong.

For example, in the section titled "Cultural Phenomena Affecting Health", in Chapter 1, subheadings include "Biological Variations" and "Social Organization". Confusion between biology and culture appears in other places as well, and was especially troublesome for my students with their limited previous exposure to the concept of culture.

The "Social Organization" subheading precedes a disjointed (but brief) discussion of childhood socialization, family organization, and barriers to health care access. Perhaps the first two could be combined in a section "Socialization". Regarding the barriers to health care access (e.g., unemployment, poverty and lack of health insurance), these could be better characterized as economic barriers rather than social barriers. Diminished economic resources are correlated to large extent with particular demographic groups, but one should avoid essentializing the availability of resources as a series of ethnic or cultural traits. Conceptualizing these issues as cultural phenomena obscures the contributions of racism, xenophobia, and unequal distribution of wealth to the problems of unequal access. Spector draws these categories from a previously published article, and the uncritical use of other people's published materials is apparent throughout the book.

Spector's background is nursing, and on balance, I am not sure that this provides one with the appropriate skills necessary to summarize the fundamentals of culture and cultural diversity. Theorising culture and society is (and should remain) the domain of anthropologists and sociologists (and perhaps psychologists). Like nursing and most other applied and academic fields of inquiry, understanding culture requires a great deal of specialized education.

On my initial reading I suspected a functionalist interpretation of the intersection between health care and culture, but on further examination this book is more like an online encyclopedia where everything (including the kitchen sink) is thrown in. What is missing is a critical evaluation of the usefulness and theoretical implications of others' data and interpretations. The result is conflicting content and a great deal of confusion.

A final example: Spector rejects the WHO health definition but does not suggest a better alternative. Instead she seems to think that health is indefinable: "I would define health as an undefined term" (pp. 50). I agree that students should maintain an open mind, but perhaps a series of limited definitions addressing a variety of situations would be more useful in the classroom. Social science practitioners and researchers struggle with variability in human behavior as a matter of course, but that struggle is mitigated through a realization that definitions are often necessary heuristic devices rather than complete summaries. Put simply, if we can't know a thing, aren't we just wasting our time?

I have reviewed a number of alternate texts over the past year and have found the problems discussed here to be present in several other texts. Perhaps the academic pursuit of cultural care is still in its nascent stage.

In any case, I have found "Culture in Rehabilitation: from Competency to Proficiency" edited by Royeen and Crabtree (Pearson 2006) to be a much better text for my class. The authors represent a variety of health professions and the text was reviewed by a similarly diverse panel of ten. Most of the contributions present robust bibliographies, rely on up-to-date social science research, and avoid the culture-as-checklist approach. I will review the text in detail sometime in May 2006.

The Social Transformation of American Medicine

Average customer rating:

The best analysis on american health care
So much information, but with an analysis that makes the point!
Excellent book
Great history of American medicine
Blame it on the AMA

The Social Transformation of American Medicine
Paul Starr
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0465079350

Book Description

Winner of the 1983 Pulitzer Prize and the Bancroft Prize in American History, this is a landmark history of how the entire American health care system of doctors, hospitals, health plans, and government programs has evolved over the last two centuries.

Customer Reviews:

The best analysis on american health care.......2006-12-28

The evolution of American medicine is a fascinating story and it is told very well. The analysis is excellent and this really provides a great perspective about how the US got to the corporate system we are now on. I wish there would be an update that would take us from 1980-2000. The debate over how socialized medicine did not take root is very interesting and well done in the book. If you are getting started or an expert this book has something for everyone. Highly recommend for those who are trying to understand how doctors and hospitals developed in America.

