Insomnia Books

This book is a great book on the history of prions. Max easily illustrates how prions are connected to other important diseases such as alzheimers and diabetes. He flawlessly goes from past to present, connecting the two times with the venetian family who has a defective prion gene. It is really amazing that prions don't affect more people. It is also a wake up call for the beef industry in America.

This is a fascinating medical 'thriller', only it's real! it was nearly impossible to stop listening to it and i think anyone who likes medical thrillers or anything related to the medical field, would love this.
The book focuses on prions and their role in disease, especially 'mad cow disease'.

This is a very scary book. The Family that Couldn't Sleep by D. T. Maxd was a very thought provoking study of some of the neurodegenerative diseases that have eluded our understanding. Most of those that the author mentions are truly horrific to the individual who suffers them and to their families. I started my nursing practice on a neurology ward where I encountered many of the maladies the author describes. What was particularly disturbing to me was that years later many of these insidious diseases are as little understood as they were when I first encountered them. The sufferer of ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis--often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease" after the baseball player who died from it--still finds medical science unable to offer much more than they did when it was first described. Huntington's Disease still devastates families that carry the genetic misprint. While the treatment of myasthenia gravis has progressed to some degree, that of Alzheimer's disease (the old organic brain syndrome or pre-senile dementia) and Creutzfeld-Jacab Disease (formerly referred to as Jacob-Creutzfeld's) are still in their infancy. The similarity between the latter disorder and Kuru has been known for years, but understanding and treatment elude us. According to the author, even the prion concept has its detractors. If nothing else the author was certainly able to capture the devastation that such disorders cause their sufferers and their families. In my early practice I met a man who came in with mild neurological symptoms; he received a diagnosis of Huntington's, and within months he became a changed person because of the unrelenting course of his disease. He ultimately ended up in a nursing home, more or less "insane." Worse yet was the fact that both of his children had a 50-50 chance of having the disorder or of passing the disposition on to their own children. The heartbreak of his wife in witnessing his decline and than recognizing the symptoms anew in her son was awful.

By bringing these disorders and the agonies of the sufferers to public attention Max may well spur more intensive research into these many disorders. And it's about time.

This book does a lot to clear up the story of prions, what they are, what they do, how their threat is real. The Italian family who gives the story its title is but one instance of prions affecting human and animal life. The research is impeccable, and particularly interesting is the process by which medical and veterinary sciences came together to begin unraveling the prion mystery. Because, to be accurate, documentation on how livestock has been affected by prion disease had been, until recently, far more complete and detailed than human prion disease.

The author tells the story unemotionally, which is good, but the reading is far from arid or too technical. The human factor -- how scientists competed for the credit, sometimes damaging other professionals' reputations and careers -- makes it even more interesting. All this makes "The Family That Couldn't Sleep" a fundamental work for anyone who wants to understand these proteins better, and also for people curious about the inner workings of scientific research.

You may find yourself staying up all night to finish this fascinating book. Just be glad you don't share the wrong genes with the family of the title.

This account of prion-based spongiform encephelopathic diseases covers a lot of ground: the Italian family of the title suffering from FFI (fatal familial insomnia), the mysterious epidemic of kuru among the Fore tribe of New Guinea, eventually linked to the practice of eating their dead ancestors' brains, the rare genetically transmitted Creuzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD), various animal spongiform encephelopathies, from scrapie in sheep to mad cow disease to chronic wasting disease in deer. All of these diseases share a common feature - they are transmitted by an infectious agent of a kind thought until recently by scientists to be impossible, and the incubation time from infection to manifestation of disease symptoms is remarkably long. The culprits are *prions*, which are a type of rogue protein. The idea that a protein could act as an infectious agent flew completely in the face of scientific received wisdom to date when first introduced and the science underlying this class of degenerative brain diseases is both complex and controversial.

The author's exposition is clear, but ultimately I think he does not do complete justice to the material (which is really fascinating). It may be that his scope is too ambitious - with so much ground to cover, the exposition occasionally lapses into sketchiness. To be fair, there can be no single "right" level of detail that would suit all readers, and D.T. Max generally shows good judgement about what to include to keep the exposition intelligible while moving his story along.

