Book Description
This eye-catching volume combines vivid first-hand accounts of pivotal events in history with authoritative commentary. Revealing startling links among events and people separated by centuries and continents, the epic struggles and bombastic personalities have been carefully chosen for their power to challenge some of the fiercest debates of our present day.
Readers encounter William the Silent, a Dutch monarch whose assassination may have triggered the 1588 launch of the Spanish Armada and led Queen Elizabeth I to create the first known attempt at gun control. Another chapter introduces Rabban Sauma, a thirteenth-century Christian monk sent by Kublai Khan to seek a Christian-Mongol alliance against Muslims. There is also the remarkable story of twelve anti-slavery activists who fought the prevailing business and political establishment of their day to outlaw slavery in England, using tactics that have become tools of the trade for every grassroots movement that has followed.
Filled with fascinating sidebars, narratives, maps, illustrations, and concise biographies, this new volume gathers up the rich details that Western history left on the cutting room floor and turns them into stories that shed light on both vanquished and victor over the ages. With its fresh, design and accessible format, History's Great Untold Stories will be welcomed by the legions of readers who are eager to uncover "history's mysteries" and explore lesser known, non-Western views of world events.
Customer Reviews:
Contains some amazing and little-known pieces of important history.......2007-09-30
Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, this book contains some amazing and little-known pieces of important history that ANY young man or woman should read.
One excellent example is the story of the Shimabara Rebellion in southern Japan in the 17th century. As a born-again Christian, I had no idea, even with a degree in history, that this event had ever taken place, or that it in fact was the cause of Japan's extreme isolationism prior to the late 19th century.
Another example is the story of Vitus Bering, the Danish naval hero who led Peter the Great of Russia's expedition across the northern Pacific to find a route to America via Alaska.
Yet another is the quest by Nazi's in Tibet to discover the origins of the so-called "Aryan" race.
As a paleo conservative, one who is anti-Communist and anti-left-wing, I would not recommend the "revisionist-history" elements of this book such as those mentioned by the reviewer who gave this book 2-stars. That being said, there are many valuable historical puzzle pieces in this book that otherwise might go unnoticed by a public already dummed-down by federal educational systems that have been run for years by both so-called "conservative" and "liberal" presidents and administrations.
Not a factual history.......2007-09-04
Regretably, this volume falls into the "revisionist history" category. It is also highly politicized (as in "politically correct" and anti-American). It is also a book apparently intended to influence children.
The author's ignorance and political bias are on display all throughout the book in large and small ways. For example, in a chapter on "the death of Mexican counterculture (read anarchists and Communists), Cummins writes " . . . a U.S. B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed in Greenland, discharging four nuclear bombs that, through a miracle, did not go off."
Cummins, of course, doesn't mention why that B-52 was on patrol. It was there to keep the Soviet Union and aggressive, militaristic Communism in check.(Several Communist-led wars of "national liberation" which ultimately resulted in the deaths of millions were currently being waged.) There was no "miracle" in the failure of the nuclear weapons to detonate: both the United States and the Soviet Union went to great lengths to insure that nuclear weapons could not detonate accidently. Both the Soviet Union and the United States also took extraordinary measures to recover accidentally lost nuclear weapons from aircraft and submarine accidents. But Cummins chooses to paint the United States as an evil, aggressor at every opportunity, no matter how inappropriate and untrue his assertions may be.
Cummins writes of the Communst insurgency in Malaya, the British effort to suppress it and ends, again, by damning the United States in Vietnam, which was a very different conflict. (The Malayans did not have direct military and economic support from two nuclear armed nations.) Cummins can't resist the urge to insult the Americans by claiming the British won because they brought "less firepower and more brainpower" to their much smaller and very different conflict.
Many of the incidents Cummins chooses are not those that have "faded from view". Any reasonably serious student of history will be familiar with all the stories Cummins chooses to tell.
