health Books

"Food nourishes the body but flowers nourish the soul." ~ Ancient Proverb

Eva-Marie Lind presents an introduction to the world of aromatherapy which will be appreciated by anyone new to using essential oils. She explains the basics of using essential oils and then explores the history and properties of 19 essential oils. The classification of the essential oils explains how they are earthy, mossy or spicy. There is also a detailed look at characteristics like patchouli is dry or ylang ylang is heavy.

If you ever wondered about the price of rose oil you may be surprised to learn that it takes 2,000 rose petals to make one drop of essential oil. Eva-Marie Lind also helps to explain why some perfumes evaporate so quickly and others radiate from the skin throughout the day. She also gives reasons why you may prefer lemon oil from Italy and lavender from Provence, France. Throughout the book she gives recipes for facial massage oil, toner, room spray, shower gel, bath oil, bath salts and massage oil.

Some of the essential oils you may want on hand include: Eucalyptus, lemon, mandarin, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, chamomile, clary sage, geranium, lavender, cedarwood, jasmine, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver, ylang ylang, yuzu, linden blossom, lime, oakmoss, sweet orange, violet leaf, grapefruit, cardamom, patchouli, vanilla, sandalwood, ginger, geranium, champaca, neroli, rose attar, grapefruit, geranium, nutmeg, basil and marjoram.

One thing I disagreed with was the use of essential oils on wooden surfaces. I've used a variety of oils on wooden furniture and found that it not only enhanced the wood, it also removed some damage from heat.

If you love using essential oils you may want to try products by "LUSH." One of my favorite products is American Cream Conditioner by LUSH.

~The Rebecca Review

As a novice reader to any aromatherapy journal or book, I found this particular book very enlightening and easy to absorb. I would highly recommend this as a gift for those who have any interest in exploring aromatherapy.

I have a huge collection of aromatherapy and perfume books. This book has the most beautiful photographs and charming verse. It is poetic yet is very educational and useful. The descriptions of scent classifications and characteristics are very helpful. Aromatiques would make a wonderful gift.

Sensual is the key phrase here!Everything about this book is a visual delight. But let's not judge this book solely by its cover or gorgeous photograpy-let's get to the heart of the subject. Aromatherapy is a lot more than sniffing lavender oil and proclaiming yourself a practitioner. Eva is generous with information not only about the sensual beauty of the essences, but very importantly, about the dangers. Face it, these are potent chemicals, or they would not be so effective. Eva's thoroughness allows the uninitiated to dive into these heavenly scents with confidence and success.More experienced aromatherapists will appreciate the inspiring blend suggestions and the review of a few (how did that happen?)forgotten facts from aromatherapy school.

I am collector of aromatherapy and natural perfumery books, as well as a teacher of beginning natural perfumery. I highly recommend this book.
In fact I just recommended it to a class I taught a month ago, along with Mandy Aftels, Essence and Alchemy. One finds a bit of
misinformation in Aromatherapy books, especially about safety and
individual use of specific oils. Eva-Marie's book is very well
researched and not a provider of mis-information.Eva-Marie writes
eloquently, poetically, and refreshingly clearly about aromatherapy.
As a perfumer, I find her blends delicious to smell. I also like to buy books from known and respected members of the aromatherapy community and Eva-Marie is well respected. A romantic , aromatic journey. I highly recommend this book.

I've been having back pain in the morning for the last few months after some furniture moving. I stopped at Borders for a coffee and picked this up to read (ok, I'm shameless). After about an hour with the book, I developed a game plan for dealing with the backache which I learned is of a very common garden type. It might be too early to declare victory but I woke this morning with almost no pain after sleeping in the prescribed position with a heating pad and taking a few NSAIDS before bed.

I have family members that opted for surgery years ago and it ruined their lives - possibly even led to a death of a cousin from OD of narcotics. I wish that they had had this book to read. A lot has changed in medicine and it seems like the author has much more modern thinking than most of the medical profession that still seems bent on drugs and surgery first.