That said, the material related to kuru, cannibalism among the Fore, and the linkage to scrapie, CJD, and mad cow disease has already been presented in the 1998 book by Richard Rhodes, "Deadly Feasts: Tracking The Secrets Of A Terrifying New Plague". I preferred the Rhodes account - his exposition of the science was clearer, and I thought he told a better, tighter story.

However, there's not that much to choose between the two, and Max's book does have the extra material about FFI, which is interesting in its own right. Max does make one misjudgement, in my opinion, which is to include an account of his own illness (he has been diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease which, although it is a neurodegenerative muscular disorder, is neither prion-related nor an amyloid plaque disease). Inclusion of this essentially irrelevant material is a distraction, which just muddies the exposition.

One final criticism is that Max includes an unquestioning discussion of putative geographical "clusters" of CJD cases, based solely on their identification by patients' family members, whom he refers to as "Creutzfeldt Jakobins" (a hideous, tin-ear coinage, which he seems to think is clever). These so-called clusters are almost certainly spurious, based on an incorrect application of the relevant probability models and Max's failure to identify the error detracts from his objectivity as a science writer and contributes to a presentation of disease spread scenarios which are unduly alarmist. The discussion of possible treatment options in the final chapter also struck me as weak, an over-interpretation of what are essentially just anecdotal data. One sees this kind of over-interpretation all the time in the popular press, but I would have expected better from a science writer as experienced as D.T. Max.

However, these are minor criticisms of this well-written account of a fascinating subject.

WOW, finally a book that works and makes sense.
Well writen and easy to follow and the exercises work almost instantly. I am not even finished reading it and it has already done wonders for me. No more expensive sleeping pills for me. If you can only sleep 3 or 4 days a week like I do you need this book ASAP.

I found that the excercise techniques are helpful in relaxing my muscle and helps me to fall asleep.
I got my book in a week, I paid regular shipping. The packaging is excellent and the book was in good shape when I got it.

This book is incredible! I was beginning to think that sleeping poorly was a result of getting older(I am in my 30s). Now I know that you can learn to be a good sleeper just like you learn other things! Read it and enjoy.

I first came across this book at 3 am on another insomnia night and was impatient for a solution. I didn't want any more pills that made me feel drugged the next day. I didn't want any more useless sleep hygiene advice, which worked intermittently. I also didn't want to pay $2,000 for a sleep study that would tell me I needed more pills and better sleep hygiene! Having suffered from insomnia for eight years, I was ready for a real solution.

Two things caught my eye about this book. One, a large percentage of the reviewers were medical professionals who used the method in their practices. Two, the book suggested an approach that would actually relax the body and calm the mind, not drug it or try to control everything around it and hope it behaves. This was what I was looking for!

After trying the methods, I can confirm that they work spectacularly; however, I do have a word of caution on the methods. Follow the steps in the book as exactly as possible, and don't go on memory alone when first doing them. Doing them incorrectly--even slightly so--can give you poor results.

I purchased this book after reading the great reviews. It is wordy, poorly written, and gives the impression the author is just making up sleep advice. The medical credentials of the author and the souces are suspect as well (the author lists GCFP after his name...what is that?). If you think yoga may help you relax then this may be for you. If you are looking for a better written book from a scientific rather than spiritual perspective I would recommend "The Insomnia Answer".

Well worth the money.....covers the topic well. The knowledge I have gleaned from it is enabling me to sleep better.

THIS BOOK CAME TO ME WITHIN 5 DAYS OF ORDERING IT. I ORDERED USED AND THIS BOOK WAS IN BRAND NEW CONDITION. SO,THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT MERCHANDISE AND SHIPPED IN RECORD TIME.

I strongly recommend this audio CD to everybody who suffers from mild or intense insomnia.

I started waking up in the middle of my night sleep or towards the mornings and having difficulty getting up in the mornings quite frequently recently so I listened to this audio CD by Peter Hauri. Because I have just finished listening to it I have not yet applied the recommendations to benefit from them. There is a lot of clearly explained information about the various causes of insomnia and what to do about them, when to seek what kind of professional help etc. . The explanations are made by a highly qualified expert on the topic : Peter Hauri the Director of Mayo Clinic's insomnia program. It is more than mere information about insomnia : in addition the CD provides abundant knowledge about general health and the way it impacts the quality of sleep. Applying the advice is certain to improve not only the quality of sleep but also physical and mental health in general.

