D-A Books

It's been a good reference so far and will definitely help with real cases when I'm finally out of school.

I'm a veterinary medicine student & I found this book very useful! it's worth buying it!

If you are a veterinarian and don't have this book, get it! Great client education handouts on cd included.

This book is awesome! Does not go indepth, but has ALL the pertinent information related to specific diseases/clinical signs (definitions, Physiology, symptoms, lab work, treatment, follow up care)all on one page! A VERY useful book so far, especially from a tech's point of view!

Just replaced my 3rd edition, the 4th addition is a bit better has some new information, doseages for new drugs and a CD with Client education handouts.

Any sports fan who picks up "Eagle Blue" will not be disappointed, although you should like this one even if you could care less about hoops....Basketball is the stage for the story, but not the story itself. This isn't your typical book depicting some world-weary NBA star or jaded coach. D'Orso makes you care about the players and coaches at a tiny school literally in the middle of nowhere, thus their wins (and losses) somehow become your own. If that were as far as this book took you, it would be satisfying just on that basis. But it doesn't end there.

By the time you're done reading "Eagle Blue", you'll likely become sympathetic with the people populating its pages. Theirs is a culture that has been decimated, and you can see very real defeat among many tribal members. Note: D'Orso interjects his own politics when he talks about ANWR, but it's not as much a distraction as it could've been. The real story is how a group of teenagers galvanizes a town with nothing else to cheer about despite the efforts of some people, mostly outsiders, to kill what they have, and he thankfully keeps the focus on that.

If you're at all like me (and God help you if you are), you'll fight to stay awake until 3AM because you literally do not want to put this book down and fall aleep.

Boldly honest, "insiders" perspective from an outsider. Interesting insight into modern Native life in Arctic Alaska.

D'Orso's honest, unembellished presentation of everyday life for the characters - team members and townspeople of Fort Yukon - allows the reader to gain an open true look at what everyday life entails in this part of Alaska. It brings out the difficulties of living in the outposts of Arctic Alaska, Native vs. modern culture, politics vs. the land/natural resources/hunting/etc., and of course the tale of a group of young men and women representing their town as members of high school basketball teams. The pressures faced by these young men as individuals, family members, and town members and how each deals with it and grows shows a great view of life as it unfolds for them. Their daily lives are woven around the story of the basketball team and the course of a season sharing the success and adversity over the course of the year. A wonderful mix of human interest and basketball.

Highly enjoyable read.

This review of a basketball team's season is about an entire culture and about life. You'll be rooting on the Eagle Blue as you read this true story.

Excellent book on life and sports. I'd recommend this to everyone, especially players and coaches at all levels.

I've read many books about a sports season that, in a boring way, review game highlights. D'Orso reviews the entire culture, what basketball means in bush country, Alaska, in prose that is wonderful and intelligent.

The work points to many of the negations in the current health
care delivery systems in the USA. It spends too much money and
the paperwork is burdensome, generally uninformative and
inefficient. The system needs a separation between the doctor
and the pharmaceutical industry because the needs of the general
public demand an independent attitude on the part of physicians.
Emergency rooms are utilized instead of patient clinics.
This contributes to bloated costs. The HMO co-pay can be burdensome for patients. In addition, there is a slow migration
toward the universal health care coverage in order to correct
some of these inefficiencies and distribute the resource to
persons uncovered or undercovered by the present protocols
and medical delivery systems.

In more than 20 years teaching a course focusing on analysis of American health care history and policy, I have yet to discover a more persuasive diagnosis of our health care delivery system's ills or a more convincing case for how to cure them. Dr. Lebow brings to this examination direct experience as a practicing physician from which he draws numerous stirring personal accounts. To his clinical perspective, he adds an extraordinary command of the broader economic and political issues essential for understanding the context and causes of America's current health care crisis epitomized by the alarming number of our country's uninsured--now about 44 million and growing. The book is honest, engaging, and sure to stimulate discussion with its clear prescription for change. With lively prose and strategically placed humor, he makes complex matters understandable. His humanity and passion are the earmarks of a brilliant teacher. Regardless of how deeply you presently understand America's health care system, you can learn from this book. And regardless of your political inclinations in respect to his advocacy of a single-payer solution, you can't ignore his meticulous presentation of the facts or the relentless logic of his conclusions from them.