This book is laying on the floor next to my bed. Why? I do the exercises every morning, and refer to the chapter to make sure I don't miss any. I do most of the exercises on the floor, so that's where the book lives. It is a part of my life now.

I've suffered from low-grade back pain for years, and learned a lot from this book. I especially like the integrated mind-body approach, the solid, realistic information about the mechanics of the spine, and the practical advice for care and recovery.

I've spoken with a chiropractor and an MD about my back problems, and the advice they gave me is identical to the advice in this book -- and the book was far less expensive.

Unless you were injured, your back took years to get into its current condition, and it will take a while to improve. This book is a first-rate map of the road to recovery.

This books covers a lot of territory but I did not find it particularly helpful. It feels like it has a lot of filler material to get it to "book length", without focusing in on the most useful information. Also, it completely ignores the neck, apparently assuming that all problems are lower-back problems.

Save your money on Back Pain Remedies for Dummies or just check it out of the library and skim it; in my opinion it is not worth the space it takes up on my book shelf.

Overall, a very informative book, as everyone else says. My only reservation - be careful doing the exercises in the book. The author also has a warning about this - he says "at no point during your back exercise program, should you feel that you are straining...to the point of significantly increasing your pain."

I tried doing a lot of the exercises in the book, and it did add to my pain, so I then got a referral to a physical therapist, who then worked with me, showing me the 9 exercises that were best for me - using the big exercise ball. Those exercises (and perhaps the glucosamine that I take) have gotten me back to where I can again play badminton once a week, and no longer have the serious back pain I had before. (The book does mention, of course, the possibility of getting help from a physical therapist.) I'd recommend the book - just don't increase your pain by overdoing the exercises - as the author warns, in that chapter.

i love this book! its so easy to understand, and it really put my mind at ease on alot of pain issues.it covers so many topics that you dont usually read about, such as: the pros and cons of back surgery, who to seek help from, exercises, getting back to work and the feelings associated with it,etc. a definite must read!

I have ample reason to be concerned about my health largely because of four ex-wives and the crazyness currently going on in my house between my bulldog (Colonel) and my current wife's annoying tabby (Bobo!). It doesn't help that I'm a beerswilling carnivore and largely a lazy couchloaf. Also complicating matters is the undeniable fact that my brooding spouse is a horrible cook and routinely serves beef-oriented t.v. dinners or worse (greaseburgers from the local fast food joint).

That's where this handy tome comes in. One of the girls from the bar I've been seeing on the sly has been trying to get me to start incorporating more vegetables in our relationship (in addition to the meat) and suggested several books (not this one) to help me get started. While those books had some value, this book really told me what I needed to know about the nutritional values of various vegetarian diets and how to make up for the nutirtion I would be losing by giving up meat.

It's very informative, well-written, easy to understand, but somewhat short on recipes. As I've mentioned, Bessie isn't a very good cook--even when she has cook-by-numbers recipes (which basically means, even if this book had recipes it wouldn't be of much value to her) and that's too bad. Nevertheless, this is a very informative book and has surprisingly convinced me that it is possible to maintain nutrition while maintaining an all-vegie diet. Unfortunately, the recipes in this book (and those I found in several others) have failed to convince me that any of these vegie diets taste any better than the leaves and grass in my backyard.

As a result, I've scrapped the vegetarian route, started cooking for myself, stopped worrying about my health, and I'm staying away from the girls at the bar.

This is an excellent book. I decided to become vegetarian a few years ago both for health and ethical reasons and this one one of the first books I bought - its remained the one I turn to over and over again - especially when friends or relatives questions how healthy a vegetarian diet is and I need to educate them. Some of the most fascinating parts of this book talk about the history of the current meat-based diet and how the government pushed it and helped market meats of all sorts to get people to buy more (to help farmers out). Also though there is great info on how much protien a person actually needs and where you can get it from - its actually pretty easy to get all the protien you need over the course of a day. Since becoming vegetarian (really almost vegan except for the eggs I get from a lady down the street who really takes wonderful care of her chickens) I've never felt better. My husband has even voluntarily made the switch as well (spurred on by a few episodes of food poisoning at the local sandwich shop). Vegetarian is the way to go and this book will give you ALL the info you need to get rolling and keep others quiet when they criticize. Bon sante and Bon appetit!