The quality of voice on the CD is high, explanations easily understandable and pleasant to listen to. The listener can listen to this CD again and again to refresh his / her knowledge when the need arises without being bored.

It's a helpful book, and is giving me ideas how to improve my sleep without medication.

The book NO MORE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS has some very helpful suggestions and information that helped me understand what possible causes are. I would suggest it to anyone who is struggling with getting sleep.

This is good basic information but, if you've ever read anything about sleep/rest, this won't be news to you.

"Even if you do think you're getting the amount of sleep you should, you may wonder why you feel so tired and unrefreshed much of the time. This is not surprising. More than half the women surveyed in a recent National Sleep Foundation Women and Sleep Poll reported insomnia symptoms sometime during every month. Various studies and polls indicate that nearly 30 million American women claim they long every day for a good night's sleep." -Janet Kinosian, in The Well-Rested Woman - 60 Soothing Suggestions for Getting a Good Night's Sleep

For many women, a good night's sleep is a luxury. However, restful and deep sleep is an innate biological need. It's only in the deeper stages of sleep that the body releases growth hormones and regenerates, restores, and repairs organs and tissues.

With the demands of modern life, women often juggle work, family, and household-and are just plain exhausted. Beyond not getting enough shut-eye, there are very real sleep disorders that rob individuals of precious, rejuvenating sleep. Surprisingly, it was only until 1996 that the American Medical Association recognized sleep medicine as a secondary specialty. The real kicker is that until the early 1990's, women were often excluded from sleep studies because it was believed that their hormones would skew data. The result? Women don't have a whole lot of scientific history for help with sleep difficulties.

The good news is much of this is changing, with sleep researchers finally studying women's sleep cycles, as well as factors such as hormones, age, fertility, work, children, health, pain, etc.

The Well-Rested Woman - 60 Soothing Suggestions for Getting a Good Night's Sleep, author Janet Kinosian shares what she has learned about sleep-not as a medical doctor or a Ph.D., but as a female insomniac.

While Kinosian briefly discusses the stages of sleep and sleep disorders, as well as female-related issues like perimenopause, menopause, postpartum, and PMS, the bulk of this book is dedicated to practical ways to promote a good night's rest. And except for the first 30 pages, these welcome remedies are just as applicable to men.

This 212 page book is filled with tips on creating the right environment for sleep, de-stressing the mind, fine-tuning the body, soothing the soul, sleep hazards and more. Also included are an extensive resource section, listing books, music, organizations, and websites to help you on the journey to restful sleep.

Some of the great ideas you'll get from The Well Rested Woman:

*Accept Larks Versus Owls
*Keep A Sleep Log
*Know Your Sleep Positions
*Set Regular Wake-Up Calls
*Befriend Time
*Use Phototherapy
*Sleep Strategies For Shift Workers
*Silence Snoring Spouses

I'm the type of person that is not only a night owl, but also one that doesn't battle insomnia. (And for that, I am grateful.) Yet, I found a wealth of wonderfully simple ways that I can enhance my sleep, and feel more rested. Fellow insomniacs will bless Kinosian for sharing the results of her 15 year search for a good night's sleep, and those of us who are just plain busy and tired will benefit from the practical insights. A final note: this book isn't just for women! Men will also benefit from Kinosian's sage advice.

If you're a chronically under-rested and understlept woman, this is your book. I was given it by my mother, and it's been a godsend. It discusses just about every and anything that has to do with women, sleep, insomnia, and how to go about improving your sleep AND your life. Hormones, medications, herbs, alternative medicine, sleep diaries, exercise, foods, allergies, even fung shei and sleep positions are explained. Wonderful job. Very well written and a pleasure to read. It's got all the science you need but without question it's written by a (smart) woman and not an MD. The best book I've read on the subject and I've read far too many.

I just got this book, The Well-Rested Woman, for xmas and have finished it with a hopeful attitude. I'm certainly an un-well-rested woman and I found Janet Kinosian's efforts to be top-notch and excellent. I've read many books on insomnia to help with a chronic poor sleep life and this is the first to address me as a women from a woman's voice and point of view. She's obviously been there.

