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Coping Skills

Home » Readers Advisory » Bibliographies for Adults » Coping Skills

I looked-up every book listed in the fantastic //Coping Skills// publication (ISBN: 0-8444-0799-2) that the NLS put out in 1993. I have re-created my findings here. All are welcome (and encouraged) to suggest new titles and/or categories.

Coping Skills cover page

I have listed all of the categories as they were in the publication, but I am not tied to them. It has been 20 years since the creation of this publication so I'm sure that everything from the category names to the books included could be outdated.

I have added two new sections/categories: Unemployment/Job Hunting and Returning Vets/Military Families.

--- //[[dan.malosh@state.mn.us|Dan Malosh @ MN1A Regional]] 2013/07/28 16:22//

Self Development

Talking Books

Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney
    • Annotation:

Psychology professor Baumeister and New York Times science journalist Tierney share twenty-first century research on willpower, or self-control, and suggest ways to increase it. They offer anecdotes, describe experiments that highlight strategies to improve performance and manage impulses, and discuss Alcoholics Anonymous, dieting, parenting, and self-esteem. 2011.
Available Formats:

  • DB 74884 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time: 10 hours, 36 minutes.

Playing the Game: A Psychopolitical Strategy for Your Career

Author: Raymond Blank
Annotation:
The author contends that ability, dedication, and competence are not sufficient to guarantee success or even survival in the work world. He sets forth the essential political and interpersonal skills an employee needs to manipulate subordinates, peers, and supervisors successfully. 1981.
Available Formats:


Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child

Author: John Bradshaw
Annotation:
A counselor, theologian, and television personality claims that many people harbor a wounded inner child with leftover feelings from past hurts. This inner child can contaminate an individual's life and cause overreactions, marital problems, addictions, toxic parenting, and destructive relationships. He describes how to heal the wounded child within. 1990.
Available Formats:

  • DB 31960 - Read by Bill Wallace. Reading time: 12 hours, 33 minutes.

The Magic of Believing

Author: Claude M. Bristol
Annotation:
A hard-headed businessman and skeptical newspaper man tells how to get whatever you want in life by harnessing the unlimited power of your subconscious mind. 1948.
Available Formats:


Intimate Connections: The New and Clinically Tested Program for Overcoming Loneliness Developed at the Presbyterian - University of Pennsylvania Medical Center

Author: David D. Burns
Annotation:
A self-help manual for achieving self-confidence. Assuming that thoughts have an impact on the way we feel and behave, the author suggests ways to overcome shyness and depression and explores the role of intimacy in our lives. 1985.
Available Formats:


Bus 9 to Paradise: A Loving Voyage

Author: Leo Buscaglia
Annotation:
The author celebrates the here and now with the ultimate message that “life is wonderful, joy is our birthright and love is what it's all about.”


Living, Loving & Learning

Author: Leo Buscaglia
Annotation:
Series of lectures originally delivered between 1970 and 1981 on the need of people for one another. Includes stories and anecdotes illustrating the joys and pitfalls that the search for love entails in these troubled times. Reassuring self-help philosophy. 1982.
Available Formats:

  • DB 17739 - Read by Bob Askey. Reading time: 8 hours, 14 minutes.

Love

Author: Leo Buscaglia
Annotation:
This book is an extension of an experimental class that the author created at the University of Southern California. His basic message is that while the need to love and to be loved is innate, the way we love is learned, and that every single person can learn to love. 1982.
Available Formats:


How to Win Friends and Influence People

Author: Dale Carnegie
Annotation:
Originally published in 1937 and revised in 1981 to “clarify and strengthen the book for a modern reader,” this guide provides fundamental techniques in handling people. Includes how to make people like you, how to win them to your way of thinking, and how to be a leader without offending or arousing resentment. 1936.
Available Formats:

  • DB 53469 - Read by Jack Fox. Reading time: 8 hours, 28 minutes.

Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life

Author: Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter
Annotation:
Account of how the former president and first lady made the transition from the White House to Plains, Georgia. In this joint narrative with individual interjections when recollections or interpretations differ, the Carters tell of their involvement in a host of projects and volunteerism. 1987.
Available Formats:

  • DB 25995 - Read by Mitzi Friedlander. Reading time: 7 hours, 1 minute.

Smart for Life: How to Improve Your Brain Power at Any Age

Author: Michael D. Chafetz
Annotation:
A research psychologist's guide to increased mental ability. Chafetz stresses the importance of proper sleep, nutrition, and physical fitness, and the negative aspects of drugs. He focuses on ways to enlarge both memory and mental capacity, to expand language and creative skills, and to increase logic. Includes suggested brain exercises. 1992.
Available Formats:

  • DB 36407 - Read by Richard Hauenstein. Reading time 7 hours, 31 minutes.

The Inner World of the Middle-Aged Man

Author: Peter Chew
Annotation:
A journalist examines the numerous problems and pitfalls that confront men in their middle years and suggests positive ways to face the future. 1976.
Available Formats:


How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Brent Cole; Dale Carnegie & Associates
    • Annotation:

This update to //How to Win Friends and Influence People// (DB 53469), offered seventy-five years after the original was published, incorporates successful use of social media. Details easy-to-employ strategies for productive conversations and collaborations in business and personal life. Discusses ways to communicate, lead, and work well with others. 2011.
Available Formats:

  • DB 75355 - Read by Jeff Allin. Reading time: 7 hours, 24 minutes.

How to Be a Really Nice Person: Doing the Right Thing--Your Way

Author: Pat Collins with John Malone
Annotation:
Undertakes to replace traditional rules of correct behavior and etiquette with guidelines designed to convey “niceness” without interfering with one's own priorities. “Don't let people take advantage of your purse, connections, talent, knowledge, time, and energy,” she counsels. She believes that nice people have rights too. 1983.
Available Formats:


The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Charles Duhigg
    • Annotation:

New York Times reporter draws on academic studies, interviews with scientists, and industry research to explore habit formation in individuals, organizations, and societies. Argues that by understanding habits, we can change them. Examines how changing habit loops affected the outcomes for Alcoholics Anonymous members, Target shoppers, and others. 2012.
Available Formats:

  • DB 74596 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time: 11 hours, 36 minutes.

The Sky's the Limit

Author: Wayne W. Dyer
Annotation:
Explains how we can achieve heights of happiness and fulfillment by developing our human potential. Advises that we adopt a no-limit attitude to personal achievement, “accept our animal nature, and retain the fantasy and candor of childhood.”


You'll See It When You Believe It

Author: Wayne W. Dyer
Annotation:
The author of //Your Erroneous Zones// and //Pulling Your Own Strings// gives the reader a set of directions for personal transformation. He argues that the human being is a spirit in a body, not a body with a spirit, and emphasizes spiritual experience. Using examples and anecdotes, he describes why and how to visualize what you want from life. 1989.
Available Formats:

  • DB 30718 - Read by Andy Chappell. Reading time: 9 hours, 28 minutes.

Lifebalance: Priority Balance, Attitude Balance, Goal Balance in All Areas of Your Life

Author: Richard Eyre and Linda Eyre
Annotation:
The authors, who have nine children, run several businesses, revel in the arts, and enjoy life, reveal their “secret”–the ability to balance work and family life. The underlying theme encompasses thinking and rethinking one's priorities and suggests innovative approaches to living life to its fullest. 1987.
Available Formats:


Talking Between the Lines: How We Mean More Than We Say

Author: Julius Fast and Barbara Fast
Annotation:
Understanding and using metacommunication– how we say what we say. Analyzes the effects of breath, pitch, stress, rhythm, tone, inflection, word choice, and emotional overlay in communicating. 1979.
Available Formats:


All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things

Author: Robert Fulghum
Annotation:
A retired Unitarian minister presents his thoughts and observations on the joy of life. The essays cover such topics as: the joys of Crayolas, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, jumper cables, a shoebox of childhood momentoes, and the author's wife. A frequently quoted maxim, from a kindergarten graduation speech, is “When you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.”

  • 1988.
  • Available Formats:
  • DB 28047 - Read by Harry Elders. Reading time: 3 hours, 18 minutes.
  • BR 07700 - 1 volume.

It Was on Fire When I Lay Down on It

Author: Robert Fulghum
Annotation:
From the author who reminded us that all we really need to know we learned in kindergarten. Fulghum writes about the joy of climbing trees; about the things “grown-ups” do (such as cleaning sink strainers and plunging out toilets); about Rosa Parks, a black woman, who began the Montgomery bus boycott; and about children. He advises, “Love them long, and let them go early.”

  • 1989.
  • Available Formats:
  • DB 30956 - Read by John Rayburn. Reading time: 3 hours, 52 minutes.

I'm OK, You're OK: A Practical Guide to Transactional Analysis

Author: Thomas A. Harris
Annotation:
A popular approach to psychological self-help based on the theory that each person contains three active elements: the Parent, the Adult, and the Child. The goal of transactional analysis is to achieve a healthy balance of these elements, freeing the Adult from the archaic recordings of the Parent and the Child. 1969.
Available Formats:

  • DB 14830 - Read by John Stratton. Reading time: 9 hours, 47 minutes.
  • BR 01880 - 4 volumes.

Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Energy, But Were Too Weak to Ask

Author: Naura Hayden
Annotation:
Self-help work that emphasizes reevaluation of habits that drain physical, mental, and emotional energy. Suggests ways of changing these bad habits and developing a reservoir of energy. 1976.
Available Formats:


You Are Not the Target

Author: Laura Archera Huxley
Annotation:
A practical guide to self-improvement that includes “recipes” for living and loving. The author applies psychological principles and oriental philosophy and other means to spur the reader on to better mental and physical health. The foreword is written by the author's husband, Aldous Huxley. 1963.
Available Formats:


Half the House

Author: Herbert Kohl
Annotation:
The educator and author of //36 Children// provides a look at his painful journey toward personal liberation. He confronts the question of whether one can live a healthy life in an unhealthy society and whether it is possible to change oneself in midlife. 1974.
Available Formats:


Listening as a Way of Becoming

Author: Earl Koile
Annotation:
Importance of effective listening in terms of its positive results on both the person expressing thoughts and the person hearing them. Suggestions are offered on ways to overcome barriers and become more sensitive. 1977.
Available Formats:


When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Author: Harold S. Kushner
Annotation:
Impelled by personal tragedy in his own life, the author, a rabbi, helps others cope with grief, guilt, rage, bitterness, and bewilderment at God's “unfairness.” In his search for answers to why tragedies seemingly strike those undeserving of them, he offers comfort and reassurance to the troubled. 1978.
Available Formats:

  • DB 48900 - Read by Bill Wallace. Reading time: 5 hours, 13 minutes.
  • BR 16801 - 1 volume.

Watersheds: Mastering Life's Unpredictable Crises

Author: Robert H. Lauer and Jeanette C. Lauer
Annotation:
The two social scientists interviewed more than six hundred people to learn how they managed what the Lauers term “watersheds”: unforeseen, life-altering events and experiences. Includes a multitude of examples of how people successfully cope with change. 1988.
Available Formats:


Working Smart: How to Accomplish More in Half the Time

Author: Michael LeBouef
Annotation:
How to get more done in less time and with less hassle. Teaches how to set specific goals on a daily, intermediate, and lifetime basis, and how to analyze and revise use of time accordingly. 1979.
Available Formats:


A Better Way to Live

Author: Og Mandino
Annotation:
At age thirty-five, the author was a derelict who came very close to spending his last few dollars on a gun with which he planned to kill himself. Mandino explains what prevented his suicide, and then offers “Seventeen Rules to Live By” that he hopes will help everyone avoid living even one more day feeling failure, grief, poverty, shame, or self-pity. 1990.
Available Formats:

  • DB 30865 - Read by John Rayburn. Reading time: 2 hours, 59 minutes.

How to Be Awake and Alive

Author: Mildred Newman & Bernard Berkowitz
Annotation:
How the perceptions and judgments of childhood can be harmful if they are not consciously updated. Advice is given on types of attitudes and how to shake free of them. Includes abbreviated case histories. 1975.
Available Formats:


How to Be Your Own Best Friend: A Conversation with Two Psychoanalysts

Author: Mildred Newman & Bernard Berkowitz with Jean Owen
Annotation:
These practicing psychoanalysts believe that everyone can help himself by learning to be aware of his own accomplishments, by having compassion for himself, and by praising himself for achievement. Aims to help the reader feel more responsible for his own fate and more capable of directing it. 1986.