This book is an excellent resource for beginning vegetarians who are dealing with a lot of new questions -- will this diet be adequate for me nutritionally? do I need to take supplements? what will I tell mom (hee hee)? This book tries to answer all the big questions, and does so quite admirably. It does have a few recipes at the back, which are not bad, but certainly, this is not a cookbook per se. For those looking for a ton of recipes instead of advice, I'd be more likely to recommend The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook (by Diana Shaw), a wonderful book full of tips, tricks, ingredients, glossaries, and 600 low fat recipes, many of which are adaptations of old favourites. Getting both these books would be an excellent beginning to any new vegetarian's bookshelf.

I thought this book was very thorough, yet easy to follow. Every recipe I've made has been very delicious. I was a vegetarian for 6 years before I became pregnant and began to eat meat for fear I wouldn't get enough protein my babe needed. I wish I had this book then, as the authors lay out precisely what you need for nourishment. My son and I now have a great reference so we can be healthy lacto-ovo vegetarians, and possibly convert my husband as well!

Easy to read and a good book to use as a jump-off point for more specific readings catering to your individual vegetarian interests.

Both the photographs and the personal essays which comprise this collection are inspiring and thought-provoking. For any woman who has ever had a body image issue, however short-lived (Is there a woman out there who hasn't suffered from one or more of these at some point in her life?), The Century Project offers an opportunity for healing from the wound of The Gaze, an approach to female nudity that objectifies women. A great gift for every woman you know! An education for any men in your life! Kudos to Frank Cordelle.

This is an incredibly powerful book I wish everyone could own. My 15 year old daughter and I read it together and it the experience was unforgettable! The photographs paired with the real, raw stories of these girls, young women and women opened up a dialog between my daughter and I that could not have happened in any other setting. This book looks at bodies and the lives behind them with a sense of dignity and truth that you rarely find.
Some images and stories may be disturbing and/or inappropriate for younger children, but for me this book was a powerful way to see body image in a healthy light for me and my daughter.

This is not the kind of book with pictures of naked women that most men get interested in. This volume is not about sex, though it clearly deals with sexuality. Frank Cordelle's photos of naked women, at various ages and stages of life, serves as a kind of anti-porn - showing women for who they really are, as opposed to who society thinks they should be. There are some tragic stories and some wonderful stories in this book. It serves as a good reminder of who humanity was created to be. Those who struggle with body image will find this book a healing balm. Those who champion the innocence of simple, non-sexual nudity will find a friend in Frank Cordelle.

This is one of the most powerful and subversive commentaries on the objectification of women in our culture that I've ever encountered. What's even more remarkable is that its power comes not from the eloquence, but from the silence of its creator - Cordelle steps back both verbally and graphically and lets the women and their images speak for themselves.

It's hard to call this a book, as it is an experience of a lifetime.
If everyone would openly talk, violence would be drastically reduced. I am sorry to the brave women in this book who were harmed by someone's violence. The wowen are a testimony to courage. Frank's courage, as well, for following his heart and soul. As, art it is a monumental master peice. A must experience for all those who have suffered from hiding, secrets, and sexual violation.

This book is very well-written and informative. I learned so much about acne and found a few things to try on myself. After multiple trips to beauticians and dermatologists, I found a regimen that had me looking much better in a couple of weeks! I'm impressed and have shared the book with my three sisters. I wish she would have covered the role of acne in pregnancy and nursing more thoroughly; that would have been an improvement. Also, it is a little outdated on the products available, but as soon as the book was printed it was outdated, so that didn't affect the review. I feel this book is well worth the price.

I LOVED this book. Lydia uses tons of references and provides the reader with varying opinions on acne. She readily admits that there isn't one universal cure for acne and her research is extensive. I recommend this book to all of my clients who suffer from acne. There is a comprehensive bibliography as well where you can find books with more in-depth information.