I'd like to give this book 4 stars, but there are just too many holes for me to do so. Dr. Lebow presents many important points, but the book simply is not the answer to our prayers regarding the current healthcare mess.

As Dr. Lebow points out, in the health insurance industry, competition among health insurers has led to less efficiency rather than more efficiency. 10 different credentialing applications, 12 different contract types, no standardization whatsoever and an administrative mess for any doctor who doesn't have the luxury of a seasoned healthcare administrator in his office. Add to that the eligibility trouble. Multiple phone calls for every patient to check eligibility for every appointment. Worst of all, the current health insurance system provides no incentive to managed care to pay for preventive care.

These are the issues that single-payer would fix for the insured population, saving billions of dollars. Dr. Lebow is right on, though I wish he spent as much time on eligibility and insurance company hassles as he did on preventive care. He also does great work in presenting the myths of healthcare today. Many of them can't be repeated enough (like the corporate welfare given to prescription drug companies).

But I have several issues as well.

My biggest complaint is that his solution only delays the inevitable a little longer. He deals only with the healthcare funding system and has little to say about the healthcare delivery system. "Market Driven Healthcare" by Regina Herzlinger and "From Chaos to Care" by David Lawrence offer real long-term solutions to the healthcare delivery problems we face in our current environment. Unless those market principles are imposed on healthcare, single payor will only delay the final implosion of medical care. Once the financial gains from single-payor healthcare are realized and exhausted, the costs will continue to spiral out of control.

Another issue is that he gives few details in the "how" of his solutions. Focusing on prevention and public health is a good and obvious point. Everybody agrees on it, but I don't think simply saying "it will happen once a grassroots movement demands it" is sufficiently descriptive of how he sees prevention and public health becoming the standard. Who will implement it? How?

Because of these problems, Dr. Lebow does not make a convincing case to those in power that change is good for them. He persuades the persuaded brilliantly, but I can't imagine why someone who opposes single-payer would change his mind after reading this book. And those in power are whose minds must be changed if change is to come.

The way I see it, healthcare as we know it is a very young industry. Only 16 years ago, managed care was almost an unkown in the healthcare world. Now, it dominates. Unfortunately, that insurance model grew so quickly there was no way anyone could have planned it properly. Imagine how the computer industry would have destroyed itself if it weren't entirely made up of systems thinkers known for their planning ability. ISO-9000 was brilliant, as is settling on the PC as the standard. Healthcare needs, and is getting, more of that now. HIPAA and state-mandated credentialing applications perfectly demonstrate the government's role in fixing healthcare. It should be a regulator, an agent for the lowly to make sure the big guys play fair, and a standard-setter to make commercial insurance more efficient. But it's entirely too early to declare the market dead and single payer as the only way out of this mess.

Health Care Meltdown: Confronting The Myths And Fixing Our Failing System by Robert H. LeBow (former Medical Director of an Idaho community health center for more than 25 years and who was paralyzed in a cycling accident shortly after completing this book) is a clarion wake up call focused upon the medical care system's rampant excesses, over billings, neglects, and quagmires that floods the American health care system to near incapacitation. Over 40,000,000 Americans have no health insurance. This places an unsupportable burden on Emergency Room Care (one the most expensive health care provider resources), and while money is in unnecessary and wasteful bureaucratic and law-suit avoidance oriented testing, far to many people simply go without the medical service they desperately need. A sharply worded criticism that also offers models for reform and improvement, Health Care Meltdown should be mandatory reading for health care providers, citizen health care activists, anyone charged with the responsibility of developing policies and guidelines for managing health care services.

