Depression Books

The first book that re-assesses all the cases of great depressions with tha same analytical framework - the ever-green neoclassical growth model -
Are also available Matlab codes to replicate the exercises in the book and explanations of the numerical method used by authors for solving the neoclassical growth model.
It could be very useful for who is trying to grasp new ideas for undergrad/graduate work.

Kehoe and Prescott have organized a terrific collection of scholarly, yet readable, papers about depressions (defined as sustained periods where real output remains significantly below trend). As the editors document in their introductory chapter, such depressions are not a distant 75 year old phenomenon, but include recent episodes in the 1990s.
The unifying theme in the book is to organize the data through the lens of growth accounting and to look for answers using the tools of simple applied dynamic general equilibrium modeling. Besides being an interesting read for economists and historians, it provides tons of examples of how to calibrate and use real business cycle models. I plan to give the last chapter by Conesa, Kehoe, and Ruhl to my students in order to learn the nitty gritty dirty details of calibrating a stochastic growth model to data since the authors provide all the necessary data and programs in www.greatdepressionsbook.com.

This is a rare book on economic depressions that goes beyond US history to look at other countries in other periods. I particularly liked the studies of Switzerland and Chile. A must read for graduate students in macroeconomics.

This is a first-rate history of the Communist Party and its fellow-travelers in Alabama during the depression. It describes the Party during the "third period" and the popular front era. While it does not discuss the ulterior motives of the Party in any great detail, it does help to establish the positive role of the Communists in the prehistory of the civil rights movement. It also gives glimpses of the life in the Party in Alabama including Communist songs sung to the tune of spirituals, and African-American Young Pioneers. In addition, book discusses the courage of the Communists in resisting racism.

The attempt by radicals in the 1930's to change this country for the better has not found its rightful place in popular or high school history. This book helps to remedy that omission.

Kelley has produced a powerful and startling history of the deep south in the 1930s. He tackles a difficult subject both historically and ideologically (the relationship between poor black sharecroppers and the American Communist party). His tireless efforts at writing this book shine out of the pages unquestionably as does his deep, thoughtful intelligence. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in subversive U.S. history or just in a good read.

This book is great, it undermines the conventional treatments of afro-american history and although it is focused in the south it takes a genuine look at the struggle to free the shackles from Afro-americans and lift the blanket of opressions.

I got this book from MBBA (MN bio brain association) library, and the day I got it, I started reading it and did not stop until I finished it. Cover to cover in two days. It was absolutely amazing. I've dealt with hospitalizations and abuses of power in those hospitalizations, and while my mother is convinced my problems are not mental diseases, I think I do differ from Rickie. However, it was so nice to read that I was not alone. That hospitals are not perfect. That I can do it, no matter what people say. That was the powerful message of the book.

This book was an excellent insight to how developmental problems may exist or be overlooked even by the specialists! It is very easy to relate to when you work with children struggling to survive.

As a psychiatrist I was especially moved by the honesty with which Dr. Flach and his daughter Rickie wrote of their struggle against her psychiatric symptoms. He did not hide any of the worst aspects of psychiatry in his recounting of his daughter's treatment, yet it was with such an understanding of the limitations of his profession that there is no sense of anger or blame placed on his colleagues. He was equally open and revealing about his own inner struggles, frailties and ultimate resilience. I also think that Rickie and Dr. Flach's decision to pursue alternative (I prefer the term complementary) treatments and their dramatic success is a crucial lesson for all of us practicing medicine today. I highly recommend this book, but that leads me to the only negative comment on this title: it is no longer available. I hope the publisher decides to republish this text. It is so very timely at this time, even more so than when it was written in 1991. Thank you Dr. Flach and Rickie for an inspiring book.

This wonderful little book is one of a series. They are written by different authors and each one is a different element subject.

They each are easy to read but a treasure trove of information that you will refer to again and again. The chapters are; the glory of light, sacred light, light cycles and life cycles, the nature of light, the power of sunlight and healing with light.

