Environmental-Health Books

If you read "Fast Food Nation", you will like this book. There are similarities, but also many differences. The book refers to fish farm and gets into the economics of agricultural business. A great read.

If you've ever wondered how McDonald's can offer a 39 cent cheeseburger, this book will help you understand the bizarre economics that makes a cheeseburger cheaper than a bottle of water.

The author makes the case for buying meat and dairy products from small farms committed to sustainable farming practices. He succeeds with me, though I've subscribed to this view ever since reading Fast Food Nation and Portrait of a Burger as a Young Calf -- so I didn't need much convincing.

I'm not sure how effective he'll be with a less friendly audience. While he brings a few effective stories and statistics to bear, he also brings the rhetoric of the stereotypical wild-eyed environmentalist (Mr. Midkiff is the Sierra Club Water Campaign director).

An example from his introduction: "Corporations care about people only to the extent that people are consumers are the corporate product...Feeding a hungry world? That is only a justification for fouling the air and water. Running family farmers out of business; ruining the economies of small towns; destroying the rural quality of life; mangling, dismembering, and maming employees; producing foods that are unsafe and unhealthy? When confronted with some of the unintended consequences of the industrial mode of production of meat, milk, and eggs, the corporate spokesman hauls out things like the following...'It is unfortuante, but it must be kept in mind that this is the way things must be done if we're going to feed the world.'"

I would have preferred less shrill rhetoric and more hard data. In my opinion, the author doesn't further his cause with his inflammatory writing style: the facts surrounding the modern meat and dairy industries are appalling enough to speak for themselves.

Having said that, this book does a fair job of describing how surprisingly cruel, environmentally destructive, and socially damaging modern techniques for raising and killing farm animals are. Even if you don't care about air and water pollution because you don't live near a slaughterhouse (I don't, either), you might be surprised at how brutal the modern system is to the workers, many of them undocumented immigrants. And even if you don't care about the cruelty associated with raising so many animals (pigs, chickens, salmon, and cows) in such close proximity, you should understand the risks associated with eating the result -- the surprising thing about people getting food poisioning from industrially raised meat is not that it happens, but that it happens so rarely.

Bottom line: we owe it to ourselves, to our families, to the workers, to the planet to spend a few more dollars and buy meat, milk, and eggs that are responsibly and sustainably raised.

In The Meat You Eat, Ken Midriff provides an in-depth analysis of the process of creating many animal products. Midkiff uses proven facts and precise statistics to back up his overall argument against corporate farming. Midkiff also uses many of his own detailed experiences and interviews from ordinary people. Their testimonies add validity to The Meat You Eat.
Midkiff shows how corporate farming is a danger to the environment, the economy, and the environment in a step by step structure that is easy to follow. He shows the reader that corporate farming has turned farming into a dirty big business concerned only with profit. Midkiff says that the owners of factory farms don't care about how the negative affects to the environment, workers, animals, workers, and the American consumer.
Rather than promoting vegetarianism, he advocates buying organic animal products or buying them from a small local farm. Midkiff says buying from local farmers will hurt factory farms and benefit the environment, animals, and the local farmers themselves.

The Meat You Eat is a book that had to be written. It is a quick reading book on the dangers of "corporate farming" and how corporate farming affects the surrounding areas, the community, the environment, the workplace, the animals, and America's food supply.

The book addresses the commonplace corporate farm and how they provide food from birth to the grocery store. The book discusses "Big Pig", "Big Chicken and Big Egg", "Big Milk", "Big Beef", and "Big Fish". I feel the author does an excellent job at the beginning of each chapter, explaining the background of each industry in an unbiased manner. The author then goes into some valid reasons as to each industries faults.

Most industries are guilty of torturing animals in one form or another, whether it be pigs fighting from being confined too closely or chickens whose feet become entangled in wire and can not move their entire lives. Some animals are not euthanized properly and proceed through the slaughterhouse before actually dying.

The author also talks about how companies monopolize an industry from fertilization of animals to processing and delivery to retailers. The result is a company that exploits the desperate and the unfortunate, whether they be farmers, townfolk, or immigrant workers. The monopolies, their power, and loopholes in the law allow these farms to pollute at will, literally driving people from their homes with little if any recourse.

I think the book does a good job of addressing the downfalls of current "big" farming methings; however, I felt this book has its shortcomings. A gifted author can describe a battlefield so vividly, the reader feels like the person next to them died in their arms. These authors can paint stunning pictures in a reader's mind without an actual photograph. This author does not posses such talent. As much as the author tries, I feel the author falls short of really making the reader feel the tortured animals pain. I think some photographs would have helped this book immensely. Also, the author seems to assume that the reader is familiar with the workings of a farms and butchering. For example, the author talks about the use of bolt guns to stun cows. I have never seen a bolt gun and have no idea what he is taking about. Again, pictures or diagrams would have helped.