As an Adjunct instructor in the Concordia University system, I have had the opportunity to encourage my MBA students to read this book for my Special Topics in Health care class. After reviewing other possible textbooks during the last 6 months, I have decided to now use this text as the basis for my 8-week adult education class. Offering ample examples and 'myths' that portray our fractured health care system of today, this author has summarily provided a springboard for ongoing conversations and possible answers for this country. Granted all, the HC system will not be corrected for some time, but an accounting will be made when the public becomes a focused participant at the table.
As health care professionals, it is our responsibility to study, learn, participate and educate others, as well as ourselves.
This will begin that process and it will be well worth your effort and consideration.
Thank you
ESchwarz, RN, MBA, CCM

Dr. Davis's book is an excellent tool for personal and professional use. With managed care limits on sessions, I am utilizing this book in both my private and State EAP (employee assistance program) practices as a means to "cut to the chase" for clients. The book provides a framework for self improvement based on cognitive psychology theory, and fits beautifully in my coaching model of services. I highly recommend this book to individuals seeking positive changes in their lives, as well as to professionals as an enhancement tool for coaching and/or therapy. Terri Gorman, LCSW

I 100% reccomend this book. It is extremely helpful for a healthy mind and life in competitive sports, as well as every day life. It is very well written and is excellent for teens and adults!

Just what you need to start with this way of thinking.

All of the points are not new, but the experience and the cleariness
make the book a great and enjoyable starting point.

Another plus: it is short enough that you'll be sure to... finish it

Wow! What a terrific book! As a Figure Skater, I gained tremendous strength from Dr. Davis' words and I was amazed at how simple it was to understand her "filing system". After reading this book, I cannot wait to compete in my next championship.

High Performance Thinking is an excellent source for anyone who wants to start using their thoughts to create success in any area of their life. It is was so easy to read, I felt as if Dr. Davis was speaking to me in a casual conversation. If you want to think your way to success, this is the book for you!

Very good review book for Step 1 neuroanatomy section - since this is very high yield. Cover all you need to know to tackle this field on exam. Covers more than FA but is not as exhausting as Kaplan notes.

First Aid is money for most subjects, but it's weak on neuro. This book is a very good balance between too little and too much for this overwhelming subject. The High Yield series keeps improving in quality, and in the newest edition is even better at showing clinical scenarios and integrating other subjects like pathology or physiology (I used an older version and it's still pretty good, though).

I would like to say this is great for course work, but at least at my school they tended to test on obscure minituae hard to find anywhere.

This is all you should need for Step, which does feature a decent dose of neuro (about 10, more like 20 questions). It's also very good at developing as essential foundation of knowledge applicable for future use, which sometimes gets lost when scrambling to cram for course exams.

My big qualm is the pricing. It's a thin book, not a main text. Use the library, borrow it from a friend, split the cost, etc. High Yield makes a nice line of books but they need to trim prices for medical students.

Getting confused with studying anatomy of the brain? This is a book for you! It is far better than dozen of other neuroanatomy books! It gives you a lot of details and it's easy to read, too! I'm studying for the USMLE step 1 exam and I will keep it handy all the time!

The USMLE has become increasingly focused on neuro over the past few years, and First Aid has become more and more inadequate with respect to neuro. This book is a great way to prepare for the neuro questions on Step 1. It's a slender book and is thus a very quick read --- heck, I'm a slow reader and finished it in 2.5 days. At the beginning of the book are several images of brain sections, with arrows pointing to the most important structures. The book also has radiologic images (MRA, MRI, CT) which were very helpful for me when I took Step 1 --- actually, I remember having 3 distinct questions with an accompanying MRA image. The book does a good job of explaining the basic function/organization of the different parts of the brain in a concise manner. There were a few sections that I thought were a little too detailed for Step 1 --- especially the cerebellum section. Overall, though, it's a wonderful book and it will help you to nail the neuro questions on the USMLE.

This is an excellent book and it's really all you need to prepare for your step 1. I used this book and answered every single question on neuro correctly.

