D-A Books

I had the pleasure of visiting with Raymond last week in Montana,and hearing him tell some of the stories that were not in the book was an interesting evening.

Even though I have lived in La. all of my life so many of the stories in the book I had never heard!Raymond brought them all to life.

Strother, a Texas bred Democrat consultant who served as a mentor to better known figures such as James Carville, recounts his experiences in the rough and tumble world of politics. In many hands, this could have been a very factual, dry and boring book. Luckily for the reader, Strother is an uproarious storyteller.

The son of a fervent union man in Port Arthur, Texas, Strother more or less falls into the political consulting business by default. He begins his career in Louisana, a hotbed of corruption and questionable ethics. Thru his journey, we relive his often painful and hilarious campaign experiences with country singer Jimmie Davis, Gary Hart and Bill Clinton.

Current politics are dirty business and not for the weak of heart. Idealists are often rudely discarded before they even realize what's happened. Strother considers himself a man of integrity in a profession that increasingly looks at such a trait as a weakness. He not only has to deal with Republican adversaries but underhanded tactics by members of his own party. Strother is honest in his analysis of his work and colleagues and spares no one including other Democrats who employed dirty tricks against his firm.

No matter what side your political beliefs fall, this is a good read if you want to understand how politics work behind the scenes.

Books about politics by insiders get most of the business right, but only Ray Strother tells you what it is really like to work in national politics in plain, unhyped prose.

Ray Strother's chronicle of the industry that brings us our leaders is fascinating. His story is also an "American Success Story". From the giants of the U.S. Senate includingRussell Long (recently passed) and Lloyd Bentsen to today's leaders in the Senate - Mary Landrieu, Blanche Lincoln and Zell Miller - Strother has woven a tapestry of stories that enthral and make us consider our democracy.

This is a first-rate, fast-read of an industry that is seldom discussed but that brings us world leaders. Ad agency execs marvel at their brilliance but at the end of the day they sell sugar water to children. Strother has given an insight to a world seldom seen, but of importance to all of us.

Get the book - read it and pass it around. This is one of those books that flys below the radar but could become a movie.

happy reading

Raymond Strother's warts-and-all memoir of his life as a political consultant is a fun, must-read for all students of American politics. Strother's career began when there was still some innocence in campaigning, and winds up during the frustrating years of ego-driven hacks whose self-importance overshadows their candidates, to the detriment of government. Ray Strother's genuinity was formed the old-fashioned way: he grew up poor and learned to appreciate other people.

Strother's tales of Southern political skirmishes will entertain. He's a smooth storyteller who should write more, now that he's out of the maelstrom of the Washington kill-or-be-killed consultant circuit.

Caveat: I am a Republican, and although Strother's life has been spent around Democrats, his tales are compelling across the board.

Written by a cardiologist and dietician couple. This is not a cookbook as some would guess by the title, but a guide to living a heart-healthy lifestyle. This is well written and very easy reading. It covers all aspects from a potitive attitude, sense of humor, fat Vs.carb issues, omega 3's, etc. I particularly liked how this is a common-sense approach to healthy living, and not another fad-diet that we're all so sick of hearing about. Thanks to Cardio Consultants in KC-Mo for turning me on to this book!

The Forever Young Diet and Lifestyle is easy to read and has a lot of logical advice on how to stay fit. It covers a lot of different aspects to life and diet. It was recommended to me by my doctor. Using the advice, I lowered my cholesterol by 10% and increase the good to bad cholesterol ratio. It also helped me shed fat while building muscle mass.

A must read for anyone wanting to maintain a healthy (but easy-to-do) lifestyle and maintain heart-health.

Read this book. Change your life. The content is NOT a lose weight fast plan. It's not really a "diet" book. It will change how you look at what you (and those you care about) eat. I've met the authors. They have the credentials and no agenda other than to share their knowledge of how a healthy lifestyle is easily achievable. Based on the knowledge gained from reading this book I've changed how and what I eat, lowered my cholesterol, increased my energy, lost the 25 pounds I needed to lose and have kept it off for over a year.

My husband is a diabetic. He had a recent doctor's appt., and his doctor had talked about how he lost 35 pounds and it wasn't that hard . . . just basically a change of diet (healthy), along with advice via this book. Well, my husband was about 20 lbs. overweight, and complained that he was getting flabby, so he asked me to order this book. I did, and he would read a chapter or two at a time. He would ask me, "Did you know how good green tea is for you?" I would say "yes." Did you know that nuts from a tree are very good for you?? I would say, "yes." "Did you know that for every 100 calories in grains (cereals and breads,etc.), that you need to have 3 grams of fiber?" Yes. I have read Prevention magazine for years, and was always interested in health and medical topics, so those little tidbits of info were not new to me. ANyway, for a guy who NEVER reads anything except HUNTING magazines, I was amazed that he actually read this book. To keep his attention, it has to be written in an easy-to-read-and-understand style, or he would be tossing it out the door! He says it is very good, and he HAS INDEED changed his eating habits. He is definitely more knowledgeable!!! I would recommend it!

Most people are fairly informed about the D-Day invasion at Normandy from the American, British and Canadian view. I knew little about the battle from the German side. Book was very informative and interesting. I also have just read Dunkerk and the Ambrose book.

This book compiled for the most part from original sources such as diaries and letters depicts the struggle in Normandy from the German viewpoint with emphasis on the grunts doing the fighting. But, the book transcends the viewpoint of either side. It relates in detail the receiving end of what students of military history now describe as industrial warfare. Many of the first person descriptions repeat the overwhelming material advantage the Allies possessed. German tanks especially Panthers and Tigers, "88" caliber guns, their equivalent to our bazookas, and machine guns were far superior to the Allies. Their soldiers were confident until faced with the massed airpower, artillery, navel gunfire, and the strangling of their supply lines by the allied strength in the air. Still, they fought a courageous and skillful retreat except for the trap at Falaise. The book reminds one of the amazing job the American Army did in putting divisions with no combat experience in the line and succeeding in attack without catastrophic losses. Despite the massive literature on the Normandy campaign, I recommend this book to those interested in military history, WWII, students, military professionals, and libraries.