I spent half my childhood in rural Wisconsin, around small farms. I've witnessed how small farms operate and work in harmony with nature, as much as a farm can. I have killed countless animals and fish for food in my life. Despite my limited knowledge of agriculture from my childhood, I really had no idea where food comes from in modern day society. I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in how a cow in the pasture turns into the package of ground beef at the store. The book will probably shock some people. Personally, I found the book very informative and I am glad I read it, but it was not powerful enough for me to make changes in my life.

As large meat factories and corporate processing operations take over America, so grows the need for a logical assessment of such methods, here provided by Ken Midkiff's The Meat You Eat. Midkiff is a Sierra Club Clean Water Campaign director and an expert on agribusiness and sustainable farming applications: The Meat You Eat takes a predictably hard look at the methods used by corporations to run profitable gigantic farms, applying their problems and solutions to agribusiness as a whole in an analysis of food safety.

I like his premise and I think it's right on. A primary text on a new field that I think will be very influential once folks start to realize how profoundly disconnected we are from our relationship from land and wildlife and why it matters.

Radical Ecopsychology is a thoughtful and sophisticated discussion of a new direction which the science of psychology might take; it raises important issues, and I think everyone in the field would benefit from reading it. The reader from Berkeley touched on what is probably the central issue, with the (incorrect) observation that the book "...suffers from the naivite of believing that Cartesian dualism can be resolved with a simple reference to an 'embodied self'". In fact, Andy Fisher draws on the work of philosopher Gene Gendlin, who actually has shown a way in which philosophy can appeal to experience and Cartesian dualism can be resolved. Of course, this sounds impossible. Many (like the reviewer from Berkeley) will reject such a claim a priori, much like the Aristotelian astronomers who refused to look through Galilleo's telescope. But this new direction is important, and open-minded people will want to explore it.

This book is basically just a collection of eco-literati quotes. It proves only one thing: people will try to buy themselves into any club with hyper-flattery. Unless you really think you have to, don't bother to read this book. It contains virtually nothing new. And contrary to David Abram's endorsement, it is neither poetic nor profound. The author spends more than half of the book explaining why and how he wants to talk about Radical Ecopsychology (as if that were a valid concept to begin with) and then spends the rest of the book apologetically emphasizing that he can only vaguely indicate what Radical Ecopsychology would look like, if he were really writing about it. Then there's a little eco-polemic thrown in for good measure.

The only interesting idea that I could glean from the book at all is simply that our alienation from nature has an impact on our "mental health". It seems to be an attempt to define psychologically "normal" in terms of ecology. But like all of psychology, the thesis suffers from the problem of validating the concept of "normal". In this case, you would have to clearly define what you mean by "natural" - no lighter a task. While the thesis might be interesting, it is hardly profound and I doubt that it merits a whole book, let alone an entire new academic field - not to mention that academics will never make a substantial contribution to saving the environment anyway. Quibbling about theories is not going to stop the corporations from decimating the biosphere!

The book also suffers from the naivite of believing that Cartesian dualism can be resolved with a simple reference to an "embodied self". While this may make for sellable (to the David Abram fan-club) popular writing, it will hardly satisfy those looking for a philosophically viable answer. It will also ever remain another attempt to preach to the choir. Another volume to put on the shelf and ignore.

In the end, I can only see this as another pseudo-academic initiation rite - another wannabe trying to establish a publishing career (and enhance his therapeutic practice). As one who cares more about the environment than the need for personal promotion, I hope not many trees are wasted with editions of this book.

Fisher's book is reclaiming the basis of authentic healing outside of a profession still mired in the dark ages. I think one of the great problems with psychotherapy generally is that those attracked to the field are driven by hidden archetypal forces guiding their own dysfunctions. In other words, I never met a psychotherapist who also happens to be a healer and the same is true (if not more so) for social workers.

This book casts a wide net, finding itself in confluence with other Radical Psychologists/Psychotherapists who recognize the limits of the profession and actually negatively critique it.

Fisher's approach is integral in scope and practice. Andy not only provides an impressive history of those radical thinkers within psychology, he demonstrates the scope of the dysfunction clearly. Furthermore, this new wave of psychology seeks to reintroduce the human mind with its own matrix of well being. Namely, the power of nature to heal the fragmentation. When we consider that everything the human psyche encounters is somehow mediated by technology - or put differently - everything we see, hear, touch, is somehow associated with a pathology driven by a technological superstructure defining human life in a way that our primal instincts never intended.

The empowerment found in disconnecting from the technological pathos, and reintroducing ourselves back into nature, can not only evoke healing in our mind and bodies, but may assist our planet in healing itself. This may be the most important message within the book.