So much information, but with an analysis that makes the point!.......2005-07-10

This is a must read for understanding American medicine. It actually has a straightforward point of view in its focus on the autonomy and status of the medical profession and the distinguishing feature in the evolution of health care institutions. The role of the medical profession in health care is unique in our society and this books historically follows how the profession has used its position to counter capital enterprise and public programs to meet pressing social needs. He makes clear that the development of valid scientific theories and their applicating into effective treatments was critical to affirming the control of physicians. Otherwise the political disputes over licensing and accreditation could not have succeeded. Obviously the emergence of HMO's and other health insurers represent the latest source of conflict. Again this work presents the issues clearly and objectively.

Excellent book.......2005-06-17

I highly recommend this book to anyone in the health care industry or anyone interested in the history of American medicine.
Starr basically explores why/how physicians so powerful politically, socially, and economically. GREAT BOOK!

Great history of American medicine.......2004-01-09

For anyone interested in the healthcare as a profession or area of study, I can't recommend this book highly enough. Despite the 20 years since its publication, Paul Starr's Pulitzer prize winner is still relevant today and in retrospect his projections made of the future of healthcare in America are surpisingly prescient.

The first book describes the development of the medical profession in early America providing a fascinating look at the social evolution of American society. The second book delineates the rise of doctors, hospitals and medical schools in latter half of the 19th to the early 20th century with the rise of science and a professional authority. The third book shifts the focus from the doctors and to the industry that medicine became as well as the various attempts at healthcare reform in response to rising healthcare costs.

My only criticism is that Starr should have devoted more pages to the root causes behind the rising healthcare costs that drove the reforms of the 1960-70s described in the third book.

Blame it on the AMA.......2003-10-18

This book traces the evolution of America's disjointed healthcare system, from the horror of the early hospitals to the formation of the medical profession. It also explains how, as the early profession was fighting for the right to exist, it took virtual possession of the rest of the healthcare system. Every Democratic president since FDR has attempted some type of major healthcare reform, only to be opposed by the American Medical Association (AMA) because organized doctorhood thought it had too much to lose.

This book is an effortless read for students of sociology or those that have a great interest in the history of medicine. Published in 1983, it easily predicts some of the current problems in American healthcare, because the powerful interests that determine the delivery of healthcare are still the same. It also predicts some of the circumstances that will finally bring America around to some sort of rational, universal, healthcare coverage.

Average customer rating:

Extreme Critic

Scary, but good read.

Informative chit chat

beauty junkies

Excellent.

Beauty Junkies: Inside Our $15 Billion Obsession With Cosmetic Surgery
Alex Kuczynski
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Confessions of a Park Avenue Plastic Surgeon

Allure: Confessions of a Beauty Editor

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman

A Little Work : Behind the Doors of a Park Avenue Plastic Surgeon

Fame Junkies: The Hidden Truths Behind America's Favorite Addiction

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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0385508530
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Book Description

A star writer for the New York Times Styles section captures the follies, frauds, and fanaticism that fuel the American pursuit of youth and beauty in a wickedly revealing excursion into the burgeoning business of cosmetic enhancement.

Americans are aging faster and getting fatter than any other population on the planet. At the same time, our popular notions of perfect beauty have become so strict it seems even Barbie wouldn’t have a chance of making it into the local beauty pageant.

Aging may be a natural fact of life, but for a growing number of Americans its hallmarks—wrinkles, love handles, jiggling flesh—are seen as obstacles to be conquered on the path to lasting, flawless beauty. In Beauty Junkies Alex Kuczynski, whose sly wit and fearless reporting in the Times has won her fans across the country, delivers a fresh and irresistible look at America's increasingly desperate pursuit of ultimate beauty by any means necessary.

From a group of high-maintenance New York City women who devote themselves to preserving their looks twenty-four hours a day, to a “surgery safari” in South Africa complete with “after” photographs of magically rejuvenated patients posing with wild animals, to a podiatrist's office in Manhattan where a “foot face-lift” provides women with the right fit for their $700 Jimmy Choos, Kuczynski portrays the all-American quest for self-transformation in all its extremes. In New York, lawyers become Botox junkies in an effort to remain poker-faced. In Los Angeles, women of an uncertain age nip and tuck their most private areas, so that every inch of their bodies is as taut as their lifted faces. Across the country, young women graduating from high school receive gifts of breast implants – from their parents.