Ever wondered how to call certain character qualities out in your daughter? This book is full of ideas that will prompt your thinking. Having had a dad that recognized these things in my life and as a mom of 2 little girls, I would love for these things to be passed on through the generations....that little girls of all ages would be valued for the character seen in their lives and not just what is seen on the outside.

My husband reads this to our daughter and her face just lights up. She knows she's a princess! Not only is she daddy's little princess, but she's God's little princess as well.

This is what I would call a Just for fun book. It has scripture listed but really doesn't teach a big lesson except for that you are specially made by God. Which hopefully by now my children now this. It is a fun book for daddies to read to their little girls.

My husband loves to read this book to his little princess! The Christian message in this story is wonderful, and I love giving this book as a gift.

I'd Be Your Princess: A Royal tale of Godly Character was written by Kathryn O'rien and illustrated by Michael Garland. It has earned the Gold Medallion Book Award in recognition of excellence in evangelical Christian literature. The illustrations fill the pages with color and tender details.

The book tells of a little girl and her father who imagine what life would be like were he a king and she his princess. The little girl dreams of jewels, castles, fancy balls and royal adventures. At each turn her father highlights opportunities for godly character -- even as a princess. He talks of good manners, bravery, generosity and kindness, just to name a few. Each characteristic is supported with Scripture. The wording is encouraging, enchanting and challenging for young girls.

What I Like: I love this book! And so does my daughter. She, like most three-year-olds, is obsessed with princesses. This book is a perfect way to endulge that fantasy while teaching about godly character. The story is so positive. Rather than reprimanding a daughter who dreams of being higher than all others, the father teaches her wonderful ways to exhibit royal character as a child of God. This is a wonderful book for parents to read to their children and for first readers to read themselves.

What I Dislike: Absolutely nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent!

Tanya -- Christian Children's Book Review

One reviewer wrote that Doc is the reincarnation of Johan Tetzel, well I must beg to differ. After many months of strenuous research, I have concluded that Paul Van Wie is truly the reincarnation of the Holy Savior Jesus Christ. Every single student that has graced his classroom has called him a "Saint" and claims to feel a holy aura beaming from his powerfully built Calvin Klein model-type body. One can see that it was Doc who acted as a "savior" to every single one of his AP Euro students in the few months before the AP test from eternal damnation (ie. their parents). He did by performing the greatest sacrifice of them all... devoting many hours of his life giving countless review sessions that he could otherwise spend at the Club shakin' it until the break of dawn. Another correlation that I have discovered between Doc and Jesus is that if Doc was "transubstantiated" into a type of bread and drink like Jesus does on holy mass, Doc would transsubstantiate into Nacho Cheese Doritos and Diet Snapple, a fine choice for a "last supper" I might add. Some also consider his book "The Holy Bible" of European coinage, which in many respects is true. Doc also preaches the holy doctrine of "respect thy Neighbor," which explains his odd and sometimes scary attraction towards Canada. And the last little tidbit of my research that proves Doc's "Jesus-ness" is his ability to speak in many different "Tongues," and even, yeah you guessed it, Dutch.

There is no one more informed on this topic than Paul Van Wie. He truly is a treasure. Anyone who has a remote interest in History and/or Politics must pick this book up. A must read!

Paul van Wie, Ph.D., is a man so transcendentally knowledgeable that it stupefies the human mind. This book reflects that fact. However, one would do well to notice that the book, for all its other virtues, does not even broach the subject of former First Lady Rachel Jackson's little-known side-career as (you guessed it!) a Nazi spy.

5 stars nevertheless.

When you walk down the halls with a jingle in your pants, all you can think about is Doc Van Wie. That lovely clank of coins makes you think about the history of coins. This is far more sophisticated than those little stamp collections my little boy scout. Often, coins represent a nation and its ideals with really cool drawings and cool sounding Latin Words. That is why Paul Van Wie, teacher of AP EURO, has decided to write a truly amazing book on coins. There is one more thing I do have to say. Why does the subtitle of a book dictate what the book shall be about? My god, its even happening in this reader review!