This book is a no-nonsense, common-sense approach to learning about which kind of acne you have, and then finding the most effective treatment options for YOU. The author wades through all the marketing hype and consults hundreds of doctors and dermatologists to give you accurate, unbiased information about a variety of OTC/prescription products and virtually all treatment options currently available. She describes the common level of effectiveness for each product and tells you how to use it correctly (you may be surprised!).

One of the best things about this book is that the author understands what you're going through: to get rid of her own adult acne, she went to several different dermatologists and ended up taking Accutane. She knows your frustration, embarrassment, and despair; her tone is one of empathy.

The information I learned from this book has made a huge difference in my complexion. After 12 years of moderate acne and having tried the gamut of OTC/prescription treatments to no avail, my skin has now been consistently clear for six months, ever since I started one of the treatment plans recommended in this book. Sometimes I can hardly believe it myself when I look in the mirror.

Before reading this book, I had never thought of using more than one product, and -- this is key -- using them in the right concentrations at different times of the day. If you're curious, I use Ecco Bella's Leave-on Invisible Exfoliant & Blemish Remedy (low-pH 2% salicylic acid) each morning, and Earth Therapeutics' Clari-T Acne Serum º5 (5% benzoyl peroxide) at night.

Good luck, Reader! Don't be embarrassed to check out this book from your local library (or buy it here on Amazon) -- your skin and your self-esteem are worth it.

**Update, Nov. 17, 2008: My skin has been clear for 10 months! I was in a LUSH store a few weeks ago, and the sales associate was telling me about one of their facial masks and said, "Oh, but this one's for people with acne, and you obviously have clear skin..." And I looked at her, shocked, and responded, "No, I really DO need that mask! I use zit medicine every day!" It just goes to show you that 1) the treatments in this book work, and 2) you are your own harshest critic.

After finding myself trying several OTC programs which didn't work, I stumbled across this book. I had no idea that I had been using BP all wrong! FYI, BP is not a spot treatment for pimples with white showing. I also had no idea that salicylic acid products had to be of a pH between 3 and 4 to be most effective. I wish the author would have tested more salicylic acid products for the appropriate pH. Only a couple of the ones she tested had the requisite pH. I would have much rather had a large list of products with the recommended pH than a large list of products without it. Also, I agree with a previous reviewer that pictures would be most helpful, especially in describing the formation of acne and what the different kinds of acne look like. Overall, I found that this book is a good introduction to the world of acne, but definitely not a place to stop learning.

Do you believe that if a product dries out your face, your skin will overcompensate by producing more oil? Do you think a special scrub can unplug your pores and help free you from blackheads? Or maybe you cherish the belief that you can sweat your pores clean of acne-causing dirt or toxins through vigorous exercise or steam treatments? If so, you need to read this book.

I have never realized how poorly I understood acne, and I am amazed how many myths I let myself absorb from "informative" commercials and advice given by well-intentioned editors of numerous women's magazines. I am immensely grateful to the author for teaching me what acne is - really and exactly - and for doing so in an accessible and friendly manner. Just the chapter "Understanding Acne" alone is worth the money I spent on this book, because it's hard to fight the condition without understanding it, and because it simply feels good to know for once what is going on with my skin.

This book has helped me in my treatment choices. I love the lay out and the real world information. Not scary just the facts no hearts and flowers. I have only just begun my battle with breast cancer. But this book lives in my bag that goes with me every where, doctor visits and just out to lunch. I find myself reaching for it to clarify info from doctors and to help friend and family to understand my treatment and options.
This is a must read for breast cancer families.

When I was diagnosed in 2005, I was absolutely overwhelmed with fear, information, and decisions. This book is the only one I found that made sense to me. It is clear, concise, and very encouraging. Dr. Link's approach is from a place of genuine respect and regard, and he knows exactly what survivors need to know right away. Reading this book really helped me make the best treatment decisions for myself, with the best information available. The book teaches survivors (who for the most part are not medical professionals, but will unfortunately have to get to that level pretty quickly) how to read pathology reports, and helps you formulate the questions you need to have answered to make your choices. I recommend it to everyone I know who is newly diagnosed.