The Art of Learning to Love Yourself

Author: Cecil G. Osborne
Annotation:
Popular-psychology guide by a former clergyman offers positive procedures for creating a better self-image and achieving a greater degree of self-love and self-approval. 1976.
Available Formats:


The Mind Goes Forth: The Drama of Understanding

Author: Harry Overstreet and Bonaro Overstreet
Annotation:
A study of mutual understanding among human beings, and how it can be achieved. The authors conceive of understanding as a freedom-making process, within the reach of everyone, which liberates individuals, groups, and nations from the hostilities and extremisms that separate man from man. 1956.
Available Formats:


The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth

Author: M. Scott Peck
Annotation:
Twenty-fifth anniversary edition of the 1978 classic psychological treatise concerning spirituality, self-actualization, maturation, and interpersonal relationships. Emphasizes mental and spiritual growth, love, and self-discipline. 1978.
Available Formats:

  • DB 55631 - Read by Jack Fox. Reading time: 11 hours, 28 minutes.
  • BR 14516 - 3 volumes.

Further Along the Road Less Traveled: The Unending Journey Toward Spiritual Growth: The Edited Lectures

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: M. Scott Peck
    • Annotation:

Continuing with the messages put forth in //The Road Less Traveled//, Peck lectures as both psychiatrist and spiritual guide. He stresses striving for self-love rather than self-esteem and proposes that being disillusioned and being confused are actually signs of mental health. Some strong language. 1993.
Available Formats:

  • DB 37302 - Read by Erik Sandvold. Reading time: 8 hours, 25 minutes.
  • BR 09391 - 2 volumes.

On Lonely Street with God

Author: Duane Pederson
Annotation:
The author, publisher of an underground Christian publication, offers Jesus Christ as the solution to personal problems, especially loneliness. He combines his own experience with articles reprinted from his newspaper. 1973.
Available Formats:


The Peter Prescription: How to Be Creative, Confident & Competent

Author: Laurence J. Peter
Annotation:
The author presents 66 prescriptions for making things go right. High on the list are the “Peter Peacemaker,” or taking a daily vacation, and advice for avoiding the “Incompetence Treadmill.”


Looking Out for Number One

Author: Robert J. Ringer
Annotation:
Brash, cynical guidebook outlines startling ideas for leading a life filled with more pleasure and fewer complications. 1977.
Available Formats:

  • DB 10833 - Read by Bob Butz. Reading time: 9 hours, 57 minutes.

Rogers' Rules for Businesswomen: How to Start a Career and Move Up the Ladder

Author: Henry C. Rogers
Annotation:
From the choice to pursue a career through the major decisions that a woman will make in the business world, Rogers offers inspirational and practical advice. He draws on his own perspective as head of a major PR firm, and his experiences with female associates and friends. His approach focuses on achieving personal excellence and exercising sound judgment. 1988.
Available Formats:


The Gift of Adversity: The Unexpected Benefits of Life's Difficulties, Setbacks, and Imperfectionse

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Norman E. Rosenthal
    • Annotation:

Psychiatrist posits that to navigate life successfully one must encounter–and overcome–difficulties. Uses the experiences of his patients, colleagues, and his own Jewish childhood in 1950s apartheid South Africa to illustrate methods and techniques for dealing with challenges. 2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 77939 - Read by Kurt Elftmann. Reading time 10 hours, 52 minutes.

When Am I Going to Be Happy?: How to Break the Emotional Bad Habits That Make You Miserable

Author: Penelope Russianoff
Annotation:
A guide to help readers combat “emotional bad habits” such as depression, guilt, inferiority, anger, and phobias. Stating that we are conditioned into these ways of thinking by society, Russianoff says the habits can be changed by correcting the erroneous thinking that causes them in the first place. 1988.
Available Formats:


Learned Optimism

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Martin E.P. Seligman
    • Annotation:

The director of clinical training in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania asserts that pessimists tend to view the causes of adversity as permanent and personal, while optimists view them as temporary and impersonal. Stressing that optimists fare better in life, he suggests ways to change negative attitudes into positive ones in all areas–family, work, health, politics, and religion. 1991.
Available Formats:

  • DB 33060 - Read by Lou Harpenau. Reading time: 12 hours, 5 minutes.

What You Can Change and What You Can't: The Complete Guide to Successful Self-Improvement

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Martin E.P. Seligman
    • Annotation:

Seligman believes certain traits are ingrained and unchangeable, while others can be altered. He examines phobias, depression, obesity, addiction, and sexual orientation, among other types of behavior, and analyzes them in terms of whether they can be altered. He suggests what he considers the most effective methods for those that can be changed. Explicit descriptions of sex. 1993.
Available Formats:

  • DB 38319 - Read by Bruce Huntey. Reading time: 11 hours, 39 minutes.

The Blessing

Author: Gary Smalley & John Trent
Annotation:
Discusses the importance of “the blessin,” that is, the approval received from our parents, and how it affects the way we feel about ourselves and others. Also details in religious and psychological terms how to overcome the lack of “the blessing” in our lives. 1986.
Available Formats:

  • DB 27180 - Read by Butch Hoover. Reading time: 7 hours, 34 minutes.

Sweet Success: How to Understand the Men in Your Business Life--and Win with Your Own Rules

Author: Kathryn B. Stechert
Annotation:
An analysis of gender differences, how they operate to the advantage of men in the business world, and how women can overcome the disadvantage of being female in a world “created by men for men.”


Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem

Author: Gloria Steinem
Annotation:
A co-founder of “Ms.” magazine and outspoken feminist, Steinem her confronts internal barriers to women's equality. She examines the experiences of individual men and women; researches self-help books; and, recognizing that “Good writers write to find out about themselves–and it lasts forever,” she finally listens to herself. 1992.
Available Formats:

  • DB 34110 - Read by Mitzi Friedlander. Reading time: 13 hours, 39 minutes.

Living a Beautiful Life: Five Hundred Ways to Add Elegance, Order, Beauty, and Joy to Every Day of Your Life

Author: Alexandra Stoddard
Annotation:
The renowned interior designer offers her prescription for a life lived “vitally and beautifully.” Stoddard believes that “only by paying careful attention to the simple details of daily tasks and to our immediate surroundings” can we achieve joy and serenity in day-to-day existence. 1986.
Available Formats:


Solitude: A Return to the Self

Author: Anthony Storr
Annotation:
Psychotherapist Storr takes issue with the idea that intimate relationships are the exclusive source of mental and personal satisfaction. He reasons that many creative people work alone and that voluntary and enforced solitude may have a restorative value through which individuals may achieve happiness even when their interpersonal relationships are inferior. 1988.
Available Formats:


Positive Illusions: Creative Self-Deception and the Healthy Mind

Author: Shelley E. Taylor
Annotation:
“The human mind distorts incoming information in a positive direction.” This is the conclusion reached by a psychology professor from her study of people recovering from tragic situations. She discusses how this tendency toward positive bias helps maintain mental and physical health, promotes creativity, and increases the likelihood of success in the workplace. 1989.
Available Formats:


Alphagenics: How to Use Your Brain Waves to Improve Your Life

Author: Anthony A. Zaffuto & Mary Q. Zaffuto
Annotation:
A do-it-yourself book for the layman on self-regulation of mind and body through the inducement of the alpha state, those waves emitted by the brain during the state of deep relaxation prior to sleep. 1974.
Available Formats:


Braille

Letitia Baldrige's Complete Guide to a Great Social Life

Author: Letitia Baldrige
Annotation:
The author, a leading authority on etiquette and one-time chief of staff for former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, provides an abundance of ideas, suggestions, and advice for improving one's social life. Included are tips on making conversation, meeting people, making friends, entertaining, and re-establishing a social life after divorce or a spouse's death. 1987.
Available Formats:


Intimate Connections: The New and Clinically Tested Program for Overcoming Loneliness Developed at the Presbyterian - University of Pennsylvania Medical Center

Author: David D. Burns
Annotation:
A self-help manual for achieving self-confidence. Assuming that thoughts have an impact on the way we feel and behave, the author suggests ways to overcome shyness and depression and explores the role of intimacy in our lives. 1985.
Available Formats:


Bus 9 to Paradise: A Loving Voyage

Author: Leo Buscaglia
Annotation:
The author celebrates the here and now with the ultimate message that “life is wonderful, joy is our birthright and love is what it's all about.”


Love

Author: Leo Buscaglia
Annotation:
This book is an extension of an experimental class that the author created at the University of Southern California. His basic message is that while the need to love and to be loved is innate, the way we love is learned, and that every single person can learn to love. 1982.
Available Formats:


The Secrets Men Keep

Author: Ken Druck with James C. Simmons
Annotation:
Masculinity, according to the authors, is a very fragile thing. Men have to work at hiding their feelings, maintaining machismo, and letting women know who is the boss. Because Dr. Druck believes that unacknowledged emotions are disabling to men, he offers this step-by-step course of renewal and self-understanding with insights into the male psyche. Some strong language. 1985.
Available Formats:


All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things

Author: Robert Fulghum
Annotation:
A retired Unitarian minister presents his thoughts and observations on the joy of life. The essays cover such topics as: the joys of Crayolas, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, jumper cables, a shoebox of childhood momentoes, and the author's wife. A frequently quoted maxim, from a kindergarten graduation speech, is “When you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.”

  • 1988.
  • Available Formats:
  • DB 28047 - Read by Harry Elders. Reading time: 3 hours, 18 minutes.
  • BR 07700 - 1 volume.

I'm OK, You're OK: A Practical Guide to Transactional Analysis

Author: Thomas A. Harris
Annotation:
A popular approach to psychological self-help based on the theory that each person contains three active elements: the Parent, the Adult, and the Child. The goal of transactional analysis is to achieve a healthy balance of these elements, freeing the Adult from the archaic recordings of the Parent and the Child. 1971.
Available Formats:

  • DB 14830 - Read by John Stratton. Reading time: 9 hours, 47 minutes.
  • BR 01880 - 4 volumes.

To Love Is to Be Happy With: The First Book of the Option Process

Author: Barry Kaufman
Annotation:
Details the principles and application of the Option Process, for those who want a more loving and life-affirming basis for their lives. Kaufman uses dialogues to illustrate that one always has choices, and basically one can choose to be happy. 1977.
Available Formats:


When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Author: Harold S. Kushner
Annotation:
Impelled by personal tragedy in his own life, the author, a rabbi, helps others cope with grief, guilt, rage, bitterness, and bewilderment at God's “unfairness.” In his search for answers to why tragedies seemingly strike those undeserving of them, he offers comfort and reassurance to the troubled. 1981.
Available Formats:

  • DB 48900 - Read by Bill Wallace. Reading time: 5 hours, 13 minutes.
  • BR 16801 - 1 volume.

Escaping the Hostility Trap

Author: Milton Layden
Annotation:
Shows how to free oneself of resentful feelings, not by repression, but by a simple anti-hostility therapy. 1977.
Available Formats:


Working Smart: How to Accomplish More in Half the Time

Author: Michael LeBouef
Annotation:
How to get more done in less time and with less hassle. Teaches how to set specific goals on a daily, intermediate, and lifetime basis, and how to analyze and revise use of time accordingly. 1979.
Available Formats:


Class: What It Is and How to Acquire It

Author: Mortimer Levitt
Annotation:
A personal approach to the art of living well by a self-made millionaire and frequent lecturer on the subject of image. Levitt, a high school dropout who says he was born on the wrong side of the tracks, equates class with integrity and distinguishes between the appurtenances and the substance of class. He divides his practical advice into four categories: what you say, how you say it, how you look, and how you live. 1984.
Available Formats:


The Search for Self-Respect

Author: Maxwell Maltz
Annotation:
Dr. Maltz demonstrates, step-by-step, how to stop dwelling on unhappiness and focus on achievement. His attempts to bring commonsense to his discussions include examples for goal-building, self-understanding, and seizing opportunities. 1973.
Available Formats:


Your Inner Child of the Past

Author: W. Hugh Missildine
Annotation:
In layman's terms a psychiatrist discusses how individuals can deal with the childhood experiences that affect their adult lives. 1963.
Available Formats:


How to Be Your Own Best Friend: A Conversation with Two Psychoanalysts

Author: Mildred Newman & Bernard Berkowitz with Jean Owen
Annotation:
These practicing psychoanalysts believe that everyone can help himself by learning to be aware of his own accomplishments, by having compassion for himself, and by praising himself for achievement. Aims to help the reader feel more responsible for his own fate and more capable of directing it. 1986.