The bibliography is extensive and there is a references and resources chapter also. In the chapter of light cycles and life cycles it explains the effect the cycles of the moon have on the earth and human bodies;

The moon is full when it is on the side of the Earth farther from the Sun. At that time the Moon comes closest to Earth, drawn inwards by the Earth's gravitational force. In turn, the Moon exerts an influence on the ionosphere, pushing the delicate mantle slightly out of its encircling hand around the Earth's atmosphere, and towards the Earth's surface. The ionosphere, as its name implies, is a layer of charged air and particles that envelops the Earth 120 km or so up. the underside of the ionosphere is positively charged. the ionosphere's positive ions mix with those ions near the negatively charged Earth's surface. The mix of the two is thereby altered, becoming more positive. We breathe in the changed mixture, which enters our bloodstream. This physical change now has a physiological effect. Our blood cells are normally negatively charged, as are the walls of our arteries and veins, ensuring an easy flow as the similar charges repel each other. But when the mix turns more positive as a result of the Moon, the blood becomes "stickier", leading to poorer oxygenation and a resulting increase in psychological stress. At the time , the white blood cells, which are highly sensitive to electric charges, are also adversely affected. These positive ions also cause an overproduction of serotonin, a stress neuro-hormone and the opposing sister-molecule to melatonin, inhibiting one's ability to sleep. At the time of the new Moon, when the Moon is nearest the Sun, the ionosphere expands, lowering the number of positive ions at the Earth's surface. This encourages plant growth and improves circulation and vigor in animals.

These books are great.

This is a beautifully illustrated and highly informative book.

The discovery of biophotons - the production and emission of light by biological systems - first by the Russian embryologist Alexander Gurwitsch in 1920, and more recently the work of Fritz-Albert Popp, have given more credence to the importance of light to the organism. Not just in terms of promoting photosynthesis or the Vitamin D cascade in the body, but perhaps as a fundemental organizing force. Unfortunately some of the fundamental science has been highjacked by some folk who believe that biophotons are another name for Qi or prana. Something that the scientists have never said.

Yet biophotons do seem to be a real phenomenon and some empirical work indicates that they are biologically important and provide a theoretical basis for much of the material presented in this book, which covers the whole spectrum of light and its healing effects.

It begins with a consideration of sacred light and moves to a discussion of light and life cycles, the whole science of light, the power of sunlight and finally various techniques for healing with light. There is little research evidence to back up the healing claims, but a great deal of experience garnered by practitioners.

Having watched the development of the field over the last couple of decades, and having tried some of the light-based therapies, I think it likely that light will soon become an important part of our therapeutic toolbox.

This is a handsome and thought-provoking book that will appeal to a many people, and certainly not just therapists.

This inspiring work explores both the physical and metaphysical properties of light and how to use light to improve one's emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.

Part One: The Glory Of Light, investigates sacred and spiritual light, the light of salvation, light in mythology and symbols of light. Part Two looks at light and life cycles, the daily rhythms of light, biorhythms, the pineal gland and the hormone melatonin.

Part Three: The Nature Of Light, deals with waves and particles, electrons, electromagnetism and rainbows, whilst Part Four: Healing With Light, explores syntotics, bioresonance, auras and light therapy, the power of infrared and photodynamic therapies.

Beautiful color photographs and illustrations enhance the text and the book concludes with a bibliography and a list of resources.

In the past five years herbal remedies have led natural products in the health care market, but consumers are asking new questions about the safety and effectiveness of these unregulated substances. Researchers and psychiatrists examine herbs related to mental health, telling how to assess common herbs for effectiveness, side effects, and lasting impact.

I have sought advice from time to time for depression, anxiety, and sleep problems, but I've never considered "alternative medicine." But I took a look at Herbs for the Mind and started reading first about St. John's wort for depression. I learned things I didn't know about depression, and I learned how and why to try this herbal remedy. The whole book, then, was of interest to me and I have enjoyed reading the history of herbal remedies and all the details of the various studies that tell us what and when herbs are useful. Everyone I mention this book to wants it! I'm really glad I found it, and I'm really glad these two psychiatrists from Duke University decided to step out of the laboratory and write it.

Herbs for the Mind is an excellent, easy to read guide for navigating what is often a confusing path - that of successfully using alternative treatments for mental health problems. What to take? How much? What are the differences in brands? Such questions, and many more are answered clearly and concisely in Herbs for the Mind.

It is refreshing to learn about herbal remedies in a straighforward and scientifically-based manner. Drs. Davidson and Connor have truly done us a great service with their book. Anyone, from savvy consumers to mental health practitioners, can benefit greatly from the information in Herbs for the Mind. I have already used it, personally and professionally, with success. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in mental health!

