African-American-Health Books

This is an excellent skin care guide but I think the reason some were disappointed was due to the fact we wanted to see great looks and get the info on how to recreate them ourselves. A better book for this is Kevyn Aucoin's "Making Faces". Its not "by us for us" but he tells you how to recreate looks step by step and has some really great glamour looks and pointers. I do recommend this book as a how-to guide for skin care. It's great for women starting to wear makeup or for anyone who never received the basics on skin care. For someone looking for more sophisticated looks or make up application...look elsewhere.

I have to disagree with the other reviewers. As someone just trying to learn how to apply makeup I didn't find this book helpful at all. I especially didn't like the use of drawings instead of pics. You can draw whatever you like but it's not the same as looking at a pic of someone who is supposed to have small close set eyes... you all know what I mean. I don't think this is a good book for the novice and that includes the skin care tips. Wash your face twice a day and don't use drying products. There that should take care of the cleansing routine and I have saved you some money to boot..... I expected better than this.

This is a great book for any one who wants to learn how to apply makeup for themselves or others. This is the first book I've read that
actually gives you a color chart on matching lipstick, eye shadow and blush to skin tones. I was planning to attend a $400
2day seminar to learn makeup application, but with the information in this book and Daniel Green's video, I feel confident to start selling makeup.

I purchased Fornay's book recently and I haven't put it down. Since I travel a lot, it's always with me. I read on the plane, in my room and whenever I can . I've learned so much about skin care and make-up techniques, especially for my skin and coloring. The compliments keep coming and I am assured that I look great. The African American Woman's Guide to Successful Make-up and Skin Care is the best book ever published on this topic. I am a proud owner!

I was thrilled by all of the information that I received in "The African-American Women's Guide to Make-up and Skin Care". As a fashion and beauty consultant (Fashion-beauty.com), model and television host, I do extensive research on the subject of make-up and skin care. I love to share my information and I will definitely share this title with everyone that I encounter. Fornay has not spared any details for women who want to learn more about the care and enhancement of their skin. Thank you - Mr. Fornay!

Friendship is an enormous issue in elementary school...kids form cliques and do their best to fit in and feel like they belong. Opportunities to have dialogues about what true friendship means are few and far between. This book is the perfect opportunity. The Friend will show children what a good friend is and how valuable friendship can be. Tears came to my eyes at the end of this story and I don't doubt that you'll be touched by this semi-autobiographical tale as well.

The illustrations are delightful, I agree. But, I have reservations. First, unlike the plethora of books sharing the theme: Mommy-loves-you-even-though-she-has-to-work-and-leave-you-in-others'-care, this little girl's parents are rich gadabouts who don't give a hoot about wasting time on "mundane" chores and quality moments with their child. Why plant that seed of doubt in a your child's mind? And, readers are supposed to believe that Belle doesn't even CARE about her own parents' neglect and indifference; she has this wonderful NANNY to take their place, see? "Caregivers" are apparently interchangable.

The book starts out "telling," rather than showing, Belle's odd personality and character; telling is one of the author's primary narrative techniques. The rhyme and meter are pedestrian, with twisted syntax, strained and inappropriate rhyme. The best thing in the story is Belle'S near-drowning incident; it may convince children NOT to try to go off and swim by themselves.

As for the gorgeous illus, which in fact convey most of the beautiful and "touching" aspects of the book, children are inundated with IMAGES, tv, movies, cd's, computer, videos. They need to be exposed early to examples of excellent LANGUAGE, I believe. Book publishers know that the average parent is too busy to educate himself about children's literature. Parents, on average, buy books by the illustrations; they haven't time to read through all the books in the store. Riveting pictures are easy to absorb and relate to; words, on the other hand, exercize a child's mind and broaden his horizons as well as give him a lifelong advantage in school and the real world. I posit that images, accesible as they are, encourage developing brains to become lazy when they are expected to speak and understand complex language and, especially, to learn to READ it. Children right from the start need WORDS, well-chosen, well-used, WORDS that create memorable images and memorizable poetry, WORDS to stretch imaginations and enable intelligent thinking. WORDS! And it's never too early to begin exposing a baby to the BEST of children's literature. After all, today's BABIES are no different from the babies born thousands of years ago; get them interested in WORDS before they are bombarded with those irresistible images. If you start early, you won't have difficulty later presenting a wonderful book with gorgeous WORDS and minimal gimmicks or illustrations. Only you can give your young child WORDS; he'll absorb plenty of images without your even trying.