As medicine and technology stretch the boundaries of biology, Kuczynski asks whether cosmetic surgery might even be part of human evolution, a kind of cosmetic survival of the fittest – or firmest? With incomparable portraits of obsessive patients and the equally obsessed doctors who cater to their dreams, Beauty Junkies examines the hype, the hope, and the questionable ethics surrounding the advent of each new miraculous technique. Lively and entertaining, thought-provoking and disturbing, Beauty Junkies is destined to be one of the most talked-about books of the season.

Customer Reviews:

Extreme Critic.......2007-09-28

The endless struggle against looking old or inadequate, the inability to accept the changing or imperfect body and face, coupled with the relentless promotion of the technology to reverse the aging process, spawned a $15 billion industry in America. This book discusses the moral, ethical and socio-economic implications of readily available services like liposuction, breast augmentation, face lifts and botox injections.

Kuczynski's reporting is by no means ground-breaking. The book is certainly not an outright condemnation of cosmetic procedures and vanity, but don't expect anything balanced or objective. Its tone is definitely negative and very much against cosmetic surgery.

After throwing a lot of stunning figures (numbers) and highlighting the extreme extent to which some American women go to make themselves look younger or more beautiful. She talks about "surgery safari"s in South Africa. This is followed by a chapter on the "rise and fall of botox". A very concise history of this "magic bullet" against aging, but it would be hard to convince the public that the cases which ended up in disaster/death are representative of the huge number of satisfied botox patients.

Next, Kuczynski goes into the history of reconstructive surgery. This branch of medicine has, over the years, shifted from rehabilitating disfigured soldiers to perfecting the faces of vain people.

The link between HMO hassles and the flourishing of cosmetic surgery industry is an interesting one. But the author goes further than that. The media fixes our notions on what is beautiful. The herd behaviour influences people to improve themselves both inside and outside. The result - nobody is plain anymore. Evolution won't take its course! The author is actually worried that women who can play the role of grandmothers are getting fewer in numbers. Then, she goes on to expose juicy details on the disunity of the medical community, the unflattering ways in which cosmetic surgeons market themselves.

Finally, we get an inkling into why the author takes her stand. She recounts a traumatic experience with a Restylane injection in her lip. Another chapter on "the fatal quest for beauty" and a very interesting experiment (and results) in which the author begs for breast augmentation funds online.

Beauty Junkies is a a very well-organised, well-reserached and well-written book. But like some of the unnecessary surgeries she mentions, I think that Kuczynski's views are a bit on the extreme side. A good read for those obsessed with cosmetic surgery, but don't forget to put matters in proper perspective.

Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty

Scary, but good read........2007-08-01

Beauty Junkies, by Alex Kuczynski, gives us the history of plastic and cosmetic surgery, the charlatans, the risks, the popularity especially in the U.S. and its ridiculous extremes. The story is told deftly, with humor and a sense of veritas: the author herself had undergone several procedures, including one that had the unintended effect of swelling her mouth to grotesque proportions (a severe response and fortunately for her, a temporary one). This last experience compelled her to wean herself from her growing obsession with cosmetic surgery and procedures.

Now, although the trend of excessive surgical change doesn't only apply to females, it's with the females that it is most prevalent and to me, most offensive: to change oneself into the porn star mold (i.e., sexual object), to reduce one's features so the result is a person indistinguishable form scores of other blandly appealing "beauties" (i.e., loss of that which makes us unique) or to chase youth as if it were the only thing worth having. It's sad that the inner selves of these people - intellect, creativity, personality, achievement - is so neglected and disparaged - in order to maintain a superficial and ultimately impermanent illusion. Ms. Kuczynski, in fact, discusses a woman for whom her appearance - and all the supporting procedures - is ALL she does with her time and money. This book is a cautionary tale, and an honest and entertaining - if disheartening - read.

