Renewal

As I started to read Leslie's book "The Truth Principle", I couldn't put it down. I read it from cover to cover, until early in the morning. Here was a book that taught Biblical truths in simple terms I could understand with practical applications I could relate to. It was written for me, a book to show me how to get what I knew in my head down into my heart, so real change could occur in my life. This book is without a doubt the best book I've read on spiritual growth. It is what it says it is on the front cover - a life changing model for spiritual growth. Leslie models for the reader how to understand why you respond to trouble and trials the way you do; how to identify and get rid of the idols that hinder change and finally how to discover the truth in God's word, so that your heart will respond and thus draw you closer to God, so you can practice God's presence in your life. Leslie's honest and her willingness to share her journey to spiritual growth with us is refreshing.

As a book editor I read a lot a material, but few manuscripts engage me as personally and powerfully as The TRUTH Principle has. Leslie's desire to help others live a life of spiritual and emotional maturity is both genuine and practical. The tools she offers are realistic. In my opinion they will, if diligently applied, lead people from all walks of life to personal growth. Change is never easy, and Leslie doesn't attempt to make it so. Nevertheless, her down-to-earth honesty and straightforwardness lends the process rare clarity. I've read the book three times and am far from perfect in applying the principles to my own life! Still, in my own lifelong walk toward maturity, I am more hopeful and believe I have more understanding than I did before reading the book. I highly recommend it.

I've read many books from self-help to Christian instruction. This book most definitely ranks at the top of my list for spiritual growth and also healing, both emotionally and spiritually. Leslie's devotion to serving the Lord is very apparent. That combined with her own personal experience has made this an invaluable tool for those seeking to really know the Lord better. It's a "best-seller" on my list! God Bless!

Perhaps the book should be titled "Eternal Hope" for that is what the reader is offered. Anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one is left wondering: "What now"? Kindred spirits know that communication between the survivor and the deceased merely moves to a higher level. Only those looking for the "clues" will make the connection. Dr. Carroll, the main character, takes us on a journey of self-discovery providing the reader with hope, joy, a sense of peace and peacefullness. On the surface a deceptively simple story; on reflection an intricate story simply told. As a caregiver in a variety of settings, including a trauma unit, I have witnessed family loss throughout my career. Healing the survivors is just as important as providing care for the patient. I encourage you to take the journey!

Perhaps the book should be titled "Eternal Hope" for that is what the reader is offered. Anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one is left wondering: "what now?" Kindred spirits know that communication between the survivor and deceased moves to a higher level. Only those looking for the "clues" will make the connection. Through the main character, Dr. Carroll, the author takes us on a journey of discovery. Dr. Carroll's pilgrimage provides the reader with hope and joy. On the surface a deceptively simple story; on reflection an intricate story told with simplicity. As a caregiver in a trauma unit I have witnessed family loss throughout my career. Healing the survivors is just as important as providing care for the patient. I encourage you to take the journey!

Once in a while a little book comes along and just steals you away. Read a page or two and the next thing you know, you're gone...you're somewhere else for awhile. Eternal Journey does exactly that. It transports you to a special place where mystical events unfold and love transcends loss. Acceptance triumphs over anguish; grief grows into hope. On your journey through this book, you'll travel with Anna, a successful psychotherapist whose mission is helping others unravel and come to terms with life's mysteries. When Anna loses her closest friend Beth to cancer--the third such loss among her friends in a year--she comes unglued. Disconsolate, and trying to "get a grip" (ironically the name of her own radio talk show), she flees to Martha's Vineyard Island for a long winter week-end of healing solitude. Hoping to work through her grief alone, she discovers she is anything but alone. Inexplicably, she runs into and then keeps crossing paths with a truly remarkable individual. As she struggles to find meaning in her loss, other extraordinary "encounters" take place, until finally she realizes that love and connections never die....That life is maybe only one leg of an ongoing journey. Perhaps death is not the end of the road. Perhaps the dying process is really a gateway to another path in our travels. Like the birth process. What an affirming concept! What you'll love about Eternal Journey is that it bravely takes you where other books do not. Through the medium of storytelling, this lovely and poignant fable speaks straight to your belief systems, offering meanings unfamiliar to most outside the realm of hospice care and grief counseling. Far from being morbid or depressing, the author's message absolutely shines: it's awe inspiring and uplifting. In a word, it's hope (yes, as in "...springs eternal"). Eternal Journey is not just for the bereaved or those anticipating a bereavement. It's for all of us. Consider it a gift for your spirit, a balm for your soul. Hutton has created a wonderful imaginative journey for anyone open to life's marvels. It's a rare and fine treat.