I read this book because Jess Willard Speer, known as Tag to all of the family and close friends was my great-uncle that always enthralled me when we would sit in family gatherings and listen to his stories of life's experiences. I was overwhelmed at not only how much I found out from a genealogical perspective, that I somehow hadn't known before, but also by the grip this book got on me and my husband as well. We did not want to stop reading it outloud to one another! My father-in-law who never had the opportunity to meet any of my family loved the book and also could not put it down like ourselves. I had read The Grapes of Wrath when in high school years ago - it didn't grab me like this one did. A definite "must read" for anyone who likes history or just likes a great read!

This was one of the best books I've ever read....I heard stories about Oklahoma through my great grandma, and my grandma, but this book just validates those stories...and for a real treat I recommend the sequel to this book "Sons of Thunder".

I thought this book was more than excellent. I don't read much but this book was one that I could not put down until I finished it. I think it would make a great movie script! If you want to relive the Great Depression Era through a small boy's eyes you need to read this one. The author, Bonnie S. Speer, knows how to write. I have read other books she's written.

While many of us remember our own families' vicisitudes during the Depression, Summers gives us so much more...insights into the characters of different family members and friends, their virtues and faults, the deprivations suffered and overcome. This is a striking and memorable account of people facing difficult economic times and with their own courage, ingenuity and help from outsiders, winning through to productive lives.

U.T. Summers eloquently details the moving story of hard-working people in Depression-era America, when opportunities were few but failures were still condemned. Today, when cuts in government support systems proceed even as many two-income families struggle to meet mounting health, housing, and education costs, it is important to remember how harsh life can be in a country that turns its back on its poor.

I loved this bittersweet memoir of a family struggling to get by in the 1920s and 1930s. Summers has a wonderful memory for details that perfectly evoke the era and the personalities of her parents, grandparents and siblings. Alternately heartbreaking and filled with joy. A fascinating look at the life of the rural poor during the Great Depression.

I'll begin this review by saying I didn't expect to enjoy the book. I agreed to read it because I joined the Tell Harlequin group and I was given two books to read, this being one of them. I expected it to be dry and boring but I was unexpectedly pleased to find out just how wrong I was.

From the first chapter when Charlotte Porter meets Kody Douglas, I liked them. Both are outcasts but for different reasons. Charlotte's brother and his wife abandoned her to seek a better life during the Great Depression, and they promised to send for her but it looks like they won't. All of her life, she's felt like she has to work hard and be compliant in order to win other people's approval, and her relationship with her brother and his wife only reinforces that. Kody is half-Indian, half-white, so he receives tauting by some people (not all), and he feels like he doesn't belong with the Indians on the reservation or in the white man's world. So he's on his way to Canada to find land where he can spend the rest of his life alone.

These two meet and he feels like he can't leave her waiting for a brother who may not send for her, so he takes her to Favor, South Dakota to his adopted white parents' home where they welcome both of them with open arms. This really was a beautiful and touching love story. Their love developed naturally as they spent time together. Still, he hesitated to believe that she could look beyond his half-breed status to see the man he truly is. I especially enjoyed the playfulness between them and how he snuck in kisses and how she continued to make him feel welcome and loved.

Meanwhile, she tries to connect him with his daughter whom he gave to an Indian couple in hopes she wouldn't face the same prejudices he has had to deal with his entire life. So the moral of this book is that you can't judge a person by the color of their skin but by the quality of their heart.

This is a great book! I really enjoyed reading it. Now, the first thing someone might say is that the heroine wasn't strong--that she sat and waited instead of taking charge of her life--but I loved watching her blossom...to come to the realization that she could step out...that she could be assertive...that she could be and deserved to be happy in her own right.

You see, for her entire life, Charlotte Porter had been told to be quiet, unobtrusive, never complain and she'd have a nice, warm house to live in. The reason behind this reasoning was because when her mother died, she had to live with her older brother who really didn't want her. So, if she did what she was told and kept her mouth shut, at least she'd have sanctuary. But one day, her brother and his family just up and left her in an unfurnished house, on dry land (not even water in the well), in the middle of the dust bowl prairies. They said they'd send for her...

Kody Douglas is on his way to the wide-open spaces of Canada so he can be alone. He's a half-breed who doesn't feel comfortable in either the white or red man's world. Yes, he has white adopted parents who love him, but they're biased because he's their son. It's the rest of his hometown he doesn't want to contend with. He's done with the name-calling and being treated like a `second-class citizen'. He's leaving it all behind for the sake of anonymity.

