A practical, motivational compendium on aging healthfully, gracefully, and as slowly as possible.
A scholarly how-to guide targets men eager to impede “the shipwreck of old age.”
Firmly believing that sexual aging in men “should be a priority of public healthcare,” European urologist and gerontology expert Debled has crafted an exhaustive debut manual. It is geared toward educating readers in what he believes to be the proven methodologies and therapies in delaying and preventing the aging of the male body. He writes that beginning at age 40, a majority of men begin to develop disorders such as tiredness, depression, inexplicable weight gain, hypertension, cardiovascular problems, and sexual regression. Debled directly attributes these potentially serious conditions to a naturally occurring phenomenon called andropause, which causes a pathologic fall in the production of dihydrotestosterone, the hormone responsible for male sexual vitality and function. With a sense of urgency and backed by a wealth of supporting medical information, the author delivers his verdict that andropause, though largely unacknowledged, is responsible for sexual aging in men and a contributor to a host of other related diseases. As a chief researcher of this gerontological condition for many decades, Debled fortifies his book with pertinent clinical facts, background data, and professional opinions that provide a firm case for the use of the synthetic steroid mesterolone as a defense against the progressive, systemic deterioration of the aging male. Accessible explanatory opening chapters describe the role of testosterone (“the hormone of long life”) within the male body and the side effects of hormone deficiency–causing andropause as men typically approach their fourth decade. The author dutifully incorporates photographs, charts, medical illustrations, diagrams, and a great amount of historical and current statistical data to further reinforce his assessment that a consistent supply of free-flowing hormones is the key to healthy male longevity. “Causes of aging are the main source of discomfort,” he writes. “They must be the subject of special attention.” Debled repeatedly gives due consideration to his own urological medical practice, where he has been prescribing hormone replacement therapy to aging patients for decades and has seen great restorative success in their “physical, psychic, and sexual activity.” While eye-opening sections on the maladies older men face—including premature sexual aging and prostate cancer—are distressingly worrisome, the author vigorously promotes the use of revitalizing male hormone replacements and presents a firm, convincing argument for their clinical administration. Though clearly Debled’s primary focus is on the preservation of male vigor, his comprehensive book is not esoteric. Female readers may find some useful knowledge and food for thought buried within commentary on sustaining optimum health through the consistent monitoring of cholesterol, blood pressure, excess weight gain, and age-associated frailty. This kind of general medical information can serve as a universal reminder of the need for proactive health maintenance. Obviously, Debled’s prescription for restorative wellness is not the definitive answer to agelessness. But he offers illuminating advice and a surfeit of information that men of a certain age in particular should certainly appreciate and perhaps act on.
A practical, motivational compendium on aging healthfully, gracefully, and as slowly as possible.Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5355-9014-3
Page Count: 264
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Smart but meandering, inconsequential entertainment.
A frank battle cry from a 20-something woman in the modern-dating trenches of New York City.
Roberson, a freelance humorist and researcher at the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, wields generous self-criticism to chronicle the current state of affairs among heteronormative singles on the hunt for love and/or just enough interaction with the opposite sex to keep the conversation about male idiocy going. Despite the catchy title, this book is neither a polemic against men nor a navigational how-to tome filled with advice. There is no narrative arc (chapters include, among others, “Crushes,” “Flirting,” and “Breaking Up”), catalyst for personal or romantic evolution, or tests of any real consequence for the author. Readers in search of deeply personal revelations should look elsewhere, but those seeking relatable accounts of just how unromantic the pursuits of romance actually are will be richly rewarded. Roberson’s great strengths are her blistering comedic sense and her cringeworthy, unexaggerated insights into her dealings with men. By “men,” clarifies the author, “I am talking in most cases about straight, cis, able-bodied white men…who have all the privilege in the world”—traits Roberson admits could be used to describe her. The author is as forthright about her sexual desires and lack of understanding of “ANY text ANY man” sends her as she is about her lack of experience with intimacy. Throughout the book, Roberson provides plenty of reasons for readers to laugh out loud. In a list of ways to kill time while waiting to answer a text, for example, she includes “Be in Peru and Have No Wi-Fi” and “Think About a Riddle.” She also satirizes The Rules, the notorious bestseller with archaic advice about how to catch a husband, and seamlessly weaves in pop-cultural references to countless sources. The so-called conclusion is a misstep; this book isn’t a story so it doesn’t have a beginning or end. Roberson doesn’t have a vendetta against men, only an understandable wish that they would be clear about their intentions and then take action.
Smart but meandering, inconsequential entertainment.Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-19342-1
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 8, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
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