Caregiving is a godsend. Many of my grieving clients have struggled with the challenges of caring for a dying parent, an experience that can be fulfilling but also exhausting and even traumatic at times. In this helpful and heartful book, Beth McLeod weaves her own moving story with the stories of other caregivers, advice from professionals, and helpful suggestions; it offers offers the reader comfort, guidance and inspiration. I have already recommended it to many of my friends and clients.

Please read "Caregiving: The Spiritual Journey of Love, Loss, and Renewal," by Beth Witrogen McLeod (John Wiley and Sons, 1999). This extraordinary book presents the most challenging aspects of giving care - adults caring for their infirm or dying parents, spouses, and others - with incredible compassion and grace. I have never read a book which made me feel as comfortable with the uncomfortable as has Beth's.

Through her own experience with dying parents while an editor with the San Francisco Examiner Magazine, Beth began a series of "Caregiver" articles which included stories, suggestions, and resources for those going a similar life challenge. Beth's journey became a full-time commitment, resulting in this wonderful book.

In "Soul Keeping," she writes: "It can be necessary to uproot a parent, not just for physical well-being but for preservation of their very spirit. For it is not just a body that we are asked to care for: the unspoken role of every caregiver is guardian of the soul, and this prospect can be the most frightening. For where does well-being come but from within? Where does the giving come but from compassion? We are asked not only to be gatekeepers but especially soul keepers, preserving the best in our parents and inheriting the wisdom of their experience. When we are shepherding their lives, we had best be mindful of their spirits as well."

As instructive as it is moving, "Caregiving" includes action steps designed to assist those facing the many overwhelming challenges of caring for loved ones. It is a manual of compassionate care, and a wonderful gift for yourself.

Beth Witrogen McLeod's book Caregiving The Spiritual Journey of Love, Loss, and Renewal is a must read for any person taking care of an ill loved one, whether they are a child, spouse and/or aging parent. My interview with Beth revealed a strong woman with a fierce detrmination to help other caregivers make the most of a very painful situation. Beth includes her own personal journey along with the stories of hundreds of people she has met online in her chat groups or in person during her many public appearances in her incredible book. As the creator and editor of HotFlash! a woman's online perimenopause/menopause magazine and online support group, I have found women in the same place as Beth. She has described so well in her book the guilt, the pain, the sorrow and yes, at times, the joy of taking care of a sick loved one. In attempting to find hope and love in a truly difficult situation, Beth guides us to make good decisions not only for the person needing care but for the person herself. She pulls back the curtain on this often overlooked yet important topic.

This is a must read for anyone taking care of a loved one and for the rest of us who will one day be in these extraordinary shoes.

In this book, Letha Hadady has taken a very complex and difficult topic and presented it in a simple accessible fashion. Through the changes she suggested, I have rid myself of chronic lower back pain and various digestive discomforts. My daughter is experiencing increased energy from following Ms. Hadady's advice relating to asthma. Personal Renewal is a book you will refer to again and again. It is a simple, straightforward guide to Asian diagnosis, diet and herbs. It makes an excellent companion to her previous book, "Asian Health Secrets", but can absolutely be understood and enjoyed on it's own.

The author's Asian Health Secrets became my bible soon after I read it. Personal Renewal helped me get over a slump in my energy and creativity.For months I couldn't understand what was wrong. My ideas could not flow. I felt stuck emotionally, artistically. I ate sweets and put on weight. I even broke out in adolescent blemishes. The moment I read Personal Renewal's first few words--"There is a you that predates all illness, anger, apathy and despair--I started to cry. I felt that I had found a friend, an alternative health professional with feelings! Not one laboratory test is cited in Personal Renewal. It is a book that helps you find yourself--where your life is not working. I especially enjoyed the healing herbal baths along with visualizations. After reading one of the weightloss chapters, I took a virtual trip to the beach and felt really relaxed. Over a period of a few weeks I lost ten pounds of dead weight. My mood lifted. I lost my blemishes and my artistic slump. When you can find the Original Self, there is no need for a magic cure. You become the magic. I am eternally grateful for this book.

