An earnest account of what the author calls a “mercury epidemic” in dentistry.
In this debut memoir, educator and advocate Bauer chronicles her and her daughter’s recovery from a variety of maladies, tying them all to a single cause—mercury in her fillings.
In 1993, when the Oregon-based author began suffering from acute light sensitivity, weakness, poor vision, skin peeling, and insomnia, she found no relief from her doctors, who found nothing wrong with her. She found her own answer in an entry describing mercury poisoning in an encyclopedia of alternative medicine. After studying the topic more thoroughly and looking back on her life, she concluded that her many silver fillings, which contained mercury, had been slowly poisoning her since she was 5 years old. The harmful effects, she felt, had likely been transferred to her daughter, Miko, during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The author gradually and creatively reveals these details over the course of this memoir, using the framing device of her visit to a holistic dentistry center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1994. There, she had all of her fillings replaced and underwent an intense detoxification period which eventually led her back to full health, she says. This allowed her to then focus on young Miko, who suffered from developmental delays and her own array of health problems. With the help of a unique diet, homeopathy, and therapies such as Auditory Integration Training and behavioral optometry, Bauer says, Miko was able to flourish. Bauer is a highly engaging storyteller, which makes her memoir an enjoyable read. However, although she offers a convincing account of her recovery, she doesn’t address why so many other people with similar fillings haven’t suffered the same ailments that she did. Still, she presents her arguments powerfully: “How could putting the second most dangerous element on earth into our teeth be beneficial?” She also discusses the American Dental Association, which, she says, continues to support the use of fillings that contain mercury. Her book won’t convince every reader, but some may come away from this account more curious and cautious about its subject.
An earnest account of what the author calls a “mercury epidemic” in dentistry.Pub Date: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-948018-51-7
Page Count: 158
Publisher: Other Mother
Review Posted Online: June 6, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Journalist Dannen (Hit Men, not reviewed) and Hong Kong film maven and collector Long take a look at one of the world's most vital cinemas, one that's facing an uncertain future under its new Chinese rulers. The Hong Kong cinema is one of the world's most prolific and energetic. Recently, two of its most majestic figures, actor-director Jackie Chan and director John Woo, have successfully made the transition to working in the West. Many others—actor Chow Yun-Fat, directors Ringo Lam and Tsui Hark—are following in their footsteps, filled with hope. Dannen went to Hong Kong for a New Yorker article to see how the industry was facing up to this summer's handover to China of the former British colony. The result was a typical New Yorker piece, which is also the first section of this book: exhaustively reported and handsomely written but somehow superficial, delivering rather less than promised and geared for a readership of tourist-voyeurs. The remainder of the book consists of very brief interviews by Dannen, with numerous directors, producers, and actors, accompanied by filmographies; capsule descriptions by Long of some 300 key Hong Kong films; and recommendations from a dozen critics. Dannen's essay touches briefly on a number of issues worth exploring in greater depth: onerous working conditions, low budgets, and shoddy production values; the huge market for Hong Kong films throughout Asia; the language problem (Mandarin versus Cantonese), which is only going to get worse now that the Mandarin-speaking mainlanders are in charge; the role of underworld figures whose presence permeates the film industry. Neither Dannen nor Long is able to convey the energy and inventiveness that make the best Hong Kong films so entertaining. Producer Peter Chan tells Dannen, ``We don't have a clue why you Americans like [our films] so much.'' This book won't tell you, either. (50 b&w photos)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-7868-6267-X
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1997
Attractive photographs highlight a succinct, no-nonsense resort guide.
This eloquent photographic guide from Resorts Magazine editor Ovidio Guaita includes reviews of 100 of the best resorts on the planet.
Palatial surroundings, warm beaches and natural habitats set the tone for this 2009 guide, which begins at the Fairmont Banff Springs in Alberta, Canada, and ends at the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort and Spa in French Polynesia. Each resort runs the gamut of luxury and relaxation, from the oasis setting of the Amanbagh resort in India to the natural qualities of Bali’s Amandari. International regions are assigned elementary color codes, lending to the book’s overall simplicity. This lack of complexity is evident throughout the guide, which is an appropriately relaxed read. Richly illustrated with photographs, the book offers readers a pleasing glimpse of splendor with each listing. While some photographs capture a mood, such as one of a cozy stilt cabin captured after sunset, others merely hint at what can be found within a retreat–the book offers only an exterior shot of the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London. Unlike other travel guides, which can often overwhelm with verbiage yet lack quality photographs, Top 100 lets the images speak for themselves. Brief descriptions keep the book elegantly spare and offer insight that a camera can’t capture. Each locale is judged from a distinct set of criteria, including design, environment, health, rooms, service, cuisine and spa accommodations. While the last element is part of the overall rating system, some resorts offer very little in the area of spa treatments and are rated accordingly. Resorts such as the Four Seasons Resort at Landaa Giraavaru and the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi are ranked highest, while others like Chief’s Camp (Okawango Delta) and the Kichwa Tembo Bateleur Camp (Masai Mara) are rated far lower, due primarily to their lack of spa amenities. Those seeking rejuvenation, light cuisine and spa treatments, no matter the cost, need look no further for a handbook.
Attractive photographs highlight a succinct, no-nonsense resort guide.Pub Date: March 17, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4392-3136-4
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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