As My two good friends Cimabue and Giotto would agree this is one of the greatest books ever on European coinage. Louis XIV would be pleased with this awesome display of knowledge by the Doctor. Even Industrial people such as Thomas Sadler enjoy this book. Here are some sample reviews from many of the great figures of history.

"Two Thumbs Up!"- Mahandis Ghandi
"A Masterpiece"- Bernini
"Just like back in da trecento"- Cimabue
"My fingers hurt"- Thomas Sadler
"Le Wow!"- Mazarin
"Zis is a good book"- Otto V(o,a)n Bismarck
"Es un libro fabuloso"- Juana of Spain
"Now That's a spicy meataball- and a good book"- Fra Angelico

As you can see the reviews are pouring in, so stop right now and buy this book! You will not be sorry.

This is a very moving account, in which the imagined narrator, Ovid, talks of his last days in exile, way up north in icy reaches at the edge of civilisation in an area that sounds like Russia. The winters are harsh; the sky is watery; the forests contain birch. He does not share the language of these barbaric people; nor does he share any cultural points of connection with them. He observes their ways and vice versa. Any assumptions about the superiority of the culture of Rome above that of these simple barbarians is questioned as the story unveils. Furthermore, the value of the human polis is called into question when it is compared with a life tuned in to nature.
Ovid's placement in this society and his life there is the basic setting within which the action takes place, such as it is. The story involves the sighting of a wild boy living with wolves, first seen on a summer hunting expedition and then seen in subsequent summers. The boy is eventually caught and brought back to the communal nexus. Through this action, Ovid as instigator and we as readers ponder the nature of what it means to be human, what are the benefits or otherwise of civilisation.
The prose is stately, slow and lyrical; the descriptions, evocatively beautiful. Even if the story amounted to nothing, the book would be worth the read for its inner beauty of narration. As it is, this short work provides excellent material for contemplation about the nature of humanity, about our relationship to the natural world, and about the relative importance in our lives of culture and nature. It is a book that deserves several readings.

Excellent tale, seeking to define qualities that make one human. Social graces, intelligence, superstition, one with nature. And who better to question the concept but an outstanding poet, whom we know of two millenia after his death. Who was fully human, the boy or the poet, or the villagers? Give me the poet any day.

This is a remarkable book - about what it means to be human - and how we would live our life if we could invent it from scratch with no reference to our culture and family. Malouf writes with a poetic beauty that is enthralling. I have been unable to read any more of his books in case they were not as magical as this one!
Yes it is true he is a fellow Australian, but his ancestry is from Lebanon I think, and the book is set in the ancient Roman empire, so my bias might be taken as minor.

A brilliant short novel about civilization and it's relative disadvantages. It is ostensibly about the poet Ovid's exile from Rome in the fist century A.D. and his developing relationship weather feral child on the outskirts of the empire: Civilization vs. Nature. The importance of language in the novel is questioned, makes a good departure for a book group that will discuss the impact of words. We used Malouf's flowing novel to launch our book club, and the discussion touched on various topics such as Ovid, religion, Roman history.

This is an extraordinary, fascinating, and deeply moving book. Malouf brilliantly takes Ovid's exile to the furthest outpost of the Roman empire and makes of it a beautifully written, beautifully executed meditation on imagination and "what it is to be human." It is a strangely liberating book, for, to quote the text, "We are free to transcend ourselves. If we have the imagination for it."

I have this book in ONE day! That says it all! It's very real things that happen all too often in the world today! Could not put the book down once I started reading! Can't wait until I read the next one!!!

KEISHA'S DILEMMA by Willie D. Spears, Jr. tells how Keisha meets and falls for bad boy, Derek Cole, upsetting her very religious father. He forbids her to see him, but she does it behind his back. They date through high school and then it's time for Keisha to go to college. It doesn't go smoothly however, because Keisha has a pregnancy scare, and her best friend and mother secretly help her out. The affair continues during her college years and then she meets Clarence Johnson on campus. He is nice, kind and doesn't end up in jail or on probation like Derek sometimes does. Keisha is smitten. But, all does not go well and when Derek finds out, the battle is on. Clarence's family blames Keisha for the battle. Will Keisha be able to convince Clarence and his family that she's not like Derek at all? Then another twist gets tossed into the mix when her best friend meets a man on the internet.