Very good basic guide for one suffering from breast cancer, one problem was that it was 8 years outdated. Would have been better had it been updated, new treatments are always being discovered. It was a good overview, though.

A book for those who are newly diagnosed with cancer. The book describes in detail the different stages of breast cancer. It also discusses how individuals should see doctors for a second opinion. Another great part about the book is the differences in opinion about how to manage breast cancer, and the different paths to take.

I bought this book when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. The first advice it gives was a breath of fresh air in the middle of a maelstrom. It simply said "you have time." It also gives great advice on second opinions. Besides this first advice the book is filled with general information written in easy to understand english. Some of the info applies some of it doesn't, everyones cancer is different. I greatly recomend this book to all those of us faced with this challenge. It provides you with the information doctors usually don't take the time to give you. A must read before your next doctors visit. One caveat: if you are looking for a feel good read this is not it... this is a serious book of medical information.

I wanted to learn more about QiGong and found that Lily Carnie was a great guide on this subject. She's knowledgeable, enthuasiastic, and has written a book filled with examples that are not only entertaining to read but help me understand the subject better. For me I can't ask more of a book. Good show Ms. Carnie, keep up the good work.

I've really been enjoying this book and feel that its non-traditional approach is helping me to get a better understanding of what Chi Gung is all about. I also like how the author, Lily of the Valley Carnie, writes as if she is talking directly to me and sharing the experiences she's had in her 30+ year practice of Chi Gung.

She begins by covering the basic concepts of Chi Gung like the ways that Chi flows through the body and the different breathing methods you can use to generate Chi. I found her discussion on the differences between Wai Dan training which uses movement to generate Chi and Nei Dan training which develops Chi through mental focus and awareness to be very helpful to me.

The rest of the book deals with ways you can include Chi Gung in various activities and to me it felt like one big Chi play chest. You can find topics like improving your sense of smell, or working with a Tai Chi ball or increasing your awareness of the movements you make while drawing a picture.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who'd like to learn more about Chi Gung from a truly engaging teacher.

"Who wants to be a Superhero" was broadcast recently on the Sci-Fi channel and got me thinking about Superheroes and their powers. Feedback, the winning character, had the ability to absorb the powers and abilities of the video games he plays which reminded me of the part in Lily Carnie's book where she talks about using video games to enhance your Chi Gung skills. In re-reading her book, I was struck by the way the practice of Chi Gung folds into the training and abilities that have long been associated with the Superhero.

The entire second part of her book is devoted to the various ways you can train in Chi Gung. When she talked about increasing healing speed, taking snow baths, tracking animals and training in high altitude locations it reminded me of the Marvel Superhero Wolverine and the way he often retreats into the Canadian wilderness. Captain America embodies her discussion on Self Confidence and Positive Thinking. When she talked about projecting and absorbing Chi, I thought of various X-Men like Cyclops projecting Chi from his eyes or Gambit charging items with Chi to make them explosive or Rogue who can absorb the Chi from another person gaining their memories and skills.

Ms Carnie's entire section on sensory training and the ways you can enhance your sense of touch, smell, hearing and taste is exactly how Daredevil operates on a daily basis. The way she talks about using intuition to guide and direct ones actions and understanding of a situation is exactly like Spiderman's Spider-Sense.

Despite their enhanced abilities, many Superheroes like Daredevil, Captain America, or the X-men, are dedicated to training to master their abilities and utilize them to the fullest. Each day, regardless of the battles won, they return to their gym, headquarters or Danger Room to continue their training. Captain America was shown teaching Chi Gung to Spiderman in the first issue of the comic "Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman" to help him focus his Chi and accomplish things he never thought he could do before. This parallels Lily Carnie's own approach to Chi Gung training as something that can always be refined, enhanced and taken to the next level.

Her book is a valuable training manual for cultivating your Chi Gung skills. With imagination, dedication, and focus, even you can become a real Superhero.