How to Sell Your Ideas

Author: Jesse S. Nirenberg
Annotation:
Instructs the reader in developing communication skills in business and in private life. Describes how to capture a listener's attention, how to anticipate obstacles, and how to persuade others. 1984.
Available Formats:


Enough Is Enough: Exploding the Myth of Having It All

Author: Carol Orsborn
Annotation:
A manual that is part autobiography, part self-help guide in which Orsborn shares her own experience as a recovering superwoman and looks at the lives of women today. Her message advocates that women who have achieved career success scale down their expectations in order to enjoy life more fully. 1986.
Available Formats:


The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth

Author: M. Scott Peck
Annotation:
Twenty-fifth anniversary edition of the 1978 classic psychological treatise concerning spirituality, self-actualization, maturation, and interpersonal relationships. Emphasizes mental and spiritual growth, love, and self-discipline. 1983.
Available Formats:

  • DB 55631 - Read by Jack Fox. Reading time: 11 hours, 28 minutes.
  • BR 14516 - 3 volumes.

Further Along the Road Less Traveled: The Unending Journey Toward Spiritual Growth: The Edited Lectures

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: M. Scott Peck
    • Annotation:

Continuing with the messages put forth in //The Road Less Traveled//, Peck lectures as both psychiatrist and spiritual guide. He stresses striving for self-love rather than self-esteem and proposes that being disillusioned and being confused are actually signs of mental health. Some strong language. 1993.
Available Formats:

  • DB 37302 - Read by Erik Sandvold. Reading time: 8 hours, 25 minutes.
  • BR 09391 - 2 volumes.

The Laughter Prescription: The Tools of Humor and How to Use Them

Author: Laurence J. Peter & Bill Dana
Annotation:
The author of the bestselling //Peter Principle// teams up with humorist Bill Dana to prescribe laughter as the best medicine. Rather than a bitter pill, they recommend humor as preventive medicine for physiological and psychological health. 1982.
Available Formats:


The Peter Prescription: How to Be Creative, Confident & Competent

Author: Laurence J. Peter
Annotation:
The author presents 66 prescriptions for making things go right. High on the list are the “Peter Peacemaker,” or taking a daily vacation, and advice for avoiding the “Incompetence Treadmill.”


The Theory of 21: Finding the Power to Succeed

Author: Chuck Reaves
Annotation:
An intriguing business concept that asserts for every person who will say yes, there are twenty who will say no. For a positive response you must find the twenty-first person who will say yes. 1983.
Available Formats:


Opening Closed Minds, and Persuading Others to Act Favorably

Author: William John Reilly
Annotation:
Written by the founder and director of the National Institute for Straight Thinking, this book examines the problems arising from the pace and complexity of modern life. 1964.
Available Formats:


Relationships

Talking Books

Beyond Codependency: And Getting Better All the Time

Author: Melody Beattie
Annotation:
As a follow-up to //Codependent No More// (RC 28220) in which Beattie discussed stopping the pain of codependency and gaining control of one's life, she now addresses the topic of self care–what to do when the pain has stopped. Using case histories, she discusses topics such as recovery and relapse, breaking free, dealing with shame, overcoming fatal attractions, and dealing with the fear of commitment. 1989.
Available Formats:

  • DB 31290 - Read by Patricia McDermott. Reading time 7 hours, 59 minutes.

Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself

Author: Melody Beattie
Annotation:
Codependents–those who spend too much time and energy worrying about chemically dependent people–are, according to the author, sometimes sicker than the people addicted to drugs and alcohol. They become hostile, controlling, and manipulative as they try to protect themselves, and yet they don't seem to realize that they too have a problem. The book attempts to help codependents stop the pain and gain control of their lives. 1987.
Available Formats:


The New Codependency: Help and Guidance for Today's Generation

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Melody Beattie
    • Annotation:

A follow-up to the classic //Codependent No More// (DB 28220) explains that codependency is a pattern of behavior rather than an illness. Using examples from her own life, Beattie discusses analyzing one's actions and offers enabling techniques to set boundaries and take better care of oneself. 2009.
Available Formats:

  • DB 68362 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time: 10 hours, 6 minutes.

Being a Man: The Paradox of Masculinity

Author: Donald H. Bell
Annotation:
Looks at the changes in the lives of men brought about by the sexual revolution and the feminist movement. Based on the author's own experiences and on interviews with middle-class men. 1982.
Available Formats:


Intimate Secrets: Which to Keep and Which to Tell

Author: Karen Blaker
Annotation:
How we communicate our secrets–the unknown facts about ourselves, our feelings, needs, dreams, and desires–is a key to surmising the level of our mental maturity. So says psychologist Blaker, who maintains that most people communicate too little or too much. Her aim is to show how to reach the middle ground of mental health that lies between these two extremes. 1986.
Available Formats:


Smart Women, Foolish Choices: Finding the Right Men and Avoiding the Wrong Ones

Author: Connell Cowan & Melvyn Kinder
Annotation:
Two Beverly Hills psychologists analyze the successes and failures of women looking for acceptable men. They suggest that today's accomplished, discriminating women should 'become more realistic in their expectations if they want to form close long-term relationships with men. 1985.
Available Formats:

  • DB 21543 - Read by Bob Butz. Reading time: 5 hours, 48 minutes.

Women Men Love/Women Men Leave: Why Men Are Drawn to Women; What Makes Them Want to Stay

Author: Connell Cowan & Melvyn Kinder
Annotation:
The authors believe that men and women view love differently and that if women understand the difference, they can secure the kind of lasting relationships they want. In particular, the authors examine those attitudes and behaviors of women that destroy intimacy with men and those that foster it. 1987.
Available Formats:


Secrets About Men Every Woman Should Know

Author: Barbara De Angelis
Annotation:
The author believes that a woman has three choices in dealing with men: get angry and complain, give them up, or learn everything there is to know about them so you can have a wonderful relationship. Her secrets include the six biggest mistakes women make with men, the three biggest mysteries about men, the top twenty sexual turn-offs for men, and ways to communicate with men. 1990.
Available Formats:

  • DB 31291 - Read by Madelyn Buzzard. Reading time: 7 hours, 47 minutes.

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places: Overcoming Romantic and Sexual Addictions

Author: Jed Diamond
Annotation:
Guide to understanding and overcoming destructive romantic attachments. Diamond, a psychotherapist specializing in addiction, explains the characteristics of love addiction, illustrates the phenomenon through real-life examples, and includes a candid description of his own former addictive behavior. 1988.
Available Formats:


Sexual Chemistry: What It Is, How to Use It

Author: Julius Fast and Meredith Bernstein
Annotation:
The authors believe that sexual chemistry is not an intangible factor, but a process that anyone may learn to develop and use. They also assert that it is the sum of tensions and vibrations that communicates attraction between people. Includes interviews with men and women and what attracts them. 1983.
Available Formats:


Men Are Just Desserts

Author: Sonya Friedman
Annotation:
Advice for liberated women from a clinical psychologist known for her radio and TV shows. Dr. Friedman holds that men are the delicious final course in the feast of life for a woman who knows that she herself is the main course. She also tells how to make your husband a true partner, how to achieve real intimacy, and how to pull yourself out of the dependency trap. 1983.
Available Formats:


Smart Cookies Don't Crumble: A Modern Woman's Guide to Living and Loving Her Own Life

Author: Sonya Friedman
Annotation:
A practicing psychologist examines the excuses and myths she believes women often use to avoid taking charge of their own lives. She offers woman of all ages and backgrounds advice on mining their individual strengths to shape more promising futures. 1985.
Available Formats:

  • DB 22965 - Read by Madelyn Buzzard. Reading time: 6 hours, 58 minutes.

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus: A Practical Guide for Improving Communication and Getting What You Want in Your Relationships

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: John Gray
    • Annotation:

Therapist Gray describes what he perceives to be fundamental differences in how men and women communicate. Provided are instructions on translating what the other sex is saying and responding in an appropriate manner to improve relationships. 1992.
Available Formats:


Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Harville Hendrix
    • Annotation:

A marriage therapist and pastoral counselor shows how to transform the marital relationship into a lasting source of love. He describes how to change confrontational habits learned as children into techniques that promote mutual growth and healing. He recommends a series of ten exercises that will help couples gain insight and resolve problems. 1988.
Available Formats:

  • DB 31202 - Read by Harold Parker. Reading time 10 hours, 17 minutes.

Living Together, Feeling Alone: Healing Your Hidden Loneliness

Author: Dan Kiley
Annotation:
Admitting that he is more successful treating women than men, Kiley offers several options for the “Living Together Loneliness” syndrome that many women experience. He identifies the guilt-provoking feelings so many women have and then guides readers through a five-step program of surrender, withdrawal, reevaluation, reemergence, and discovery, based on the principles of truth, hope, and love. 1989.
Available Formats:


The Wendy Dilemma: When Women Stop Mothering Their Men

Author: Dan Kiley
Annotation:
The author of //The Peter Pan Syndrome// tells how to break the habit of mothering the men in your life without being rejected. Kiley sees mothering wives as those who adopt attitudes and behaviors that make them feel in control of the lives of men, because they lack a sense of mastery over their own lives. He offers practical, commonsense advice on caring for a man without falling into the trap of taking over as his mother. 1984.
Available Formats:


What to Do When He Won't Change: Getting What You Need from the Man You Love

Author: Dan Kiley
Annotation:
Bestselling author and psychotherapist Dan Kiley provides advice and guidelines for women who want to change their men and make them more sensitive and responsive. 1987.
Available Formats:


Light His Fire: How to Keep Your Man Passionately and Hopelessly in Love with You

Author: Ellen Kreidman
Annotation:
Kreidman's theory is that a man falls in love with a woman because of the way he feels when he is with her. She offers suggestions on how to communicate with your man and make him a sex object, how to express feelings and create moods, and how to keep his fire lit forever. 1991.
Available Formats:


The Dance of Anger: A Woman's Guide to Changing the Patterns of Intimate Relationships

Author: Harriet Goldhor Lerner
Annotation:
A staff psychologist at the Menninger Foundation emphasizes that women have more trouble dealing with anger than men do. Because culture has taught women to be mediators in relationships, she argues, they often fail to express their anger for fear of rocking the boat. Lerner shows readers ways to deal more effectually with anger. 1985.
Available Formats:

  • DB 27934 - Read by Patricia McDermott. Reading time: 6 hours, 59 minutes.
  • BR 06419 - 2 volumes.

The Dance of Intimacy: A Woman's Guide to Courageous Acts of Change in Key Relationships

Author: Harriet Goldhor Lerner
Annotation:
Although directed toward a female audience, this self-help guide can be useful to males as well. Picking up where //Dance of Anger// left off, the author details how difficult change can be. By using case histories, Lerner shows how to make positive moves within day-to-day relationships with spouses, parents, siblings, and lovers. 1989.
Available Formats:

  • DB 29052 - Read by Patricia McDermott. Reading time: 7 hours, 20 minutes.

The Friendship Factor: How to Get Closer to the People You Care For

Author: Alan Loy McGinnis
Annotation:
The author presents ways in which people can get close and stay close to people they like. Included is information on ways to deepen your relationships, guidelines for cultivating intimacy, ways to handle negative emotions, and what to do when a relationship goes bad. 1979.
Available Formats:


Letters from Women Who Love Too Much: A Closer Look at Relationship Addiction and Recovery

Author: Robin Norwood
Annotation:
Collection of letters-to-the-author inspired by the bestselling //Women Who Love Too Much// (DB 22991). The author amplifies her basic theory, that some women become “addicted” to either long-term or serial relationships that are destructive to their mental and physical well-being. 1988.
Available Formats:

  • DB 27603 - Read by Rita Hottois. Reading time 11 hours, 58 minutes.

Women Who Love Too Much: When You Keep Wishing and Hoping He'll Change

Author: Robin Norwood
Annotation:
The author believes that this work will help anyone who loves too much, though she asserts that it is written for women because loving too much is primarily a female phenomenon. Its purpose is to help women recognize destructive patterns of relating to men, understand their origins, and gain the tools for changing their lives. 1985.
Available Formats:

  • DB 22991 - Read by Madelyn Buzzard. Reading time: 9 hours, 58 minutes.