Informative chit chat.......2007-05-15

This book was an eye-opener for someone not familiar with cosmetic surgery and beauty procedures. Lots of interesting information but rather rambling and lots of spin on the info.

beauty junkies.......2007-03-13

it is an overall goodbook,but one thing attracts the attention is that the author is very self centered.one cannot deny the good sides of plastic surgery or its substitutes,like botox or others in the same field.
being born not a long time ago,the author does not know how lucky all women are today to have handy so many ways to stay beautiful and young.eversince humankind exists,human beings have been looking for the magical recipes for staying young.the author was born when all these fights were elements of the past.exagerating?maybe but why be so intolerant if people feel like doing it???? intolerance is what drives to such extremes in working on yourself but it is fashionable now to be
''natural''........let us wait until she really NEEDS it badly.would she prefer then to be a junky or an old rejected hag?????

Excellent........2006-12-18

I'm not much interested in cosmetic surgery (which is not the same as plastic surgery, one of the things I learned from the book), but I am a HUGE fan of Alex Kuczynski's work so will read anything she writes. For instance, I don't like shopping, but I always read her NYT column, Critical Shopper, just for the fun of it.

As I expected, I found this a fascinating book and whizzed through it in two days. Lots of great information. As the title indicates, this isn't a guide for people who are considering cosmetic surgery, but an analysis of the industry and the trends behind it. She throws in some of her own experiences, which are just as (or perhaps more) intriguing as the reportorial sections.

Forecasting the Health of Elderly Populations (Springer Series in Statistics)

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Forecasting the Health of Elderly Populations (Springer Series in Statistics)

Manufacturer: Springer-Verlag Telos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0387979530

Book Description

Models to forecast changes in mortality, morbidity, and disability in elderly populations are essential to national and state policies for health and welfare programs. This volume presents a wide-ranging survey of the forecasting of health of elderly populations, including the modelling of the incidence of chronic diseases in the elderly, the differing perspectives of actuarial and health care statistics, and an assessment of the impact of new technologies on the elderly population. Amongst the topics covered are - uncertainties in projections from census and social security data and actuarial approaches to forecasting - plausible ranges for population growth using biol ogical models and epidemiological time series data - the financing of long term care programs - the effects of major disabling diseases on health expenditures - forecasting cancer risks and risk factors As a result, this wide-ranging volume will become an indispensable reference for all those whose research touches on these topics.

The Medical Marriage: Sustaining Healthy Relationships for Physicians and Their Families

Average customer rating:

An excellent book
Relief
there is a reason that the AMA commissioned this book--medical marriages can be difficult
Good Info and Stats
you are not alone

The Medical Marriage: Sustaining Healthy Relationships for Physicians and Their Families
Wayne M. Sotile , and Mary O. Sotile
Manufacturer: American Medical Association Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1579470750

Book Description

The Medical Marriage helps physicians' families take a proactive approach to making medical marriage and family relationships work successfully. This resource:

-Identifies and explains the key issues, potential difficulties and tensions that can characterize marriages and family relationships in which one or both partners are physicians

-Offers self-assessment tools

-Provides case narratives

-Helps readers identify traits that are common to physician families and that can cause strain and tension in a marriage

Customer Reviews:

An excellent book.......2006-07-03

I wish I'd come across this book years ago. Medical schools should have a mandatory class built around this book. Reading it I constantly found myself amazed at how similar the accounts of other medical marriage were to my own. I'd find my physician husband's behaviors, opinions, attitudes, etc. common to many other physicians in the book and my own frustrations, worries, behaviors mirrored by many of the physician wives in the book as well. The book classifies medical marriages into 8 categories (male physician married to at-home wife, female physician married to non-physician, two married physicians, etc.) I was surprised at how closely our category tagged our relationship's problems, strengths, needs. I do wish they'd gone into more detail on how to handle the various problems, ways to avoid the common pitfalls, etc. I plan on lending it to a friend where both husband and wife are physicians.