An excellent overview of ecopsychology. A bit philosophical with lots of academic language, but its well worth the work of reading. It contains a lot of radical ideas. This is an important addition to the growing body of text about ecopsychology.

It is hard to believe but it has been some 25 years since America's worst nuclear accident took place. In "Three Mile Island" author J. Samuel Walker takes a look back at the tragic events that upset us all so much back in March of 1979. Eminently qualified to undertake this project, Walker succeeds in presenting all sides of this extremely complicated and highly controversial subject matter. Was equipment failure the chief culprit here or was human error more to blame? Aside from attempting to explain exactly what happened on that fateful day, Walker spends a considerable amount of time evaulating why the various players in this saga reacted they way they did. This book is meticulously researched and fairly well written but I must admit that at times I got lost with all of the scientific jargon that was necessarily included. In the long run I feel that this book will prove to be a terrific research volume. If you are like me and not well versed in the sciences it can be a somewhat difficult read.

"Three Mile Island" by J. Samuel Walker is a fine treatise on the Three Mile Island (TMI) accident in historical perspective. Walker deals less with the technical and physical aspects of the accident to take a more overarching view of the operations of TMI (and other nuclear plants) from a political, organizational, and managerial standpoint.

Walker is the official historian of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and as such has spent the bulk of his professional life researching and documenting nuclear issues. He is a lucid and interesting writer for anyone interested in the material at hand. I recommend this book unequivocally. I further recommend that this book be read in tandem with "Hostages of Each Other" by Joseph Rees, which is actually my favorite general account of regulatory interactions vis-a-vis TMI.

This is an excellent book to assist in grasping the complex regulatory, political, and corporate organizational influences in nuclear power, particularly relative to the TMI accident.

This book was highly unsatisfactory. One cannot deal with specific deficiencies and keep to length limits: this will be general.

Walker implies he has no pro-nuclear bias. That is difficult to believe considering his employer, word choice and his criticizing nuclear opponents and excusing those in the nuclear industry.

What this book is actually about? It seems to be about bureaucratic gyrations in reaction to the accident, NOT attempts to assess what was happening or actions to deal with the reactor itself or the actual condition of the reactor. Illustration of priorities: chapters 4-8 bear the title of days of the accident, but (p. 158) we learn what the company had done the previous day to ameliorate the hydrogen bubble to clarify the announcements made the day that chapter deals with. Walker mentions that the hydrogen bubble resulted from damage to the fuel rods, but does not specify that it was the zirconium fuel rod cladding dissolving that released the hydrogen.

Walker's omissions frustrate. Despite long discussion of the preparation of the NRC's first accident press release, the press release text is omitted! The book would be more comprehensible if it included a map of the area, relevant organizational charts of the NRC, state and federal governments and a schematic of the TMI reactor corresponding to the parts Walker named. There is no mention of the Rasmussen Report (WASH-1400), frequently used by nuclear proponents before and after the accident to assure people of nuclear safety.

While omitting relevant information, Walker includes irrelevancies: D. R. Neely did not go with two other NRC people to meet with the governor's executive assistant. That is the only mention of this man, so the mention is perplexing.

If you are looking for a comprehensive, unbiased account of what happened at TMI, look elsewhere.

I really enjoyed this book. It creates context for the industry and its regulators as the TMI accident occurs, and then it reports the fascinating details that pushed the accident to the brink of affecting public health and safety and then pulled it back again. I think this book should be required reading for all public officials, federal, state, and local, who are in positions of responsibility to respond to a nuclear emergency. This book would help them stay humble and focused. Discussion on public health got close to sounding too sure that everything was and is fine in the TMI area -- not sure we know enough yet to say for sure.

Read this for graduate American history course. The book in review, Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective, written by Samuel Walker is a subtle but powerful warning regarding the issue of nuclear power. The style of the book is almost of a passive observer who meticulously gathers facts and then attempts to make an educated decision on the matter. And I believe Walker's purpose in writing the book is to do just that. It seems as if Walker does not want the reader to make any emotional appeals either for or against the use of nuclear power. Rather, he strictly wants the reader to make a reasonable decision based purely on facts.

Walker first dissects the debate and the history regarding nuclear power. In 1954, Congress passed the Atomic energy act which allocated nuclear capabilities for civilian use, specifically, its ability to provide an abundance of electricity. During the late fifties and early sixties, the demand for nuclear energy grew, and plant construction increased. Yet, by the late sixties into the mid-seventies, economic recession, massive inflation, and a fuel crisis gripped America, and these factors contributed to decreased construction of new plants. Walker examines this debate at its state in the mid-seventies.