Both of Ms. Hadady's books are fantastic. Personal Renewal is my favorite. I feel her abundant wisdom is a blessing and a gift of health to us all. Her book is expressed in a concise, easy to follow manner. She addresses healing body, mind and spirit for a complete luminous you! I highly recommend this book to everyone. You will love the way you look and feel if you do. Undo the internal knots and glow!

A great read for women who are conscious of their bodies and what they are capable of. Also a great read for those beginning on the road to awareness. Women are amazing creatures and it is time we honor ourselves. It is also time we stop whining about what others have done to us and fix what we have enabled to occur.

If you are looking to truly honor the gift of the Goddess and your ability to create life without cursing that gift, this is the book is for you.

A nightmare experience at the hands of a brutal doctor who was giving her an internal exam sent Lara Owen off on this fascinating exploration into the rich underworld of the female body. It's a well-written, passionate and thoughtful plea for a return to body-consciousness and acceptance of what it is to be female. The case studies are inspiring, the ideas for self-healing and developing the creativity inherent at this time of the month very intriguing. There is no strident hectoring - Lara Owen writes from the heart - or should I say the womb - and has made a pioneering track for all women, whether interested in enjoying rather than enduring their periods, or the hidden depths of the female psyche. Men who want to understand women should read it too! If you read one book this year, let it be this one!

I was thrilled to discover Lara Owen's book, Honoring Menstruation. I myself have been exploring my menstrual process in-depth since 1988, and teach workshops to women who want to transform menstrual symptoms into menstrual empowerment and pleasure. I say these things about myself to indicate that I am reviewing this book from a particular vantage point, that of a woman who has been honoring her period for many years.

I found that Lara put into words many things that I've been thinking for years, and also introduced me to new ways of thinking about and responding to my menstrual cycle. This is a wonderful book for any woman who wants to become more empowered, more herself, more creative, more joyful.

Mothers, grandmothers, and aunts will also find it useful for helping them introduce young women into a menstruation-positive view of their upcoming or just-started periods.

I know that if you take the time to read this book and apply its wisdom in your own life, you will not regret it.

If you are a person that likes to do the journaling thing, this book is for you. Each day is set up with two pages, one that you can write your thoughts. This particular page is great as it gives you an inspirational quote every day. The other page is the one where you get to note how much water you drank, the fruits and veggies you ate. You also get to enter in some info about exercise that you did and more. Some of us can do things better if we put them down on paper. If this is your style, this is a great book for you.

When I first bought the journal in 1996, when the program first came out, I put it on a shelf and let it collect dust for six months than I started Oprah's program. What made me stay on the excerise/eating right program was this journal I had to put everything I ate, felt, did down on paper. Sometimes that is the hardest part. The important thing I found out is that when you put your feelings down on paper, you can detect a pattern to why you are not succeding in losing weight. Because of Oprah's journal, I was able to see what I was doing wrong and correct it. I now years later review my first journal to keep giving me inspiration to continue on the right track. This journal simplify's the process outlined in Oprah's book by making it easy to check off how much water you drank and check off the fruits you ate, it enables you to see how much more you have to consume for the day to stay on the plan, there is also lots of room to discuss how much excerise you did, and how you felt about it. This journal helped me stay on Oprah's plan to lose weight, it is well worth the purchase.

I bought this out of curiosity. Following a journal like this one is something that can help all of us but which we all mostly overlook...positive attitude reinforcers on a daily basis. Though the concept may seem like a lot of wimpy self-help nonsense, your thoughts affect everything in life. When tuned in the right direction they bring the "magic" that logic and analysis never reach. Just ask Oprah...her life is an example...an attitude that would never accept defeat. There is scientific proof that this is true, for all you skeptics: though optimists have a less accurate estimation of "reality" around them, they deal with challenges better and have more success in all realms of life. Hence, eventually your reality changes to match your optimistic and slightly unreal perceptions. A little Polyanna is good food for all of our brains and this helps you exercise your "Polyanna lobe" for more success and happiness. I have even seen my own life turn around using this approach. I did it as an experiment and was surprised beyond all expectations repeatedly!!...all the best to Oprah and Bob Greene...may I recommend "the care and feeding of your brain" as a companion read that shows you what else you can do to optimize your thoughts and your life...Kenneth Giuffre MD, "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain"

In our urban civilisation reaching thousands of years into history, not one definitive work has chronicled the workings of cities, one of mankind's greatest achievements, as well as Jane Jacobs' landmark 1961 saga of the travails and tribulations of the American city.