How to Make Love to Each Other

Author: Alexandra Penney
Annotation:
Suggests ways that both sexes can better understand the other emotionally and physically. Gives detailed information on establishing and maintaining intimacy, keeping romance alive, talking about desires and feelings, and overcoming fears about performance, body image, and other common barriers to intimacy. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 1982.
Available Formats:


Braille

Coping with Difficult People

Author: Robert M. Bramson
Annotation:
A practicing psychologist offers field-tested techniques for identifying, understanding, and coping with seven problematic personality types in the workaday world. The categories include hostile-aggressives, complainers, super-agreeables, negativists, indecisives, know-it-alls, and the silent type. 1981.
Available Formats:


Women Men Love/Women Men Leave: Why Men Are Drawn to Women; What Makes Them Want to Stay

Author: Connell Cowan & Melvyn Kinder
Annotation:
The authors believe that men and women view love differently and that if women understand the difference, they can secure the kind of lasting relationships they want. In particular, the authors examine those attitudes and behaviors of women that destroy intimacy with men and those that foster it. 1987.
Available Formats:


Sexual Chemistry: What It Is, How to Use It

Author: Julius Fast and Meredith Bernstein
Annotation:
The authors believe that sexual chemistry is not an intangible factor, but a process that anyone may learn to develop and use. They also assert that it is the sum of tensions and vibrations that communicates attraction between people. Includes interviews with men and women and what attracts them. 1983.
Available Formats:


Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus: A Practical Guide for Improving Communication and Getting What You Want in Your Relationships

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: John Gray
    • Annotation:

Therapist Gray describes what he perceives to be fundamental differences in how men and women communicate. Provided are instructions on translating what the other sex is saying and responding in an appropriate manner to improve relationships. 1992.
Available Formats:


Creative Intimacy: How to Break the Patterns That Poison Your Relationships

Author: Jerry A. Greenwald
Annotation:
Outlines clear, positive steps for discovering intimacy as a prime source of stability, security, and emotional nourishment. 1975.
Available Formats:


How to Break Your Addiction to a Person

Author: Howard M. Halpern
Annotation:
Psychotherapist Halpern finds that the three major factors which cause people to remain in unrewarding “love” relationships are practicality, belief, and–most importantly–infant-based “attachment hungers.” Halpern suggests that those who are considering “withdrawing” from a relationship keep a detailed diary and develop a network of friends for support. 1982.
Available Formats:


Light His Fire: How to Keep Your Man Passionately and Hopelessly in Love with You

Author: Ellen Kreidman
Annotation:
Kreidman's theory is that a man falls in love with a woman because of the way he feels when he is with her. She offers suggestions on how to communicate with your man and make him a sex object, how to express feelings and create moods, and how to keep his fire lit forever. 1989.
Available Formats:


The Technique of Handling People: Eleven Helps for Your Human Relations

Author: Donald A. Laird and Eleanor C. Laird
Annotation:
Eleven steps are listed to aid in achieving success in human relationships. The authors discuss self-confidence, friendliness, directness, and other concepts needed to overcome hostility and win cooperation in dealing with people. 1954.
Available Formats:


The Dance of Anger: A Woman's Guide to Changing the Patterns of Intimate Relationships

Author: Harriet Goldhor Lerner
Annotation:
A staff psychologist at the Menninger Foundation emphasizes that women have more trouble dealing with anger than men do. Because culture has taught women to be mediators in relationships, she argues, they often fail to express their anger for fear of rocking the boat. Lerner shows readers ways to deal more effectually with anger. 1985.
Available Formats:

  • DB 27934 - Read by Patricia McDermott. Reading time: 6 hours, 59 minutes.
  • BR 06419 - 2 volumes.

Why Can't Men Open Up? Overcoming Men's Fear of Intimacy

Author: Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith
Annotation:
While giving women suggestions on how to lead men to intimacy, the authors bring out the complicity of many women in fostering the closed male. Drawing upon psychological studies, case histories, their own experiences, and extensive interviews, they avoid simplistic explanations and assert that there no easy solutions. “One must be independent and giving.”

  • 1984.
  • Available Formats:
  • BR 05836 - 2 volumes.

If I'm So Wonderful, Why Am I Still Single? Ten Strategies That Will Change Your Love Life Forever

Author: Susan Page
Annotation:
A romantic self-help book that is upbeat, practical, and winning. The author is a feminist former director of women's programs at the University of California at Berkeley and a leader of singles workshops. 1988.
Available Formats:


How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton
    • Annotation:

Grandson-grandfather coauthors present a life guide based on positive psychology and the simple metaphor of a bucket and a dipper, which can be used either positively or negatively to influence others. Offers five strategies for increasing good emotions including praising others appropriately, giving unexpectedly, and reversing the Golden Rule. 2004.
Available Formats:


Marriage and Divorce

Talking Books

Is There Sex After Marriage?

Author: Carol Botwin
Annotation:
The lack of sexual desire after marriage is one of the major problems being treated in sex clinics today according to the author. After tracing the decline of sexual activity as two people pass through various stages of life, Botwin searches out the issues that influence sexual desire and suggests ways of achieving happiness in an intimate relationship. 1985.
Available Formats:


The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Gary Chapman
    • Annotation:

Marriage counselor offers advice on affirming love to one's partner. Chapman defines five different love languages–quality time, words of affirmation, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch–that are based on psychological disposition. Suggests ways individuals can decipher their spouse's emotional preferences, providing examples from his own practice. 1995.
Available Formats:

  • DB 64174 - Read by Gary Tipton. Reading time: 5 hours, 16 minutes.

You Can Be the Wife of a Happy Husband

Author: Darien B. Cooper
Annotation:
The author shares and offers the biblical principles that she feels have completely transformed her own life and marriage. 1974.
Available Formats:


Love Must Be Tough: New Hope for Families in Crisis

Author: James C. Dobson
Annotation:
The Christian psychologist offers his counsel on infidelity, wife abuse, alcoholism, and other causes of family breakups. He advocates an attitude of “loving toughness” that will allow one to face any crisis with confidence and courage. He discusses how one can develop this attitude, drawing on personal accounts of individuals in crisis and encouraging a reliance on the Bible. 1983.
Available Formats:


Jennifer Fever: Older Men--Younger Women

Author: Barbara Gordon
Annotation:
Presents the author's theories on the menace of pretty, young women who are grouped here under the name “Jennifer.” They are the ones for whom older men leave their wives, the “Janets.” Gordon quotes people interviewed: the males who catch Jennifer fever; and the forsaken wives who are left to care for children rejected by their father. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1988.
Available Formats:


Mars and Venus Starting Over: A Practical Guide for Finding Love Again After a Painful Breakup, Divorce, or the Loss of a Loved One

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: John Gray
    • Annotation:

The author of //Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus// offers suggestions on opening one's self to love after the death of a mate or after a divorce. Describes the healing process common to both men and women. Explains the differences in the ways males and females resolve loss. 1998.
Available Formats:

  • DB 47134 - Read by Erik Sandvold. Reading time: 8 hours, 57 minutes.
  • BR 11781 - 2 volumes.

Mars and Venus in the Bedroom: A Guide to Lasting Romance and Passion

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: John Gray
    • Annotation:

The author of //Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus// offers suggestions to help couples communicate better in the bedroom and therefore keep sex alive in a monogamous relationship. He discusses what to say and do, what not to say and do, the mechanics of sex, and how to rekindle passion. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.
Available Formats:

  • DB 40459 - Read by Erik Sandvold. Reading time: 5 hours, 11 minutes.
  • BR 10089 - 2 volumes.

Crisis Time! Love, Marriage, and the Male at Mid-life

Author: William A. Nolen
Annotation:
When Dr. Nolen turned fifty, his life started to fall apart. He learned he was suffering from male mid-life crisis syndrome. After surviving this trauma, he began research into the phenomenon, proposing that male mid-life crisis is caused by drastic alterations in brain chemistry. Dr. Nolen offers advice to help couples survive this crisis and resurrect their marriages. 1984.
Available Formats:


Second Wife, Second Best? Managing Your Marriage as a Second Wife

Author: Glynnis Walker
Annotation:
Popular social study on the second-wife experience by a second wife herself. The author presents evidence that the second wife often suffers unnecessarily and unfairly. Such topics as alimony, children, stepchildren, incest, and wills that may relegate a second wife to second position are discussed. 1984.
Available Formats:


Marital Separation

Author: Robert S. Weiss
Annotation:
Deals with coping with the end of a marriage and the transition to being single again and the effect of separation on children, relatives, and friends. Discusses new strategies for starting over. 1975.
Available Formats:


Braille

Mothers and Divorce: Legal, Economic, and Social Dilemmas

Author: Terry Arendell
Annotation:
How sixty middle-class divorced mothers have dealt with lawyers, judges, jobs, dating, public assistance, children, sex, and ex-hubbies. Provides eye-opening information. 1986.
Available Formats:


Talking It Over Before Marriage: Exercises in Premarital Communication

Author: Millard J. Bienvenu
Annotation:
Deals with the elements contributing to good communication between engaged couples, and focuses on some subjects that young people may find difficult to discuss. Concrete verbal and non-verbal exercises for building communication skills are also suggested. 1974.
Available Formats:


Divorce: The New Freedom a Guide to Divorcing and Divorce Counseling

Author: Esther Oshiver Fisher
Annotation:
A lawyer provides practical help for the various phases of divorce, including advice on how to cope with the emotional strains. Emphasis is on personal development. 1974.
Available Formats:


The Divorce Handbook: Your Basic Guide to Divorce

Author: James T. Friedman
Annotation:
Provides information and advice, in question and answer format, on when to consider divorce, responsibilities of parties involved in divorce cases, how to choose a lawyer, child custody and support in divorce situations, financial considerations, and legal proceedings. 1982.
Available Formats:


Mars and Venus Starting Over: A Practical Guide for Finding Love Again After a Painful Breakup, Divorce, or the Loss of a Loved One

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: John Gray
    • Annotation:

The author of //Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus// offers suggestions on opening one's self to love after the death of a mate or after a divorce. Describes the healing process common to both men and women. Explains the differences in the ways males and females resolve loss. 1998.
Available Formats:

  • DB 47134 - Read by Erik Sandvold. Reading time: 8 hours, 57 minutes.
  • BR 11781 - 2 volumes.

Mars and Venus in the Bedroom: A Guide to Lasting Romance and Passion

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: John Gray
    • Annotation:

The author of //Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus// offers suggestions to help couples communicate better in the bedroom and therefore keep sex alive in a monogamous relationship. He discusses what to say and do, what not to say and do, the mechanics of sex, and how to rekindle passion. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.
Available Formats:

  • DB 40459 - Read by Erik Sandvold. Reading time: 5 hours, 11 minutes.
  • BR 10089 - 2 volumes.

FAMILIES

When Parents Love Too Much: What Happens When Parents Won't Let Go

Author: Laurie Ashner and Mitch Meyerson
Annotation:
A “spoiled” child is one whose parents love too much. The authors, one a teacher and educational therapist, the other a psychologist specializing in dysfunctional families, look at the dilemmas faced by adult children and by parents caught in the “overparenting” web, and offer suggestions on ways to change those destructive patterns. 1990.
Available Formats:


Making It as a Stepparent: New Roles--New Rules

Author: Claire Berman
Annotation:
Advice on the complex problems of stepfamilies, by the spokeswoman for the North American Center on Adoption. Covers such angles as the role of money and possessions, the confusion involved in merging two or more ways of life, the alienation of children, and the shock of instant parenthood. 1980.
Available Formats:


Families: Crisis and Caring

Author: T. Berry Brazelton
Annotation:
Using the predicaments of five real families with different situations–parent rivalry, single parenting, step-parenting, family illness, and adoption–Brazleton offers advice for families confronted with these difficult situations. 1989.
Available Formats:

  • DB 31715 - Read by Phil Regensdorf. Reading time: 8 hours, 45 minutes.

Straight from the Heart: How to Talk to Your Teenagers about Love and Sex

Author: Carol Cassell
Annotation:
A former president of the American Association of Sex Educators and mother of six provides a sex education guide for parents of teenagers. Includes suggestions for discussing love, sex, surviving a broken heart, homosexuality, contraception, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases. A list of frequently asked questions with the author's answers is also provided. 1987.
Available Formats:


Peace in the Family: A Workbook of Ideas and Actions

Author: Lois Dorn with Penni Eldredge-Martin
Annotation:
This guide for individuals or for family support groups stresses the importance of developing positive relationships. Offers a down-to-earth approach to family living and tells how to find alternatives to traditional discipline and solve problems in ways that meet the needs of everyone involved. 1983.
Available Formats:


Raising Our Children's Children

Author: Deborah Doucette-Dudman and Jeffrey R. LaCure
Annotation:
Handbook for grandmothers as primary caregivers of their grandchildren. The authors discuss the under-reported problem of “kinship care” as they present case histories augmented by guidelines for dealing with such issues as conflict management, drug addiction, and physical and sexual abuse. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1996.