Yet, I believe that Walker's analysis of the arguments go much deeper than a simple retelling of the facts. Rather, at one point in the text, he cited a case of opposition to nuclear power by a religious group on moral, rather than tactical grounds. I believe that this issue confronts the reader through Walker's arguments, but in an unemotional, unobtrusive way. In assessing the opposition to nuclear power, Walker's arguments force the reader to ask whether the use of nuclear power should be halted because of the potential dangers they pose to the public, or if, on a deeper level, the responsibility of this awesome power is beyond the reach of man. In accessing the arguments for nuclear power, I think Walker posits the question of whether nuclear power is a practical solution to the pressing energy needs of the United States, or once again on a deeper level, if man is almost obligated to use nuclear power because to deny it would be to deny his own greatness and responsibility for providing for his fellows.

Attached to the opposition of nuclear power is the potential of public reaction. Walker explores this issue throughout the text. He specifically focuses on the tendency of rumors and misinformation to exacerbate public fears. While hysteria or widespread panic never occurred during the Three Mile Island Crisis, Walker nonetheless examines instances where periods of tension gripped an already stressed public, such as when the engineers decided to "burp" the plant and release small amounts of radioactive clouds of gas into the atmosphere. Also, on a few occasions during the crisis, the prospect of evacuation always threatened and at times, he cites the publics growing agitation due to erroneous news and radio reports which announced events without having all the facts.

The bulk of the text dealt with the specific details of the Three Mile Island disaster which began at 4:00 am, March 28th, 1979. Walker gives an explicit account of how and why the reactor failed, as well as a description of how it functioned. He cites the major malfunction to a backup valve which was left open, allowing precious coolant to escape, thus causing to the core to heat, and eventually "meltdown."

Yet, once again, in an unemotional way, Walker presents the various factors leading to the malfunction, both mechanical and human. However, in this case, I think he is obviously biased toward human error, He explains in depth the various defense mechanisms that the reactors in at Three Mile Island were equipped with. He also illustrates how many scientists, NRC (Nuclear Reformatory Committee) and government officials almost boasted of the extreme unlikelihood of a nuclear malfunction due to their belief in "depths of defense," which was simply the fact that their were multiple defense mechanisms. Yet, toward the end of the text, Walker bluntly states that it was not the defense mechanisms that malfunctioned at Three Mile Island. He states that they would have worked properly if it were not for human error. It was mistakes committed by the engineers at the Three Mile Plant that lead to the accident.

Lastly, Walker concludes the book with a perspective of the accident, indeed, the "historical perspective" of the title. He vindicates both sides of the controversy, both the nuclear opposition and pro-nuclear advocates. He states that the catastrophe at Three Mile Island, while serious, left no one dead and no property damage, except to the site. No massive or harmful amounts of radioactive materials contaminated the environment; there was no increase in cancer, infant mortality or livestock mortality. And despite the many blunderings of the NRC, Met Ed and GPU, the situation was handled in a calm and efficient matter. A potentially costly evacuation was not called for, and life for many citizens, although obviously stressed, was not disturbed. And so, the accident at Three Mile Island was a "success," in the fact that loss of life and property damage had been avoided. He believes that the anti-nuclear opposition grossly overestimated the threat of nuclear meltdown and population deaths.

Yet, despite the "success" of the Three Mile incident, it would have negative consequences on the nuclear industry in the United States. It visibly shook the confidence of Americans. According to survey polls taken after the accident, many who previously did not oppose nuclear power now did, consequently, a nuclear plant in the United States has not been built since. Three Mile Island became an ominous warning of what could have been. The accident exposed the inept, bureaucratic and widely inefficient licensing techniques of the NRC, and the boastful, overconfident and ultimately lax attitude toward nuclear education and training held by many in the nuclear industry. Walker points out that many pro-nuclear advocates had underestimated the power-and threat-of nuclear power.

All in all, I think Walker's contribution to historical scholarship is what his title aims at, it is a historical perspective. Despite his overly cautious and seemingly unbiased tone, I believe that Walker is wary of nuclear power. He never discounts it, or calls for a halt to it. (White coats quote) Rather, I believe his work is a subtle warning. It is a warning of what could happen, of what could have been. The core at Three Mile Island did melt.

Without directly stating it, his book raises the issue of the right of nuclear power. In essence, after reading Walker's book, I asked myself whether humanity has or should have the right to use nuclear power. I asked myself whether the risks are too great. Essentially, his book forces the reader to ask whether humanity it truly prepared to handle this awesome and destructive responsibility. I believe that Walker would answer a reluctant "no" to this question, simply because, if man makes a mistake when dealing with nuclear power, he may not be able to learn from it.

The book in review, Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective, written by Samuel Walker is a subtle but powerful warning regarding the issue of nuclear power. The style of the book is almost of a passive observer who meticulously gathers facts and then attempts to make an educated decision on the matter. And I believe Walker's purpose in writing the book is to do just that. It seems as if Walker does not want the reader to make any emotional appeals either for or against the use of nuclear power. Rather, he strictly wants the reader to make a reasonable decision based purely on facts.