I haven't seen her chapters listed here so I suggest you take a look at the them - Creating the Right Environment[mattresses to feng shui]; Destressing the Mind [worry books, journals to sleep biographies]; Fine-Tuning the Body [hot baths to herbs and sleep positions]; Soothing the Soul [anger management; nightmares etc. MY FAV CHAP; Sleep Hazards [no-nos like sleeping pills and food allergies] and chps on accupunture, hypnosis, biofeedback and chiropractic.

Yep, she covers all the bases in a delightful read. Can't wait to get started on my first 6 suggestions. A useful Christmas present this year.

If we can't sleep well, we really don't function well.
Janets book is a must have if you or a close one is
having difficulty or can use some improvement with
her or his quality of sleep. This is simply a book
of sleep solutions. It kicks off with why we need
sleep & explains several types of sleep disorders.
You may be surprised to learn you should go see a
particular doctor & why. There's important
information for women on how your hormones &
reproductive system affect your sleep.
What follows it are 60 wonderful suggestions that
will help you to feel more alive as you will
be a more well rested woman(or man). Some of this
we already know but wish to be reminded of while many
other suggestions will seem more new to us.
There is also a helpful list on other sleep books,
a list of CD music choices for sleep , an organization
list with addresses, web addresses & phone
numbers for the AARP, Academy of Sleep Medicine,
Medical Women's Association, & many more.
If you wish to feel better,
well-rested, & more alive, then
"The Well-Rested Woman" is for you.
So remember, count your sheep.

A friend gave me this book because I haven't been sleeping well lately. Since all that has happened in the world, it is so nice to find a book that can discuss tragedy and fear in such helpful and comforting manner. I highly recommend it.

This book has comforted me on nights when I just can't fall asleep. Although I still struggle somewhat with sleepless nights, it's nice to know there are others out there like me, and that it doesn't always have to be this way. It was comforting without lecturing me about my lifestyle or decisions, and was a good choice as an initial purchase to get me on the road to a full night's sleep.

"The Sleep Book, a bedside companion" is aptly named. From the cover and inside design, to the gentle color choice of the first page, to the easy flow of topics, this book is a comfort to have next to my bedside. The author is honest, humorous and compassionate, and peppers her own writing with a spectrum of quotes from all kinds of sources. Arranged in alphabetical order by topic (...imagination, pain, passion, ritual, try, yawn, zzzzz...), I haven't read it straight through. I open it up to a page and start reading, one thing leads to another and I find myself more relaxed. This book is easier than a cup of chamomile tea. Treat yourself or someone you love.

Aunt Laya author of the self help book for young adults, "You Don't Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way"

Unlike other 'self-help' or 'how to' books, THE SLEEP BOOK isn't preachy or patronizing. It just has practical information to teach me about, and help me to find, a good night's sleep. A refreshing take on an often frustrating task. I recommend it.

I came across this book in a bookstore right when I was complaining about my sleepless nights to my husband. The other books about sleep contained dated photos, charts and figures. We found "The Sleep Book" by Jody Grant-Gray, to be filled with entertaining information, and highly useful tips for sleep. The author seemed to understand why I wasn't sleeping! And then she told me how to get there. Useful, comforting, and entertaining. This book is a delight! My husband is happy I bought it, and that doesn't usually happen...

I ordered this item from Amazon in early August. It's now November. I still have no CD.

At the time I placed the order, Amazon's website stated the product was "In Stock." After a few delay notices, I received an email this week telling me the order was cancelled, presumably because I didn't accept a delay notice. I received six emails from Amazon about the order - three asking me to accept the delay, two apologizing for the delay, and one offering me expedited shipping (I had written to ask why there was a delay if this was in stock and received free expedited shipping in a canned response to my inquiry, but no actual response to my question).

What's going on with Amazon?

For those of you who purchased this CD, is it a really, really great meditation and should I try to purchase it through another vendor?

Any thoughts?