  • DB 44075 - Read by Madelyn Buzzard. Reading time 10 hours, 48 minutes.

What Do You Really Want for Your Children?

Author: Wayne W. Dyer
Annotation:
A guide for parents on leading children to become fulfilled, self-directed adults. Explains in practical terms how to instill self-confidence, self-reliance, creativity, and compassion. 1985.
Available Formats:


P.E.T. in Action

Author: Thomas Gordon, with Judith Gordon Sands
Annotation:
Advice and instructive examples for handling family problems through Parent Effectiveness Training. Dr. Gordon uses verbatim excerpts from his case studies. 1976.
Available Formats:


Instant Parent: A Guide for Step-parents, Part-time Parents, and Grandparents

Author: Suzy Kalter
Annotation:
A guide to the pitfalls and pratfalls of caring for someone else's children. Written by a woman who was painfully innocent when she stepped into instant parenthood. Includes a calendar of thirty days' worth of things to do and places to go and a development profile for ages two to twelve. 1979.
Available Formats:


The One-minute Scolding: The Amazingly Effective New Approach to Child Discipline

Author: Gerald E. Nelson
Annotation:
As a disciplinary technique, the scolding consists of thirty seconds or less of overt, voiced anger at a misdeed, followed by thirty seconds of equally intense affection. Nelson explains how the technique may be used to teach desirable behavior to children eighteen months to eighteen years old. 1984.
Available Formats:


The One-Minute Scolding: The Amazingly Effective New Approach to Child Discipline

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Carl E. Pickhardt
    • Annotation:

Psychologist and Psychology Today blogger addresses the common developmental changes in children before and during the teen years. Offers suggestions for dealing with conflicts and protecting kids from danger. 2013.
Available Formats:


Saturday Parent: A Book for Separated Families

Author: Peter Rowlands
Annotation:
A book for and about the other parent–the one who lives apart from the children and sees them only occasionally. The author, a psychologist by training and Saturday parent himself, gives specific tips on planning long and short visits, introducing newcomers in the noncustodial parent's life, and handling guilt and confusion. 1980.
Available Formats:


When Your Child Is Afraid

Author: Robert Schachter and Carole Spearin McCauley
Annotation:
The authors present an extensive discussion of the normal fears of childhood from infancy through age sixteen. Parents are advised on identifying fears, helping their children deal with them, and recognizing serious fears that may require professional help. The final section of the book discusses phobias, their symptoms, causes, and treatments. 1988.
Available Formats:


Saying No Is Not Enough: Raising Children Who Make Wise Decisions about Drugs and Alcohol

Author: Robert Schwebel
Annotation:
A clinical psychologist gives practical advice on how to empower children to make wise decisions about drugs and alcohol. He enumerates ways to raise competent children with well-developed life- and problem-solving skills. He discusses how important it is to communicate and suggests ways to begin a dialog. Information on intervention for the child who is already on drugs is included. 1989.
Available Formats:


When You and Your Mother Can't Be Friends: Resolving the Most Complicated Relationship of Your Life

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Victoria Secunda
    • Annotation:

Written for daughters whose childhood relationships with their mothers continue to haunt their adulthood and affect their relationships with friends, lovers, husbands, and children. Secunda's goal is to help daughters break their dependency on their mothers and gain a healthy perspective on their mothers and themselves. 1990.
Available Formats:

  • DB 32117 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time 15 hours, 15 minutes.

Yes, I Can Say No: A Parent's Guide to Assertiveness Training for Children

Author: Manuel J. Smith
Annotation:
Through adult-child dialog about a range of situations, such as experimentation with sex and drugs, the author elicits responses that can help a young person withstand negative peer pressure. Smith's program reportedly has fostered positive self-images in children by providing coping techniques. Some descriptions of sex. 1986.
Available Formats:


How to Talk with Your Child about Sexuality (Planned Parenthood)

Author: Faye Wattleton and Elisabeth Keiffer
Annotation:
Sensitive, sensible guide for parents that emphasizes the importance of creating and maintaining avenues of communication with a child from preschool years through adulthood. Presents typical questions that each age group is likely to ask about sex and supplies direct, helpful responses. 1986.
Available Formats:


CHILD ABUSE

The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

Author: Ellen Bass and Laura Davis
Annotation:
The authors, one a counselor and one a survivor of child abuse, describe the healing process and the importance of recalling painful incidents clearly and recognizing the emotional damage the abuse caused. They discuss ways to help victims understand that they were not at fault, and ways to develop self-esteem. Some descriptions of sex. 1988.
Available Formats:


Outgrowing the Pain: A Book for and about Adults Abused as Children

Author: Elaina M. Gil
Annotation:
A therapist helps victims admit the full effect of abuse in their lives, shows the aftereffects of child abuse, and offers suggestions for healing. 1983.
Available Formats:


Children at Risk, My Fight Against Child Abuse: A Personal Story and a Public Plea

Author: Paula Hawkins
Annotation:
Combination personal saga and political-action tract on the problem of child abuse by the Florida senator. Hawkins recounts the personal agonizing that led her to publicly announce that she herself had been abused at the age of five. She discusses case histories, outlines preventive steps, recommends resources, and provides a checklist to help individuals protect their children. 1986.
Available Formats:


Secret Scars: A Guide for Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

Author: Cynthia Crosson Tower
Annotation:
Written by a therapist and educator, this book defines sexual abuse and quotes case histories to describe its impact. The author examines therapy, self-help groups, and independent survivor goals and offers advice to survivors on raising their own children. Includes a listing of support organizations. Some descriptions of sex. 1988.
Available Formats:


Health and Healing

Stress / Anxiety & Fears (ADDED 2014)

The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Amit Sood (Mayo Clinic)
    • Annotation:

Sood, the chair of the Mind Body Medicine Initiative at the Mayo Clinic, draws on brain research to develop techniques for reducing stress. Discusses practical tips for starting a personal mind-body practice that will promote present-moment awareness, gratitude, compassion, meaning, and forgiveness. 2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 78222 - Reading time 11 hours, 53 minutes.

Read by Gary Tipton.


My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Scott Stossel
    • Annotation:

Editor of //The Atlantic// chronicles anxiety disorder through history, philosophy, religion, culture, and science, while relating his lifelong struggle with the condition. Discusses medications, therapies, and treatment theories, including nature versus nurture. Describes his own personal redemption and resilience. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 78163 - Read by Bill Burton. Reading time 17 hours, 54 minutes.

Cancer (ADDED 2014)

The Priority List: A Teacher's Final Quest to Discover Life's Greatest Lessons

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: David Menasche
    • Annotation:

High school English teacher Menasche relates his battle with brain cancer that began at age thirty-four with a prognosis of death within a few months. Explains his decision years later–despite vision and mobility loss–to travel alone throughout the country to visit hundreds of his former students. 2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 78769 - Read by Bob Moore. Reading time 4 hours, 47 minutes.

Diabetes (ADDED 2014)

The Blood Sugar Solution: The Ultrahealthy Program for Losing Weight, Preventing Disease, and Feeling Great Now!

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Mark Hyman
    • Annotation:

Medical director of the UltraWellness Center explains the causes of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Discusses adopting an organic diet, exercise plan, and stress-relief methods to prevent chronic illness. Includes recipes. Bestseller. 2012.
Available Formats:

  • DB 74530 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time 15 hours, 29 minutes.

The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet: Activate Your Body's Natural Ability to Burn Fat and Lose Weight Fast

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Mark Hyman
    • Annotation:

Author of //The Blood Sugar Solution// (DB 74530) offers specific nutritional strategies to reduce insulin levels. Includes detailed explanations for food choices and recipes. Suggests ways to prepare both your kitchen and your mind for the recommended plan. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2014.
Available Formats:

  • DB 78677 - Read by Mark Hyman. Reading time 7 hours, 35 minutes.

Diabetic Retinopathy: From Diagnosis to Treatment

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Homayoun Tabandeh and David S. Boyer
    • Annotation:

Retina specialists and authors of //Macular Degeneration// (DB 74495) describe diabetic retinopathy, a potential problem for people with diabetes. Discuss its development, treatment options and ways to slow its progress, and lifestyle changes that lead to better glucose control. Offer advice on coping with visual impairment. 2014.
Available Formats:

  • DB 78358 - Read by Patrick Downer. Reading time 3 hours, 41 minutes.

Healthy Living / Diet and Exercise (ADDED 2014)

The End of Illness

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: David Agus and Kristin Loberg
    • Annotation:

Cancer researcher Agus advocates a systemic view of health and recommends knowing about your own physiology and genetics to personalize your health care. Discusses the holistic value of nutrition, sleep, movement, and keeping a regular schedule. Highlights developing medical technologies like proteomic analysis, the analysis of human proteins. Bestseller. 2011.
Available Formats:

  • DB 74306 - Read by Gary Tipton. Reading time 11 hours, 33 minutes.

A Short Guide to a Long Life

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: David Agus and Kristin Loberg
    • Annotation:

Cancer researcher distills his book //The End of Illness// (DB 74306) into a concise collection of tips for healthy living. Recommends a diet of non-processed seasonal foods and a daily fitness routine to maintain weight and manage stress. Bestseller. 2014.
Available Formats:

  • DB 78295 - Read by Guy Williams. Reading time 3 hours, 18 minutes.

Multiple Sclerosis (ADDED 2014)

Waist-High in The World: A Life Among the Nondisabled

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Nancy Mairs
    • Annotation:

A Tucson writer describes her experiences with multiple sclerosis. Having lived as both nondisabled and disabled, Mairs hopes her observations and responses will “make the terrain seem less alien, less perilous, and far more amusing than the myths and legends about it would suggest.”

  • 1996.
  • Available Formats:
  • DB 44084 - Read by Sharon Murray. Reading time 6 hours, 18 minutes.

Talking Books

The Relaxation Response

Author: Herbert Benson
Annotation:
A hypertension specialist defines the risk of stress and explains how tensions can lead to strokes, heart failure, and high blood pressure. Dr. Benson offers simplified instructions in the use of Transcendental Meditation, Yoga, and traditional prayers of the Eastern and Western religions to cope with anxieties. 1975.
Available Formats:


Beyond the Relaxation Response: How to Harness the Healing Power of Your Personal Beliefs

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Herbert Benson, with William Proctor
    • Annotation:

The author contends that a positive mental attitude, attained through his “relaxation response” for dealing with stress, can also help people increase their control over health and happiness. 1984.
Available Formats:

  • DB 22254 - Read by Fred Major. Reading time 5 hours, 3 minutes.

Timeless Healing: The Power and Biology of Belief

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Herbert Benson, with Marg Stark
    • Annotation:

The author of //Beyond the Relaxation Response// (DB 22254) describes how self-care can be combined with pharmaceuticals, surgery, and other procedures to help the healing process. Self-care methods include a belief in “something good,” the placebo effect of “remembered wellness,” and religious convictions that enhance the relaxation response. 1996.
Available Formats:

  • DB 50143 - Read by Gary Tipton. Reading time 11 hours, 18 minutes.

The Holistic Way to Health & Happiness: A New Approach to Complete Lifetime Wellness

Author: Harold H. Bloomfield, Robert Kory
Annotation:
For what the authors prescribe as “lifetime wellness,” this work offers practical, uncomplicated suggestions on how to improve your physical, emotional, and mental health. Covers exercise, weight control, and overcoming bad habits. 1978.
Available Formats:


Getting Up When You're Feeling Down: A Woman's Guide to Overcoming and Preventing Depression

Author: Harriet B. Braiker
Annotation:
The author, a clinical psychologist, has developed a program to help women combat everyday depression. The regimen involves procedures designed to manage negative emotions and raise self-esteem. Overcoming depression, says Braiker, means learning to identify low moods and accepting them as a part of life. 1988.
Available Formats:


Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

Author: David D. Burns
Annotation:
The author reports on results of treating depression, from mild blues to serious cases, with “cognitive thinking,” a program pioneered by colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania. The therapy involves fighting automatic responses to disappointments by intelligent thinking that can put one's shortcomings into perspective. 1980.
Available Formats:

  • DB 17777 - Read by Pat Hurley. Reading time: 14 hours, 58 minutes.
  • BR 09097 - 4 volumes.