This book is great, and really opens your eyes to the side of losing that war, and what nightmarish things they went through.

Santa put this in my stocking. Many adjectives and cliches come to mind: "page turner," "can't put it down," and even just "Wow."

Hargreaves masterfully narrates and is possessed to tell this story from the German view, only turning to an Allies' account of some key event when it is only absolutely necessary. He stitches personal stories, official records, and historical context of June 6, 1944 together for a whole and complete German account of the battle for France.

This detailed perspective of The Germans in Normandy is refreshing and a long overdue addition to the works of Paul Carell's Invasion! and Stephen Ambrose's D-Day works (D-Day, Band of Brothers, and others). If you enjoy WWII history, Hargreaves has written the next book you should read.

This is a superb book that is well researched & examines the battles fought in Normandy in 1944 from a German stance. The author explains how the Allied invasion was seen as the last opportunity to turn the tide & how Rommel made great strides in his short time in 5-6 months to strengthen the defences. However, the author does not just cover off the strategic & key high command personalities but more importantaly he looks at the Normandy battles from the common fighting German soldier (Landser)& has drawn on many first hand accounts, letters, diaries etc. The book examines how the German soldiers fought on despite been overwhelmed by the Allied material superiority & air supremacy. The Allies command of the air was a key factor in the German defeat as all German movement by day was effectively paralysed & soul destroying to the troops. But as the author points out 'despite the Allied material supremacy, tank for tank, gun for gun, the Wehrmact was more than a match for its enemies'. Unfortunately for the Germans, their losses incurred in men & material could no longer be made good. This is the story of the German soldier & how he fought & endured those battles in the West in 1944 (especially around Caen & Falaise), been driven on by their comradeship for one another. Highly recommended reading.

Submitted to Mary Traer as written by Pamela Bauer Mueller, Jekyll Island, GA

Dr. Traer immerses the reader into the rich experiences of medical school, internship and one young doctor's early medical practice. This is an emotional page-turner; but don't read too quickly, because you'll want to savor each delicious word. Five stars!

Dr. Traer's book is a masterful and winning blend of fiction and non-fiction set primarily at Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital. Traer's flair for language offers readers his insightful understanding of the emotions and lives of patients and caregivers. This provocative, fast-paced book, laced with a bawdy sense of humor, is at once compelling and sometimes tragic, but is sensitive to the realities of the 1960s in the South. In its scope, originality, and readibility, Going to the Gradies, is a matchless book.

Dr. Dan Good
Statesboro, Georgia

A mixture of humor and history, that is how I would describe this delightful, insightful book. I found myself laughing to the point of tears one minute and then reflecting on how times have changed in Georgia over the past 40 years.

The author did a wonderful job weaving the history of Grady Hospital into the life of the characters of his novel. Highly recommend!!!

If you need a laugh, Going to the Gradies is a winner. I am neither a Southerner or have I ever been to Atlanta .... I am a transplanted Yankee.
Yet, I found Dr. Traer's book laugh out loud funny and tender all at the same time. Warning: Do not give this book to anyone in the hospital. Loved it.

The strength of this novel is its ability to transport you to another time and place to meet credible and interesting characters. For example, when Traer wrote of the night Dr. King was assassinated, I totally relived my own "night of horror" when the news came down. In many ways, the book is a sad commentary on the U.S. health care non-system yet it makes the point with a perfect admixture of humor and sympathy. More!

Author James Macomber has set himself a tricky task in creating another thriller with two unrelated plots as part of his John Cann series of international legal thrillers with his recent tome, A Grave Breach.

Set against the backdrop of "ethnic cleansing" that transpired in the Balkans, Macomber has authored a poised and polished novel that unfolds when John Cann, a senior associate in the Washington law firm of Loring, Matsen and Gould is asked by the senior partner, Arthur Matsen to defend a war criminal, Dubran Mribic, after he watches a horrendous video tape that had been sent to Matsen.

It seems that the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia has now indicted Mribic for a variety of hideous war crimes committed against Muslims and he has now requested Arthur Matsen to represent him in any and all legal proceedings. We also learn in the opening pages that the law firm of Loring, Matsen and Gould are more than just attorneys as they are connected to the CIA, having developed a deep and lasting connection to the intelligence community since the creation of the firm. Why would the USA or for that matter Matsen be interested in defending a repugnant and repulsive war criminal who is now being held in Germany?

In addition to the main plot, Macomber includes a secondary plot involving a young woman, Janie Reston, who is now residing in a rehabilitation center as a result of a brutal crime committed against her by several terrorists. Apparently, two years prior to the happening of this atrocious crime, Cann had taken a sabbatical from his law firm and was a visiting lecturer at Charleston University Law School where he was the faculty adviser to Janie. Unfortunately, a connection between Cann and Janie was established in some minds-including the members of a terrorist cell within the Middle East Studies Department of the University, which in fact there had been no connection, however the terrorists didn't know that and they considered him and whomever was connected to him the enemy. The terrorists kidnapped Janie and what they did to her was beyond comprehension leaving her looking like a broken doll. The beastly criminals never stood trial as Cann made sure they were eradicated.

Cann and Matsen had taken it upon themselves to ensure that Janie received the best of treatment at the Whispering Marsh Rehabilitation Center, where, unfortunately, she nevertheless had fallen under the care of an unscrupulous staff psychiatrist, Dr. Nathan Frederich, who wanted to use her as a guinea pig in testing some of his far-fetched theories.

