Nick Bakalar

Inspiration, understanding, comfort, revelation, spiritual guidance - a huge audience of devoted readers seeks all of this in the words of Pope John Paul II. The astonishing success of Crossing the Threshold of Hope (even despite the difficulty of that text) has left readers hungry for the words of the Pope, not altered or watered down, but made accessible by careful selection and organization. In The Wisdom of John Paul II, readers will find the sustenance they seek. Culled from the Pope's encyclicals, apostolic letters, addresses, occasional speeches, and other writings, The Wisdom of John Paul II is a powerful and illuminating distillation of the Pope's most moving, wise, and penetrating statements on the issues that concern us most.… (meer)

There was nothing wrong with this, and I mean 2 stars in the Goodreads sense of "it was ok." However, it seemed more desultory than its brevity could accommodate and still seem complete, even in the "a little of this, a little of that" style.

I didn't learn much that I didn't already know, so I may be the wrong audience. Probably people who don't work in in medical/allied health professions would find it a more engaging and gripping reading experience. The information presented about which I have professional knowledge was generally correct, and in some cases I could identify the source material without checking the notes.… (meer)

About: A fascinating hodgepodge of medical miscellanea. Inside, you'll learn why women get more cavities, what the abbreviations on your doctor's prescription mean, 10 diseases you can get from your dog or cat, three treatments that really do reduce wrinkles (too bad two involve acid and the other involves lasers) and the best way to avoid getting bitten by a snake among many other things!

Pros: Very interesting, varied tidbits of medical knowledge. Quick read. Sources in back of book.

Cons: No in-text cites

Grade A-… (meer)