I have been amazed at the discordance of the reviews posted here. I've noticed that those who like Lily of the Valley Carnie's book write reviews in which they talk about the applications of the book's ideas, exercises or activities in their lives and the positive effect it's had. They enjoy its genuine and flexible approach to Chi Gung.

Those who write disapproving reviews also follow a basic pattern. They note that Ms Carnie's presentation of Chi Gung isn't like the way they've experienced Chi Gung from books by other authors and they don't seem to understand the depth of her presentation of the material.

I really enjoy Lily of the Valley's book because in it she captures the most important lesson of any Martial Art or Chi Gung practice, namely that the point of training is to move beyond the practice and be able apply it to all parts of your life. The way Ms Carnie invites and guides you to explore Chi Gung in a hundred different applications is the goal of anyone who seeks to be a Master. A simple approach that can lead to great understanding.

So I find it interesting that the open, flexible and eclectic approach that bothers some reviewers is actually its greatest strength and I highly encourage you to read her book and experience it for yourself.

I find this book to be superb. I am particularly attacted to its flexibility, which fits in with the fact that the form of Chi Gung which Ms. Carnie practices is "The Flowing".
Lily Carnie is a skilled teacher unlike many who know *how* to do something but don't know how to pass on that ability. The Olympic coach Laurence E.Morehouse found that an extremely ineffective way to teach someone how to use their body is to tell them what to do with the various parts of their body. What works is to give them an IMAGE to hold in their mind. Ms. Carnie in her section on breathing, "... the most important skill you will learn in practicing this ancient art.", shows her awareness of this principle: "Imagine you are inhaling a delicate silk thread and if you breathe too harshly, quickly, or spasmodically, it will break."
What motivated me to write this review was the "Astonishing bad" review of Kenneth Robinson. I found his review "helpful" in recommending anything on Chi Gung by Lam Kam Chuen or B. K. Frantzis. I have to assume that, in sharp contrast to the flexibility of Lily Carnie, their works would exhibit the rigidity so dramatically displayed by Mr. Robinson.
But to return to "Life as it Should be" as we say in Maine, L.V.Carnie's "Chi Gung" will broaden the vistas of your life.

There are many things I love about this book.

1) the illustrations for each move are very nice.

2) the descriptions of the exercises and extensive and detailed.

3) it is the ONLY pilates book I've ever seen which contains all of the reformer on the mat exercises. These are super advanced and rarely featured in books/pilates dvds. (the full reformer on the mat routine is featured on the Classical Pilates Magic Circle DVD... also, Anna Caban's "Core Challenge" does use some of the more basic reformer on the mat exercises). This fact alone makes this book worth having.

As far as the "for men", I'm not sure how true this is... I think the book will probably appeal more to men due to its aesthetic (it's generally "manly" in its color... also, the illustrations are all men). This is probably of some value considering that most pilates books are definitely aimed more towards women. Substantively speaking, the "for men" part of the exercise descriptions can be summed up as follows: "men are less flexible than women". Each exercise mentions special considerations for men, but they are both very general and become repetitive after a while.

Although the "for men" of this pilates book seems to be more a matter of packaging than substance, the book contains excellent descriptions of each exercise and is worth owning for the reformer on the mat exercises alone!

I agree with the reviewer that said that this book could have just as easily been written for women as well as men. I have several books on Pilates, but this one emphasizes strength development more than the others, while not at all downplaying the flexibility aspect. For instance, I had not seen the pushup in any of the other books I have on Pilates. For the number of pages, and exercises contained in this book, it is a great bargain!

This is an excellant guide to pilates with clear illustrations and directions that help show pilates moves.

My wife does pilates and she looks at this book also from time to time, so women can also use this.

So worth the money. The cover and layout of the book are attractive, and the content does not disappoint. The language is clear and intensely helpful, and the sketches of the movements, which actually depict every essential step of each exercise, are some of the most useful I've encountered in books like this. The author really gives you everything you need to progress on your own, at your own pace, and finding new depths to each movement as you go. My body has never looked better. If your kinesthetic sense is such that you can learn well from a book, and you have an interest in Pilates, you should own this.

