Book List

Reading is such a gift. I love to read. Here is a listing of books that I've enjoyed and found to be useful. My tastes are eclectic, ranging from books about weight training to British murder mysteries. Please email me if you have a book to suggest.  Click on the following headings and go directly to each list: Weight Training, Reiki, Yoga, Cookbooks, Home and Garden, Men's Issues, Mysteries, Spirituality, Special Interest.   You can also search Amazon.com's 2.5-Million-Title Catalog from this page.

I'm always adding to this list so check back often. 

Living in Alaska has it advantages, however, sometimes I'd hear about a book I wanted to read but had to wait weeks (often months) until my local bookstore ordered the book and shipped it from the lower 48.

Then I found Amazon.com - one of the best sources for books on the Internet or any where. I have used them often with no hassle. Amazon.com ships the books I've ordered quickly. The few times there's been a delay in shipping, they've notified me immediately and offered to cancel the order. I've even been able to find books that my local bookstore tells me are out of print and unattainable. I highly recommend Amazon.com.

You can order each of the books listed below directly from Amazon.com - clicking on the book's title will take you to Amazon.com's web site and their catalog. They'll be responsible for all customer service, including payment processing, ordering, shipping order status and even returns of any kind. Please direct any questions about orders, etc., to their home page at http://www.amazon.com.

Weight Training

Lee Haney's Ultimate Bodybuilding (ISBN: 0312093225) by Lee Haney, Jim Rosenthal.  Lee Haney is the only man to win eight Mr. Olympia titles.  His book presents the training program and mental preparation that helped Haney dominate the Mr. Olympia competition.  

The Ultimate Lean Routine : 12-Week Cross Training & Fat Loss Program (ASIN: 1565302036) by Greg Isaacs.  As creator and director of Warner Bros. Fitness Center, Greg Isaacs has trained and motivated some of Hollywood's biggest stars and the nation's top athletes.   Isaacs details his 12-week cross-training and eating program, and explains that only cross-training and proper eating can create a person with low bodyfat, toned muscles, endurance and flexibility.  Includes logbook, worksheets and fitness evaluation section.

High-Performance Bodybuilding (ISBN: 0399517715) by John Parrillo, Maggie Greenwood-Robinson.   Here is a revolutionary new program from exercise and nutrition guru John Parrillo offering the first high-calorie food plan for losing fat. Featured case studies focus on bodybuilders who have lost significant amounts of body fat while eating between 2,000 and 10,000 calories a day by improving metabolism. 150 photographs.

John Parrillo's 50 Workout Secrets (ISBN: 0399518622) by John Parrillo, Maggie Greenwood-Robinson.   The newest book from the man who "knows more about maximizing muscle growth and losing body fat than anyone else in the world," (quote from Greg Zulak, MuscleMag International). Here, Parrillo gives bodybuilders his fifty best-kept secrets for improved training techniques and fat-burning strategies--showing how minor adjustments to workouts can make a real impact on results. Photos.

Beyond Built : Bob Paris' Guide to Achieving the Ultimate Look (ISBN: 0446391468) by Bob Paris. A unique bodybuilding guide that stresses not only muscular development, but the overall look as well. Over 150 photos.

Flawless : The Ten-Week, Total-Image Method for Transforming Your Physique (ISBN: 0446394068) by Bob Paris. A step-by-step method to accelerate the bodyshaping process, attain a total image, motivate the mind, customize one's diet, feel great, and keep the results. 150 photos.

Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding (ISBN: 0671633813) by Arnold Schwarzenegger & Bill Dobbins. The ultimate book on bodybuilding by one of the most popular bodybuilders of all time; covers diet, training, and a history of the sport. Over 850 photographs.

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Reiki

Reiki for First Aid:  Reiki Treatment As Accompanying Therapy for over 40 Illnesses With a Supplement on Nutrition (ISBN: 0914955268) by Walter Lubeck.  Reiki treatment as accompanying therapy for over 40 illnesses, with a supplement on nutrition. Approximately 50 line drawings accompany the text.