Surprisingly, for a revisionist, politically correct history, Cummins does briefly mentions African tribes that were "rivals in the lucrative slave trade, capturing men, women, and children from villages further inland and bringing them to European slavers on the coast." Left unsaid is that there were also Arab slave traders involved. But Cummins is always Cummins: he can't resist falsifying in the name of political correctness. "One scholar has traced the histories of several of them [African women warriors]and found that, like ALMOST ANY COMBAT VERERAN, MAN OR WOMAN, they had trouble adjusting to peactime." (Emphasis supplied.) I've been a student of military history for nearly five decades and know of no study that claims "almost" all combat veterans have difficulty adjusting to peacetime. The canard, however, is a staple of left-wing intellectuals.
Overall, what Cummins has written, for the most part, is not history: it is politically correct, revisionist commentary. I certainly would not recommend it for children because it is not truthful and is more indoctrination than anything else.
Jerry
Book Description
With her wildly popular SG-5 series, Alison Kent proved that taut suspense and hot, sensual romance make for an irresistible mix. Now, in LARGER THAN LIFE, Kent ups the ante again with a story of two people caught in a high-stakes game where their hearts and lives are on the line…
After being beaten and left for dead in the New Mexico desert, Smithson Group agent Mick Savin tries to piece together his last few days. He remembers bits and pieces: gathering crucial intel. An ambush by Spectra thugs. And then…nothing, except waking up in some medical center in rural West Texas. His mission was top secret. So how did he end up here?
The answer is Neva Case. If the former big-city attorney hadn't been out in her pick-up, Mick wouldn't be alive. Mick's never met anyone quite like Neva. She's smart, sexy, and passionate. She also has a secret. Neva runs the Big Brown Barn, an underground shelter for young girls forced into unwanted polygamist marriages. Neva would do anything for these girls—and that's what worries Mick. Neva may be trusting, but Mick's instincts tell him that something's not quite right. He's not about to let someone get to Neva and the girls on his watch. Especialy when one of the girls brings trouble straight to the barn's front door . . .
Now, with the shelter in unimaginable danger and time running out, Mick is in for the fight of his life, one that could cost him the woman he's come to love more than anything…
Customer Reviews:
Good read!.......2006-07-25
I won't review the plot since it's already been done. But I will say that this book was compelling enough to make me want to check out the rest of the series. Although I must admit I didn't find Mick's shaved head, goatee and the tattoo on his neck appealing. But hey, that's just me.
electrifying espionage romantic suspense.......2005-06-29
Smithson Group agent Mick Savin awakens in West Texas wondering how he ended up there. He knows he was attacked, hog tied and dragged before being left to die by Spectra hoods while on a mission in the New Mexico desert.
Mick soon learns that former attorney Neva Case saved his life. She saw his battered dog on a remote road and followed the canine until she located the tattered bleeding Nick. She took him to safety. He is already grateful to her for saving his life, but soon also admires Neva as she left her urban legal practice to manage the Big Brown Barn shelter, which protects young girls from being sold into polygamist marriages. However, Mick is concerned that someone wants to put Neva out of business permanently even if that means killing her but he refuses to allow any harm to come to the woman he now loves.
The latest Smithson Group thriller is an electrifying espionage romantic suspense novel that starts off at supersonic speed, accelerates, and never slows down until the climax. The story line is loaded with action, but also contains two terrific congenial yet tough lead characters whose love for one another comes at the right time as first he needs her nurturing and then she needs his protection. Alison Kent has added a winner to her Smithson saga.
Harriet Klausner
Larger Than Life is awesome.......2005-06-27
Alison Kent's continues her intriguing SG-5 series in Larger Than Life.
Agent Mick Savin is left for dead on the side of the road. If Neva Case hadn't found him he wouldn't have survived. Mick wants to get patched up and move out quickly. He needs to get back to his mission. But he finds himself being drawn to the most compelling woman he has ever met. Seems Neva is on a mission of her own.
Neva Case has a secret of her own she is hiding. She is a lawyer and a businesswoman. But she is also running a haven for underage girls that have been mistreated. Neva wants to trust Mick but that doesn't come easy for her. She sees a kindred spirit in Mick. To protect her girls she is willing to put her life and trust in this man.