When Cann eventually meets up with Mribic and listens to the latter's side of the story, nothing seems to be as cut and dry as he anticipated. Moreover, when the legal proceedings commence before the tribunal, it appears that all cards are stacked up against his client. Cann also learns of some very interesting details concerning Matsen and his connection to Mribic, who turns out to be quite a devious fellow and who really wanted Matsen to show up and not Cann as he had some unfinished business to settle with him. If this is not enough to keep you turning the pages, various attempts at Cann's life are made by one group of thugs while there exists another group, who unknown to Cann, are his protectors.

Macomber is a great story- teller and he has concocted an interesting plot effectively negotiating the past and the present, east and west, young and old. Right up to the end he teases his readers with red herrings and unresolved questions such as why did he incorporate two distinct plots with very little links between them? It would have been nice if there were more of a connection rather than leaving this up in the air? I also found the complexity of the principal story quite confusing as I tried to keep track of the cast of characters and their past and present activities. Nonetheless, A Grave Breach did keep me reading well into the night and if you can endure some of the hideous scenes, it is still a great read.

Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures

Reviewed by AJ Cooper for Reader Views (11/07)

John Cann, a senior associate for the law office of Loring, Matsen, and Gould, has just witnessed a horrific video of humiliation, torture and finally execution. His good friend, mentor and boss has asked him defend a man who was possibly responsible for the torture and killing of these Muslim people from the Balkans. The hearing for extradition will be held at an international tribunal in Germany. Other countries also have an interest in this man and they want him extradited to their country to stand before a court and answer for his crimes.

Of course John will follow the instructions of his boss and head to Germany to defend Dubran Mribic. His only request is to visit his friend Janie at her rehabilitation center in Georgia. Janie is recovering from almost life-threatening torture that she had received a couple of years ago because of her relationship with Cann. Cann and Matsen took it upon themselves to ensure Janie had the best care and also had themselves assigned as co-guardians with the approval of her family. Janie had come far as had been recovering fairly well considering she had been left for dead. The torture affected every aspect of her life and being able to function.

John hesitantly flies to Germany to defend someone he may not even be able to tolerate. When he arrives and starts to deal with the tribunal and Mribic, everything is not as it seems. Numerous attempts are made on John's life, yet there is another group that follows him and protects him. He discovers the nature of crimes committed by his defendant as well as crimes that had been committed against Mribic's people. No one seems innocent and nothing rings true. Then the unthinkable happens and Mribic is allowed to escape.

Back at home things go from good to bad for Janie at the rehabilitation center. She has a new doctor that has some unique and unusual forms of treatment. Matsen does not want to let on to John what has happened with Janie. He has his firm investigate the doctor and what they find is very disturbing. The law firm must now try and get Janie out of the rehabilitation center. Their only means is to kidnap her from the center and then fight the doctor through the courts. This takes all of Matsen's resolve and determination. Before Matsen is able to tell John about the troubles he has been facing with Janie, John is kidnapped.

Everything comes to a head in Europe and Matsen is forced to travel to Germany to rescue John. Old memories and horrors are brought to the forefront when Matsen returns to Europe. He served as an intelligence officer and became involved in the Balkans. Mribic really wanted Matsen, and not John, so he had to find a way to trick Matsen into returning to Europe.

I truly enjoyed the intertwining of both stories. I did not expect or figure out what could possibly happen next. I could not put the book down. This is a true thriller from the start that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This brief view into the atrocities of war and the hope for justice for the victims was very interesting. The good side of people can really shine through even in the direst of situations. I would recommend "A Grave Breach" to anyone.

Reviewed by Maria Elmvang

What is the gravest breach? Is it a breach of national security? A breach of peace? A breach of contract? Or a breach of confidentiality, of trust?

That is one of the things that James Macomber explores in his third John Cann book and newest novel, A Grave Breach.

John Cann would never have agreed to defend a war criminal in a court of law, especially not after seeing the atrocities he performed during the Balkan war, if it hadn't been for one thing: Arthur Matsen - his boss and a man whom he respects and loves as his own father - asked him to. Forced to find the blurred boundaries between his trust in Matsen and his own impression of his client, Cann travels to Europe and tries to get to the bottom of things and find out why Matsen asked him to take on this case.

Meanwhile, back in the USA Cann's colleague Katherine Price discovers that all is not as it ought to be at the facilities where Cann's ward, Janie is staying. When it is discovered that Janie is subjected to dangerous psychiatric experiments, only a desperate action will protect her.

Giving away any more of the plot would be a shame for others. James Macomber managed to keep me at the edge of my seat through the various twists and turns of the book until its final conclusion. Unfortunately by combining two unrelated plotlines, Macomber sometimes neglects one in favour of the other, and not all threads are properly tied up, leaving me with unresolved issues and burning questions.

It is an advantage, but not a necessity, to have read the two first John Cann books before reading A Grave Breach. I hadn't, but as all references to earlier books are well explained, it allows it to stand on its own without any problems.

Armchair Interviews says: An excellent suspense novel that definitely will leave you wanting to read more of Macomber's work.

Studded with a cast of memorable characters, "A Grave Breach" is an international legal thriller by James Macomber, a true master of this popular action/adventure/suspense genre. John Cann is asked to defend someone charged with war crimes by his trusted friend, mentor and colleague Arthur Matsen. Then there is Janie Reston, a young American college girl savagely brutalized left for dead because of her connection to Cann. The girl is under threat by Nathan Fredrich, an unscrupulous psychiatrist intent on exploiting her horrendous ordeal to capitalize on his questionable theories concerning repressed memories. With a complex and engaging plot involving diverse post-war legal, moral, and ethical dilemmas in Europe, compounded by strong emotional ties and vulnerabilities among the principle characters, "A Grave Breach" is a compelling, superbly crafted, totally engaging read from beginning to end that can be wholeheartedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library fiction collections.