Wow - what a great way to fall asleep. I've tried meditation/relaxation audio recordings before, but was often disappointed because the person had an annoying voice, there was strange sci-fi background music, or it was downright cheesy. After both me and my boyfriend being on a crash-and-burn cycle of waking up early for work and going to sleep exhausted only to get no rest - we were desperate. We were both separately prescribed sleep aids by our doctors (I had Lunesta, he got Ambien). At first, these were a huge relief just to get some sleep but made us groggy and we agreed it wasn't a long term solution. I got Healthful Sleep and after a few initial giggles on his part, he was snoring away after 10 minutes. I love this lady's voice, and the "guided imagery" is really just soothing bedtime words - like when you were sick as a child and your mother would come tuck you in with cool hand on your forehead and say, "just go to sleep now, everything's okay". I can't recommend this enough - even my boyfriend asks at bedtime if we can put in the tape of "that lady talking". I'm happy to say we are Ambien & Lunesta free.

When I first bought this (and other specific versions by Belleruth Naparstek - sleep, stress and general wellness), I was very skeptical. I didn't think anything was going to help me (especially not some stranger talking to me on a CD in the middle of the night). Couldn't have been more wrong. This CD works every time. Each time I listen to one of Belleruth's CDs, I become visibly, physically more relaxed (I'm usually snoring in la-la-land bliss before the CD ends). Highly recommend all of her CDs.

I'm a chronic insomniac--this cd truly helps me fall asleep. I can't use it every night (not the chronic insomniac part) but I use it 2 or 3 times a week and they are the nights I sleep the best. I found it I use it every night I am anticipating what she will say next instead of just relaxing to the CD. Belleruth's voice is so calming, and her guided imagery is truly helpful. So many of the relaxation CD's are either cheesy or mundane. This CD is neither. I give it a 5 because it is the best relaxation CD I have found.

I bought this as part of the Wellness Pack that included "Stress" and "General Wellness" CDs, but "Healthful Sleep" is by far our favorite of the three. "Healthful Sleep" has changed my husband's life. He used to take medicine to help him relax at night. He could sleep, but it wasn't restful...he thrashed, had nightmares, and always felt tired - even after 12+ hours of sleep. After using this, he was able to quit taking medicine because he began sleeping so restfully. I also sleep much more soundly and feel more rested. The mornings after I listen to this CD, I feel what I can only describe as 10 years younger. It occurs to me that truly healthful sleep would certainly improve general wellness and prepare you to deal effectively with stress. If you can only afford one, get "Healthful Sleep".

Two thumbs way, way up! After a lifetime of struggling with sleep problems I read this book on the advice of a friend. I was sceptical, thinking this would be yet another book about sleep that doesn't work for me........ but I was wrong. This book turned my whole situation around. I Not only am I not having trouble falling asleep, I am able to sleep all night long. I haven't ever been able to say that before now. I am sleeping soundly, waking up alert and rested and Pain Free! Yes, You heard me....... Pain free! A well rested body, it turns out feels a whole lot better than a fatiqued body........... so....... I am personally transformed and am grateful to be rid of what had been ailing me for most of my 50 years on the planet! I highly reccomend everyone with sleep problems try this book. Read it, follow the simple easy to read guidence that this book provides and sleep like a baby! You'll be standing right next to me writing your own review of this book! BRAVO, Mr Haug! Thank you so much to you for writing the book that literally changed my life.

Dr Haug gives step-by-step actions to break the cycle of sleeplessness in simple, encouraging language. In a series of case studies and employing a variety of techniques including breath work, journaling, group support, therapy and simple verbal and physical exercises, Dr. Haug demonstrates that insomnia can be overcome without resorting to pharmacological aids. He reminds us that a good night's sleep is one of life's pure pleasures, and his book gets us there.

I thought that I would read myself to sleep with Dr. Haug's great book but it didn't work----the book kept me awake----at least long enough to finish it! However, after putting it down, I slept like a baby. Highly recommended as a help to understanding why a person has trouble sleeping and the steps one can take in resolving some issues about personal sleeping habits and how to change them for better health. Thank you Dr. Haug!

Siegfried Haug's _I Want to Sleep_ is an excellent source on how to "enable sleep" instead of turning the wish for sleep into one more insomnia-producing obsession. Written in a lively and engaging voice, this book resists the conventional format of a self-help guide. Instead, it is rich in case studies that tell stories and yield pragmatic yet profound conclusions about life itself and how best to live it. Haug invites us to appreciate the inviting sleep that awaits us at the end of a long day.