Stress Management: A Comprehensive Guide to Wellness

Author: Edward A. Charlesworth and Ronald G. Nathan
Annotation:
Two clinical experts identify symptoms and causes of stress and offer step-by-step physical and psychological relaxation techniques. They include chapters on assertiveness, time-management, nutrition, and exercise. A comprehensive manual. 1984.
Available Formats:


Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient: Reflections on Healing and Regeneration

Author: Norman Cousins
Annotation:
The author's reflections generated by his triumph over a crippling disease. Cousins investigates the chemistry of the will to live and factors influencing the capacity for self-healing. He also believes that humor and laughter, along with a strong doctor/patient relationship, aid the body's natural healing powers. 1979.
Available Formats:

  • DB 55117 - Read by Bob Moore. Reading time: 5 hours, 2 minutes.
  • BR 14347 - 1 volume.

Head First: The Biology of Hope

Author: Norman Cousins
Annotation:
The author, a professor at UCLA's School of Medicine, contends that positive attitudes can play important roles in the healing process. Drawing upon his personal experiences as well as those of doctors, researchers, and patients, Cousins argues that faith, love, determination and humor, promote healing within the body. 1989.
Available Formats:

  • DB 31001 - Read by Bob Butz. Reading time: 12 hours, 18 minutes.

The Secret Strength of Depression

Author: Frederic F. Flach
Annotation:
A psychiatrist asserts that depression, which is a common response to stress, offers the hidden opportunities of personal insight and growth. 1974.
Available Formats:


The Hospital Patient: A Guide for Family and Friends

Author: Kenneth France
Annotation:
Focuses on how the hospital visitor can relate to a patient, as well as how a patient can cope with and profit by the good intentions of others. The practical matters discussed include the kinds of gifts to bring, how long a visitor should stay, interaction with medical personnel, and how the visitor can pose questions regarding such sensitive areas as a patient's prognosis. 1987.
Available Formats:


Overcoming Agoraphobia: Conquering Fear of the Outside World

Author: Alan Goldstein and Berry Stainback
Annotation:
A professor of psychiatry discusses the causes of the phobia and the treatment methods he has devised. He also outlines a self-help program based on such techniques as diaphragmatic breathing and positive thinking to rid oneself of “catastrophic thoughts.”

  • 1987.
  • Available Formats:
  • DB 27951 - Read by Lou Harpenau. Reading time: 8 hours, 50 minutes.

Invisible Scars: A Guide to Coping with the Emotional Impact of Breast Cancer

Author: Mimi Greenberg
Annotation:
Discusses the options, medical procedures, outcomes, and emotional problems that accompany the treatment of, and recovery from, breast cancer. Greenberg, herself a recovered cancer patient, tells how to choose a compatible physician, find a personal support system, make treatment decisions, and get back to a normal life-style. 1988.
Available Formats:


Somatics: Reawakening the Mind's Control of Movement, Flexibility, and Health

Author: Thomas Hanna
Annotation:
The author explains the “somatic” viewpoint that everything in our lives is a bodily experience. He recommends specific exercises to relieve “sensory-motor amnesia” and slow the aging process. He illustrates his thesis with five case studies and describes exercises in detail. 1988.
Available Formats:


You Can Heal Your Life

Author: Louise L. Hay
Annotation:
The author, a metaphysical counselor, asserts that “if we are willing to do the mental work, almost anything can be healed.” This handbook tells how to eliminate the blocks to good health and a happy life by regaining one's self-esteem and confidence. 1984.
Available Formats:

  • DB 26986 - Read by Pam Ward. Reading time: 6 hours, 6 minutes.

The Right to Feel Bad: Coming to Terms with Normal Depression

Author: Lesley Hazleton
Annotation:
A practicing psychologist and journalist defines depression in imaginative, non-medical terms. Hazleton focuses on “normal” as opposed to chronic depression, arguing that this form of the condition should be viewed “not as a problem but as a process.”


Who Gets Sick: How Beliefs, Moods, and Thoughts Affect Your Health

Author: Blair Justice
Annotation:
Offers recent research on how the body can heal itself. Some of the beliefs cited indicate that a positive and outgoing disposition, faith in oneself, an ability to cope with adversity, and a sense of control produce reactions in the brain that cause the body to heal. 1988.
Available Formats:


How to Win Over Depression

Author: Tim LaHaye
Annotation:
A pastoral counselor offers a therapeutic formula to combat depression, the leading mental illness in the United States. Dr. LaHaye believes that acceptance of Jesus Christ will insure emotional stability. 1974.
Available Formats:


Beyond Rage: The Emotional Impact of Chronic Physical Illness

Author: JoAnn LeMaistre
Annotation:
The author, a clinical psychologist who counsels chronically ill people and has multiple sclerosis herself, presents a collection of vignettes drawn from actual cases, along with her own commentaries. 1985.
Available Formats:

  • DB 31753 -Read by Dee Weber. Reading time: 5 hours, 48 minutes.

Phobia Free: A Medical Breakthrough Linking 90% of All Phobias and Panic Attacks to a Hidden Physical Problem

Author: Harold N. Levinson with Steven Carter
Annotation:
Rejecting the traditional view that phobias are a mental disorder, the author suggests that most phobias have a physiological basis, having to do with inner ear problems that can be treated simply and safely. Dr. Levinson offers case histories and self-diagnostic tests and advocates a holistic approach to treatment. 1986.
Available Formats:


Stress Passages: Surviving Life's Transitions Gracefully

Author: L. John Mason
Annotation:
Divided into chapters on the major stress causing stages of life; pregnancy, parenting, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and work, midlife transition, aging, and death. This book presents techniques and exercises that are designed to help people relax in order to more effectively handle these stages and stresses. 1988.
Available Formats:

  • DB 28955 - Read by Mary Pederson. Reading time: 9 hours, 44 minutes.
  • BR 07755 - 3 volumes.

Johns Hopkins Patients' Guide to Brain Cancer

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Deanna Glass Macenka & Alessandro Olivi
    • Annotation:

Medical professionals offer guide to help patients make informed decisions about brain cancer treatment. They discuss therapy options and their side effects, including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and combined modality protocols. Provides information on the disease in older adults and an index of resources. 2011.

  • DB 73936 - Read by Jill Ferris. Reading time: 5 hours, 31 minutes.

Superimmunity: Master Your Emotions & Improve Your Health

Author: Paul Pearsall
Annotation:
Explores the field of psychoneuroimmunology, which emphasizes the relationship between state of mind and health. The author theorizes that people run in hot and cold cycles; the former leads to heart disease, the latter to cancer. Quizzes are provided for determining how one is “running,” as are helpful hints for cooling off or warming up. 1987.
Available Formats:


Living with Chronic Illness: Days of Patience and Passion

Author: Cheri Register
Annotation:
The author, who is herself chronically ill, draws on her experiences and those of others who suffer from a wide range of chronic conditions to paint a vivid and thorough picture of their daily lives. She also discusses the reactions of healthy people to the chronically ill, and offers advice on providing support and assistance. 1987.
Available Formats:


Stress without Distress

Author: Hans Selye
Annotation:
A researcher who holds doctorates in medicine, science, and philosophy tells how to achieve a rewarding life style in harmony with the laws of nature by using stress as a positive force for personal achievement and happiness. 1974.
Available Formats:


Johns Hopkins Medicine Patients' Guide to Cancer in Older Adults

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Gary R. Shapiro & Ilene S. Browner
    • Annotation:

Oncologists explain cancer treatment in older adults. They discuss the biology of aging, therapy options and their potential side effects, palliative care, rehabilitation, and nutrition. 2012.
Available Formats:

  • DB 77887 - Read by Michael Scherer. Reading time 5 hours, 8 minutes.

Love, Medicine, & Miracles: Lessons Learned about Self-Healing from a Surgeon's Experience with Exceptional Patients

Author: Bernie S. Siegel
Annotation:
A surgeon and professor at Yale Medical School, the author became interested in cancer victims who had regained their health, although diagnosed as incurable. He founded ECaP (Exceptional Cancer Patients), which inspired creative programs based on the belief that miracles occur when the mind is focused on healing. 1986.
Available Formats:

  • DB 26318 - Read by Jim Bond. Reading time: 9 hours, 22 minutes.
  • BR 06561 - 3 volumes.

Peace, Love & Healing: Bodymind Communication and the Path to Self-healing: An Exploration

Author: Bernie S. Siegel
Annotation:
After examining the causes for diseases and the ways people activate illnesses, Siegel discusses how to use self-healing. He does, however, caution people that they should not rely on self-healing alone, but use it in conjunction with treatment by medical professionals. 1989.
Available Formats:

  • DB 30953 - Read by Jim Bond. Reading time: 10 hours, 40 minutes.
  • BR 07837 - 3 volumes.

My Parent Has Cancer and It Really Sucks: Real-Life Advice from Real-Life Teens

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Maya Silver and Marc Silver
    • Annotation:

Teens' guide to coping with a parent's cancer diagnosis. Provides information on the disease and offers advice on communicating with family and friends, dealing with stress, and seeking support. Includes accounts from peers and resources. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 76350 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time: 8 hours, 44 minutes.
  • BR 19907 - 3 volumes.

The Work/Stress Connection: How to Cope with Job Burnout

Author: Robert L. Veninga and James P. Spradley
Annotation:
Explores the effect of unrelieved work-related stress on performance, health, and personal life through a series of interviews with a wide variety of men and women. The authors offer two kinds of positive strategies to combat burnout: personal ones involving health, life style, and attitudes; and organizational strategies which may result in a detached view of the job. 1981.
Available Formats:


The Female Stress Syndrome: How to Recognize and Live with It

Author: Georgia Witkin-Lanoil
Annotation:
A clinical psychologist zeroes in on the female mind and body, describing special stresses unique to women. Covers working, marriage, living alone, motherhood, hidden stresses, and being female after forty. Offers insight and self-help exercises, relaxation techniques, and other methods for managing female stress syndrome. 1984.
Available Formats:


The Male Stress Syndrome: How to Recognize and Live with It

Author: Georgia Witkin-Lanoil
Annotation:
A clinical psychologist offers timely advice to men on the causes of and cures for stress. The author contends that although men and women share many stresses, such as stress from job and family, each sex is likely to experience these situations differently. Includes profiles for self-evaluation. 1986.
Available Formats:


Braille

The Holistic Way to Health & Happiness: A New Approach to Complete Lifetime Wellness

Author: Harold H. Bloomfield, Robert Kory
Annotation:
For what the authors prescribe as “lifetime wellness,” this work offers practical, uncomplicated suggestions on how to improve your physical, emotional, and mental health. Covers exercise, weight control, and overcoming bad habits. 1978.
Available Formats:


Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

Author: David D. Burns
Annotation:
The author reports on results of treating depression, from mild blues to serious cases, with “cognitive thinking,” a program pioneered by colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania. The therapy involves fighting automatic responses to disappointments by intelligent thinking that can put one's shortcomings into perspective. 1980.
Available Formats:

  • DB 17777 - Read by Pat Hurley. Reading time: 14 hours, 58 minutes.
  • BR 09097 - 4 volumes.

Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient: Reflections on Healing and Regeneration

Author: Norman Cousins
Annotation:
The author's reflections generated by his triumph over a crippling disease. Cousins investigates the chemistry of the will to live and factors influencing the capacity for self-healing. He also believes that humor and laughter, along with a strong doctor/patient relationship, aid the body's natural healing powers. 1979.
Available Formats:

  • DB 55117 - Read by Bob Moore. Reading time: 5 hours, 2 minutes.
  • BR 14347 - 1 volume.