I've been practicing and teaching Pilates for years, and although I continue to be challenged by the original mat exercises, there are times that my students crave different exercises. I, too, have been increasingly curious about the Reformer on the Mat exercises, and though I've seen bits and pieces in other workouts, I haven't seen one that offers them in a cohesive system. This one does, showing not only the sequence the exercises should be performed in but also the different levels for each exercise (although most of them are quite challenging).

I do still have to shake my head and laugh at the need to market the system for men- anyone who has ever tried the Pilates pushups, Side Bends or Leg Pull Ups should already know that classical Pilates demands- and builds- upper body strength. However, in the text where Lyons notes that some of these exercises are exclusively for men- or individuals with significant upper body strength- I mostly agree. I happily cede the very tricky Headstand variations to male practitioners and instructors, although I will note that they are very similar to a number of movements from the Ashtanga Primary Series.

This is an excellent resource for male or female practitioners and instructors, and if it finally gets people to realize that Pilates is a real workout and not just a souped up abs and stretch routine, so much the better.

Trust me, if you are looking for a book that kids (and adults) will love, one that has humor, wit and great characters, you can NEVER, EVER go wrong with Dav Pilkey. I laugh out loud every time!

My kids love the Captain Underpants collection so I thought I would try some of Dav Pilkey's other books. Both Dog Breath and Halloweiner are excellent books as well. My 8 yr old loved both books. Very funny book. I recommend it highly.

This is the story of Hally Tosis, a dog who has such bad breath that her owners can find nothing to cure it. They figure they'll have to give her away. But one night Hally captures two men robbing her owners home-stuns them with her breath.

She's a sweetheart of a dog in a sweetheart of a tale. My boys just love this one. It makes all of us laugh every time we read it together!

Hally is a dog with bad breath. It is extremely bad breath. So bad the family feels they need to get rid of him. However, when his horrific breath saves the family from danger, the dog gets to stay and is a hero.

This is a cute story, and the play on words with Hally Tosis is funny. My son likes this story, but it doesn't engage him in the way that some of the other Dav Pilkey books do. The writing just isn't as funny as it is in Dogzilla and Kat Kong. However, the illustrations are very funny, and we like to talk about all of the different reactions to Hally's doggy breath. In fact, the illustrations entertain my son more than the story.

I really like this book. The recipes are yummy and for the most part simple. I also like that they have the nutritional information, meal suggestions, time saving tips, etc. If you are pregnant or just want a good cookbook, I would definitely recommend this book.

This is a great cookbook. I especially love their breakfast recipes - the whole wheat pecan waffles are to die for. The recipes are honestly family friendly, and many of them use ingredients that most people have on hand. I think the only thing I had to buy specifically for the first 4 recipes I tried was plain yogurt. I had everything else on hand already. That never happens!

The book lists some nutrition info for each recipe, but not a whole lot. It tells you which vitamins the prepared food provides for your baby and why they're important, but you really don't have to be pregnant to enjoy the food presented. The only thing I wish it had was a better table of contents. Recipes can be difficult to find within the book.

This pregnancy book is fabulous. It's packed full of practical information and tips for coping. The shopping lists are great and the recipes are so tasty, you forget they are healthy too. The author has obviously done her research. My family love the grilled flank steak with salsa verde.
I highly recommend this book. If you know someone who wants to do everything they can to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, it's the perfect gift.

THE BEST OF THE PREGNANCY COOKBOOKS plus excellent, easy-to-use nutrition information. This book has been on my shelf for years and I still cook from it, years after my last kid was born. My family loves the best-ever American meatloaf, crab cakes with red bell pepper sauce, apple-blueberry granola crisp, pumpkin bread, and the list goes on and on. . . Every recipe is healthy and delicious. It's the only pregnancy book that I kept, and I give copies of it to all my pregnant friends and relatives.

This is a nice cookbook, but not much more. It does include some nutritional information in the introduction, but the information is VERY basic and not so up-to-date. If you are looking for a decent cookbook, then this book maybe right for you. If you are looking for more of a nutritional guide to pregnancy, then look elsewhere.