The Lost Steps of Reiki: The Channeled Teachings of Wei Chi (ISBN: 1890405027) by Kevin Ross, Rev. Emery, Thomas A., Rev. Hensel, Anne Caldwell.  This book contains the channeled words of Wei Chi, a 5000 year old Tibetan monk and one of the original creators of the healing system which we, today, call Reiki.

Reiki Fire : New Information About the Origin of the Reiki Power a Complete Method (ISBN: 0914955500) by Arjava Petter, Frank Arjava Petter. 

Abundance Through Reiki : Universal Life Force Energy As Expression of the Truth That You Are. the 42 Day Program to Absolute Fulfillment (ISBN: 091495525X) by Paula Horan. Amazon.com says that this title is currently on back order. They do not have a reprint date for this title, but they expect to be able to ship it to you within 3-5 weeks (I got my copy in about 7 days). A book that goes right to the core of your abundance issues. A timeless jewel, full of insights for the Golden Age Now; presented in detail in the form of two very different finely tuned 21-day abundance plans, taking you on an exploration of some of your belief patterns, which keep you from experiencing all the desire in your life.

Reiki the Healing Touch : First and Second Degree Manual (ISBN: 0963156705) by William L. Rand. Mr. Rand wrote this book first as a workbook for his Reiki classes. It has excellent illustrations and is written with clarity and vitality; in addition the book contains valuable information on the history of Reiki. This book is used by many Reiki masters as their class workbook.

Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art (ISBN: 0895947366) by Diane Stein. Some Reiki practitioners have hailed this book and others have condemned it.

Reiki Energy Medicine: Bringing the Healing Touch into Home, Hospital and Hospice (ISBN: 0892816333) by Libby Barnett, Maggie Chambers, Susan Davidson. The authors explain how this ancient art of touch therapy can work within our mainstream health care system.

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Yoga

The American Yoga Association Beginner's Manual (ISBN: 0671619357) by Alice Christensen. This excellent guidebook boasts a clear, safe, and thorough introduction to yoga, from the organization that sets the standard for yoga instruction in this country. 323 photographs.

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Cookbooks

Barbara Kafka's Microwave Gourmet Healthstyle (ISBN: 0811809773) by Barbara Kafka. The Microwave Gourmet demonstrates the extraordinary versatility of the microwave with 150 easy-to-follow, nutritious recipes. Ranging from soups, salads, and vegetables to fish, poultry, and meat dishes, these quick-and-easy recipes make gourmet cooking a snap. Slipcase. Wire-O binding. 2-color illustrations throughout.

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Mysteries

A Pinch of Snuff (ISBN: 0440169127) by Reginald Hill. Two policemen in an unnamed city in Northern England, Detectives Dalziel (pronounced "Dee-al" in the TV version) and Pascoe. Both get to show off their strengths and shortcomings in this wonderfully macabre second book in the series; Dalziel's brawn and instinct meets Pascoe's intellect as the two investigate pornographic "snuff" films in which the actors really wind up dead.

Exit Lines (ISBN: 0451161661) by Reginald Hill. Three elderly men die violently on the same rainy night--and the only clues they leave behind are their final words. These words may help explain their sudden deaths, but do they point to the real murderer?

Pictures of Perfection (ISBN: 0440218004) by Reginald Hill. Dalziel and Pascoe, back on the duty roster, as they find themselves in the pretty village of Enscombe, trying to locate a missing policeman.

The Wood Beyond (ISBN: 0440218039) by Reginald Hill. Dalziel and Pascoe's latest outing is one of the best in the series, with Pascoe digging up some old bones and family secrets from his own past.

Asking for the Moon : Four Dalziel and Pascoe Adventures (ISBN: 0881503827) by Reginald Hill.   The lead story is by far the best, as a wet-behind-the-ears Pascoe reports to the Mid-Yorkshire constabulary and watches the dazzlingly bombastic Dalziel outwit a vicious prison escapee. The second story is a witty takeoff on Agatha Christie, with the now mature Pascoe interviewing suspects in the library to find out who killed the lady of the manor. "Dalziel's Ghost" takes the two detectives to a remote country estate to exorcise the resident ghost, while the final story is an intriguing but somewhat hokey piece of futuristic folderol set on the moon.