Stress and Survival: The Emotional Realities of Life-Threatening Illness

Author: Edited by Charles A. Garfield
Annotation:
Essays on the importance of interpersonal relations presented by doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, and patients. The basic premise that a supportive human presence can markedly decrease the patient's level of stress while increasing the will to live and capacity to overcome illness is illustrated with concrete examples. 1979.
Available Formats:


Somatics: Reawakening the Mind's Control of Movement, Flexibility, and Health

Author: Thomas Hanna
Annotation:
The author explains the “somatic” viewpoint that everything in our lives is a bodily experience. He recommends specific exercises to relieve “sensory-motor amnesia” and slow the aging process. He illustrates his thesis with five case studies and describes exercises in detail. 1988.
Available Formats:


The Joy of Stress

Author: Peter G. Hanson
Annotation:
A Canadian family practitioner tells how we can stop letting stress run our lives. People's lives, Hanson argues, are dependent upon financial sufficiency, personal happiness, sound health, and respect on the job. When people master all four areas, stress can be controlled. The author says to “learn to ignore what you can't control, and learn to control what you can.”

  • 1986.
  • Available Formats:
  • BR 06755 - volumes.

The Real Truth about Women and AIDS: How to Eliminate the Risks without Giving Up Love and Sex

Author: Helen Singer Kaplan
Annotation:
A candid discussion of AIDS specifically aimed at answering questions that women may have about the virus. Includes an explicit discussion of the types of sex deemed “safe” and a warning against relying exclusively on condoms to eliminate the risks of exposure. 1987.
Available Formats:


Stress Passages: Surviving Life's Transitions Gracefully

Author: L. John Mason
Annotation:
Divided into chapters on the major stress causing stages of life; pregnancy, parenting, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and work, midlife transition, aging, and death. This book presents techniques and exercises that are designed to help people relax in order to more effectively handle these stages and stresses. 1988.
Available Formats:

  • DB 28955 - Read by Mary Pederson. Reading time: 9 hours, 44 minutes.
  • BR 07755 - 3 volumes.

Breaking Free from Compulsive Eating

Author: Geneen Roth
Annotation:
A former anorexic believes that one's self-image should not depend on weight or on other people's judgment. Roth presents a practical guide “for daily support, direction, and encouragement” of those who use food as a substitute for constructive action. Includes chapters on healthful family meal habits as well as how to handle eating alone or in company, at home or in restaurants. 1984.
Available Formats:


Safe Sex: What Everyone Should Know about Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Author: Angelo T. Scotti with Thomas A. Moore
Annotation:
A former assistant director of the venereal disease section of the Federal Center for Disease Control addresses the symptoms, treatments, and methods of prevention of many familiar and lesser-known sexually transmitted diseases. Includes discussion of the emotional impact of STDs; a short list of self-help groups; and chapters on pregnancy, contraception, and drug usage. 1987.
Available Formats:


Stop Killing Yourself: Make Stress Work for You

Author: Susan Seliger
Annotation:
Guidance in achieving better health through self-control, exercise, proper diet, and mental attitude. 1984.
Available Formats:


Love, Medicine, & Miracles: Lessons Learned about Self-Healing from a Surgeon's Experience with Exceptional Patients

Author: Bernie S. Siegel
Annotation:
A surgeon and professor at Yale Medical School, the author became interested in cancer victims who had regained their health, although diagnosed as incurable. He founded ECaP (Exceptional Cancer Patients), which inspired creative programs based on the belief that miracles occur when the mind is focused on healing. 1986.
Available Formats:

  • DB 26318 - Read by Jim Bond. Reading time: 9 hours, 22 minutes.
  • BR 06561 - 3 volumes.

Peace, Love & Healing: Bodymind Communication and the Path to Self-healing: An Exploration

Author: Bernie S. Siegel
Annotation:
After examining the causes for diseases and the ways people activate illnesses, Siegel discusses how to use self-healing. He does, however, caution people that they should not rely on self-healing alone, but use it in conjunction with treatment by medical professionals. 1989.
Available Formats:

  • DB 30953 - Read by Jim Bond. Reading time: 10 hours, 40 minutes.
  • BR 07837 - 3 volumes.

Getting Well Again: A Step-by-Step, Self-help Guide to Overcoming Cancer for Patients and Their Families

Author: O. Carl Simonton, Stephanie Matthews-Simonton, and James. L. Creighton
Annotation:
Outlines a psychological treatment program involving mind-body control, positive imaging, and stress management. Endorses the philosophy that individuals must accept responsibility for their own healing. The authors submit considerable evidence that cancer patients can participate successfully in overcoming “terminal” illnesses and have done so. Intended for use in conjunction with standard medical procedures. 1978.
Available Formats:


Learn to Relax: 13 Ways to Reduce Tension

Author: C. Eugene Walker
Annotation:
A self-help guide that briefly presents a number of methods for decreasing anxiety. Among the useful techniques described are relaxation exercises, assertion training, self-hypnosis, and nutrition. 1975.
Available Formats:


Alcohol, Drug, and Other Addictions

Talking Books

Alateen--Hope for Children of Alcoholics

Author: Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, inc.
Annotation:
The story of Alateen, the organization of children of alcoholics. Members share personal experiences, explaining how Alateen has helped them. For junior and senior readers. 1973.
Available Formats:


Alcoholism, the Family Disease

Author: Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, inc.
Annotation:
For families and friends of alcoholics, Al-Anon provides a program which is also a spiritual way of life. Based on the suggested Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. 1972.
Available Formats:


Living with an Alcoholic with the Help of Al-Anon

Author: Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, inc.
Annotation:
Written “to help those who feel their personal lives are being or have been affected by the obsessive drinking of a family member or friend.” Describes the history and organization of Al-Anon, the nature of alcoholism as an illness, and how the organization may help the family of the alcoholic. 1973.
Available Formats:


One Day at a Time in Al-Anon

Author: Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, inc.
Author:
Annotation:
Daily messages for those who must deal with the problem of alcoholism in the family. Suggests ways to find in each day a measure of comfort, serenity and a sense of achievement. 1972.
Available Formats:

  • DB 12873 - Read by Patricia Beaudry. Reading time: 7 hours, 52 minutes.

Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age: A Brief History of A.A.

Author: Alcoholics Anonymous
Annotation:
The first part of the book presents a sketch of the St. Louis convention at which Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) came of age. The second part includes three talks on the history of A.A. given by co-founder Bill W. The third part is devoted to A.A.'s friends, who tell of their association with A.A. and their view of what the future holds for this society. 1985.
Available Formats:

  • DB 27104 - Read by Randy Atcher. Reading time 13 hours, 25 minutes.

The Answer to Addiction

Author: John Burns
Annotation:
A former Madison Avenue advertising man, with the help of three other recovered alcoholics, believes that the solution to alcoholism is a spiritual conversion and a return to God. 1975.
Available Formats:


Understanding America's Drinking Problem: How to Combat the Hazards of Alcohol

Author: Don Cahalan
Annotation:
Despite the millions of dollars spent on alcoholism treatment over the last two decades, little progress has been made in arresting its incidence or prevalence. The author suggests that a major reason is that elected officials are reluctant to enact legislation to control drinking or to place restrictions on the powerful alcohol industry. The costs and efficiency of various rehabilitative programs, as well as controversies concerning treatment within the health care profession are also discussed. 1987.
Available Formats:


How to Stay Sober: Recovery without Religion

Author: James Christopher
Annotation:
This book is intended for persons who want to give up alcohol but have had problems with the religious beliefs and practices of more traditional groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. The author, an alcoholic himself, describes a program of self-control and a day-by-day plan for handling alcohol. 1988.
Available Formats:

  • DB 29176 - Read by Ed Blake. Reading time 3 hours, 21 minutes.
  • BR 07599 - 2 volumes.

When Luck Runs Out: Help for Compulsive Gamblers and Their Families

Author: Robert Custer and Harry Milt
Annotation:
Custer, who developed the first treatment program for compulsive gamblers, and professional writer, Milt, delineate the roots of the disease. They cite the increasingly destructive stages through which the compulsive gambler passes, discuss how the problem can be recognized, and list the steps that can be taken to remedy the behavior. 1985.
Available Formats:


Breaking Addiction: A 7-step Handbook for Ending Any Addiction

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Lance M. Dodes
    • Annotation:

In this companion to The Heart of Addiction (DB 64896), Harvard Medical School psychiatrist shares case studies about getting to the root of addictive behavior. Offers a seven-step solution and proactive approaches for taking back control. Some strong language. 2011.
Available Formats:

  • DB 77096 - Read by Bill Wallace. Reading time 7 hours, 27 minutes..

The Heart of Addiction: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Lance M. Dodes
    • Annotation:

Psychiatrist addresses addiction's underlying emotional factors: feelings of helplessness, anger at being helpless, and the need to reassert power. Uses case studies to demonstrate psychological aspects of Internet, shopping, exercise, gambling, cleaning, and sex addictions. Discusses misconceptions and includes sections about teens and couples. Some descriptions of sex. 2002.
Available Formats:

  • DB 64896 - Read by John Polk. Reading time: 9 hours, 27 minutes.

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Charles Duhigg
    • Annotation:

New York Times reporter draws on academic studies, interviews with scientists, and industry research to explore habit formation in individuals, organizations, and societies. Argues that by understanding habits, we can change them. Examines how changing habit loops affected the outcomes for Alcoholics Anonymous members, Target shoppers, and others. 2012.
Available Formats:

  • DB 74596 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time: 11 hours, 36 minutes.

Inside Rehab: The Surprising Truth about Addiction Treatment: And How to Get Help That Works

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Anne M. Fletcher
    • Annotation:

Award-winning health writer investigates the effectiveness of drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers by visiting fifteen treatment programs and interviewing clients, counselors, and administrators. Challenges common beliefs about addiction and offers insight into different types of therapy, success rates, and keys to recovery. 2013.
Available Formats:


Sex Addicts Anonymous

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: International Service Organization of SAA, Inc.
    • Annotation:

Describes the spiritual recovery program for sex addiction that is based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. Explains each of the program's twelve steps and twelve traditions. Includes the personal stories of forty-six recovering addicts. Explicit descriptions of sex. 2005.
Available Formats:

  • DB 72042 - Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 13 hours, 24 minutes.

Beyond the Influence: Understanding and Defeating Alcoholism

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Katherine Ketcham and William F. Asbury
    • Annotation:

Using scientific research, the authors make the case that alcoholism is a medical disease resulting from abnormalities in brain chemistry. Explains how to diagnose the condition and proposes that treatment programs include psychological and spiritual elements. Investigates fallacies promoted by the liquor industry. 2000.
Available Formats:

  • DB 49986 - Read by Gregory Gorton. Reading time: 14 hours, 58 minutes.

Goodbye Hangovers, Hello Life: Self-help for Women

Author: Jean Kirkpatrick
Annotation:
Vividly describes the pain of alcoholism, the recovery, and keys to “the good life.” Kirkpatrick, founder of the Women for Sobriety support group program, outlines steps women must take to recover fully, including understanding depression and low self-esteem. 1986.
Available Formats:


What's Wrong With My Kid?: When Drugs or Alcohol Might Be a Problem and What to Do About It

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: George E. Leary
    • Annotation:

Leary, a social worker and father of a drug addict, provides a guide to help parents recognize the warning signs of substance abuse in their children. Discusses the biology of addiction, mental health issues, treatment plans, and parenting skills. 2012.
Available Formats:

  • DB 76720 - Read by Patrick Downer. Reading time 12 hours, 36 minutes.
  • BR 20109 - 5 volumes.

Hope: New Choices and Recovery Strategies for Adult Children of Alcoholics

Author: Emily Marlin
Annotation:
Drawing on personal experience and professional training, a family therapist offers a self-help guide to adults seeking to recover from the trauma of growing up in an alcoholic household. She stresses that recovery is a lifelong process that begins with understanding the origins of the trauma, and outlines strategies for change and for rebuilding old and forming new relationships. 1987.
Available Formats:


The Alcoholics Anonymous Experience: A Close-up View for Professionals

Author: Milton A. Maxwell
Annotation:
A health care professional offers a comprehensive picture of current AA operations, including the social setting of the fellowship and the recovery process. Anonymous interviews with members provide an intimate portrait of personal and collective aspects of the AA experience. 1984.
Available Formats:


Controlling Your Drinking: Tools to Make Moderation Work for You

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: William R. Miller and Ricardo F. Muñoz
    • Annotation:

Psychologists’ techniques for alcohol abusers to change harmful patterns and learn to imbibe in moderation. They explain the use of self-monitoring by keeping track, taking charge, and slowing down, and offer practical advice on handling social situations and substituting other behaviors for drinking. 2005.
Available Formats:

  • DB 60169 - Read by John Polk. Reading time: 13 hours, 38 minutes.