He isn't more than 2 days from home however, when a dust storm blows up and he finds shelter in an abandoned house. Surprise! It's not abandoned. Charlotte's living in the derelict house where even the broken front door doesn't stop the dust from streaming into the living room. She has no food. No water. Why doesn't she just leave? Kody's never met someone as passive as her. But, his mama would never forgive him if she found out he'd left a woman in that condition.

I loved watching Charlotte and Kody fall in love. Their hesitant baby steps. Waiting for a negative reaction. Trying not to attract attention in case someone told them they didn't belong. They came from 2 totally different worlds and yet they weren't that dissimilar after all. They both felt unlovable - castoffs in a perfect world.

There's only one thing I didn't like about this book - the cover. I don't' understand why the art team at Harlequin couldn't portray Kody and his daughter more accurately. The little girl is supposed to have black hair. And the man...well, I guess he could pass for a half-breed but I doubt it. But, that's certainly not the author's fault. Her vivid descriptions almost had me tasting the dust.

Linda Ford's Depression Series:
Book 1 - The Road to Love
Book 2 - The Journey Home

Kody Douglas is a "half breed" cowboy who finds Charlotte Porter living in an abandoned farm house in South Dakota durring an especially bad drought season. Although alone when Kody tries to take shelter in the house durring a storm, she is gutsy enough to confront him at gun point eventhough she knows there are no bullets in her gun.

Linda Ford weaves a fun and deep story of these two outcasts. I enjoy her tight dialogue, and fully enjoyed the story.

This story also keeps a good pace without getting too bogged down in minute historical details. Worth the read and a very inspiring theme too!

This is an excellent book for parents, educators and other professionals who teach/live/work with people who have autism.

The "jumbled jigsaw" is what is so sadly misunderstood and mislabelled by many; sadly, many such "experts" apply the Procrustean Bed tactics to the autistic population. This helps none and hurts all.

Raun Kaufman, the child for whom "Son-Rise" and "Son-Rise II: The Miracle Continues" was written, said in "Son-Rise II" that "expert" is the biggest misnomer for that very reason above. He was diagnosed with severe autism in infancy and for the first nearly three years of his life displayed behavior suggestive of Kanner's Autism. Early intervention turned the tide for Raun; now an adult, he has no residual behaviors or tendencies of this neurobiological condition. He is also currently the CEO of a company.

Raun rightfully points out that had many people listened to these so called "experts" who recommended institutionalizing people with autism, many rays of light and hope would never shine. Raun Kaufman; Walker Stacey; Gunilla Gerland; Sean Barron; Tony Randazzo; Ben Levinson; Jeremy Kephart; Ryan Hamilton; Georgiana Thomas; Donna Williams and countless others whose stories we don't know have provided the Voice of Hope for many. Each of these above people had or still have autism to varying degrees; each have either written or have been the subject of biographies about living with autism. Each one of these people and countless others have lent their voices; their experiences and their explanations of autism so as to help encourage tolerance. Donna Williams and her scholarly books, this included have certainly helped move that process along. Had the so called experts' advice been followed, think of the loss we would all be suffering today. Just read Annabelle Stehli's books about people who have been successfully treated with Auditory Integration Therapy and who are no longer autistic; Karyn Seroussi's and Lynn Hamilton's sons were successfully treated with a special diet as was Tony Randazzo, who had an allergy to milk. Patricia Stacey's son Walker Stacey and two of Catherine Maurice's children were eased of the autism spectrum with ABA and Floor Time. Jane McDonnell's son Paul ("News From the Border") offers his own insights into living with autism; he was helped by general acceptance from others and his own desire to adapt to the neurotypical world. Paul was informally treated with ABA; he was able to see what constituted acceptable behavior, yet at the same time recognize his autistic tendencies and keep them in check. This is still another valuable book that the world at large needs.

The point is, autism is as varied as there are individuals who have it and so the approaches have to be tailored to meet each individual's needs. Instead of dismissing people with autism as their label, Ms. Williams has once again brilliantly demonstrated how important it is to encourage talents and interests. She is married; an artist and author as well as having a plethora of credentials. Her works are valuable and needed; this book deserves a place of honor.

At present the count is 1 in every 150 births...autism is on the rise. There is a real need for literature like this and the sensible approaches that Ms. Williams has written about here and in her other works. Autism does effect everybody on Planet Earth - whether or not you have autism, there is a 100% chance that you are related to someone who does or work with someone who does or just know somebody on the spectrum. Autism is an in-your-face condition that is all the more prominent due to the increase in statistics.