My three year old loves this story! The story is about a little girl, Belle, who is cared for by the house keeper because her parents are too "busy." It describes their day to day lives that are full of fun for Belle. Then one day something terrible almost happens. Bea rescues Belle. It teaches a wonderful lesson of not going near water alone. My daughter is fascinated with Belle being submerged and then being pulled out. It opens up a great opportunity to discuss water safety with kids. I make a point to do that after every read. But besides that it is a great touching story.

This is a wonderful and touching story! It reminded me of my childhood and gave me peace to know someone had written about it in such a caring way. This book has become one of my favorites!

This award winning husband and wife team (The Gardener and The Library) has created a beautiful, moving tribute to "all the people across the world who have saved the lives of children by paying attention when others did not." Stewart's lyrical rhyming tale is apparently an ode to the African-American housekeeper, Ola Beatrice Smith, who took loving care of her as a child when her parents were too busy to give her the devoted, day to day, loving attention she needed and wanted. Small's gorgeous, colorful watercolor illustrations reveal the playful, loving relationship between the slight, red-haired young Belle and her strong, hardworking, loveable caretaker Bea. A visual delight, they perfectly illuminate the close relationship between two by showing Belle "helping" Bea with her household chores, as well as their late afternoon playtimes at a stunning beach. Criticism directed at the stereotypical rich white child taken care of by an African American servant whose outside life is completely ignored should be considered in light of the book's autobiographical and historical context. (Small's illustrations suggest the post WWII era). Recommended for all children aged 4 to 8 and highly recommended those who spend significant time in the care of caretakers other than their parents.

Dr. Kunjufu reminds us of truths about ourselves and our bodies that will lead us to have a drug free life. This is a book everyone who wants and likes to be healthy should be reading.

Who wants to mature and not be able to care for themselve? This book tells you the secret to living a long healthy life. It's not new information, but it is written in such a way that appeals to your inner spirit. If you are seeking a way to improve your health; physical and mental, read this book!

Dr. Kunjufu came to my church home and shared a wonderful sermon on health. This book is a blessing. Even though it is hard to break a lot of the in-breed eating habits from our parents and grandparents, Dr. Kumjufu gives us enough information for us to gradually break away from the old ways, and step into the new. He really makes you look at EVERYTHING you really don't pay attention, like wheat or dairy products or bee pollen! He bought to my attention a wonderful health scripture. Deut 30:19 where it says (paraphrased) I place before you blessings and curses, life and death, choose life. With the help of this book, you can begin to REALLY choose life.

I bought this book on a whim after reading the back cover, which asks why heart disease and cancer are more prevelant today than they were 100 years ago. I was hoping for some scientifically and thologically supported arguments making a case.
Unfortunately, they overlook the main reason for this fact. 100 years ago, our ability to understand and diagnose the many types of cancer and heart disease were limited. The last century has brought us everything from wonderful vaccines to artificial hearts.
In short, this book overlooks obvious scientific knowledge and facts in order to try to reinforce a theological interpretation of poor health and well being.

I have several family members who are ill,this book has not only helped me with them ,but it has improved my health.

I purchased this cookbook 3 years ago, just on a whim. To my suprise, it's been one of the best investments I've ever made. My family loves the recipes! They remind me of the meals my grandmother used to make. Wonderful collard greens, cooked with smoked turkey wings, instead of hamhocks or salt pork; tasty oven-fried chicken breasts; mouthwatering barbecue chicken; and an array of great dessert recipes. The recipes are easy, and the nutritional information lets you know you're eating healthy. This is one book in my collection that never has time to get dusty.

I bought this book because I am an avid quilter. I wanted to see what quilts had to do with cooking. The book turned out to be so many things that delight me. I enjoyed the stories about famous African Americans. The recipes are great because, with the low calorie ingredients, you can have soul food without guilt. The quilts are displayed with a bit of quilt history and a glimpse into the soul of the quilter. I reach for this book again and again.

I'm not a huge fan of soul food, but really like this cookbook nevertheless. The recipes were submitted by members of the council and are terrific. Importantly, the authors made efforts to cut out much of the fat from the recipes and did a great job.