Absorbing and horrifying, James Macomber's novel A GRAVE BREACH sets a story of revenge against the backdrop of the fierce ethnic conflicts in the Balkans. A Washington law firm is tasked with defending a soldier charged with war crimes, and even within the defense team, secret motivations exist, spanning decades. A videotape depicting the crime is the bait in the mousetrap, set by a brutal villain with a grudge against one of the lawyers. Soon, the lawyers, all of whom have ties to the intelligence community, are forced to use every weapon in their considerable arsenal to foil the plot and stay alive. This was a solid read for fans of real-world thrillers.

This is, without a doubt, the very best lesfic sci-fi book I've ever read. It's one of the best lesfic books I've read of ANY genre. I have to admit, its 646 pages seemed a bit challenging only because it was a pretty big investment of my time if it turned out that the book was only "okay". This book turned out to be a wonderful escape and a great saga. I was not disappointed. Usually when I write a review I have the copy of the book beside me to make sure that I don't forget any key points I might want to make. In this case, after talking to someone I know about the book, I've had to mail it off to them because it's a book that everyone wants to read.

The authors, Suzanne M Beck and Okashi Skat'si have created a great story, blending native-ameican culture and tradition with anglo-american culture set in the future in a world where androids have taken over and humans have become the hunted. How do you know which humans are on your side as some may be collaborators? What is it that the androids want? How can they be defeated? Can one's human qualities be an advantage...or a liability?

The main characters include: Koda (Dakota) Rivers, a Lakota vet; Kirsten King, the sole survivor of the president's cabinet, and a cyber scientist; Col Maggie Allen, a top-gun pilot and one of the top officers left on the military base, Koda's brother and their cousin who are also part of the "resistance" to the androids.

This book is well worth your time. It's one I will read again and again. On a side note - Once I read this book I went on the hunt for a trilogy of Suzanne Beck's books (Redemption, Retribution, and Restitution) Amazon has the 1st book, the other 2 are out of print and about $75 each. I did happen to get my hands on all 3 copies which I've not yet read. Her writing seems to be in high demand.....a good sign I would say.

"The Growing" starts by an uprising of robots killing most of the people around them. The year is 2012 and robots have been used for quite some time as helpers in society, including recently in the armed forces. The main characters of the story are Koda Rivers a Lakota veterinarian and Dr. Kirsten King a computer genius and apparently the sole survivor of President Hillary Clinton's cabinet. They meet in North Dakota while Kirsten is trying to destroy the main robot factory. The plot is centered on the remaining survivors and their fight against the robots while trying to find why there was an uprising of the robots and why some women are taken prisoners by them.
The sci-fi background theme of "The Growing" is not new, and deals once again with the "dangers" of artificial intelligence. The authors are aware of what has been written on the theme before them, and pay homage to the classic "I Robot" stories by naming Kirsten King's dog Asimov. The main themes of the book are what are you willing to do to survive, how do you survive in a world that has become dependent on technology and is there a possibility to create an alternative world where technology mingles with nature? These themes intertwine with the love story between Kirsten, the rational scientist who has centered all her life around technology and Koda who merges technology and Lakota mysticism.
My main problem with this book is that I'm not a very mystical person. However, I found it interesting learning about the Lakota culture, the characters are well drawn and the plot will probably keep you interested.

Veterinarian and Xena look-alike, Dakota Rivers finds herself teamed with robotics expert and Gabby look-alike, Kirsten King in this futuristic tale that delves into our native past.

It is a time when people all over the world use humanoid androids for handling menial tasks and heavy labor. Suddenly, the androids take over the world, killing most of the men and imprisoning the women. The few men left alive are forced to rape the women, from young teens to older women - as long as they're fertile, to ensure babies are born for the androids' long-term plans. Many people have escaped, including Dakota and Kirsten, and have massed together in a formidable military base. Their singular mission is to fight and win back their planet.

Using both futuristic technology and Lakota Indian customs, the authors have delivered a fantastic blend of time periods and have thoroughly impressed this reader. I've always enjoyed Suzanne Beck, but this is by far one of her best. This book includes:

- A budding, undeniable romance between the main protagonists
- Fantastic imagery surrounding androids and possibilities for the future
- Wonderful examples of American Indian customs and religious beliefs
- A great cast of characters, including Dakota's brother, cousin, and father - who make the book extremely dimensional

This is most certainly a "don't miss" and will be a permanent addition to my personal bookshelf.

I have read several of Susanne's books in the past, and enjoyed them, but not necessarialy enough to long for the next book to come out. Susanne's and Okkasha's writing of this book has changed my mind. The book starts out with just enough information about the story to tease you on to the next page and then the next chapter. Very soon you find your mind in a world of androids and you start to wonder where we have gone wrong. This book is a wonder in combining technology and the spirit world of the past and does it in a way that is believable. Value for money was an extra plus for this book. I am very glad they published this as one book and not broken down into several smaller books. Thanks for sticking to your beliefs, because for me it made the reading experience fulfilling. The book has an ending that suffices, But.... I hope there is a sequel!!

(This review refers to the online version of this novel) The Growing pre-dates the current BSG series on TV. There are similarities: an apocolypse created by the androids who have rebelled against their masters. Couragous, thoroughly drawn characters fighting against overwhelming odds. and there are differences: deep connections to Lakota spirituality/the land, a compelling friendship/romance between our two heroines, and hope (I stopped watching BSG because it was depressing me.)
The plot moves right along, you turn each page with eagerness mixed with dread. The realities, as they unfold, are grim and disturbing, and the heroism is inspiring and hope-filled. The science is solid and the writing is well done and well edited. No extra scenes, typos or missed opportunities. I can still bring scenes vividly to life in my mind's eye, 2 years after reading it.
If you like Asimov. Get this. If you like BSG. Get this. If you like action/adventure. Get this. If you like romance. Get this.
Then join the rest of us waiting eagerly for a sequel!