The epic spans eras- from the foundations of the Garden City movement in the late 19th century to Jacobs' contemporary 1961. Through this time period she describes how the loathing of urbanism by planners and their subsequent divorce from the realm of public opinion gave rise to the forces of suburbanisation and destruction battering American cities of the mid-20th century. This lays the fundamental groundwork for Jacobs' criticism of contemporary planning methods, especially in her home of New York. Jacobs emanates thoughtful analysis on what works and what does not in regards to the massive projects envisaged and in many cases wrought upon the cityscape.

But perhaps the heart of the book are the chapters in which Jacobs describes how a city works at its most ideal. She chooses only the most exemplary neighbourhoods, those which persevere and spite statistical analysis despite the conventional wisdom of planners. Her own Greenwich Village serves as the book's centrepiece, but Boston's North End and Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square are also featured prominently. Jacobs' arguments for the necessity of density, history, and, above all, diversity in all forms (architectural, street, human, retail, age) are as poignant as they are eloquent. Those pragmatists not immediately taken to heart by Jacobs' paen to urbanity take solace in her intimate and empirical knowledge of economics. Indeed, what makes Jacobs' book so revolutionary is that it does not follow from knowledge handed down by established theory or intellectualism, but from experience, observation, and wisdom, the foundation for her usurpment and subversion of the fallacious atrocities being waged against America's cities.

Liberal at some points, libertarian at others, Jacobs' work must be comprehended not as a work of political ideology but of scientific method. Her opinions are based on but one bias- an innate love for the city. And all who wish to truly understand it in all its objectivity- its trials, mistakes, and triumphs, and her premonitions for our future, are urged to read this. For "Death and Life" is not merely historical perspective on a fleeting problem, but truly a prophecy as well.

One of the most insightful and thought provoking books I have ever read. Jane Jacobs' classic work on the functioning of cities, though published in 1961, offers a fresh look at our cities and how we choose to live.

Ms. Jacobs' insights grow out of two factors which combine make this an outstanding book. First, she approaches cities as living beings. True, cities are made of bricks and mortar but over time buildings, streets and neighborhoods change in response to the people who live and work in them. Secondly, she bases her conclusions on empirical experience. The author doesn't sit in some ivory tower, theorize how people should live and then expect people's actions to fit those theories. Rather, she observes daily life and from there draws her conclusions.

One item that hit closest to home for me was the book's examination of the effects of public housing. Growing up and living in the Chicago area I knew firsthand that the "projects" were not a desirable place to live. Built at the same time that The Death and Life of Great American Cities was published, Chicago's Robert Taylor Homes were promoted as an improvement to the community. Complete with large parcels of land allocated for parks and bulldozing what were considered "slums" the view at the time was that these projects would improve the vitality of the neighborhood. But, as Ms. Jacobs rightly observed back in 1961, instead of promoting community, projects such as these only set the scene for isolation and fear.

Time has proven this work to be a classic. Many of her observations went against the prevailing wisdom of the era when the book was published. But now, at the dawn of the 21st century, the Robert Taylor Homes face the wrecking ball and cities everywhere are heeding the wisdom in this book as they rethink their approaches toward urban development.

This book reads like a novel rather than an ideological tome. If you think of it that way, the city is the protagonist and you feel like you're reading a bildundgsroman about this much put upon but always fascinating central character. Wow. Somebody recommended a Modern Library edition. I have to concur because this edition (paperback) is badly designed and hard to read. It's worth getting a nicer edition.