A Morbid Taste for Bones (ISBN: 0446400157) by Ellis Peters. The ambitious head of Shrewsbury Abbey wants to acquire Saint Winifred's sacred remains for his Benedictine order. And when the ensuing controversy leads to murder, Brother Cadfael investigates.

Hard Frost (ISBN: 0553571702) by R. D. Wingfield.  Conned into looking after another inspector's cases for a night, Jack Frost finds himself dealing with a missing child, a corpse in the woods, one man's horrific loss, and a kidnapped schoolgirl. But Frost's real problems may lie with two colleagues--a disgruntled detective-sargeant and a co-worker who shares a past with Frost.

A Touch of Frost (ISBN: 0553571699) by R. D. Wingfield.  The sleepy English town of Denton has never known a crime wave like this--a robbery at a notorious strip joint, a hit-and-run whose chief suspect is the pampered son of a local MP, the kidnapping of a wealthy businessman's daughter and a series of violent rapes. Detective Jack Frost strives to solve his caseload with typical aplomb.

Night Frost (ISBN: 0553571672) by R. D. Wingfield.  While the local police succumb to a flu epidemic and the unsolved crimes pile up, a tired and demoralized Jack Frost tries to cope with inadequate backup as he tackles a spate of vicious killings.  Contending with a suspicious suicide, burglaries, pornographic videos, poison pen letters and his comander looking over his shoulder, Frost has to cut corners and take risks.

Safe House (ISBN: 0375400842) by Andrew H. Vachss.  Like other Vachss novels, Safe House embraces the dirty, grim life of the ex-con for hire. The most compelling aspect of Safe House is Vachss's no-holds-barred writing style. He spares nobody's feeling and minces no words in this rough, gritty and often painfully raw crime story.

Snow Falling on Cedars (ISBN: 067976402X ) by David Guterson.  A great story, but the primary pleasure of the book is Guterson's renderings of the people and the place.  This is the kind of book where you can smell and hear and see the fictional world the writer has created, so palpably does the atmosphere come through. Set on an island in the straits north of Puget Sound, in Washington, where everyone is either a fisherman or a berry farmer, the story is nominally about a murder trial.

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Spirituality

Bringers of the Dawn : Teachings from the Pleiadians (ISBN: 093968098X) by Barbara Marciniak. This book provides insight to those that are awakening to a new spiritual reality.

Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life  (ISBN: 0060922249) by Thomas Moore. Considered to be one of the best primers for soul work ever written, Moore's best-selling book presents a new way of thinking about daily life--the everyday activities, events, problems, and creative opportunities--proposing a therapeutic lifestyle that focuses on looking more deeply into emotional problems and sensing sacredness in ordinary things.

Hathor Material (ISBN: 0937147109) by Canyon Essene. Availability: Amazon.com says that this title is now available.

Family of Light : Pleiadian Tales and Lessons in Living (ISBN: 1879181479) by Barbara Marciniak.  

Divine Revelation (ISBN: 0684801620) by Susan G. Shumsky.  Selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club (One Spirit division) is a spiritual self-help book about learning how to listen to and trust the "still small voice" within.

It's Easier Than You Think : The Buddhist Way to Happiness (ISBN: 0062512943) by Sylvia Boorstein.   Review by the San Francisco Chronicle: "This is without a doubt the most accessible and down-to-earth introduction to the basic tenets of Buddhism available.   It is a delight to read."

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Special Interest

8.6 The Great Alaska Earthquake March 27, 1964. (ISBN: 092952196X) by Stan Cohen.  A hard to find book.  With pictures and text describing the picture of devastation throughout many parts of Alaska following the Good Friday earthquake and seismic waves that came in its wake.

Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (ISBN: 0761511571) by Michael T. Murray, Joseph E. Pizzorno.   This is the essential guide to alternative medicine-authoritative, balanced, comprehensive, and easy to use.  It combines a lucid explanation of the solid science behind natural wellness with remedies for 100 common health problems.

Sleeping Where I Fall : A Chronicle (ISBN: 1887178678) by Peter Coyote.  The complexity of human psychology can undermine the sweet purity of political and social ideas ... the eloquent record of Peter Coyote's personal journey through a fascinating period in American history. Beyond his personal story, Coyote documents that time and its participants as few others have.

Black and Blue : A Novel (ISBN: 0375500510) by Anna Quindlen.  This portrait of a battered woman is intimate and illuminating and, as is true of most anything Quindlen writes, well worth the read.

Paris in the Fifties (ISBN: 0812927818) by Stanley Karnow.  An enchanting portrait of 1950's Paris--of jazz, film noir, politics, red wine, Sartre--enjoyed by a young Time magazine reporter Stanley Karnow. Like a French chef subtly combining rich and diverse ingredients, Karnow mixes personal memoir with insightful reportage, and celebrity snapshots with moving accounts of day-to-day life in postwar Paris.  And the text is charmingly enhanced by the illustrations of Karnow's wife, Annette, a former foreign service officer in France and now a painter.

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Men's Issues

Understanding Men's Passages : Discovering the New Map of Men's Lives (ISBN: 0679452737) by Gail Sheehy.  This is a powerful book certain to change the landscape of the psychology of men. Inspired by her husband's struggle with a midlife career crisis, Sheehy has compiled nearly 10 years worth of interviews and research into this book, revealing the fears and self-doubts of men over 40 who struggle with identity crises both at work and with their partners and children.

The Multi-Orgasmic Man : Sexual Secrets Every Man Should Know (ISBN: 0062513362) by Mantak Chia & Douglas Abrams Arava. Simple physical and psychological techniques are revealed that allow men to fulfill their dreams and women's fantasies. "This book is the best available for teaching men to have multiple orgasms" (San Francisco Chronicle). 35 line drawings.

The Tao of Sexology : The Book of Infinite Wisdom (ISBN: 0942196031) by Dr. Stephen Thomas Chang.   A wealth of Taoist philosophy and technique, highly technical manual explains the application of yin and yang to sacred sexual technique, and offers numerous exercises for increasing and maintaining both general and sexual health. 

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Home and Garden

Good Things:   The Best of Marth Stewart Living (ISBN: 0517886901) by Martha Stewart.   Culled from the best of the "Good Things" columns in Martha Stewart's Living Magazine, this book offers a varied selection of wonderful crafts, projects, recipes, hints for home decorating, organizing, and gift-giving.  200 color photos.

How to Decorate:   The Best of Martha Stewart Living (ISBN: 0517887800) by Martha Stewart.   The book is organized in a fresh and sensible way, looking at how the rooms are actually used, not at what they are called.  Step-by-step instructions for each project are included, plus an extensive resource section.  200 color illustrations.

Decorating Details : Projects and Ideas for a More Comfortable More Beautiful Home : The Best of Martha Stewart Living (ISBN: 0609802585) by Martha Stewart, the Editors of Martha Stewart Living.  

Martha Stewart's Gardening : Month by Month (ISBN: 0517574136) by Martha Stewart, Elizabeth Zeschin (Photographer).  Having helped her readers to enjoy to the fullest their kitchens, homes and friends, Martha Stewart now goes outdoors to teach them about creating and managing a garden that is both beautiful and bountiful. 700 full-color photographs.

Christmas With Martha Stewart Living (ISBN: 0517886936) by Martha Stewart, the Editors of Martha Stewart Living.  From the pages of Martha Stewart Living magazine. Step-by-step, detailed instructions for creating paper crafts, gifts and ornaments, wrap, ribbons, and more accompany ideas for entertaining and parties, table settings, and directions for making the perfect standing rib roast or turkey. A bonus calendar helps guide readers to planning the perfect Christmas. Color photos.

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