Walker first dissects the debate and the history regarding nuclear power. In 1954, Congress passed the Atomic energy act which allocated nuclear capabilities for civilian use, specifically, its ability to provide an abundance of electricity. During the late fifties and early sixties, the demand for nuclear energy grew, and plant construction increased. Yet, by the late sixties into the mid-seventies, economic recession, massive inflation, and a fuel crisis gripped America, and these factors contributed to decreased construction of new plants. Walker examines this debate at its state in the mid-seventies.

Yet, I believe that Walker's analysis of the arguments go much deeper than a simple retelling of the facts. Rather, at one point in the text, he cited a case of opposition to nuclear power by a religious group on moral, rather than tactical grounds. I believe that this issue confronts the reader through Walker's arguments, but in an unemotional, unobtrusive way. In assessing the opposition to nuclear power, Walker's arguments force the reader to ask whether the use of nuclear power should be halted because of the potential dangers they pose to the public, or if, on a deeper level, the responsibility of this awesome power is beyond the reach of man. In accessing the arguments for nuclear power, I think Walker posits the question of whether nuclear power is a practical solution to the pressing energy needs of the United States, or once again on a deeper level, if man is almost obligated to use nuclear power because to deny it would be to deny his own greatness and responsibility for providing for his fellows.

Attached to the opposition of nuclear power is the potential of public reaction. Walker explores this issue throughout the text. He specifically focuses on the tendency of rumors and misinformation to exacerbate public fears. While hysteria or widespread panic never occurred during the Three Mile Island Crisis, Walker nonetheless examines instances where periods of tension gripped an already stressed public, such as when the engineers decided to "burp" the plant and release small amounts of radioactive clouds of gas into the atmosphere. Also, on a few occasions during the crisis, the prospect of evacuation always threatened and at times, he cites the publics growing agitation due to erroneous news and radio reports which announced events without having all the facts. The bulk of the text dealt with the specific details of the Three Mile Island disaster which began at 4:00 am, March 28th, 1979. Walker gives an explicit account of how and why the reactor failed, as well as a description of how it functioned. He cites the major malfunction to a backup valve which was left open, allowing precious coolant to escape, thus causing to the core to heat, and eventually "meltdown."

As a graduate student in philosophy and history, I recommended this book for anyone interested in American history.

We are surrounded by an unlimited amount of toxins and poisons that are affecting our lives each day. Learn some surprising facts about these toxins that you likely never have considered. Where they are, how they affect you, and how you can avoid them. Getting sick is not an inevitable part of life. You have the option to remove potential causes of illness from your life and this book is a great start.

This book has everything you will need to know if you are worried about toxins.

This review is written from the perspective of a former hospital administrator that was lucky enough to be exposed to complementary medicine in one of my positions. This exposure has caused me to be interested in the concept of "green living". If you are at all interested in "green living" and reducing the toxins in the lives of your family this is a must read book.

This book is divided into two general sections, how to reduce your toxic overload, and the chemical connection to chronic illness.

In the first section (reducing the toxic load) the author outlines three steps, these are:
1. Supplementation
2. Seven-Day Desludge Diet
3. Chemical Free Home and Beauty Products.

Under Supplementation the doctor outlines specific vitamins, minerals and supplements (and her suggested levels) and tells you why you need these things. I appreciated that she also identifies the food sources for these same substances.

In the Seven Day Desludge Diet she outlines what to eat to assist your bodies own systems in purging toxins that are already present. This section recommends the usual suspects as far as consumables. What was unanticipated is the level of detail that the doctor goes into regarding preparing and storing foods.

The discussion of Chemical Free Home and Beauty Products is just down right scary. I know that I got up to read labels no fewer than 6 times while reading this chapter. Considering the fact that I am not new to "green living" I was surprised to find a couple of products in my house that I needed to toss out.

The remaining two thirds of the book is devoted to the Chemical Connection to Chronic Illness. This portion of the book was fascinating to me. If you are interested in improving your health you will get a lot of information from this section of the book. She covers the following areas in this section:
1. Immune system diseases
2. Neurological diseases
3. Digestive disorders
4. Hormonal imbalances
5. Cardiovascular diseases
6. Cancer
7. Multiple chemical sensitivity
8. Obesity & Musculoskeletal disorders
9. Childhood disorders

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in improving his or her health. I will caution you that this is not a casual read, and probably not one for young teens in the respect that it might frighten them. The first time I tried to read it I could not get through it, it just seemed far too alarmist on my first read. Apparently I was not in the correct frame of mind. I picked it up again this morning and went through it in two hours (even with underlining). I did a little research while reading the book and was able to corroborate many of the facts that I found contained in the book. I think this is a well researched, and well written book that everyone should read.

