Sheila Buff

I used to be into "natural remedies," much to the concern of my family. Cinnamon for cold hands/feet, tea tree oils, lavender, etc.
Then I had an "herbalist" recommend mugwort tea for my cramping and discomfort during menstruation.
My mother asked a family member, an RN, about mugwort. Her response caused my family to talk to me seriously about this odd phase I was going through. Mugwort has so many dangerous properties that it should NOT be taken internally. Mom and I went to the local bookstore and picked up this book. While I was still 50/50 on "natural" remedies, I did realize that and M.D. might actually know more about medicine than an herbalist, who has no such extensive medical training.
Now, almost 15 years later, I thank the authors of this book; they created a reference that steadied me back onto the road of Science-Based-Medicine without making me feel embarrased and hostile.
The first half of the book is Ailments and Conditions; this section addresses, in alphabetical order, many of the health conditions that some people might conceivably turn to alternate medications to treat. There are good descriptions of each condition, along with the "healing herb" most commonly usedto treat such conditions.
The second half is the list of "healing herbs." Scientific names and alternate names are indicated, along with notes of efficacy, if any, or dangers, if any.
Now, of course, we have the internet to cross-check these ever-evolving lists, but to a college student, this book may well have saved my life in the days before the internet was so widely accessible and health claims of "herbalists" so easily authenticatable.… (meer)

This book surprised me. I did not expect such detail in this book. The author really put her early and present experiences as a birder in this book. She did not skip any topic a beginning birders must know. It is a graduated approach so that you can use the book as you advance in your birding knowledge. The one feature that really struck me was if you dozed off reading a section ex: for me it was the chapter Optics for Birds, she would put a phrase or sentence that would wake you up and hammer in the point. Ex: no direct viewing into the sun with binoculars.

A side note: The author even covers issues for those newbie birders who wear glasses.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to start birding.… (meer)