Institutionalizing people creates a silent underclass. It appears to do no good and is not an effective method in "treating" autism. Autism is not a mental illness; it is a sensory neurobiological condition that affects sensory responses and language. I've beaten on the Different Drum for years to get that message across and Donnna Williams brilliantly accomplishes that in her books.

Be sure to read this and buy some extra copies to give to others. We all need it.

It took me well over a year to read Jumbled Jigsaw, not because there is anything wrong with the book, but because there is so much right with it. Williams is original in her perspective (I've read shelves full of books on autism, none like this) and incredibly insightful. If you have a child on the autism spectrum with one or more co-occurring diagnosis, you are likely to find each page dense with provocative information and ideas. Such a book cannot be breezed through quickly, it takes time to really go through it in bite size, digestable pieces. It also need not be read cover-to-cover but instead by picking and choosing chapters relevant to your situation.

This fascinating and insightful book can only be described as a guide and "wake up call" for everyone.

Despite the "experts" imposing severity labels on Autism that are then used by the education community to direct intervention and expectation as well as outcomes, their lack of understanding of the "jumbled jigsaw" and the personality and individuality of the Autistic person has doomed their system to failure.

For example if one simply provided one of these "experts" the diagnostic presentation of the author, Donna Williams at various points in her life, without them being aware of her "outcome", the current diagnostic criteria who have resulted in low expectations and a life relegated to an "institutionalized" existence.

Instead, Ms Williams is married and is a successful author, sculptor, artist etc. Ms. Williams serves as the symbol of what really is possible and she took the time to write down what worked and what did not so many mistakes can be avoided : With appropriate assistance, the autistic person has the best chance to become all they would have been if the symptoms of what others call the persons "autism" were minimized.

The truth being ,the symptoms have multiple treatable etiologies ,that vary from day to day and an "inside out approach" offers the best chance these individuals have.at leading a "normal" (whatever that is) life..

1 in 166 births.

The failure of the education and support systems/institutions to foster TRUE INDEPENDENCE in this population will result in not just a moral and ethical crisis in the very near future but an economic one as well. If changes in the current thinking about Autism do not occur, more institutions at public expense will have to be created to care for this ever-increasing population.

Autism affects everyone directly or indirectly and the confusion over what part of what society calls "Autism" is the gift and what part of autism is the difference/personality inherent in the individual has resulted in many inappropriate ineffective treatments and wasted opportunity for thousands of individuals.

Read it and learn then pass it on

Monica in California

History, a great story and an authentic historical craft! Not only that, but just the right size for girl-sized hands. A+++++++ Cannot be beat!

Ten-year-old Kit Kittredge, whos is growing up during the Great Depression, dreams of a tree house of her own. She and her friends, Sterling and Ruthie, have made plans for many different kinds of tree houses, hoping to someday have one of them in Kit's yard. When Kit must help out her mom by babysitting a neighbor's bratty children, her dad and Sterling decide to surprise her by building a tree house while she is away watching the children. But when they show Kit the tree house, it is nothing like any of the ones she dreamed about. How can Kit tell them the truth and disappoint them? Can she ever learn to love her new tree house?

This is a good short story that will be enjoyed by all fans of the American Girls Collection and of Kit Kittredge. It has good historical information about what life was life for children during the Great Depression, and has a good message for young readers. I'd recommend this book to the target audience who are sure to love it.

This is another in the American Girls Short Stories series about Kit Kittredge, a ten-year-old girl living in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1934, during the Great Depression. Kit has been dreaming of a tree house, a little place where she can go off and be alone in. But when her father and Stirling, the son of a boarder, build her a tree house she is disappointed that it looks nothing like her dreams. Should she tell the truth and crush her father, or should she lie and tell him that she likes it? Perhaps such stark choices do not cover all of her options...

As with the other Kit books, this is a great story. It paints a true-to-life portrait of the hard times faced by so many Americans at that time, but it does so in an upbeat way. My daughter and I loved the story of this book, while I loved its lesson. As always, Walter Rane's illustrations are great, which adds a lot to the feeling of the story. Plus the final chapter, which is on housing in 1934 and making a jewelry tree (nice!), is wonderful.

My daughter and I both highly recommend this book to you!