This wonderful book welcomes in its readers as surely as, for the several years it describes, the hawk watchers of Central Park welcomed in anyone who passed by, shared a pair of binoculars, and got instantly hooked on the amazing scene of a family of hawks growing on the ledge of a Gold Coast apartment building in Manhattan. Ms. Winn's precise, quick-reading prose will convert any reader to a greater, renewed, or first appreciation for wildlife in Central Park in particular, but, even more, for what nature will have going on anywhere. There are several stories here, all fascinating: the cycle of bird life in and migration through the Park; Pale Male and his families; and those humans, so normal in their individual quirkiness, who take up his cause through the years. Ms. Winn's particular and not easy skill is to let all these stories move themselves, and therefore sweep the reader along with all the quiet excitements, joy, and sadnesses they convey. A book to buy and keep always.

This was one of the best books I have read this year. I'm not a bird watcher by any means, and, despite the drama that I'm obviously missing, do not intend to become one. Nevertheless, I was captivated and moved by the story of Pale Male, a red-tailed hawk who builds a nest in Central Park, and then builds another, and then builds yet another. I thought the writing and story-telling were superb. The way Winn intertwined the story of the hawks with the story of the people watching the hawks, complete with celebrity references (if you blink you'll miss Glenn Close), was excellent. (It did not occur to me until the acknowledgments that one of the reasons the story-telling was so good is that the author is married to a film-maker, who offered advice on how to keep the story moving.)

Perhaps because I'm just not into birds generally, I was less interested in those parts of the book that did not relate to the hawks. Of these sections, the more memorable birds were the saw-whet owls and the woodpeckers. But the prose about these birds is not as moving as the prose about the hawks. Or, perhaps the hawk story is just so well-done it makes the other birds seem, if I can resort to anthropomorphism, pedestrian.

The book is obviously a labor of love, and it was a pleasure to read.

"Red-Tails In Love" is more than a story of migrant red-tail hawks raising a family in the middle of Manhattan. It's the most inspiring piece of writing about birding that I've ever read. This book would entice anyone to break out the binoculars and head outdoors to meet the avian neighbors. Author Marie Winn, who also writes a nature column for the Wall Street Journal, tells the tale of her birding colleagues, a group of regular bird watchers in New York's Central Park, and their obsession over the course of a few years with a pair of red-tailed hawks' attempts to breed in the midst of America's largest urban jungle. The drama repeats itself every year as the hawks try to cope with threats from humans and birds alike in order to raise broods of young red-tails in their 5th Avenue nest -ensconced in some of Manhattan's most prestigious real estate, no less. The most incredible part of the story is the rehabilitation of several injured female red-tails, who make their way back to Central Park and annually provide the birdwatchers with a new mystery to solve as to the identity of Pale Male's mate. Interspersed with the adventures of the hawks and hawk-watchers are other stories of bird-watching in the Park, including unusual sightings, some near-disasters with the city's Parks Department, and introductions to some very knowledgeable, and occasionally colorful, birders. In the last section of the book, entitled "A Wildlife Almanac", you will find guides to "Birds Through the Year in Central Park", "Butterflies of Central Park", "Migrating Hawks Over Central Park", "A Taste or Two Along the Way" (edible plants), and a map of the park. The guides are written by some of the Park's birding "Regulars" who are experts in those subjects, and contain information on where and when to find the species mentioned. If you live in New York City or are planning an extended visit, you may find this section of the book extremely useful. And to think that when I lived in New York City, it never occurred to me to go bird-watching in Central Park. If I ever return there, I won't make that mistake again. "Red-Tails In Love" is a very readable story of birds who thrive in an urban environment and the humans who are fascinated by them. It's a real page-turner...and a cure for anyone who ever thought birds were boring. The best thing about this book is that makes bird-watching irresistible.

This book is subtitled: the Revolutionary Anti-Aging Program, and that it certainly is!

Dr Smith is not shy to recommend optimal dosages of supplements (I hate over-cautious nutritionists) and he's a militant Vegan which limits his appeal somewhat, I guess.

But I do think he's right in most respects. I also love his witty, engaging writing style, for example drawing analogies between the Great Wall of China and the cell membrane!

He introduces concepts such as the New Four Food Groups and provides excellent advice on diet, dietary supplements, exercise and how to avoid toxins.

In this book I have found the clearest description of free radicals and their nemesis, the anti-oxidants, as well as the most informative info on anti-aging hormones and the latest neuronutrients.