I want to say that this book was like a breath of fresh air to me. What is it about? The truth. Here is a book written by a doctor who tells the health hazards of the chemicals that surround us and are found in everything from the food we eat to the cloths we wear.
I found it shocking as Dr. Hamilton exposed the dangers of these chemicals to the point of causing cancer, diabetes and respiratory illnesses, just to name a few. I was not surprised as I myself have suffered from what I now know, from the information I found in this book, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. This is a disease caused by overexposure to chemicals where your body reacts strongly to smells and other chemical agents. What a blessing to finally have a name and a reason to what was happening to my body, and to know it isn't just all in my mind as so many people thought it was. Thank you Dr. Hamilton.

The good doctor goes into detail about certain agents and what they do to our bodies, but she does not stop there. She also gives us some pointers on how we can counter-react these chemicals, what vitamins to take, which foods to eat that will flush chemicals out of our bodies and what to avoid, and how to detoxify our homes, and cleanse our bodies. The author covers every area you will need to help you move to better health and avoid contamination in the future. Excellent!
I'll tell you the truth, this book was too long in coming and in my opinion should be read by every person on the face of the earth. The information will astound you and make you more aware of the dangers in the world you live in. I strongly recommend this work, you won't be sorry.

First, I would like to state that this book is full of useful information; it is very well researched. The only fault, in my opinion, is that the book is at least twice as long as it needs to be. The author is frequently repetitious and wordy. Often, the information presented is too detailed to be of any use to the average reader. She should simply have indicated what to avoid and why. Also, it would perhaps have been helpful to include recipes for the 7-Day De-Sludge Diet; they're not particularly difficult menus, but it would have been nice. Overall, it's a worthwhile effort, and I would probably be interested to read her other book.

This book works on several levels. The initial premise is that the Chenobyl disaster did not create a barren wasteland, as we might have anticipated. Rather, the "Zone of Alienation", from which nearly all humans have been removed, has become a flourishing nature preserve. Working from that point, the author explores the disaster and its consequences from a number of perspectives. There is a discussion of the accident itself, of the initial efforts to deal with it, and then with the long term effects, not only upon the plants and animals of the Zone, but also upon people - who continue to work and even live inside the Zone.
The writing is clear, perhaps due to Ms. Mycio's journalistic background. It is also very engaging, because she is intensely interested in the subject, and shares the reasons for her interest with the reader. For those of us who will never have the opportunity to visit the Zone, this book is really the next best thing.
The author has a website which makes a terrific supplement to the book, with generous photo galleries organized according in parallel to the book: www.chernobyl.in.ua

There is a popular song in Ukrainian Folk culture, "Two Colors". Black, that is sadness and Red that is joy. These two colors often are used in the famous Ukrainian Embroidered shirts and blouses. My reading of Mary Mycio's fabulous book, "Wormwood Forest" reminded me of this song. There is so much pain in this book, yet there is joy at coming to know some truths about a modern day cover-up. Mycio writes about complicated technical things regarding nuclear energy and the horrible accident in Chernobyl, Ukraine in such away that you don't need to have a scientific background to understand the picture. Yet, those with a scientific background will find this book informative. Want to find out what happened at Chernobyl, and what's happening now - then read this book!

The author's lackluster story-telling left me dizzy. There was no glue to hold together what should have been a phenomenal story---especially considering her background. And the attempt at explaining the math, physics, chemistry, and nuclear science was inept at best.

A shame.

I came across this book when I made friends with someone from the Ukraine... the book grew and grew on me as I read it; I did not realize until towards the end that the author had deftly taken us through the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, and then through a gestalt of the land and people. (I like the casual way she would check her radiation meter to see how much radiation she was getting at a given pond, bog or town). So we kind of weave our way through the history, then the air, plants, ground, water,animals, people, and towns affected by Chernobyl. There's a lot of science but Mary Mycio makes you feel like, hey, you too understand all the bits and pieces about leftover radiation. So two things happen as you read the book; you feel like are in the car with her and her guides. And then to you see how nature has come back in an awesome way and taken over what is still a nuclear wasteland.(The wildlife has thrived and rebounded since people are gone from their radioactive world). Amazing book; all science majors should read this!

Displaying remarkable courage, Mary Mycio set out to examine what has become of that forbidden, virtually unpeopled realm around the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, one of the greatest ecological catastrophes of modern times. Her findings are surprising and intriguing, and will keep readers turning pages at night. A fascinating tale!

Current price does not correspond to the quality level of the book if one compare it other literature in Chemistry. It is ok, though, especially if one haven't read any chemistry prior to this book and at the same time focuses on the hazards connected to handling chemicals in general.

This was required for a chemistry class. However, it was generally an easy read for grad school and presented a new way of looking at chemistry.

I took a graduate level class with this as the textbook. It is a great reference and does a good job explaining regulations. The problems and the examples need to be more clear. I guess what I'm saying is the complex problems, such as oxidation-reduction reactions, are explained too briefly. Other than that, I enjoyed using the book for the class.