Mick and Neva are a complex and compelling couple. Each has had a troubling past. Their connection is earthy and arresting.
Alison Kent explores and expands her SG-5 world. This story will make you want for more. It's become one of my favorites in the series. Besides the main couple there are two secondary stories that will touch your heart as well.
Hero's That Are Larger Than Life!!!.......2005-06-26
Ms. Kent is an automatic buy for me now when it comes to her single title series. Her latest effort is no exception and this read is just another example of what wonderful alpha male hero's she manages to create as well as the complex storyline.
Mick Savin is in New Mexico working to gather intel to be used later against Spectra IT. He is caught and than beaten and left for dead. Thankfully, Mick is rescued by one sassy lady that despite her better judgement helps him.
Neva Case has her own secrets to keep, so she is less than thrilled at first to find herself reacting to the sexy man that she rescues. He wakes all sorts of feeling that in Neva's opinion would be better left buried. Still she can't help but be drawn to Mick and even though she knows he has secrets of his own...allows him to draw close to her. She has no idea that this is the best thing she could ever do. In fact she might be able to finally find the peace she has been searching for.
Along with the main conflict between Mick and Neva, Ms. Kent has created a very absorbing secondary storyline, as well as secondary characters that jump off the page for the reader. Ms. Kent's trademark senuality, as well as her fast-paced read are all present in this latest adddition to the SG-5 series. This is one read that I suggest that you add to your summer reading list!
Official Reveiwer for Romance Designs
Unbelievably good.......2005-05-15
Mick Savin, after being caught deep in Spectra territory, is beaten and left for dead. Lucky for Mick, Neva Case ventures by, sees his dog alongside the road and stops to investigate. She manages to get Mick to a clinic for medical attention, literally saving his life. Neva brings Mick to her home to recuperate from his injuries; along with him came a strong curiosity about Neva and the secrets she is obviously keeping. Neva finds Mick intriguing and while she doesn't quite believe his reasons for being in the middle of nowhere in Texas, she is increasingly aware of the maleness surrounding him. Neither is aware of the danger that is headed their way.
Alison Kent has given us some incredible characters in the past five books in this series; this book is no exception. The air around Mick and Neva practically sizzles when they are together and the stories that surround the secondary characters are deeply moving and thought-provoking. This book is a wonderful continuation of this series, but has the ability to stand its own. Alison Kent remains at the top of her game with Larger than Life.
Book Description
For decades, Playboy's interviews have set the gold standard for their frank, in-depth profiles of major public personalities. Few celebrities in any field have been able to resist this forum, despite the magazine’s deserved reputation for not pulling punches. This book collects many of the best—dating from the 1960s through the 1980s—some appearing for the first time since their original magazine publication. Several of the interviews catch some of the last century's most influential people at the height of their fame. Others find them looking back on a long career. Interviewees range from Frank Sinatra in his early ‘60s Rat Pack days to the Beatles in ’65 to Hank Aaron and Walter Cronkite in the ‘70s. Bob Dylan and Muhammad Ali appear in two interviews conducted more than a decade apart. The Playboy Interviews: Larger than Life offers a unique look at some of the culture's most memorable moments through the words of those who helped create them.
Customer Reviews:
Fun gift for bachelors.......2007-09-15
I did not really get a chance to peek inside this book. It was ordered for a friend. Kind of a fun holiday gift if you have a bachelor you have to shop for. I gave this along with a nice bottle of wine. People seem to be intrigued by it a bit and hey, it looks good on your night-stand if you are a bachelor no??
Average customer rating:
- Fat Lara Big Smile
- A Magical Story
- An amazing read, a story within a story
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Larger-Than-Life Lara
Dandi Daley Mackall
Manufacturer: Dutton Juvenile
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Clementine
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ASIN: 0525477268 |
Book Description
When Lara Phelps walks into Laney Grafton's fourth-grade class, Laney feels the air change. Lara is fat. Really fat. Finally, there will be someone else for the boys to pick on, Laney thinks. But as the class prepares for the school play, Lara doesn't act the way a fat kid should. She's confident. She's happy. And nothing, it seems, can change her positive attitude. Until one day, when Laney's classmates do the unthinkable.
Bestselling author Dandi Daley Mackall tells this original and poignant story through the use of sparkling language, a winsome narrator, and a clever structure that illustrates just what makes a story a story.
Customer Reviews:
Fat Lara Big Smile.......2007-06-01
Lara came in one day, and every-one started to giggle and stare. She was HUGE, very fat. So the kids started to call her Larger-Than-Life Lara. When a boy passed her a very mean note, Lara didn't say, "teacher, teacher! That boy just handed me a mean note!" The boy was about to go to the princibal's office for it, but Lara stopped her teacher and said a beautiful, nice poem about the boy and sat down. Now everyone would have tattled on them, and been glad they were at the princabals office. But not Lara. She memorized all of her lines for the play Fair Day by poems. She divided them up. Then, at the time of the play, the boy who had passed her the mean note splashed water balloons,and card-board pigs on her. Lara was about to cry, but then she smiled. While in the prinibals office with her parents, lara did not tell on who did that trich, even though she knew very well who did it. She left school that day, because her parents said that the kids here were too awful to lara. But then, as they were pulling out, every-one ran out with a sign, that said something nice about her, a poem. But the narrerator just said "THANKS" on her sign, but that was O.K for Larger than Life Lara. Lara was always smiling, no matter the situation. When we went to the book store, I picked up the book, and started reading! I couldn't stop, even when my brother started to bug me! I refused to leave before the book was finsihed. My parents said, "Time to Go," I never moved from my chair, and rthey said it 3 more times, but I never moved! Finally they just gave up and let me read until it was all done! I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo glad I stayed! It was worth it!
A Magical Story.......2006-09-08
There are not enough superlatives for this one. I read a Kirkus review that totally "got it" regarding the instructions for writing a book which are interwoven into the plot. Kirkus said, "Her explanation of how to write a book is just as interesting as the events that she's describing. Best of all, none of this detracts from the novel's emotional core." Absolutely true.
This book is simply magical. Although for children, my husband and I read it aloud with not a kid in sight and thoroughly enjoyed it. Bravo!
An amazing read, a story within a story.......2006-09-05
With a voice reminiscent of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, a young girl attempts to tell the story of a classmate who changed the life of everyone she met. And in the telling, the narrator reveals her own tough life and the ray of hope she's shown. Every student should read this book for the poignant compassion, and every writing and language arts teacher should teach this book. It wasn't until I finished the story that I realized I'd learned how to tell, or write, a story. But it's all there. As soon as you finish this book, you'll want to read it again.
Book Description
Authoritative, informative, and entertaining, Wilt is the first standard biography about this American legend—the unique and unforgettable Wilt Chamberlain. One of the 20th century's greatest and most controversial athletes, Wilt also had an intensely private side that the author uncovers through years of interviews with the people closest to Wilt up until the time of his death in 1999. This groundbreaking work successfully captures Wilt Chamberlain the man, while also closely examining the better-known myths that surrounded him throughout his life.
Customer Reviews:
I loved this book.......2007-03-13
At the risk of sounding redundant. This book was great and gives a lot of insight into a very fascinating individual. Personally I could have done with less information on what exactly happened in the quarters of key basketball games and more on the other things that Wilt did throughout his life. However this was still a good purchase, worthwhile read, and I am very greatful for the author to have taken the time and effort to write this book.
Wilts buddy Bob Kashey.......2006-11-28
Great book. I loved every page except page 155. That Bob Kashey character can't be real. I know a Bob Kashey that hangs out at Chile's in Lake Mary, Florida and this can't be him although he keeps insisting it is. In any case, it is a great book, well worth the investment.
Are America's Book Editors On Strike?.......2006-01-31
This is the third consecutive book I've read that is badly in need of some editing. Let's start with the front cover, which displays the following quote from sportswriter Dick Schaap: "The definitive biography . . ." Really? The book's copyright date is 2004 . . . Dick Schaap DIED in December of 2001.
Regarding Chamberlain's athleticism and interest in track and field, the last sentence of page 61 reads, "He certainly had the requisite speed, stamina and strength to become an Olympian, maybe even a medalist". Fair enough. But then, the opening line to the next paragraph starts, "Because one can't speculate on what he might have accomplished in track and field . . ." Hello? Rewrite!!!
Add to that the annoyingly endless use of parenthetical phrases to embellish sentences that need no embellishing, and this book can be hard to read. There are so many examples of this, that it's impossible to realize just how annoying it is without actually reading the book. Figure on a mininum of one per paragraph, and as many as three in one sentence.
The saving grace of this book is the subject. Wilt Chamberlain was without question one of the most interesting and accomplished of America's 20th century athletes. For me, greatness in athletics is about winning, which is why I'll always choose Bill Russell and Jack Nicklaus as the greatest of the century. But for statistical accomplishment, only Wayne Gretzky and perhaps Jim Brown can compare to Wilt. And as physical specimens go, Jim Brown is probably the only team sport player whose speed, strength and endurance match up to Wilt's. The other measure, and the one that probably puts Wilt up on his highest pedestal, is the somewhat nebulous "impact on the game". Bobby Orr in hockey and Lawrence Taylor in football are the only other athletes I can think of who are even in the shadows of what Wilt did for basketball. This was truly a remarkable athlete and an interesting man off the field as well. Although I wouldn't give this book a strong recommendation to the casual sports fan, if you are looking for an in depth biography about a great basketball player and a pretty good overview of basketball in the 50's and 60's, this is not the worst place to wind up. But I'd look elsewhere first.
One Of The Best.......2006-01-13
Being a loyal Laker fan of the 70's, I had to read this book on one of my favorite players. This in-depth book will not disappoint. The book does reveal alot that went on behind the scenes and not all of it is in a positive light.Still, Wilt was not just a great basketball player, he was a warm, genuine human being. They just don't make them like this anymore.
The Best Wilt book ever.......2005-09-01
If you want to learn about Wilt Chamberlain and can only pick up one book, this is the book. The most factual account of his life ever written, and unlike Wilt's autobiographies, this one isn't interested in putting forth a myth. Much of Wilt's life was indeed larger than life, and the book covers them, and at the same time, the author doesn't cover up Wilt's faults. He interviews countless people who knew Wilt and covers his life from all of the angles. You learn about his achievements, his greatness, and his faults. Too bad all biographies can't be this good.
I have the web's largest Wilt fan site as well as a basketball books review site. I've read countless books and articles on Wilt, so it's not easy to impress me, but I was blown away by this book.
Average customer rating:
- A Hollywood legend under the spotlight
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Marlon Brando: Larger Than Life
Nellie Bly
Manufacturer: Pinnacle
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Binding: Paperback
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Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me
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ASIN: 0786000864 |
Customer Reviews:
A Hollywood legend under the spotlight.......1999-12-23
Nellie Bly has done a superb job in documenting the incredible life of excess of one of the greatest actors ever. Brando is presented objectively throughout the book and the movie information, Dag Drollet murder case, sexual/marital escapades, battles with obesity, make for a hugely (pardon the pun) entertaining read. Alot of the content will shock the reader, but like most Hollywood icons, what we see on the screen is totally different than what they really are. 5 stars well deserved.
Book Description
Georgina has gone to great lengths to transform herself into the kind of woman Hugh Williams could love. Now, at thirty-two, she's got the perfect career (in advertising), the perfect body (just say no to doughnuts), and at last, the perfect man (who finally left his overbearing wife). Life with sexy, career-driven Hugh is like a page from a magazine -- what more could a woman want?
She never planned on getting pregnant. Now she's the kind of woman who scavenges the office trash bin for that last doughnut...who bursts into tears reading baby books...and whose life is about how it feels on the inside, and not how it looks on the outside. But as George grows bigger, Hugh grows more distant. The tiny being who hasn't even entered the world is already testing theirs. And by the end of nine months, George will know what it truly means to love someone unconditionally -- including herself.
Customer Reviews:
Entertainingly written - but too negative.......2007-01-11
After reading Adele Parks Game Over and Larger Than Life, one can instantly see the mastery the author has over writing and narrating a novel. The language is funny, clear, and entertaining in some parts.
However, her themes tend to be very negative. Certainly, in the end, the characters undergo a realization and surpass any immorality of their previous behavior, but it takes till the very end of the novel until that metamorphasis occurs.
The author gives an interview at the end of the book, and indicates that writing an imperfect heroine with complications in her character is more challenging to create. However, as a reader, I want to feel like I am rooting for the main character at least fifty percent of the time.
Okay, But Do Something!.......2006-07-06
It was entertaining just for the sake of reading something. Georgina spends the entire time justifying her relationship with Hugh which in the last few pages of the book realizes the truth for what he is. Too bad, I would have liked the author to further develop George's reaction to Hugh in the end and the birth of the baby. The birth of the baby would be more meaningful than ending on such disappointment from Hugh.
Hugh is a Cad.......2006-01-17
Larger Than Life is one of those books in which the central characters are so well described and developed, you feel you know them. It's interesting to see how George's character grows from the self she's created for Hugh into a woman who sees through him to take a closer look at herself and the life she is about to create for her new baby.
Sophisticated, Sassy, and Hugely Entertaining.......2005-11-08
I had read Game Over previously and absolutely fell in love with the way Adele Parks writes.I couldn't wait to crack this book open. Her main character, Georgina, is the type of woman we can all realte to. Parks mix of pregnancy, vomit, the advertising world, and a sleezy man make this one book you will not want to put down. I enjoyed it because it wasn't mooshy and delt with real "career" girl issue. A great read!
Hmm ..........2004-01-27
This book was good except for the fact that it too way too long for the heroine, George, to get over her worthless boyfriend. IT was certainly entertaining, but I didn't like George much for the first 200 pages. She was self-centered and obessed with Hugh. And her looks. (How many ways can the girl say she's fat?) A bit shallow, for sure. Also it made me mad that after she got pregnant and she knew for sure that she was expecting, that she went and drowned her sorrows in alchol. That's awful!
Book Description
In Help! I'm Being Intimidated by the Proverbs 31 Woman, author Nancy Kennedy tackles this sense of intimidation when she decides to be just like Mrs. P. 31.--perfect--with understandably disastrous and side-splitting results. While acknowledging the
Customer Reviews:
Nonstop laughs for real women.......2002-03-01
This book helped me put a modern perspective on being a Christian woman, all the while making me laugh at some of the attempts at striving to be the "Proverbs Woman." Between all the laughter, though, there were epiphanies that remind us that we are still human and will sometimes fall short. But if we keep God number one in our lives, He will reward us. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who tries hard with good intentions only to have them turn out disasters!
a laugh out loud account of real life.......1999-12-12
From the minute I picked up this book, my mouth hurt from laughing so hard. And what a great outreach tool! My laughter at the pool (while on vacation) brought many people to me to ask what I was reading - I was able to tell them about this wonderful account of motherhood/wifehood/womanhood, and open up a discussion about faith, God, Christianity, and how it all relates to everyday foibles.
Average customer rating:
- "Pain shrinks time to the present moment... "
- Soothing, helpful book
- more than pain
- A wonderful tool for understanding pain!
- needs editing but ok
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A Life Larger Than Pain
Erv, M.D. Hinds
Manufacturer: Health Press (NM)
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0929173430 |
Book Description
Inspired by the experiences of his patients, as well as by his own encounter with a life-threatening heart disorder, Dr. Hinds explores the interrelation of mind, body and spirit and the crucial role of spirituality in breaking the cycle of pain and integrating it within a larger life. Using numerous case reports, Dr. Hinds offers hope to those suffering by demonstrating that chronic pain does not dictate a life of constant resignation. While the book explores the mechanism of the pain response in the body, it also defines different kinds of pain, and includes a groundbreaking chapter on the much-neglected area of emotional pain. An interactive section--containing self-test exercises and questions for reflection as well as suggestions for pain relief--follows each chapter.