KEISHA'S DILEMMA is a tight, short story that any woman who ever had a strict, religious father can more than relate to. There comes a need, with all the `no's' and "don't do this or that" that forces the forbidden into the forefront and even if the girl didn't really want to do it, teen rebellion and the need for independence forces the issue. It was short and I would just have loved for the story to continue so I could find out what really happened with Keisha.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

Keisha's Dilemma was a very good read. Willie writes as he speaks...with a passion that is meant to inspire and educate.

In my opinion, through this book he is reaching out to those who need the inspiration and education most. With his real life experience, both personal and from others, he illustrates the lives of his characters and the choices, and results of those choices, that are being made every day. I would recommend this book without reservation! I'm looking forward to the next one!

KEISHA'S DILEMMA is a short yet very meaningful read about a girl named Keisha, whose life changes dramatically before her senior year of high school. After starting to date Derek Cole without the knowledge of her strict father (who thinks Derek is a thug), Keisha is faced with many difficult decisions.

Not only does she have to lie to her father, but she must choose whether all the difficulties are worth the relationship with Derek. Should she keep lying to her father about the relationship or give up the boy that she has come to love?

This is an honest story that deals with some very important issues of teenagers today. Pregnancy, drugs, relationship problems, and friendships are all brought up in this book, and the issues are discussed in a very effective way. Keisha is a very down-to-earth character, and readers find themselves hoping that things will get better for her. Also, the book has a very clear moral message that never gets too preachy.

KEISHA'S DILEMMA will not disappoint readers who like realistic stories that will move and inspire them to do great things in the world.

Reviewed by: Amanda Dissinger

I recently purchased Keisha's Dilemma from Willie Spears when he made a personal appearance at his former college, NWOSU. I read the entire book that night because it held my interest and I wanted to see what would happen next. I am a senior citizen, but as soon as I finished the book I loaned it to my youngest who is 22 and she came away with the same feeling. It is rare that you will find a book that can hold the interest of all ages, but this one is definately that book. Keisha's Dilemma took me back to stages of my own life as well as my children's lives. I can't wait until my granddaughter learns to read because I think there are good messages for young kids that may turn their lives around or at least keep them on a good path of life. Thanks Willie, I can't wait for the sequel.

I first started this book when my mom read it to me when I was very young.
Now it is one of my favorites. It is hillarious, exiting, and touching all at the same time. If you want a book to read to your kids this is it!

My son recommended this to me, when I had complained that I wanted a book that was cheerful. The first chapter was definitely the best of all, and it is what kept me reading through the rest of the book, which was also good.

I've read this book at least two dozen times. I read it once for myself, and each year I read it to my new batch of 7th graders. Everyone loves it. (There are a few parts I don't read to my students.) Every time I pick it up, I fall in love with the characters and am so glad to be part of their lives again! It's funny and sad and is so amazingly real. One year my students wrote Mr. Davis, and he replied. Mr. Davis and I corresponded back and forth for a few letters, and he was seemed like a great guy.

These stories get played on every long car ride our family makes, and all of us (from the first grader on up) are rapt. Davis uses his gentle voice and sly humor to paint unforgettable portraits of beloved relatives, local eccentrics, and lost friends. The stories are fresh and moving each time we hear them; in fact, the repeated listenings increase our appreciation for the mastery of Davis' telling.

This is family entertainment of the highest order.

I don't think anyone can listen to Donald Davis tell his Different Drummer story and not be touched by it. Just it alone is worth the price of the set of cassettes. You also get to hear LSMFT (yes, that's the title of the story), which has a nearly perfect ending. Each is a story so good that you wish you could forget it, so that you'd have the pleasure of listening to it again for the first time.