Massachusetts

Dr. Haug brings his considerable experience and depth of knowledge to this vital topic. His approach is both pragmatic and holistic in that he provides guidance within the larger context of how we think about and live our lives. I found his voice accessible and reassuring, his ideas well grounded in psychology, and his suggestions sensible and doable. I especially like the case descriptions as illustrative examples. Great reading for those of us who are able to sleep and absolutely required for those who cannot! It is a pleasure to find such excellent help in a highly readable format. I keep the book on my coffee table and recommend it to all.

I enjoyed this novel thoroughly with its lively writing, tight plotting, and memorable characters. I'd love to read further adventures with Myx in the middle of it all. My only complaint is that Myx is a mere fourteen. I'd feel a lot more comfortable is he were 16 or even 15. 14 just feels wrong for all this boy gets into.

I just love Myx, the sneaky, fascinatingly quirky, frightfully intelligent young man who takes on the mystery of some grisly murders in his small Massachusetts town. Somehow Dave makes us like this fellow who stops at nothing to learn all he needs to know about people.

And I not only love Myx, but I love the storytelling! Dave weaves this tale in a way that keeps us thinking, wondering, and laughing. Every page is interesting and fun!

For fourteen-year-old Myx Amens, a walk down a city street is a sensory experience the likes of which Ken Kesey never approached with his notorious Acid Tests. Myx, however, requires no psychoactive substances to experience synesthesia - the sensory cross-wiring that results in seeing music, smelling colors, or tasting words. All he had to do was die a couple of times.

Myx has so carefully ordered his life in the Massachusetts town of Miracle that he can literally come and go as he likes, anywhere, any time. He knows a lot more about the residents than they know themselves, in some cases. Most especially in this case - the murder and mutilation of a small-town high-school bitch queen.

In his first novel, Dave Diotalevi presents a neatly-plotted mystery, as well as the most wonderfully disorienting first-person POV since Robert Montgomery's film noir classic, Lady In The Lake.

As a life-long synesthete, I can assure readers that Diotalevi's evocative prose offers a convincing authenticity. For example, my non-synesthete husband was taken utterly by surprise by the Big Reveal at the end of the book, while Myx more or less told me precisely what it was by the middle of the story. In addition, my husband experienced none of the sensory out-of-kilterness I felt. He's a pretty literal kind of guy. He was, however, as enthusiastically engaged as I was by this tale. Diotalevi deftly inserts clues in more forms -- literary and pop cultural references, as well as archetypal and iconographic images -- than John Campbell could shake a Jungian stick at.

Hints of a richly-textured backstory and foreshadowings of Myx's future activities offer hope for follow-up novels.

I can think of only two complaints about Miracle Myx. First, I was distracted by the frequent product placements. Myx's eidetic memory could register traits other than brand and model or style of food, clothing, and electronic gear. Some segments read like the novelization of an M. Night Shyamalan film. Second, the book was too short. I want more Myx!


**a later note**: Michael disagrees with me once more. Says the flurries of product names never really attracted his active attention. He agrees with the 5 stars I awarded in his name, and states for the record that has zero complaints, can't wait to read Miracle Myx again, and wants to see more Myx.

Diotalevi hits the ground running with Miracle Myx.

Myx Amens is an astounding and addictive character that you'll immediately like and find yourself caring and cheering for. His synesthetic memory, two near death experiences, (I think he really died twice) and natural curiosity propel Myx into the realm of the next great fictional hero.

Diotalevi's rich writing style makes for a read that you can't put down.

Miracle Myx starts with Myx Amens, just finishing his last adventure and one quickly learns of his near supernatural powers through Diotalevi's intricate character development.

The author weaves an old world whodunit with an inexplicable modern day adolescent hero into one great read.

I highly recommend this book. When does the next book come out?

"I learned that nothing is yours until it's yours, and that you make it yours by taking it, protecting it and hiding it," says Myx Amens, a uniquely talented 14-year-old foster kid living in Miracle, Massachusetts. In Dave Diotalevi's debut novel, Miracle Myx, we encounter 42 hours in the life of Myx as he investigates a series of murders.

There's a seminal chapter in this twisty mystery of hidden secrets where Myx is in jeopardy from several thugs at the estate of their boss - a powerful Italian business man. Myx artfully escapes from the thugs and finds himself in the company of the boss' wife, Mama. Suddenly, Myx's intuitive mix of synesthesia offers up a song, for which he quickly scribbles onto paper. In Italian, no less. Mama reads it and recognizes it as her mother's homemade gnocchi recipe - written in her mother's handwriting. This isn't the first or the last time Myx uses his talents to tease out what someone needs at the moment they need it. And to this reader's point of view, this scene tells us much of what we need to know about the heart of this unique man/boy character whose primary desire seems to be easing the way of others. Particularly, if they are female.

One will read this book as much for fast-action, 42 hours in the life of Myx as they will for the poetic turns of phrase such as "My hand sang the music of its curves as I wrote," and "Air currents made the flames and shadows move in interesting ways. To me, they felt pliable and sounded like the wind in a field."

This smart, sexy novel from Dave Diotalevi may be his debut, but it is clearly not his first try at beautiful prose, evocative language, and moving storytelling. Let's hope there's more to come from this author.

"Cure By Crying" is at turns profound, sappy, powerful and disorganized. Its the worst piece of writing that I have ever read ten times. It is the story of how a man "cured" himself of emotional problems by uncovering and crying about repressed childhood traumas. The author, Thomas A. Stone, is obviously a genius at drawing insights out of his own emotional and mental experience. He has combined these insights with those of his "mentors" -- Freud, Janov (Primal Scream) and Hubbard (yes, L. Ron) -- to form a therapy that he modestly entitles "The Therapy". It is a serious, complete and straight-forward self-therapy, and may just help you understand and deal with your problems better. If you are interested in deep-feeling therapy or how the mind works, it is well worth the trouble.

Most of us are raised by our parents and/or conditioned by society to repress our feelings. It's hard for many people to express their feelings verbally, much less as primal emotion. However, if you've come to believe that being more emotionally expressive is a good thing, this book can help you change those old patterns.

Thomas A. Stone is a remarkable man. In search of an effective therapy for himself, he figured out the methods in this book on his own - with no formal training beyond extensive reading at home (as noted by reviewer JSpeyrer, Stone studied some 250 therapies). His layman's theories on why only "spoonfuls" of emotion show up for release made sense to me.

Although I find some of Stone's methods somewhat cumbersome to learn, this book is still invaluable. I recommend you grab one now if you're at all interested and the dealer's price is not too silly (there are not many copies of this evidently self-published book floating around any more). For starters, just reading the book can give you more acceptance for crying.

One area where I disagree with Thomas: Emotional expression is not always just about crying. And for all his buckets of tears, Stone can have a curious detachment (he did not even seem to understand his own daughter's fear). He has a workmanlike attitude that can sometimes seem to ignore the pain of the emotions themselves.

But don't let that observation stop you from getting the book. He did not use a detached tone of voice to author the book. You'll find his tone refreshingly plain, honest, conversational, and encouraging. Stone also provides support to keep you healthy while you allow your crying to surface, and he discusses the necessary warnings so you can go about it safely.

It's a shame that Stone and his book are not more widely recognized. Sure, there are places you can go (eg., Primal Institute) and people you can pay (eg., breathwork therapists) to help you do similar release work, but that takes money. Which is why Stone came to develop his methods and write the book - he couldn't afford a stint at the Primal Institute. And his therapist got bored listening to him cry.

I really enjoyed the section in the back of the book where Thomas, his wife Nancy, daughter Beth and son David, all talk candidly about their individual processes with the Cure by Crying techniques. I couldn't help but feel affection for this family and wonder how they're all doing now.

Excellent way to cure many ills, cry. More men should just do just that. Only some, even now, "hold back a tear". I used to. This alone only holds in the pain and unclear feelings--balderdash on that.
LIVE with the difficult moment, CRY, HEAL. It works for me every day.
As for the author's writing style, I, could say it works well enough. He speaks from the heart while espousing heartfelt emotions. That would make anyone wordy, an honest author included. This the point here, isn't it?
I love this man for his strength and his sharing. Thank you Mr. Thomas A. Stone, sir.

Well, me and my wife have been using this method for about 10 months. We have sessions about twice a week. My wife is on her 94th session. So, does it work? YES!! My wife has seen many symptoms improve. Depression and headaches are the two symptoms that have improved dramatically. Her ability to stand up for herself has also improved dramatically. I should mention that my wife cries easily. She cried within five minutes of the first session. Keep in mind this therapy takes commitment and time, but it is worth it.

On the down side, I have been unable to cry and have given up on this method. I tried following the book for about six months. Could not cry once. What this means is that *some* people's ability to cry is severely damaged, and this therapy will be extremely difficult for people like me. But I hope others (like my wife) will benefit from it.

However, even failure can lead to a cure. I began looking for an alternate therapy to get me kick started. I discovered a new therapy called "Redirecting Self Therapy". Can't provide a link here, but it is bringing many years of suffering to a rapid end.

Also, this book lists all the great discoveries (in psychology) made in the last few decades. It is an excellent primer on regressive therapies in general. If I had to recommned only one book on psychology, this is it.

If you want to know more about the importance of feeling pain and crying as a means of healing your neuroses, this is a rare book to read. I found valuable practical information on how to help myself and others to cry. In addition to the book by Jean Jenson: Reclaiming yourself, it helped me in my healing process.

This book as recommended to me by a sleep therapist. It is well-written and easy to understand. After taking sleeping pills for 6 months, I am now using the ideas in this book to sleep chemical-free. I have already recommended this book to several friends.

These authors have found the right metaphor for me. Suffering from occasional bouts of sleeplessness after a stressful day at work, I have found that rereading the last chapter before bed, or in the middle of the night, eases me into a relaxed rhythmic state where I trust I'll slip into sleep--if not this wave, the next.

I have had insomnia for the past twelve years trying every med for insomnia on the market. After reading The Insomnia Answer I was motivated to try sleep restriction therapy and it works and I sleep better than I have in many years and don't wake-up drowsy or feel at all drug-dependent. A brilliant and very useful book for anyone suffering from sleep deprivation.

Having read many many many of the sleep books, this one is completely different for 2 reasons. First it is remarkably well written. Helps you actually understand what sleep is and how it works for you in an easy to read style. Second, the sleep restriction therapy actually works. Not a bunch of babble, but a straightforward approach that forces you back to good sleep. I must say its not much fun, but if you do suffer from insomnia and want to get a life, this is the book.

I have struggled with insomnia for years. My case is not as severe as some, but it reached the point where I usually would not get a complete night's sleep without sleeping pills. This book has given me a new way to think about sleep and some tactics for sleeping better.

The authors are experienced clinicians who have studied sleep patterns for years, and use that information to treat patients. I will summarize the main points that directly relate to improving your sleep:

1. Understand how sleep and waking times are driven by two independent forces in your physiology. When these two forces get out of sync, insomnia is often the result. This model breaks away from the old - "you get tired then you get some sleep to get refreshed and start over" - view we all understand. Sleep and waking cycles are more subtly connected. Understanding the overlap and "waves" of these forces in our bodies is a helpful new way to think about sleeping problems. This is the model coming from the extensive clinical experience of the authors.
2. It is helpful to categorize your insomnia into 1) trouble getting to sleep 2) trouble staying asleep, and 3) broken sleep all night. This is not new, but the treatments coming from the sleep/wake cycles model combine with this categorization. There is also good information about how issues such as depression, shift work, breathing difficulties and others can bring about specific patterns.
3. There are some "sleep hygiene" practices you need to follow for better sleep. Most of these are pretty well known - avoiding caffeine, exercising at sensible hours (not too late), not depending on sleeping pills, avoiding excessive napping, etc. These are reviewed and shown how they can disrupt the sleep/wake cycle
4. Utilize less obvious practices such as sleep reduction/consolidation (this is the main one helping me), bright light therapy, worry lists, buffer relaxation before going to bed, how to monitor your readiness for sleep as you approach bedtime, etc. One of the more surprising approaches shows you how to shift your sleep clock ahead a full day (chronotherapy) - but this is not applicable in all cases.

The book is very helpful and I recommend it. I think it spends a bit too many pages (almost a third of the book) in the early chapters talking about how people get insomnia, night owls vs. morning larks, etc. However, one of the main points of the book is to literally change how you think about sleep so you can be more positive about it, so this information is useful - it just could be compressed a bit to save reading time. The sleep/wake "waves" model is the brilliant conceptual insight and the practical what-exactly-to-dos also really help.