Relief.......2006-05-13

No doubt ~ it was a relief to read we weren't the only ones. Medical marriages are without question wound together tightly by stress, partly due to the job, and partly due to the type of personality the job attracts (the best docs out there seem to have a degree of OCD, which interestingly often contributes to their success).

I did not find this book to be helpful in moving forward however. For that, I turned to the marriage topic in general and discovered "All You Need Is Love and Other Lies About Marriage." Between these two titles, I feel we've gotten past some bumps in the road and hopefully *fingers crossed* are educated enough to head future trouble off at the pass.

If you're drowning in a medical marriage, use these two books as your life saver. And know that you aren't alone! Much luck and happiness to you. :o)

there is a reason that the AMA commissioned this book--medical marriages can be difficult.......2006-04-12

Separate sections for the male as the physician, the female as the physician, and when both are physicians are presented. Whatever your circumstance, it is very useful to see your relationship difficulties in terms of the problems that others are undoubtedly experiencing. You can benefit from the authors' useful ideas for best managing typical conflicts, without blaming yourself or your spouse. The authors note that all counseling, reimbursed by US-based health insurance, involves assigning a psychiatric pathology label. This process, alone, is likely to be iatrogenic.
Learning to best manage life's difficulties is is a major thrust of the Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education (smartmarriages.com) an organization to which the authors contribute. Repetiton of improved relational habits from educational foundations, such as this book are an important key typically unknown to a majority of "therapists."
This is a "must" textbook for medical libraries, and a must read for those entering medical school.

Good Info and Stats.......2006-03-16

Halfway through it and it is very good concerning the difficulties that physicians who are married or in a serious relationships face thoughout their careers. A good read for those entering the profession and a must read for those recently married.

you are not alone.......2001-07-20

As the spouse to a physician, I have always wondered if our relationship was unique. After reading this book, I realized the answer is yes and no. Yes, it is unique in that I am married to a physician which has its own set of characteristics. And No, it isn't unique among other medical marriages. We are not alone when it comes to spouses who are driven, perfectionists, and OCD to name a few. This book lays out the various types of physician relationships, their personality traits and characteristics and examples of good and bad relationships. An added benefit is the quotes from real life couples and also the steps successful couples have followed. This book really saved my sanity and gave me perspective I greatly needed at a tough time. I realized I had to have a different understanding of my relationship as it was unique to the profession. A wonderful book for anyone about to enter a relationship with a physician, anyone already in a relationship and for the physician themselves! ( My husband read it and said, 'Hmm, that does sound like me!" )

Average customer rating:

The Medical Science of House, M.D.
Horrible book, awesome TV show.
Not the book I expected.
Not what i expected.
Interesting Stuff

The Medical Science of House, M.D.
Andrew Holtz
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425212300

Book Description

The facts behind the addictive medical drama starring Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie.

Week after week, House, M.D. has held viewers' attention with brilliant cast performances and intriguing diagnostic mysteries often solved with daring treatments. But how much of the medical detail is real and how much is fabricated? In The Medical Science of House, M.D., Andrew Holtz, a well-known medical journalist, reveals how medical detectives work-how they follow symptoms to their source. He examines each case in detail and provides answers to such questions as:

- How can a teenager adopted at birth nearly die because his biological mother didn't get a vaccine?
- How can a husband's faith in his wife's fidelity determine whether radical treatment will cure her or kill her?
- How can a missed eye-doctor appointment reveal a genetic disease?
- How can doctors choose the right course for a pregnant woman when one may kill her and the other would abort her fetus

Customer Reviews:

The Medical Science of House, M.D........2007-09-16

The Medical Science of House, M.D.
In attempt to ride off the Fame of The "House, M.D.," series this book tries and fails to draw parrallels between actual medical conditions and vague references to the series. The author probably felt that the book and its contetents did not have sufficient merit to go it alone. It may make a good read, but it does not truly establish a bond with the series that author had hope to capture and nurture.