This is a well organized and indexed fire science text which is a useful reference for anyone who works with hazardous materials on a daily basis. It explains DOT regulations and how the regs are actually related to the chemistry of the materials. It explains the chemistry behind proper transport, handling, and storage of most major commodity chemicals and offers guidlines for emergency planning and response. The author does a good job of introducing/reviewing the concepts of chemistry with a clear focus on reactions which can lead to disaster. Two flaws: the writing is repetative, at times you can sense that the author/editiors were a bit tired of the text or in a hurry to get it to the press. The illustrations are O.K. but the black and white photos are AWFUL. Mr. Meyer, if you read this, go back and re-do all the photos for the next edition. I work at a RCRA TSDF and have found the text very useful for myself and our new employees who have studied chemistry but do not have a firm grasp of DOT and fire safety.

For the reader who currently knows nothing about water contamination and purification, this is a decent book, since it provides some eye-opening information. However, there are better books out there, depending on what you're looking for.

For specific advice on water contamination and safe water alternatives, including bottled water and home purification, I recommend Colin Ingram's "The Drinking Water Book." It has more information and a better format, including a simple chart that rates the effectiveness of different home purification methods for eliminating different contaminants (something this author didn't include).

If you're looking for something more political, buy "The Sierra Club Guide to Safe Drinking Water." This lists specific steps to improve drinking water on a larger level, including political action and people/agencies to contact. It also includes a list of major U.S. cities and their violations of water purity regulations. Finally, it lists the EPA drinking water standards in an appendix. Of course, it also includes advice on safe water alternatives, but this is not as extensive as the recommendations in The Drinking Water Book (see above).

This book is certainly a very factual and "blunt" book about the seriousness of our domestic water quality. With the coming "Y2K" event on the horizon, I believe Lono A'o's comments are even more appropriate and noteworthy. I have given this book a 5 star and I am giving serious thought to making this book a required reading for all the students in my Environmental Studies class at New England College. That's how serious I believe the issue is.

If you ever plan on buying a water filter of any kind -- this is the book to read. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is that I wish it would have given more specific information regarding name brand water filtration systems available and where to get testing information etc.

I just got finished reading this book in between classes, and all I can say is WOW! Be aware, and beware of your tap water. If these statistics are correct, then the EPA and the U.S. government are not concerned with protecting your right to clean water, and therefore, you must educate yourself in order to protect against degenerative disease.

[ 1991-1992 EPA records showed that the nations water systems committed over 250,000 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act, affecting more than 100 million Americans - and 10% of those exceeded the MCL (Max Contaminant Level) of the EPA. ]

This book is a great start finding out the truth of the matter. Toxins are everywhere! We all need to learn where they exist and remove them for our own and our childrens sake.

Someday, a high ranking official on TV may review this book, or a similar subject and try and spin these numbers a certain way to make it not sound so bad, but don't be fooled. Statistics seldom lie. Only politicians do. Politicians can come from any field, not just government. Politicians come from industry, medicine, lobby, and big business etc. Be a detective, and look for anything that doesn't make sense.

"The Truth is Obvious, Everything Else is Questionable"

This is a great book even if you aren't into living a sustainable life. It is very entertaining and motivating if you are into living sustainably. Linda's "journal" entries are fun and informative and make you sad when finish the book.

The book might be more interesting to Australians than to this american. The author decided they would live for 6 months without spending a dollar (except for insurance, taxes, medical expenses, etc.), and they managed to do it by bartering produce for toilet paper and other necessities. They fueled their motivation for such a great sacrifice by promising themselves a spending spree at the end of the six months. The backbone of the book is a daily diary which frequently complains of copious sweating and supplies blow-by-blow descriptions of arguments or the details of stopping to play a game with her son. It is laced with information such as how to read a water meter in Australia, how many litres of water it takes to produce various cotton articles, the nutritional value of snails. There are occasional recipes sprinkled in, references to inexperienced gardening practices, vague references to being off the water, but no explanation of how they processed their own water. Or at least not in the part I read. I decided it wasn't worth wading through it hoping to find out something useful. There are pretty color pictures in the middle that are inspiring, but I found the account to be discouraging. Her comments that the rats in the garden weren't as bad as the brown snakes that they attracted, or the tale of lighting incense to get rid of the smell of the rat that died in their walls, just didn't enthuse me a lot for backyard gardening.

This is a fantastic read, could not put it down. The way the author expresses the issues and facts and incorporates them in the way they have chosen to live their life is inspiring. If you have any interest in the planet, you will find information in this book fascinating. Each person can adapt different elements into their life, big and small.

Oh and did I mention it has humorous bits where you will find yourself belly laughing...

Buy the book, you will not regret it.