I also really enjoy the stories that are interspersed throughout the book. A number of prominent African-Americans share their memories of Dorothy Height and recount times that they shared a meal with her. One word of caution - the recipe for Hoppin' John calls for 2 pounds of brown rice...I think this is a typo and perhaps should read 2 cups. I ended up with a HUGE vat of rice with a few black eye peas. Otherwise, a very fine collection!

You can buy this book with confidence. You won't be disappointed. Unlike other cookbooks that entice you with 5 star reviews, only to be disappointed with 1 star results, this book delivers. So...sit back, relax and have a gastronomically good time.

I've enjoyed owning The Black Family Reunion Cookbook for many years, not only for its excellent recipes but also for the many narratives.

Once again, the Council has issued a winner. The recipes I've tried out of this new book have worked as well as their original cookbook. Actually, I didn't notice that these recipes are supposed to be 'healthier' until I began to write this review!

I've particularly enjoyed the black-eyed pea soup, the mustard greens and potato soup, and the collard greens and turkey wings. The pound cake recipe is standard, but the pear upside-down cake is terrific. The banana oatmeal cookies will be a hit for you. The chicken broccoli casserole is yummy!

I could go on, but I'll just say that every recipe I've tried has worked well. This is good home-style cooking, nothing too fancy, and the recipes are well written.

However, it's the stories and parables running through the book that make it special. I've always been a fan of Ms. Bethune, and the narratives here about her are particularly enjoyable.

This book is not only excellent, but it's also an excellent buy!

I was reluctant to read or buy this book because I figured that a) I didn't want to hear a white person trash 'the' black community, and b) I didn't want to read a political science book that couldn't possibly cover any new ground on AIDS that fiction writers and progressive activists haven't already done. Fortunately, I was surprised on both fronts. Cohen is an African-American woman (she never explains how she got the last name Cohen) and does try to be mindful of being 'another black academic out to trash black folks' (xi). In addition, she provides a poli. sci. framework in which to look at how African-Americans prioritized or failed to prioritize AIDS that I think could be used to analyze numerous other issues. Cohen investigates black people's response to AIDS through medicine, the press, religious organization, and the Congress from 1981 to 1993. The book is not perfect. Chapters are completely misnamed. (One chapter about the 'dreaded bisexual' only discussed bisexual men for a page at most.) She at times is overly critical of black institutions. (She often states that the black press never covered HIV+ black gay men or HIV+ women activists and I can think of numerous articles in the magazines she examines which actually did what she wanted.) Nevertheless, this was an incredible book. I encourage everyone to purchase it, especially those interested in black gay issues or African-American studies.

Cathy adduces an interesting and innovative argument by detailing the way in which the black political heirarchy reacted to the AIDS epidemic and comes to the conclusion that black political leadership is flawed. I don't want to give away too much of her argument, but I must say I disagree with her. That being said, it is still a must read.

Rarely, if ever, does a reader encounter an analysis of black politics, of the AIDS crisis, or of government response to either that addresses such issues in a textured and multi-dimensional way. Cohen's book is an anomaly in that it acknowledges and builds upon those complexities while constructing an argument that does not end with them. Boundaries is a great, informative read and a must-have on the bookshelf of anyone who considers themselves a critical thinker.

Cohen does an excellent job of providing a dual analysis -- one of the current state in the AIDS crisis as well as an honest look at the state of affairs of Black leaders and their inability to "fight the fight" on behalf on our communitites devasted by AIDS. Her scholarly work is provoking, courageous and long overdue. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Black politics and the REAL challenges facing the most marginal of Black communities.

The Boundaries of Blackness is a solid book which analyzes the response of black communities to the AIDS crisis. The complexity of black communities, which are so often described as a singular entity, emerges from Cohen's comprehensive but also nuanced and balanced study. I strongly recommend this book!

This shop could do the best flat twist around in the DC metro area. I am also featured in the book, and know Duyan personally.

At first glance, I would have given this book five stars. On almost every page, there are large full page color photos - unlike most of the books I've seen. There are lots of hairstyles included, unlike some books. I took away two stars because 1)the figures showing how to create the styles are drawings, not photos, and are hard to decipher and 2)the book is organized by synthetic, human, and natural hair instead of by hairstyle. So the hairstyles types repeat themselves for each hairtype for reasons beyond me. I would have liked to see all the microbraids, braids, twists, locks, nube nube, et cetera styles together instead of the human or the sythetic styles. There are no how-tos for the various styles, but the book states that the pictures are mainly for ideas. Had there been directions, I would have given this book five stars for its beautiful large photos. I still like this book best so far for the up-to-date (2007) styles and nice pictures.