I K.D TOWNSEND
WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS BOUGHT MY BOOK.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHY I HAVEN'T WRITTEN A BOOK IN AWHILE.
THE GOVERMENT HAS SEIZED MY BOOKS AND HAVE USED THEM AGAINST ME.
I HAVENT SINCE THEN FELT THE DESIRE TOO WRITE FOR A LONG TIME.
I NOW HAVE BROKEN DOWN MY WALL OF SILENCE. AND HAVE STARTED ON MY NEXT BOOK ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERMENT AND MYSELF.
I HOPE WHEN THE BOOK COMES OUT YOU WILL READ IT.
IN THE MEAN TIME ENJOY MY OTHER BOOKS.
ONCE AGAIN
THANK-YOU

K.D TOWNSEND
AUTHOR

M.S Townsend, portrays the hurts of childhood from men, into her adulthood. She gives us all strenth to fight for a better world.
I would highley recomend this book to everyone to read.

M.S Townsend book touched our lives with her own life of sufferning. By showning the world that all of us go threw tragedy and survive. and if were lucky with a smile on our faces.
I enjoyed reading this book. and would recomend it too a friend.

I enjoyed this book very much, in life's everyday struggles its kind of comforting to know that your not alone and that other people go threw hardships like you. The author has brought this out so well in her book .I would recomend this book to anyone.

Mary

This author has style and grace, her book touches the human soul and makes us all look within too places we wouldnt want to travel.

I bought this book to read McLaren's views on the mind-body problem and to better understand the supposed flaws in the biopsychosocial model. While in general it is very well written and he has obviously put acknowledgeable effort into it, I believe that some of the content falls short in important areas. McLaren previously wrote a paper titled "Interactive dualism as a partial solution to the mind-brain problem for psychiatry" (N McLaren, Medical Hypotheses 2006:66:1165-1173), and the phrase "partial solution" is an accurate description of this book as well, as it is a partially successful attempt at reintroducing the mind back into mental illness but not a complete foundation for the entire "future of psychiatry".

McLaren does a good job at highlighting the major historical and current problems facing psychiatry and philosophy of mind, with concise descriptions of the essential issues. He delivers several major blows to the perceived intellectual status of the psychiatric profession; that is, a lack of underlying scientific theory of mind and therefore also for mental illness. He also raises other interesting and important points along the way (such as; over-biologising by psychiatrists of aberrant mental function, and problems with eclecticism in psychiatry). McLaren attacks the biopsychosocial model used in psychiatry, by exposing it's foundation and questioning it's scientific status (rather than by denying the role of psychological and social factors in mental illness). I had previously wondered what guides researchers and academics on the specific relevance of, or interaction between, each aspect to the biopsychosocial paradigm; now I suspect that there is little or none that isn't arbitrated by individual preference. McLaren outlines the importance of understanding automated processing of information in the brain, and then proposes a form of properties dualism. I'm not convinced that properties dualism will be the ultimate solution to the mind-body problem, but it suits the mentalistic view of psychiatry that McLaren endorses, and he presents a decent starting proposal that should interest some academic psychiatrists.

However, I think the application of this proposal needs more work. McLaren clearly dislikes biological psychiatry and (understandably) attempts to put the "mind" back into psychiatric illness; but although I'm not necessarily a biological reductionist, I think he over-stretches the mark. His account of psychiatric illness is too clean cut; he essentially attributes all mental illness to psychological causes, except perhaps in the case of brain disease, but even then its implied to be a psychological response to the limitations imposed by the brain disease. In general, it seems that he has taken a plausible contributing factor in each mental illness but inflated it to be the only main relevant factor in that illness. McLaren assumes that nearly all major psychiatric conditions are caused solely by an interaction between 3 themes: (i) abnormal personality factors or beliefs, (ii) chronic anxiety, and (iii) lack of insight on behalf of the patient. Although he presents a good understanding and plausible suggestions, he applies them too universally and in some cases too simplistically, which is probably the outcome of his interpretation of properties dualism. Here are some examples:

(a) He skilfully rips apart the current classification system of personality disorders employed in the DSM and explains personality as a set of psychologically acquired rules; this is a reasonable position, but there is a lack of discussion of the biological factors or variations between individuals which could influence their acquirement of rules. While he briefly mentions genetics and personality, he simply concludes that such discussion can't proceed without a more coherent definition of personality than what is currently used in research; this may be a valid point, but then the issue is essentially ignored rather than compensated for. I perceived a sort of hidden assumption that as long as there is no brain disease, everyone's "wetware" is potentially functionally identical.

(b) When describing anxiety-driven hypochondriac states, McLaren casually lumps in illnesses such as "benign meningoencephalomyelitis" (which I assume is benign myalgic encephalomyelitis) and chronic fatigue syndrome; however, anxiety isn't a defining characteristic or diagnostic criterion of these illnesses, and the research fails to demonstrate anxiety disorders in the majority of these patients; he is either unaware of this, or perhaps believes that the patients are denying their anxiety or they lack the insight to realise they are simply just anxious and/or depressed. It would also be problematic to associate post-exertional symptoms to phobias or the Yerkes-Dodson curve for similar reasons. Losing yet another supposed "psychosomatic" illness to other fields of medicine will only further reduce psychiatry's historically poor credibility in this area.

(c) When describing depression, McLaren starts off with a decent description but then rejects the notion of depression as a negative mood and simply attributes the state of depression to an acquired anhedonia. His explanation of depression (anhedonia caused by a loss of interest in life, sustained by personality factors and chronic anxiety) is too restrictive, mostly on grounds that depression and anhedonia aren't the same state and can occur without the other, and also on grounds that pleasure and interest aren't synonymous either (liking and wanting aren't the same). Furthermore, while he has a point that the relevance of anxiety is (potentially) being underestimated in depression, he is probably overestimating it by essentially blaming all depression on anxiety. This isn't to say all these aspects aren't interactive, or that McLaren's suggestion should be dismissed; but I don't think this is the best explanation of depression, the only mode of anhedonia, or the only theme in which depression can arise.

(d) McLaren's account of compulsion/addiction and drug withdrawal bizarrely implies that it is *purely* a self-fulfilling belief-based reverse placebo effect. Obviously the fear of withdrawal plays some role, but again, this is seemingly presented as the only relevant factor. Furthermore, when considering that the placebo effect itself may involve the brains opioid system, using saline injections to trick an opiate addicted patient into temporarily believing they've scored isn't conclusive evidence that withdrawal itself is simply a phobia.

Reading this book actually weakened my previous support for properties dualism and strengthened my support for John Searle's arguments against it, because in my opinion McLaren's practical application doesn't completely account for the "grey-area" within the mind-body problem and can lead to over-simplifications. I'm not saying the position, that the mind is an informational system dependent on but distinct from the brain, is unreasonable; on the contrary, it indeed deserves further consideration. The above criticism isn't meant to derail the overall merit of this book as a highly recommended read.

"Humanizing Madness" is an intriguing and insightful book into the nature of psychiatry, although it may not be aptly titled. The book does discuss psychiatry and the cognitive neurosciences, but more specifically its purpose is to discuss what is currently wrong with the major theories in psychiatry and to suggest a theory that will provide a future path for psychiatry to follow. This book may not be for the beginner in psychiatry, but students of psychiatry will find it a valuable alternative view on what they may otherwise be taught in university programs without questioning many of psychiatry's outdated and as McLaren expresses, ineffective and flawed theories which tend to disagree with each other anyway.

McLaren divides "Humanizing Madness" into three sections, the first giving an overview of psychiatry, its history and theories. Then he demonstrates what theories can be used to create a focused future path for psychiatry, and finally, he discusses mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and anorexia and how changes need to be made in their definitions and understanding to bring about more effective diagnoses.

Among the theories McLaren shows as severely flawed are behaviorist models, psychoanalysis, and eclectic models of psychiatry. Most importantly, McLaren states that no real foundational theory exists for psychiatry. While definitions of mental disorder exist, no real definition of mental order or normality has been determined. Until it is determined what a normal mental state is, psychiatry cannot accurately determine what is a mental disorder.

To determine what is the suitable definition of mental disorder and normality, the field must be narrowed down to being based on specific tenets. McLaren makes clear that psychiatry must focus on being rational, understanding that human behavior is not random, and that any theory of the mind must be able to account for mental disorder. He rejects simple ideas that mental disorders result from chemical imbalances, although he spends considerable time arguing that the mind can affect the body. (Whatever the mind is, the definition for which he also debates).

In the end, McLaren's thesis is that "human behavior is the outcome of a complex interaction between an emergent mind and the physical body." While psychiatry has focused on depression as the most popular mental disorder, McLaren believes the focus should be on anxiety, which is the result of the "fight or flight" instinct in most creatures; traumatic events that cause anxiety can lead to depression, so consequently anxiety deserves to be studied as a source of depression. McLaren emphasizes that the human mind does affect the human body, as in cases of mass hysteria, anxiety, and fear that create panic attacks.

Ultimately, McLaren says that any theory of the mind has to provide a rational explanation of mental disorder. He boldly speaks his mind throughout the book, backing up his points with multiple examples, and he is not afraid to cry "Humbug!" when necessary. McLaren has been practicing psychiatry since 1977 in Australia. His discussion of his own education and the shortcomings of the education system he went through as well as weaknesses in current psychiatric practices demonstrate that psychiatry has many more steps to take before it is a completely effective science. I believe "Humanizing Madness" may well lead to a new understanding of mental illness in future years as younger psychiatrists read his book and follow his example in rejecting the ineffective theories he derides.

For more information about Niall McLaren and "Humanizing Madness," readers may visit www.LovingHealing.com. While this book is academic and not light reading, anyone interested in the mind will benefit from reading "Humanizing Madness," and students of psychiatry will find it invaluable.

Tyler R. Tichelaar, Ph.D., author of The Marquette Trilogy

Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (11/08)


Niall McLaren's main purpose in writing "Humanizing Madness: Psychiatry and the Cognitive Neurosciences," as stated in the Introduction, "is to show what a scientific theory of psychiatry should look like." (p. v) He believes that all of the theories that are used in psychiatry are incorrect and reexamination is needed. McLaren brings up an excellent point in the fact that due to the sheer number of theories in existence in the field, the less chance there is that any of them is the correct theory. However introducing a new theory is a very daunting task, as the legitimacy from those practicing by the older theories would be questioned. If a doctor has been basing treatment on a theory for twenty or thirty years he would be very reluctant to change course as it would not reflect well on him to admit that he had been incorrect all along.

The first section of the book is entitled "Psychiatry in Crisis: Intellectual Failure in the Science of Mental Disorder." In these chapters the author explains to us that there is not a general agreement in the field on the "theoretical basis of psychiatry." The author takes on the major existing theories and points out each theory's problems and why they are incorrect. I found his analyses of the different theories were very interesting and thought provoking.

The second part of the book focuses on "The Working Mind." Having a theory of mind should logically come before having a theory of a disturbed mind. McLaren presents "the outline of a model offering realistic solutions to a number of major problems. As a general theory of psychiatry, it restores the essence of humanity, our mentalism, to rightful primacy." (p. 158)

In the third section, entitled "Toward the Future of Psychiatry," McLaren examines various mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and psychosis. He suggests changing our understanding of these disorders in order to more effectively treat them.

"Humanizing Madness: Psychiatry and the Cognitive Neurosciences" is an important work in the field of psychiatry. The book has been thirty years in the making and is obviously well researched and thought-out. The author makes very strong, intelligent arguments that, I believe, will have a large impact on the future of psychiatry. McLaren's book would make an excellent read for a psychiatry student or for those already in the field.

After recently completing quite a few psychology classes, only one thing remains a common thread across each: it seems no psychologist agrees with another. There are so many schools of thought and barely any common themes.
Dr. McLaren outlines in this 30-year-research-result the flaws in some of the most popular and well accepted schools of thought and practice.
Even though I do not sport an M.D. after my name, I understood and thoroughly enjoyed this frank and prod at what many professionals blindly accept as fact. Using the scientific model to grind down the frivolities of many schools of psychology, Dr. McLaren gets to the "nitty gritty" of modern psychology. The scientific model helps us understand some of the most common mental disabilities today without writing them off to Freudian fantasies. Dualism is an enlightening concept and to me, strikes as the most practical and rational approach one can have to a situation. Mind over matter sounds so cliché, but the relationship between mind and matter is a road to explore for most mental handicaps, not just an adage.

This is an academic book about psychiatric methods. As a psychology graduate as well as a user of the various services, I find this a fascinating subject. It's not for a beginner, but for someone who has some experience of the mental health services, it's interesting and thought-provoking. I love the idea of Future Psychiatry anyway, we need to get over the stigma attached to mental health and see it on the same level as physical health issues. It's not a new theory, but more of an overview of what has gone before and where the future direction of psychiatry should lead.

That's the name of the book too. If you read this book, you may find yourself agreeing. Don't read this book if you'd rather not find a place for your ideals in your life. That's how many people will conclude they need to be. We are conditioned and rewarded to abandon our principles in the quest for success and in our striving to dominate and eliminate perceived threats to survival.

Coleman McCarthy understands that we have it upside down. Don't read this book unless you want to be inspired. We are taught violence from the moment we are born and McCarthy describes a simple alternative that he has been living for more than twenty years; teach peace. He leads students of all ages - including elementary age, where we most need to begin - and prisoners, including the many young, black male victims of culturally ingrained injustice - to the study of Ghandi, non-violence, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King, Jr., Daniel Berrigan and others like them. He suggests, yes illuminates, the fact that we can and must act on the ideals of peace and non-violence that exist in us all, but are only buried by the current institutions of our culture and the world.

Don't read this book if you want to stay asleep. Right now, in today's world, as the US financial system spins quickly into oblivion, we need to orient to the values of peace; need to quickly develop a felt understanding of the quality of life available to each and everyone of us if we teach peace, live peace, give peace, are peace. But we will naturally respond differently to the catastrophe. We will grip even harder onto that which we know, are comfortable with, have been taught. We have been taught violence. We will need to learn something new or suffer greatly.

In this book, Cole McCarthy describes his life of teaching in schools and prisons the elements of peaceful conflict resolution. He teaches the absurdity and ineffectiveness of pursing peace through violent means.

As we struggle in the coming years to resolve our personal confusion between survival and success, we will need to grab hold of peace and nonviolence lest we simply fall back into the dead end beliefs of fighting and overcoming instead of collaboration, compassion, relationship - not only with each other, but with the natural world as well. Our violent beliefs have brought us to where we are now, a catharsis of civilization.

Read this book. Pass it on and go forth into the emerging paradigm with an evolved consciousness. And if someone tells you that you are being too idealistic, politely, lovingly, emphatically teach peace. Suggest that they read the book too!

Colman McCarthy's I'd Rather Teach Peace opens with his description of the first course he ever taught. Mr. McCarthy explains how an invitation to speak at a children's high school in Washington, DC in the spring of 1982 transformed his life, bringing challenges, but also opening the limitless possibilities to teaching peace. Upon deciding to enter the classroom, McCarthy had already accrued fourteen years as a syndicate columnist with the Washington Post. A Roman Catholic, McCarthy spent five years in a Trappist Monastery previous to his role as a journalist. This solid contemplative foundation is evident in the genuine, thought-provoking ideas Colman presents in his autobiography, I'd Rather Teach Peace.

To the politically moderate reader, a book as honest as Mr. McCarthy's might be either shocking or disregarded as ideological banter or both. At its core, McCarthy's book takes great strides in challenging the reader to think outside of a conformist and obedient society. These jabs are very intelligently constructed avoiding insult or condescension. In one succinct sentence of his preface, Colman states his objective in teaching, "Alternatives to violence exist and, if individuals and nations can organize themselves properly, nonviolent force is always stronger, more enduring, and assuredly more moral than violent force" (McCarthy xiii). Throughout his book, McCarthy expands on this idea, emphasizing the power of peace.

Taking place across a semester, McCarthy journals about his experiences in several different schools, ranging from Oak Hill Youth Center in Laurel, Maryland to Georgetown Law School. While a sizeable portion of the book follows from McCarthy's thoughts and ideologies, the meat of the narrative is derived from McCarthy's students and their reactions to his teachings. This is a particularly strong aspect of I'd Rather Teach Peace for the way in which it allows McCarthy to respond to doubters while also physically illustrating the potential for his theories on peace and its study. These responses enable McCarthy to fluidly analyze many aspects of non-violence theory, while incorporating his witty humor and vast experiential knowledge. This format, combined with McCarthy's natural style, makes for an incredibly fascinating and engaging read.

Despite the strengths of McCarthy's book, I have difficulty naming it as one of the best pieces of literature I've ever read. Pondering this in disappointment, it seems that one of the books strengths, its accessibility, may also double as its greatest weakness. Mr. McCarthy speaks directly and honestly. These qualities give the book a unique flavor that make its read feel as though you are sitting next to the author as he shares the narrative aloud. The ideas presented are heavy, yet tangible and real. Mr. McCarthy steers clear of literary devices typical to the humanities, symbolism, metaphor, and other thematic elements. As a result, I have difficulty taking Mr. McCarthy's book for anything more than surface value. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it remains a very powerful read. But regardless, this style seems to take away from the imaginative and interpretive qualities found in some of literature classics, from Shakespeare to Twain.

Nonetheless, Mr. McCarthy's book most certainly leaves the reader wanting more. While it may not provoke second and third readings in search of deeper analyses, it remains a very discussable book. What McCarthy's book lacks in interpretive substance, it more than makes up for with the inspiration it leaves the reader. After a strong initial impact, the book does not conclude without creating a legacy for itself within the reader.

It is difficult to objectively analyze this legacy because it is likely different for every reader. However, there are several points that seem to build the foundation for the book as an eternal guardian in the conscience of the reader. McCarthy presents many of these ideas in his chapter titled "Ideas to Practice, Not to Mull", long before the Epilogue. One of McCarthy's most poignant passages is his response to a student's speculation about the use of non-violent strategies against Hitler.
"Sound bites don't do it. I feel like a math teacher who chalks the blackboard with calculus equations and then a student - who has never taken a math course before and has been told all his life that 2+2=423 - rises to say that nothing on the board makes sense. But make it clear with a quickie answer. Right now."
(McCarthy, 82)
This is impossible of course. Yet, this scenario seems to drive the objective of McCarthy's book.

He works throughout his memoir to nullify the notion that, "2+2=423," and slowly prove to the reader that it, in fact, equals four. Not in a demeaning or patronizing way, but in the methodical way any teacher would help a student who didn't understand a concept from class. The legacy of the book lies in McCarthy's revelations and the tools he gives the reader for further questioning and understanding. So sure, McCarthy's book isn't Tolstoy, Gandhi, or Merton. But, it's a start. And change must start somewhere.

When Washington Post columnist Colman McCarthy was invited to teach a course on writing at an impoverished public school in Washington DC, he responded that he'd 'rather teach peace' - and thus he began a new career, teaching courses on nonviolence and conflict management to a range of schools. "I'd Rather Teach Peace" details one semester in six of these schools, and is an excellent pick for educators seeking insights on teaching peace within the education curriculum.

McCarthy's book is inspirational. I'm working on a manuscript on peace and writing, and sometimes the realities of the world raise serious doubts. When it becomes hard to believe in the possibility of peace, I open this book.

Very heart-felt, and gets to the core of many issues affecting us as a nation, and really does make you wonder "Why don't they teach Peace in school?".

I loved The Rock Orchard and had to read something else by P.S. (Paula) Wall. If I Were a Man, I'd Marry Me is a collection of short stories taken from a column she used to write (or still writes, not sure) that center on quirky southern characters and situations. She does the same here as she did in The Rock Orchard -- write some quirky, surrealistic takes of ordinary, every day people. Her wit is priceless in this collection and I enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed her novel. My favorite stories are "Maxine's Diet," "Faithful," "The Mortician," "Harley," "Warming the Bench," "Topless," "The Ghost of Elvis," "Chivalry," and "Fruitcake." I guess the one disappointing thing about this collection is that the stories are very short -- about three or four pages each. Other than that, I loved If I Were a Man, I'd Marry Me and I hope to read more stuff by this talented writer.

After a tough day I can count on P.S. Wall to lift my spirits. Wall has a gift for putting everyday occurances into a humerous perspective. Reading her stories makes you feel like you are a part of her group. And what a fun loving group it is! You go girl... and take me with you.

P.S. Wall is just as funny in person as she is in print. She's the kind of storyteller that you want to take home, sat her on the hearth and let her entertain you for the rest of your life. This writer is a well kept secret who is destined to become one of the great Southern humorists of all time.

Walls takes life and makes it into stories you can laugh about. The hooker story is the first and it is hillarious as the others. They are cleverly written. Read all of her works with girl friends.

The other day, my husband and I got a crazy waitress at a Shoneys. As we walked outside after lunch, we burst into laughter and agreed that we'd just had a Wall Moment. I could almost read the article she would have written about the incident. Buy this book, and soon you'll be having Wall Moments too.

If I Were A Man, I'd Marry Me draws you into P. S. Wall's slightly skewed universe. The same things happen to her that happen to all of us -- she finds and writes about the absurdity, the humor and the craziness of ordinary life. I'll never look at a dipstick or chocolate brown shoes the same way again.

Wall's book is filled with friends and family you want to be part of. You follow Rosie and Maxine and even Cat from adventrue to mis-adventure with constant chuckling, but also a growing sense of familiarity. These are your people. I met Sweetie once at a conference -- believe me, he lives up to his hype.

Though consistently out there, Wall's universe remains grounded in reality. She doesn't avoid tough questions -- "If you dream about another man," one character asks, "is that being unfaithful?" Of course, the man they all dream about turns out to be Al Gore -- go figure. Wall tackles emotional insecurity, the tribulations of being single, the difficulties as well as the rewards of marriage. Perhaps that's what makes these essays more than just fun to read once. Like Mark Twain or Erma Bombeck, P. S. Wall writes about our real lives, and we want to return to her again and again.

You can catch P. S. Wall at uexpress.com, and I'd travel 1000 miles to her her speak in person -- she's that good. But right now, for a good healthy dose of vintage Wall, buy If I Were A Man, I'd Marry Me. I guarantee you'll laugh on every page, and pretty soon you'll be having Wall Moments too.