I Loved this book. Its a very realistic look at the good life. A very good read as well as an inspiration. They set their rules and mostly stuck to it. A very good illustration of what can be achieved by real people in real life. If you have an interest is self sufficiency, downshifting or simplifying your life, this is a great read.

You actually learn! It gives ideas on how to deal with the disability -- and the psychological part, too. It's a wonderful book!

It's a great adjunct to my treatment with my chiropractor. My chiropractor told me that a lot of patients do better when they eat more protein. It wasn't until I happened to open to the page that discussed protein, carbohydrates and insulin (around p.122)that I understood why that is true. The book is helping me to learn more about taking better care of myself during my recovery.

I like the pictures that show me how to do the exercises properly.

The part that seems to need improvement is something like information on the Alexander Technique,and some of the other methods. But things that are familiar to chiropractor such as nutrition and chiropractic methods are excellent in this book.

Since I got RSI myself, I've read a number of books on the subject, and of all I've read, this book was at the bottom of the barrel. I'm not saying it is completely without merits, but most of the good advice are available in all other books I've read. I do, however, fail to see advice about meditation and guided imagery as relevant to RSI.

This book provides information on RSI that includes alternative treatments, in contrast to (or to complement, I should say) Pascarelli/Quilter's standard-med emphasis. The difficulty in treating RSI has prompted a great deal of interest in alternative therapies.

I think the real strength of what Dr. Tim has written is his emphasis on an interdisciplinary treatment approach. In contrast to consulting a single practitioner who may have limited perspective and treatment preferences, Dr. Tim advocates for a team effort that *includes* standard medical professionals but brings in other practices such as chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, and others. Also, I think the book gives a decent basic rundown on the physiology of RSI, and includes good rehab information. While I consider some of the therapies presented here to be very questionable, at a minimum you will learn what each method claims to achieve for you from a writer who is not trying to sell one of them over! the other but hopes to draw something from each.

The enthusiasm of your reviewers for Toxic Deception is unwarranted.This volume is far from a reliable guide to the science and politics of environmental health risks. Let one example suffice. Research from Science (7 June,1996) is characterized by the authors in the following manner; "A recent study of the effects of ... pesticides on estrogen-sensitive cells in test tubes, for example, found that the pesticides were 1,000 times more potent in combination than individually."

The research in question was formally retracted by its authors in Science, on 25 July 1997. The episode was widely discussed and led to an ethics investigation by Tulane University. Toxic Deception was published in 1999. That news of this development took two years to reach the authors stretches plausibility. Moreover, the same environmental foundation (W. Alton Jones) which funded the retracted study likewise supported the publication of Toxic Deception.

If you've ever wondered why the public health system in this country is a mess, this book will show you. Basically, the burden of proof to demonstrate that a given chemical is harmful is on the victims or the underfunded EPA, who often, for both financial and legal reasons, have to depend on tests and information given by the chemical companies themselves. If that's not the fox guarding the henhouse then I don't know what is.
The book examines in depth four chemicals : atrazine and alachlor (both pesticides), perchloroethylene (used in dry cleaning), and formaldehyde, which is used in many products, particularly wood-related ones. The companies that make these products include some of the largest and most powerful corporations in the world including du Pont, Monsanto, Ciba-Geigy, Dow Chemical, Borden (yes, Elsie the cow is poisoning you) and Georgia-Pacific. They have armies of lawyers. They have many scientists working directly for them, and many others in academia working indirectly through studies that they fund. They also have bigtime PR firms who hammer home the message that (to quote the title of a related book) Toxic Sludge is Good for You.
Even in the few cases where a chemical actually is banned, the taxpayer then has to make up the difference. We can all be poisoned but heaven forbid that one of these huge corporations should lose a little profit !

This is a great book, telling the reader how and why the EPA, the supposed bane of industry, has become toothless in the face of organized opposition (and co-optation) from the industries themselves. Four chemicals, including the drycleaning chemical "perc", formaldehyde, and two pesticides, are followed through the EPA maze, with fascinating diversions to corporate lawfirms, PR flacks, and financial records, until the reader discovers why these dangerous chemicals are not properly regulated. Anyone who understands math knows the EPA will never adequately test the millions of chemicals now in existence--now find out the politics that explain why they can't even properly test or regulate some of the most dangerous ones in common use all over the USA. An eye-opener!

McLachlan 1996 paper was retracted and the 1st edition was written prior to the retraction.

Very informative on how the EPA works (or doesn't work) and the tactics used by the Chemical companies to mislead.

The precedent established in this book about how Monsanto (Pharmacia) and Zeneca (now Syngenta) act and their lack of concern for people should be kept in mind during the discussion of GMO foods where Monsanto and Syngenta are prime movers.

The book was informative, however, I would check out a copy at the library instead of buying.