I loved the book! Really enjoyed how it explained the different forms of braids with excellent hair photos. The make up needed work, but other than that great way to show clients different hair styles. If you have a idea of how to do a style but don't really know this book is for you. A braider's go to mannual.

Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of books that have such a wide variety of photos and instructions of braided/twisted/locked hairstyles. As someone who has consistently been disappointed by the "braid" magazines which display sort of "hair show" styles that are impractical for everyday life, I found this book a breath of fresh air. It shows many different styles along with basic instructions on how to do them, how long it takes and some idea of cost. Just what I needed!

I liked a lot of the recipes but I just can't abide by a cookbook that doesn't have any pics. It's just too cheap for me. I need pics because I can't cook that well and I am admitting upfront that it's a necessary thing. That aside I have found the recipes to be quite tasty with only a few being a little bland.

This is a MUST ADD to any one's kitchen who considers themselves a true soul food cook. This book helps you cut back on fat and salt (that we love!) but keep the rich flavors and traditions our grandmomma's passed down. Everything was simple and easy to follow and the recipes didn't require a special trip to the grocery store to find odd items that you never have in your kitchen - like most cook books. It even helped get my brain started on ideas to modify some of our family favorites that weren't included. P.S. You MUST check out the chocolate cake recipe!

When I reached my thirties and had to start watching my weight, I despaired that I would have to give up the Southern cooking so dear to my heart. Jonell Nash, in "Low-Fat Soul," proved to me that all good recipes from down South do not need to start with the words "First take two tablespoons of bacon grease..." I have prepared almost half of the recipes in this book and can honestly say that not only are they good but have now become some of my household's favorites. They range from simple to prepare dishes like Daddy's Chicken Spaghetti or Smothered Cabbage to "company" dishes like Baked Stuffed Red Snapper (which is also easy to prepare but don't tell that to your guests, just let them ooh and aah.) In addition to those mentioned above, three of my personal favorites are the Buffalo Chicken Roll-Ups,the Peanutty Noodles and the Collards with Sun-Dried Tomatoes. Each recipe comes with some comment by Ms.Nash and every section begins with helpfuls hints on ways to cut down on fat and calories. This book is for every Southerner (current or expatriate) who wants to eat healthy and keep their weight down.

When my husband had a quadruple bypass surgery last April, we were both in a "teachable moment". The follow-up care included stern warnings about salt, fat, and cholesterol in his diet. He grew up in the South, where the typical "agricultural diet" is heavy on all of the above. So this book was a godsend: tasty Southern cooking in a much healthier form. Using more spices, I manage to limit salt and fat even more than the recipes suggest. They are a great start.

This book is only helpful for African American women who are fortunate enough to be covered by health insurance.

Prime Time provides an Afro-American women's sourcebook to midlife health and wellness, providing particular information for black women ranging from understanding the health care system to defusing anger and managing stress. From assessing the risk for diabetes to understanding the common signs of depression, Prime Time is an important handbook for midlife women.

This is a powerful, thorough and scientifically-based book for African American Women. Its focus is on wellness, disease prevention, and specific treatments for many of the ailments from which many African American women suffer. The book is well organized with clear and detailed disucssions of complex topics written in plain English.

There are many things which set this book apart. First it is targeted to African American women and distinguishes illnesses and treatments that are applicable specifically to them. Yet, other women can derive tremendous benefit from the detailed information.

Second, the authors present real life examples and true stories drawn from their own lives, and from the lives of the many women with whom they talked and discussed health experiences, challenges, concerns and triumphs.

Third, the authors include unique assessments which readers can take to help them focus on and address their health and wellness issues and concerns. This feature, in my mind, sets a new standard for books of this type.

Fourth, the authors' handling of the topic is broad and deep and includes good coverage of both the physical and emotional wellbeing and other aspects of total wellness.

Fifth, the book is filled with important graphics including photographs which clearly depict the message of this book: African American women can and do take personal responsibility for their own health and wellness.

This book is for the lay person or clinician, the healthy or the ill; It is for women at their prime - whether before, at or beyond midlife.