Customer Reviews:
"Pain shrinks time to the present moment... ".......2005-11-10
Balance. Harmony. Synchronicity. These words do not belong exclusively to the healthy, but can be a significant part of daily life, even for those in chronic pain. A Life Larger than Pain is thoughtfully presented, an acknowledgment of the complexities of chronic pain and the conundrum of a patient caught in a cycle of physical pain. Addressing the frustration and limitations of modern pain management, Hinds uses experiences with his own patients as examples of the transformative nature of healing through a combination of Eastern and Western disciplines, combining the principles of both.
Anatomical pain and clinical depression have common symptoms, declining activity level, loss of hope and low energy level. The downward cycle includes: depression, deactivation, dependency, doctor-seeking, drug-seeking, deteriorating relationships and dormant spirituality. The challenge is to get the patient to recognize these factors and work to relieve their negative effect on daily life. The first hurdle is self-terminology, the patient's perception of self. Dr. Carolyn Myss speaks of "woundology", a self-perpetuating, obsessive focus on a personal problem. There is a difference between processing such issues and victimhood and the chronic pain patient must move from preoccupation and attachment to empathy for others, integrating illness with a more functional world, where the illness is accepted but not the source of identity or a bid for sympathy.
Chapter by chapter, the author addresses bridge of body to mind, the actual neural transmission of pain that triggers certain emotional responses in the patient often stimulating a rebound phenomenon that is exacerbated by despair and fatigue. There has been a shift in the two-dimensional understanding of this process, creating a third possibility: "If you can change how the mind perceives it, then you can change how the body experiences it." This concept is critical in modern pain management, freeing the patient from the predictable continuum. Treating the whole person rather than treating the obvious symptoms, incorporating spirituality and acknowledging rather than trivializing the intangible in a true meeting of Eastern and Western philosophies. The reader is instructed to embrace the paradox of pain, releasing expectations to allow relief, acceptance and a willingness to adapt the appropriate actions in each case: "In some cases the spiritual growth may be what strengthens physical healing because spirit and body are in better balance".
Although meditation and spirituality are commonplace in the current culture, for the chronic pain sufferer such concepts are often obscure, all but obliterated by the need to alleviate pain. Hinds has written this book for those who are disappointed by traditional methods, suggesting a future defined more by the evolution of the process than an instant cure, tapping into the profound mind-body connection for hidden reserves, the patient pro-active in his own successful treatment. Luan Gaines/ 2005.
Soothing, helpful book.......2003-12-09
This doctor shows his compassion for those in chronic pain and offers comfort, even if not always of the physical variety. Anyone who suffers from pain on an on-going basis will appreciate this book, if only for the manner in which Dr. Hinds shows his understanding of the completeness of the turmoil it causes.
more than pain.......2003-08-01
This is not just a book for people with chronic pain. It is also a handbook for those of us who are struggling.
This is a book I will look to, and read again and again, when facing difficult events in the future.
A wonderful tool for understanding pain!.......2003-06-27
I found this to be a powerful book by a remarkable medical doctor. As a chronic pain sufferer, the author's simple explanations of the physiology of pain were enlightening. This book has helped me explore my own spiritual path with new vitality.
needs editing but ok.......2003-06-23
This book, written by an obviously compassionate doctor, should have been edited prior to publication. The best chapters are at the end, the medical chapters are too "medical," the errors in spelling and other mistakes detract from the message, but the message works anyway so no biggie.
If Dr. Hinds revises this book, he should (1) get a real editor, (2) put even more emphasis on his own heart surgery, and (3) put even more emphasis on Native American philosophy of pain, health, and life (without boasting about the gifts they gave him.)
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