RICHARD SIMMONS' NEVER-SAY-DIET COOKBOOK

An OK low-calorie diet, spotty exercise recommendations, moderately interesting recipes, and a heavy dose of the philosophy and personality that keep the Simmons fan club growing. See this book as a partner to his Never-Say-Diet, rather than a sequel, Simmons advises (""You know that Son of Frankenstein wasn't anything compared to Frankenstein""). Some of the 101 recipes he made up, some were donated by friends whose weight-loss sagas are interspersed with the cooking advice (""After high school I weighed 128 and I was fine until. . .""). Generally they are simple, and go from breakfasts (Eggs Florentine) to desserts (peach cobbler); before each section, readers are quizzed on their knowledge and tastes (""A coupe is: a. a jazzy sports car; b. a dessert with ice cream; c. an attempt to overthrow a government""). Frothy and harmless, but not much real help either.