The only flaw is that Renewal neglects the amino acids. Besides that, the book is highly readable and highly recommended, and includes recipes, meal ideas, a menu plan, thorough index and extensive bibliography....END

What separates RENEWAL by Dr. Timothy J. Smith from other and similar anti-aging books is his early assertion that the ability to turn back the clock does not depend totally on one specific Ponce de Leon fountain of youth but rather on a spectrum of activities that, if followed, represents just one more step on a spectrum of wellness. Smith divides his text into seven parts, each of which builds on the previous step for continuity. He begins with a unified theory of aging (I) which stresses the need to eliminate the destroyers of health, those dastardly free radicals. Then Smith rips into the meat-heavy diet (II) that far too many Americans gorge on. He suggests that cutting out fats and consuming fresh fruits and vegetables are an indispensable element of anti-aging. There is certainly nothing new in being told that your mother was right when she sternly warned you to eat your vegetables, but Smith's special talent is explaining exactly why dear old mom was right. Smith adds that even the best diets are lacking in the megadoses that are needed to restore youth (III & IV). Most Americans may have heard of such esoteric supplements as phytochemicals, antioxidants, and Ginkgo, but after reading Smith's text, they might be inclined to dash into the nearest health store to buy them. Smith discusses the role that hormones play in the many-layered process that is anti-aging (V), and in so doing, mentions the potential benefit that accrues from their consumption. Smith finishes with the role that exercise plays in restoring health and youth.

Dr. Smith has performed an invaluable service with RENEWAL. He is informative, engaging, witty, and bedrock in his depth of knowledge. His frequent use of shaded charts helps the reader to synthesize information that is occasionally heavy going. The ultimate lesson that the reader gets is not that any one action will lead to anti-aging, but rather that the entire process starts with the realization that desire, dedication, and discipline must be present in the heart before stuffing innumerable nutrients into the body.

I have read a few nutrition and health books, some have been ok reads, some have been rather boring. Timothy manages to keep the reading entertaining.

This is a must have for anybody interested in understand what food does to your body.

I would like to thank the author for writing a book to inspire people and create a more caring world.

I think my most telling response to this book is that while it is supposed to get you excited about getting involved...I read it, put it on the shelf, and don't feel any more empowered than I did before I read it (which says just as much about me as it does about the book). While I agree with the intent of most of the highlighted programs, I don't feel ready to start a community program so I would just move on to the next page. Nothing really jumped out and made me say "Wow, that sounds amazing. YES! I want to support that program!".

Some similar books that I enjoyed more are: (1) How to Make the World A Better Place and (2) The Better World Handbook which discussed how you can integrate your values and actions on a daily basis and make a difference in many areas of your life (e.g. money, shopping, community, food, politics) instead of just through volunteering or helping to set up a new community, business, or school program (like most of Global Force of One did). If you want to read a book to inspire you and combat your cynicism I would also recommend Soul of A Citizen. After reading it I immediately went and volunteered in my community.

These books are more accessible to the amount of effort you are willing to put in and did a better job of meeting me where I am and encouraging me to taking positive personal steps to improve the world and live a more fulfilling life.

Good luck improving the world and living a life worth living!

John Boal's Be a Global Force of One! provides practical info on how we can volunteer both as groups and individuals. And volunteering doesn't just help the recipients, as a growing body of research and clinical observations is proving. By volunteering--and maintaining the crucial link to others--readers may improve their health and even longevity. This theory is presented in Dean Ornish's new book, Love and Survival. Boal's book takes up where Ornish's leaves off, telling readers who want to maintain that crucial human connection how to get started.

John Boal's Be a Global Force of One! takes up where Dean Ornish's new ``Love and Survival'' book leaves off. How so? Ornish tells us ``When you help others you also help yourself.'' He's making a point in his new tome about volunteering as one way to improve health. By volunteering, we stay connected, and Ornish says that these connections are crucial. Staying connected with others is as important as paying attention to diet, working out and all that other stuff we know we should do, says Ornish. Boal's book tells us HOW to help others--whether on an individual basis or part of a group--and provides phones, locations, and lots of motivation. A nice birthday present for anyone who wants to live to be 100.