Men can also benefit personally from this complete and comprehensive guide to midlife health and wellness. I did.

Though I am not quite yet within the demographic age group this treasure was targeted at I have been blessed with a better understanding of what will be necessary to sustain a better spiritual, physical and generally healthy lifestyle. I especially appreciated the writing style of the authors. The personal testimonies made the book very personal and relatable. I found the authors candid, knowledgeable and thorough in their research. This book is great for general reading and understanding (I like curling up with it on the sofa). It's also a must for every woman's personal reference library.

I purchased this book for my 14 year old son. Not many books out there target the young African American male, but this books is a great start. I think all young and old, men and women need to have a book such as this for future references.

THE BLACK MAN'S GUIDE TO GOOD HEALTH offers knowledge for good health and a longer life span for African American men. This book is for you, if you love life and have dreams and know that you'll need to keep your good health in order to fulfill them. With the insights that this book provides it is possible to learn how to keep your health, even to live longer. A MUST READ for all African-American men and those who love them!

I borrowed this book from the library first. After reading through it , I have decided to purchase it for my father. This book offers some great hints. I like it. I really like how it specifically addresses issues that are of concern to African-American men and their families. It offers suggestions to change your diet and nutrition info. I would like to see some more medical information, but that's just me. For the average person that wants some beginning ideas on how to avoid and treat health problems that plague the Black Community, this book is it.

Learning how to take your own blood pressure at home has important information. Moreover, the advice in this book to lose weight and reduce sodium in your diet is good. However, lowering sodium without replacing it with potassium, i.e. increasing the ratio of potassium to sodium in the diet, is often futile. People whose diet has a ratio of potassium to sodium over 4 (preferably over 10) almost never get hypertension. By contrast, the average American white has a dietary ratio of 0.6 and the average American black has a dietary ratio of only 0.38.
Unfortunately, the medical profession just can't bring itself to accept that this is the main answer to the plague of hypertension; and of course, the drug companies don't encourage that either.

The idea that psychological stress causes high blood pressure simply doesn't hold up. Provided the dietary ratio of potassium to sodium is above 4, populations with severe stress do not get high blood pressure.

Blacks should consider these simple facts; in rural Africa, blacks almost never get high blood pressure! The part of the world with the LOWEST incidence of both high blood pressure and strokes is West Africa!!! Although this is never mentioned (3 computer searches could not find a reference)in the medical literature, it IS well documented in the anthropology literature. Moreover, I have letters from three medical missionaries telling me their three clinics in Africa did not see a single case of high blood pressure during the last century.

What blacks, and all people, need to learn is how to live WITHOUT high blood pressure. High Blood Pressure is PREVENTABLE and (the medical profession doesn't agree with this) CURABLE since the cause IS known. You can find this information in both my book (The High Blood Pressure Solution) and in Dr. Julian Whitaker's book (Reversing Hypertension).

High Blood Pressure: The Black Man and Woman's Guide to Living with Hypertension is a lifesaving guide written by medical professionals James W. Reed (Professor of Medicine and Associate Chair of Medicine for Research, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia) and Hilton M. Hudson (Vice Chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Rockford Health Systems, Rockford, Illinois) especially for the non-specialist general reader. Addressing the problems of high blood pressure among black men and women specifically, High Blood Pressure explains in straightforward, direct, easy-to-understand terms, the causes, complications, and treatments for this widespread health problem. Emphasizing healthy eating and a fitness-conscious lifestyle, as well as stress relief especially for black men and women, High Blood Pressure contains worthy advice applicable for people of all races and is a highly recommended informational resource for all health-conscious readers, but especially those at risk for high blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure (HBP) is an informative guide to living with
hypertension, the silent killer among African-Americans.
The guide is written in layman's terms and informs the reader of all
aspects of detection, treatment and management. The book allows the
reader an opportunity to learn how to take their own blood pressure
and how to purchase the equipment to monitor one's pressure at home.
HBP clearly outlines the complications from having uncontrolled blood
pressure. It concludes with sections on healthy eating and diet
modifications, stress management and the importance of having a
spiritual foundation in dealing with high blood pressure.

Reed and Hudson have written an easy to read book on a condition that
is treatable. It empowers the reader to become an active part of
their health plan. After reading this book, I made the necessary
calls to have my blood pressure checked.

Reviewed by Robilyn
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers