Women-and-Infectious-Diseases Books

Dr. Daniel Wallace is my lupus doctor and has been for many years. This book talks about everything important about dealing, having and living with lupus. He is an amazing doctor and writer!

This book is good but VERY technical...Good thing I am a nurse...I gave it to some of my family to read and they truly could not understand a lot of the book. It is great information but make sure you have a medical dictionary handy if you aren't familiar with medical terminology.

I bought this b/c I thought a relative had lupus. While she does not, I am still keeping the book b/c it is a wealth of information on all types of arthritic diseases, the origins of the disease, symptoms, various treatments and what to expect from the treatments. I am keeping this as a great medical reference book !

And trust me, I've read them all. The only thing is - if you have ZERO background whatsoever on this disease, or in science in general, don't start with this book. Instead, start with one of the more general, introductory books like "living with lupus" or "lupus q and a" to just get a background because this is one heavy-duty book, laden with science that is very thorough, comprehensive, and sometimes complicated. It's amazing though, and a must-read. I'm VERY happy this exists.

I have been struggling with autoimmune diseases with them potentially evolving into Lupus. This book has been helping me get through some really tough times. It also has helped to be able to talk to doctors with a clearer understanding of this disorder. I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and this book along with Dr. Wallace's fibromyalgia book have really put things in perspective for me. I have read many books on the subject and this book by far is the best!

The author tells a compelling story of life growing up female and disabled. We read a straightforward account of a child growing up in an era when women were supposed to marry and have children first and if necessary work to help support the family. As a disabled woman, there were no expectations that one could attract a man, physically give birth, raise children, or work in any meaningful way. Mary Mason did all of those things but nowhere in this book does she claim to be a superwoman. She moves through her life making choices, and as a scholar, reviewing them over time and finding her way to a truer sense of self. Her feminist beliefs are unimpeachable. Her move toward an understanding of her place in the turbulent world of the disability movement is honest: feminism came first and more easily in both a personal and political way. The movement toward a place in the world as a disabled person required more thought and analysis because there were fewer contemporaries with whom she could share her stories as a young woman. This book is a welcome addition to the genre of memoirs, but it in no way is a familiar story. It is news, and important news about the experience of living at the intersection of the feminist and disability movements at a time when both political bodies are in flux. You will not be bored by rhetoric though you will be challenged by Mason's manner of analyzing her family life, her work life, and her intellectual life, while staying true to her desire to tell her own personal story.

This wonderful book about healing and discovery should not be missed. It's incredibly well crafted. The story is fascinating, painful and uplifting.

Mary Mason, a critically acclaimed author and professor of English Literature bravely examines her own life to give an honest and revealing look at how our culture treats disabilities in particular women with disabilities.

I was completely engaged by this compelling story of this little girl growing up in the thirties with polio who overcame this incredible obstacle in addition to other tragedies to achieve success.

This book is an inspiration not only for women with disabilities but for all women. It examines the struggles we all face with tough odds to beat.

I highly reccommend it. It will touch you deeply.

This memoir is an inspiring insight into the personal life of a successful professor of English literature at a woman's college in Boston.

We gradually discover that her cheerful outward appearance at times masks a deep and profound private pain. The revelations in this book make it a spellbinding read.

Mason's account of her extraordinarily rich and productive life--traveler, educator, writer as well as wife and mother--makes us question our conventional response to what constitutes a "disability." Despite her inability to walk without crutches, Mason covered more ground than many able-bodied contemporaries. The book is a revelation and inspiration.

Life Prints: A Memoir Of Healing And Discovery is the story of Mary Grimley, who at the age of 6 years became America's first "poster child", dining with President Roosevelt at the Warm Springs rehabilitation center and posing in her wheelchair for publicity shots. Mary went on to became a remarkable scholar in the 1950s and 60s, refusing to focus on her disability and making herself a part of the revolution of ideas. Mason has spent her life struggling against the common cultural prejudice against disabled people, including the sexism of mentors, friends, family, and even herself. It was only after many years of physical therapy and social isolation, that she could emerge from the social and psychological handicaps imposed upon her because of her physical disability to embrace feminism, discover her life's work, and come to terms with herself. Life Prints is a candid, revealing, informative, and exceptionally well written autobiography that is highly recommended for women's studies and disability issues reading lists.

This book was recommended to me by my Doctor's nurse. Excellent information to help with yeast issues. It is small enough to carry in your purse for quick reference or keep in your car for those spare minutes. It has helped me kick start my new life without yeast.

"The Bible Cure for Candida and Yeast Infections" by Dr. Don Colbert was given to me as a gift, and since it is such an excellent book I have bought numerous other books by Dr. Colbert. Having already read a number of books by other authors about allergies, environmental illness and yeast overgrowth, I was very surprised this small book provided information I had never read elsewhere. In particular, I am happy the book tells how to heal a "leaky gut". Recently I was tested to be allergic to only three or four foods, after years prior having been tested allergic to 70% of foods. I knew that candida had made holes in my gut, then food protein went directly into my bloodstream, and was fought against by my immune system, resulting in many food allergies. After rarely eating my allergic foods and taking a particular amino acid Dr. Colbert mentions in this book, I have become much less sensitive to many foods. This is an excellent book for anyone who has ever taken antibotics and is now experiencing any of the many problems that go along with intestinal flora imbalance. For more information about the types of problems that are associated with candida albicans overgrowth, I suggest you also read Dr. William Crook's "The Yeast Connection".

I thought this book was VERY helpful. My sister-in-law was overweight and sick from candida and when she followed the plan in this book she lost a TON of weight and she feels better than ever. I recently found out that some of my health problems are from candida. This book has been helpful to me also. I especially love the scriptures and the prayers. They have helped me through a hard thing. I have also lost ALOT of weight from following this plan, but more than that, I feel awesome physically. Also, several people in our church have been following this book and are doing great! DR. COLBERT HAS JUST RECENTLY RELEASED A NEW BIBLE CURE BOOK FOR CANDIDA WITH RECIPES FOR THE CANDIDA DIET. I THINK IT MIGHT EVEN BE BETTER THAN THIS ONE.

If you think you might be dealing with candida or yeast, then this is the book for you! I highly recommend it. It has truly changed my life.

This book is very small, but has so much great info. I have so many books that I got rid of mine after I read it, but now I wish I would have kept it as a reference guide. A must read for any suffering from Candida.

My best friends wives have never been happier now that I have found this book by the remarkable Dr. Don Colbert. This author has graced us with such other wonderful books as the Bible's way to cure depression and has also educated the masses as to just what Jesus ate and how he cooked it. Jesus liked tabasco sauce by the way...at least he called for it in his recipies. At any rate, on to this book...I would have thought that the Biblicial way to cure such a pesky problem could have been gotten to faster than 96 pages, but apparently not. I'm just glad there's a Holy and Biblical answer to such a thing. And to think, all these vendors spend millions advertising all types of creams and insertive devices on televsion. I should like to think that if this book could reach more people, we could end those commercials and my dinner time could be interrupted by commercials for 4x4's, televisions and fried chicken rather than women speaking about burning and itching. Maybe someday, it will. Thank you Dr. Colbert, and thank you Jesus for showing the way to alleviate the problem of such yeasty devils.

As a mother of an 18 month old and a middle school teacher, I find myself in what Isaacs calls "overdrive" much of the time. I have often received the suggestion that I should "slow down" but without many practical suggestions of exactly how I can do this. I have gotten ideas from Isaacs about what to do today...and what I might strive for when I am ready to make bigger changes. I also really appreciate how she recognizes that the reason so many of us are in overdrive is because we have lots of things feel drawn to do, participate in, etc. and that making changes means letting go of some things that may seem very important to you. I have given this book to three of my friends since I think it is has such an important message.

Isaacs thoughtful, empowering, thorough overview on how to feel more balanced is a jewel. I rarely read a book cover to cover, this one, I did! I love how she addresses core issues we all face as we move through our 20s,30s, 40s and beyond. Her gentle guidance illuminates so many areas many of us are still "in the dark" about when it comes to enhancing emotional and physical well-being. Just reading her book made me feel like I was on my path to a more healthy, slower existence. Loved this book!

This is an excellent book full of surprising information that gives an overview on the current life situation of women in our society. The author has a wonderful way with words and writes beautifully so it's easy reading. Construcive ideas and practical suggestions are given to help anyone reduce their stress levels and care more lovingly for themselves. The author shares her own journey to finding balance in today's confusing array of alternative approaches to health. I enjoyed reading this book very much and highly recommend it.

I recently graduated college and started my career. With all of the adjustments and "so much to do, with so little time" i often forget to take a moment for myself. This book was so helpful in finding ways to do just that. I am so thankful that I found this book now, at the beginning of a potential life in overdrive, so that I can be aware and practice her techniques in order to stay out of overdrive in the future. Thanks, Nora, for writing such a wonderful book. I'll definitely be giving this book to the women in my life this Christmas!

With lots of personal stories that help you get to know Nora Isaacs, the author of Women in Overdrive, this book is an easy read that's packed full of understanding for the plight of our stressed-out lives in modern-day society. Not only does Isaacs remind us of the day-to-day circumstances that lead to the state she calls "overdrive", she helps us appreciate what is going on in our bodies biologically and gives us helpful suggestions to calm the crazy cycle. What I liked best is that she talks about the simple things you can do every day, not just the big things that seem overwhelming and impossible to start. If you want to read a thoughtful, entertaining and well-written book about how to make your life better, I recommend you pick up a copy like I did; the book has definitely made a difference in my life and I plan to get it for lots of women in my life who would appreciate it, too.

I too don't have time to write well thought out review. But I have recommended this book to so many people in exact (word exact should be bold, italicized and underlined) same words as reader who wrote above comments.

I don't have time to write a well-thought out review, but since there isn't any, I will provide one comment. Among other things, this book could be a primer for anyone who is married, is contemplating getting married or having doubts about continuing in a marriage. This is a valuable book.

If you care about your health, you must read this book. The HPV Vaccine Controversy: Sex, Cancer, God, and Politics. Shobha S. Krishnan, M.D. gives you practical, jargon-free information about one of the most widely spread sexually transmitted diseases--Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Krishnan reported that "Over 50 percent of sexually active men and women will acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives."

If that doesn't wake you up, try these facts: You can carry HPV and never show any symptoms; HPV could cause embarrassing warts on hand, feet, and/or the area around your anus and genitals; and HPV "could lead to precancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix, vulva, vagina, urethra, anus, penis, mouth, and throat." About 250,000 women die each year from cervical cancer. 99 percent of these cases originated with the HPV virus.

But rather than frighten the reader with facts and statistics, Krishnan uses a conversational tone that provides information to make decisions about having an annual gynecological exam, gives parents assistance in deciding whether or not to have their daughters immunized, and leaves the reader feeling confidently informed of the nature of this virus and how she can protect herself from its effects.

Krishnan includes charts, diagrams, and graphs to help the reader understand the points she makes. For example, in the chart, "Guidelines for the Management of Abnormal Pap Test Results," she defines and explains twelve possible results under the headings "What the report means." She explains the Pap test and how it can identify early stages of HPV and pre-cancer. She also cites research showing that among women who develop cervical cancer, "about 50 percent have never had a Pap test, and another 10 percent have not had a Pap test in the past five years." Because HPV sometimes clears up on its own and cervical cancer grows slowly, an annual Pap test helps doctors observe changes in the cervix and identify when these changes might be reason for concern.

Men also need to read this book. Krishnan shows how in different cultures, men's sexual behavior predicts the incidence of women's cervical cancer better than the women's sexual behavior. To protect women from contracting HPV from men who often have no symptoms, Krishnan wants the reader to make an informed decision about the HPV vaccine. When it is administered to girls between the ages of 9 and 14 who are not yet sexually active, five-year studies show good results. She emphasizes that it will take twenty to thirty years before definitive statements can be made about the vaccine, so those willing to be vaccinated now will be pioneers in this research.

Only 230 pages long, this book includes information on topics including sex, cancer, religious beliefs, politics, the emotional impact of the HPV diagnosis, and a case study of a woman in India whose experience provides a sobering reminder of important it is to take responsibility for ourselves. Krishnan also addresses the lack of testing and vaccinating in poorer countries and includes a glossary, references, notes, and a comprehensive index.

by Susan Andrus
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

This Book is excellent! It taught me many facts on STD's and on how to communicate effectivly with my gynecologist. After reading this book I went to my gynecologist and I realized that he was actually a terrible doctor who could not have cared less about my needs.

Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was a good friend of Charles Dickens. Dickens asked him to contribute a serial to the journal "All the Year Round" of which he was the editor. This all occurred in 1859. The result is one of the first of the so-called "sensational novels" so fetching to middle class Victorian readers.
The Woman in White takes gothic elements and entwines them into a mysterious web of intrigue set in a middle class typically English landscape of nineteenth century life.
The book is told using the multiple narration method. Most of its over 600 small print pages is told by the artist Walter Hartright. Walter is hired to teach drawing to two half-sisters at an estate in Cumberland. He falls in love with the blonde Laura Farlie while he becomes good friends with the plain sister Marian Halcombe. Laurie disappears one night and is placed in an insane asylum by her evil husband Lord Percival Glyde. The motive is to receive Laura's sizable inheritance. Glyde is assisted in his evil plot by Count Fosco an Italian aristocrat. Fosco is one of the most fascinating bad guys in English Literature. He is witty, well-educated, rotund and has several exotic pets such as white mice, a cockatoo and canaries. Laurie is kidnapped and replaces the mad Anne Hathrick in the asylum where she is eventually rescued by Walter. Walter weds Laura and Marion remains a spinster.
The plot is very complex featuring forged marriage records, abduction, duplicity and murder
Twos are important to Collins. There are two evil men in Fosco and Glyde; two good women in Marian and Laura and two estates-Limmeridge in Cumberland and the sinister Blackwater Park the residence of Percival Glyde.
The book also has many interesting minor characters presnting a realistic portrait of life in upper middle class British society. The plot will keep you guessing and the various narrators keep the reader alert. Not all the narrators tell the truth!
The dullest person in the book is Laura! Walter is, in my opinion, a ninny for not marrying the much brighter and more loving Marian Halcombe.
Collins style is similar to Dickens and his novel will give you many hours of reading pleasure.

The first 100 pages are the hardest to get through, but once Collins ushers his readers and protagonist alike into the isolated gloom of Limmeridge House it becomes plain why this is one of the most celebrated mysteries ever written. The lead couple is rather bland, in particular the heroine, but that weakness is more than compensated for by the presence of such memorable characters as the clever, resourceful Marian Halcombe and the insidious Count Fosco. The tale of greed, murder, madness, revenge and conspiracy that unfolds is well worthy of being considered one of the best and most influential gothic novels of all time.

I am so glad I read this book. What a treat! The names even fit the characters. It was a wonderful book and I now look forward to reading Moonstone.

Similar to Wilkie Collins other masterpiece, The Moonstone, various characters narrate sections of The Woman in White and the story is told as the characters look back on what has already happened. This method of building a mystery is fantastic because we, as readers, also become sleuths in the mystery that takes place. Collins ability to get into characters heads enhances the level of suspense, and gives it a sense that we are right there with them.

In The Woman in White, Walter Hartright decides to take a job as a drawing instructor at the Fairlie House, where Laura Fairlie, Miriam Holcombe, and Laura's uncle reside. Once there, Walter is enchanted with the beauty of Laura, but discovers that Laura's uncle has already arraigned a marriage between Laura and Sir Percival, a diabolical man whose interests lay mainly in greed and deception. While there, Walter has a few strange incidents, one of these being an encounter with a mysterious woman in white who appears to have run away from an asylum. Walter is a little distraught after this encounter, wondering why she appeared and what she could have wanted from him. Things get more extraordinary as this random encounter seems to propel Walter into the Fairlie family secrets, and a villainous scheme by Laura's husband Sir Percival and his accomplice, the equally ruthless Count Fosco. Walter finds himself right in the middle of Sir Percival's plan, which is to not only take the Fairlie fortune but "rid" himself of various individuals one way or another. Walter, with the aid of Laura and Miriam, tries to foil this plan.

Collins has an extraordinary method of creating plot, tying all loose ends, all the while having intricate and complex narratives and twists. Moreover, he is a suburb storyteller, and although some may not like his deeply detailed methods, I feel that these give credence to character and story depth. There is a dark Gothic kind of feel to The Woman in White; it is a perfect read for a cold, rainy, thundery night. Heroes, villains, deception, twists, turns, secrets revealed, and supernatural elements: The Woman in White is a page turner despite its daunting length.

For sheer mystery and excitement," The Woman in White ", was unmatched in the genre of 19th century literature. That is what one must keep in mind when reading this extraordinary novel. Written in 1860, nothing approaching it had ever been attempted, and if the New York Times best seller list had been in existence at the time, it would have topped the list for countless numbers of weeks. Like many authors of the period, the book was serialized, and it was followed voraciously by tens of thousands of readers. It continued to remain popular when published in book form. For those who relish an intricate plot, serendipitous chance coincidences filled with its share of villains, heroes, and fragile heroines in distress, along with a modicum of amateur detective work, then this is the novel that will entertain and satisfy those who are avid readers of the likes of Dickens, Conan Doyle, and Thackeray.

I have a feeling that those who did not approve of this book are not very familiar with medicine, especially in a public health aspect. Perhaps they only are familiar with the fictitious medical dramas as their basis for knowledge? In any event, Dr. Nagami had me from the very beginning, when she compared her waitressing job to being a doctor. It's very hard to not feel down to earth when she discusses her life (where she also has a special needs child) along with her professional life. They are lived concurrently, and she recalls all these stories with great detail. Truly, Dr. Nagami makes Malaria, Measles, pork worms and Chickenpox some of the nastiest (but most riveting) antagonists that you've read about in a while. The more interesting part is that this is a recollection of a real story. She is a great writer - I could barely put this book down. A must read, especially for the public healthers like me :)

This book was exactly what I had expected. Short stories describing real life incidents involving infectious or parasitic diseases affecting the human body. The author was successful in writing the book so the layman could easily understand the language. Because I had read many other books on these topics before, I wasn't as scared of some of the stories as I may have been. I did however have eye opening learning experiences with some of the stories - in particular the one on chickenpox. The author was also successful in bringing the humanity into these stories and the trials and tribulations of the medical staff that have to deal with these situations and try to solve them. An excellent quick introduction to some of the more devastating illnesses of humankind.

I immediately ordered Nagami's "Bitten" because I liked this book so much.

I read this book for my microbiology class. It was amazing. The case stories were so interesting, I didn't want to put the book down! 5 stars all the way :)

I bought this book based off the title, the reviews and my interest in parasites and infectious diseases. I currently am on the eleventh chapter (more than half way through the book) and I not only overall have enjoyed the book but I have also learned something from it. We all have our doctor visits and we get treated for whatever it is that ails us but, we never really think about what the doctor feels or what their life is like outside of the office they work in. We all can imagine how many hours they work and what not getting enough sleep could mean to a person. She tells in an honest way of her lack of knowledge in some areas which makes me respect her more as a person because we think of doctors as healers that they are supposed to have the answers. There will be times that things occur that they will not have an answer and even after concurring with other physicians a diagnosis still may be hard. This book gives insight to that. It connects you to the patient and the doctor instead of just the patient. I enjoyed that a lot. I learned from it and I will add it to my collection of books. I always had an interest in infectious diseases and parasites but never could stomach the idea of what studying it at a university entails. I read at home and learn that way. When someone asked what book I was reading, I said the title and they scrunched their nose up at it. You have to be open minded.

This is certainly a well-written book about rare infectious diseases and rare manifestations of ordinary diseases. The author exhibits great feeling for the critically ill patients she cares for, as well as their problems and social difficulties. But this is not a book remotely like the works of Paul deKruif, Deborah Hayden, Berton Rouche, and others. The author is NOT a journalist or an academic researcher. She is a front-line clinician, which leads her to bring a depth of personal feeling (and tragedy) to these stories that is quite lacking from most tales of medical triumphs and tragedies.

Unfortunately, medical science is moving much more rapidly than such feeling case histories (spanning a lifetime of service) can make it to the public (even the limited audience for this book). This means the cases are true to the historical state of medical technology and present occasional questions to an informed reader. To her credit, Ms. Nagami pulls no punches about the fact that many of her expiring patients die from iatrogenic effects of their treatment, rather than the original disease. Similarly, although she points out where historical errors were made in diagnosis and treatment, the less obvious mistakes which only became apparent in retrospect due to the continuing development of medical technology necessarily go unrecognized in her book. (If it remains in print for a long time it could be updated.) She also tells of a few obvious instances of inadequate or marginally competent medical care, but lets them pass without judgmental comment.

In short, this is a very unusual book. Few clinicians have enough time to write for a popular audience. She achieves her objective of making the reader aware of medical dangers they may not have thought of, but 2/3 or more of these dangers are consequential to medical treatment of the presenting condition, a subject which some might think deserved more inquiry. These moving tales are basically stories of a presenting condition, the horrors it produces, and the problems of treating the condition using methods that (necessarily) may prove as deadly as the original, especially if you contracted it in the ICU.

This book is excellent, easy to read and extremely informational. It covers a wide spectrum of connected illness to yeast overgrowth. Includes alot of helpful advice on treatment options.

This book has been a lifesaver for me! After 7 years of suffering from a myriad of symptoms, going from doctor to doctor, with no resolution to my problems, I finally got some relief after reading this book. Little did I know, all my symptoms were related to one root cause: systemic candidiasis. After doing some research on the internet, I was led to this book. I had seen several recommendations for it, and excellent reviews. This book will help you to confirm what is happening in your body, and give specific steps you can take to start treating yourself to feel better. I have been putting Dr. Crook's suggestions into practice for a little over a month now and I feel so much better! So far, I have only been able to use homeopathic remedies - no prescription drugs - and have noted a marked improvement in my general health and well-being. I highly recommend this book to anyone who suspects they have a systemic yeast infection.

I agree, to a point, with the reviewers who didn't find this book to have all the answers, BUT like another reviewer pointed out, this should be just one of the books in your library. I have suffered from candida for more than 20 years. If the reviewer who claimed that candida was invented by the author had suffered from it, then (s)he would know that it is very real and can be, for some people, debilitating. I suggest you check this book out of the library before you buy it. If you are well versed in this disease, then you might not want to buy it... but if you are just starting your research, you'll find a lot of answers in here.

The information in this book was very helpful in my search regarding this medical condition. I believe that it was more helpful than any other book I have reviewed regarding this topic thus far.

This book is packed with information on yeast overgrowth, symptons, rememdies, and meal plans. I found it very helpful in learning what yeast does to your body, how you develop candida, and how to stop the cycle.