Horrible book, awesome TV show........2007-07-27

I was expecting science (I guess the title threw me), but this book is just a boring lecture on everything you already know about medicine (even if all you know is from TV). This is a pathetic attempt to mooch off the success of a great television show. If you feel you really have to have this book, do yourself a favor and wait a few weeks--it's bound to be in the bargain bins or the dollar stores.

Not the book I expected........2007-06-13

I had high hopes for this book when I saw the writeup on Amazon. And was I disappointed. Gotta agree with the person who says this is opportunistic. It's basically a rehash of a dozen POTWs (Patient of the Week) and nothing new.

If you want a better feel for how Dr. House might do it, check this book out. The first chapter reads like a House episode How Doctors Think

Not what i expected........2007-03-29

It's a great book for people who are interested in medicine.It 's not for medical doctors...

Interesting Stuff.......2007-03-16

You should know that this book is not a glossy guide to "House MD." But if you're looking to enhance your knowledge of some of the medicine in the show, it's a great read. It also addresses how Greg House might fare in the real world.

Confronting Critical Health Issues of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans

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Confronting Critical Health Issues of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans

Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0803951132

Book Description

The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum is a national advocacy organization dedicated to promoting policy, program, and research efforts for improving the health status of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. This book was stimulated by the ideas and efforts of the Forum's National Research Advisory Council (NRAC). First convened in April 1989, the NRAC was formed in response to the poor quality of data, the paucity of health statistics, and the limited epidemiological and health services research on Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. With partial support from the Federal Office of Minority Health, the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum selected three editors noted for their contributions and past compilations of scholarly work. The Forum also commissioned contributors with demonstrated experience and commitment to advancing the understanding of Asian and Pacific Islander American health in the service, research, and policy sectors. This book is a milestone effort reflecting the Forum's commitment to (a) community-based research; (b) building linkages and collaborations between academic researchers, service providers, and policy-makers; (c) advocating for institutional sanctions on improving data sources and research on Asian and Pacific Islander Americans; and (d) the dissemination of relevant information to diverse communities nationwide.

Aging and Mental Health: Positive Psychosocial and Biomedical Approaches (5th Edition)

Average customer rating:

This is a superb text for all helping professionals.

Aging and Mental Health: Positive Psychosocial and Biomedical Approaches (5th Edition)
Robert N. Butler , Myrna I. Lewis , and Trey Sunderland
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Textbook Binding

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ASIN: 0205193366

Book Description

This book is extremely well-respected in social work, geriatric medicine, nursing, and related disciplines for its comprehensive coverage of the aging process and its effects on mental health. The authors are all extremely well-respected. Dr. Robert Butler is one of the nation's leading experts on the aging process; he has been director of the National Institute on Aging and has worked with national commissions and task forces on mental health and aging. Myrna Lewis, M.S.W., is a nationally known leader in social work and Trey Sunderland an M.D. in geriatric psychopharmacology. This book sets out the nature and problems of old age, including the position of older people in their families, and then explores some common emotional problems and psychiatric disorders that can affect the elderly. Specific chapter coverage focuses on race, ethnicity, gender, crime, alcoholism, and physical disabilities including deafness and blindness, as well as Alzheimer's Disease and related disorders. New material includes the most-recent demographic and statistical data, including updated Census Bureau information. Medical workers and social workers.

Customer Reviews:

This is a superb text for all helping professionals........1999-01-04

I used an earlier edition of this text during my own doctoral training. That it has been revised and updated speaks to its excellence as a comprehensive text covering all aspects of aging and mental health. I will be using this text in my counseling classes because it is chock full of useful information, (practical, medical, and psychological,) and emphasizes " the dignity and worth of each individual irrespective of age." Professional counselors, psychologists, and all those who work with aging adults need to read this book and keep it as a ready reference. As the population ages we need to understand the special needs and attributes of older adults, as well as how aging is viewed in a diverse society.

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