The Joy of Being Sober: A Book for Recovering Alcoholics--and Those Who Love Them

Author: Jack Mumey
Annotation:
A former TV producer and “recovering alcoholic,” outlines a program designed to replace attitudes of self-pity, regret, and guilt with a positive point of view. Mumey offers practical suggestions for reestablishing viable family and other personal relationships. 1984.
Available Formats:


Tough Love: How Parents Can Deal with Drug Abuse

Author: Pauline Neff
Annotation:
Real-life accounts of young drug users who wanted help and of their parents' role in seeing that they received it. Seven families describe in graphic terms how their children successfully beat the drug habit through the Palmer Drug Abuse Program. 1982.
Available Formats:


The Hidden Addiction: And How to Get Free

Author: Janice Keller Phelps and Alan E. Nourse
Annotation:
The authors maintain that four of every ten people are addicted to sugar, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or some prescription drugs because they are born with a metabolic or genetic predisposition. Phelps and Nourse offer a program for fighting such addictions that includes heavy doses of vitamin and mineral supplements, exercising, and temporary use of antidepressant drugs under a physician's care. 1986.
Available Formats:


How to Stop the One You Love from Drinking: I Know Because Intervention Worked for Me

Author: Mary Ellen Pinkham
Annotation:
As an alcoholic whose habit was destroying her life, Mary Ellen struggled to free herself, and then her husband and sister, from drinking problems. Through the intervention technique, a loving confrontation with the drinker, advocated by the Families in Crisis Center, she accomplished what most believed to be impossible. 1986.
Available Formats:


Children of Alcoholism: A Survivor's Manual

Author: Judith S. Seixas and Geraldine Youcha
Annotation:
Offers peer-group support for the offspring of alcoholic parents. Includes a report on the case histories of more than two hundred children of alcoholics. 1985.
Available Formats:


Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: David Sheff
    • Annotation:

Expanding on an award-winning //New York Times Magazine// article, journalist Sheff chronicles his son Nic's descent into methamphetamine addiction and its devastating effects on their family. Relates Nic's cycles of rehabilitation and relapse and his own struggles and realizations. Offers information on the nature of drugs. Strong language. 2008.
Available Formats:

  • DB 66107 - Read by Steven Carpenter. Reading time: 10 hours, 41 minutes.

Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: David Sheff
    • Annotation:

The author of //Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey through His Son’s Addiction// discusses drug abuse in America. Uses case studies and research in medicine, neuroscience, and psychology to explore the causes and patterns of addiction and ways to treat it. 2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 76745 - Read by Jeffrey Cummings. Reading time: 13 hours, 33 minutes.

Crisis Intervention: Acting Against Addiction

Author: Ed Storti & Janet Keller
Annotation:
A guide to the technique of controlled confrontation with those addicted to drugs or alcohol. The book includes case histories of interventions, guidance in selecting an interventionist, a list of treatment centers, and a discussion of the twelve steps to recovery. 1988.
Available Formats:


Alcoholism

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: James D. Torr
    • Annotation:

Essays explore the problem of alcoholism, addressing such topics as the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous, marketing by the liquor industry, effects on children and families, binge drinking in college, the disease theory of addiction, and government regulation. 2000.
Available Formats:

  • DB 56317 - Read by Butch Hoover. Reading time: 8 hours, 40 minutes.

Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism

Author: Bill W.
Annotation:
Fourth edition of the basic 1939 text of Alcoholics Anonymous, the “big book.” Describes the recovery program and includes personal histories of recovering members. Highlights founder Bill's story, the self-help group's twelve traditions, plus medical and religious views of the organization. 2001.
Available Formats:

  • DB 67094 - Read by John Polk. Reading time: 19 hours, 37 minutes.

A Simple Program: A Contemporary Translation of the Book Alcoholics Anonymous

Author: Bill W.
Annotation:
This revision of Alcoholics Anonymous, first published in 1939, uses modern language without gender or relationship assumptions. Explains alcoholism and AA's twelve-step method of recovery. In AA tradition, the author remains anonymous. 1996.
Available Formats:

  • 47614 - Read by Patricia McDermott. Reading time: 5 hours, 41 minutes.

Adult Children of Alcoholics

Author: Janet Geringer Woititz
Annotation:
A handbook to help the children of alcoholics understand their childhood experiences in relating to an alcoholic parent and how these experiences contributed to their personal problems as adults. Demonstrates how the cycle can be broken and problems caused by alcoholism avoided in the next generation. Designed for individual use, for counselors, and for discussion groups. 1983.
Available Formats:


Drugs, Alcohol, and Your Children: How to Keep Your Family Substance-Free

Author: Geraldine Youcha and Judith S. Seixas
Annotation:
A commonsense guide for parents whose children may be substance abusers or potential abusers. It offers suggestions on keeping the family together, getting children to talk about their problems, and the merits of various treatment programs. 1989.
Available Formats:


Braille

Alateen: A day at a Time

Author: Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, inc.
Annotation:
A thought for each day of the year contributed by the members of Alateen, a fellowship of young people whose lives have been affected by the alcoholism of a family member or close friend. Includes the Twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Alateen is part of the Al-Anon Family Groups. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1983.
Available Formats:


How to Stay Sober: Recovery without Religion

Author: James Christopher
Annotation:
This book is intended for persons who want to give up alcohol but have had problems with the religious beliefs and practices of more traditional groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. The author, an alcoholic himself, describes a program of self-control and a day-by-day plan for handling alcohol. 1988.
Available Formats:


When Your Parent Drinks Too Much: A Book for Teenagers

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Eric Ryerson
    • Annotation:

The author, who lived with an alcoholic mother when he was a teenager, describes the problems, fears, and worries that beset him and how he was able to overcome them. For junior and senior high readers. 1985.
Available Formats:


Aging

Talking Books

Here Tomorrow: Making the Most of Life After Fifty

Author: Janet K. Belsky
Annotation:
Clinical psychologist Belsky, who states that old age starts closer to eighty-five than sixty-five, reports to those over fifty about research in medicine, psychology, and the social sciences. Divided into four parts, the book covers the self, relationships, transitions, and diseases. 1988.
Available Formats:


Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
    • Annotation:

Describes the process of menopause for women and covers health-care options for its symptoms. Includes medical and alternative treatments such as stress management, diet, and exercise. Discusses scientific research studies and encourages women to focus on making good personal health-care decisions. Highlights women’s natural life transitions. 2006.
Available Formats:

  • DB 66354 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time 16 hours, 23 minutes.

Aging is a Family Affair

Author: Victoria E. Bumagin and Kathryn F. Hirn
Annotation:
Demonstrates how families have accommodated themselves to changes wrought by time, usually by learning how to listen to and understand other generations. Encourages older men and women to be active and useful. Contains practical advice on managing finances, making decisions for or against nursing homes, and coping with illness and death. 1979.
Available Formats:


How to Live to Be 100--or More: The Ultimate Diet, Sex, and Exercise Book

Author: George Burns
Annotation:
Chatty George Burns at eighty-seven recommends martinis and a simple half-hour exercise routine. He cautions against worry and stress and offers a sound diet. With humor he warns about fretting over children, and cautions about doctors and funerals. 1983.
Available Formats:

  • DB 19221 - Read by Bob Askey. Reading time: 2 hours, 1 minute.

Love and Sex After 60

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Robert N. Butler and Myrna I. Lewis
    • Annotation:

With the average life span having increased by more than twenty-five years since the turn of the century and with a more positive attitude towards sexuality in older Americans, two gerontologists offer advice for coping with late-life sexuality. Topics include sexual fitness, common emotional problems, dating, and family reactions. 1996.
Available Formats:

  • DB 44432 - Read by Bob Moore. Reading time: 7 hours, 49 minutes.

Ageless Body, Timeless Mind: The Quantum Alternative to Growing Old

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Deepak Chopra
    • Annotation:

Chopra examines the life-styles of long-lived individuals and challenges the assumptions that he contends are the basis of the generally accepted paradigm of aging. Stating that the mind influences every cell in the body, Chopra suggests a new set of “assumptions” regarding aging that he claims will allow people to strive towards an ageless body and a timeless mind. 1993.
Available Formats:

  • DB 37057 - Read by Bill Wallace. Reading time: 12 hours, 45 minutes.

Talking with Your Aging Parents

Author: Mark A. Edinberg
Annotation:
A psychologist specializing in gerontology and family counseling offers a guidebook for children of the elderly. He explains how to open and maintain communication with aging parents and warns offspring against the destructive tendency to act as though they are now “parenting their parents.” Explains in detail how to discuss such vital and sensitive issues as terminal illness and death, financial concerns, and nursing homes. 1987.
Available Formats:


On Our Own: Independent Living for Older Persons

Author: Ursula A. Falk
Annotation:
Americans cherish their independence, and so it is difficult when age raises the specter of dependence. Falk suggests ways in which older people can continue to live successfully on their own. She outlines meal programs, alternative living arrangements, family support systems, leisure activities, and employment opportunities. 1989.
Available Formats:

  • DB 31678 - Read by Dee Weber. Reading time: 7 hours, 6 minutes.
  • BR 08291 - 2 volumes.

Women Coming of Age

Author: Jane Fonda with Mignon McCarthy
Annotation:
At age forty-six, Jane Fonda advocates a total approach to health and fitness for the special needs of women thirty-five to sixty-five years of age. She offers concrete information, advice, and encouragement on skin care, body mechanics, menopause, middle-age spread, good nutrition, and the prime-time workout. 1984.
Available Formats:

  • DB 21229 - Read by Jill Ferris. Reading time: 10 hours, 18 minutes.

Add Years to Your Life and Life to Your Years

Author: Irene Gore
Annotation:
Handbook of practical suggestions to prevent falling into a rut and accepting a less-than-flattering image of old age. Dr. Gore believes that decline in advancing years should be due primarily to disease; that lack of mental and physical activity and just plain laziness contribute too much to aging. 1973.
Available Formats:


50+: The Graedons' People's Pharmacy for Older Adults

Author: Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon
Annotation:
In this general reference book geared toward older people, the authors advocate that patients become actively involved in their own care. They focus on such problems as aging skin, forgetfulness, and osteoporosis. They provide information on when and how to take certain medications, data on drugs most frequently prescribed and ways to save money on prescriptions. 1988.
Available Formats:


Treat Me, Not My Age: A Doctor’s Guide to Getting the Best Care as You or a Loved One Gets Older

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Mark Lachs
    • Annotation:

Geriatrician offers advice to seniors on obtaining good medical treatment as one ages. Discusses finding the right physician and care facility, making home modifications, implementing lifestyle choices, and planning financially for future needs. 2010.
Available Formats:

  • DB 72226 - Read by Butch Hoover. Reading time: 15 hours, 12 minutes.

Old Age Is Not for Sissies: Choices for Senior Americans

Author: Art Linkletter
Annotation:
TV and radio personality Art Linkletter informs and advises senior citizens on the rights, choices, and opportunities at their disposal. A section is devoted to each of the author's seven “Golden Rights of Senior Americans,” which include “The Right to Consideration and Dignity,” “The Right to Financial Security,” and “The Right to Unrestricted Travel and Leisure.” Also included are interviews with celebrated seniors such as Betty White, George Burns, and Bob Hope. 1988.
Available Formats:


What’s Age Got to Do With It?: Living Your Healthiest and Happiest Life

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Robin McGraw
    • Annotation:

The author of Inside My Heart (RC 63472), who is married to television’s Dr. Phil, addresses aging and women. McGraw and a panel of professionals offer advice on health, fashion, psychological well-being, and self-care. They answer common questions concerning fitness programs, nutrition, and hair and skin care. Bestseller. 2009.
Available Formats:

  • DB 70204 - Read by Martha Harmon Pardee. Reading time: 6 hours, 36 minutes.

Mirror, Mirror: The Terror of Not Being Young

Author: Elissa Melamed
Annotation:
A psychologist examines our youth-oriented society, where it is acceptable for men to age but not women. Tracing the historical roots of this discrimination which makes growing older such a torment for many women, she encourages them to express their frustration and anger, to affirm their right to age, and to recognize their responsibility to contribute their unique resources to a precarious world. 1983.
Available Formats:


Growing Older, Getting Better: A Handbook for Women in the Second Half of Life

Author: Jane Porcino
Annotation:
A gerontologist provides information and encouraging advice on the social, emotional, and physical well-being of women over forty. Includes chapters on family matters, living alone, new beginnings, changing lifestyles, financial independence, menopause, sexuality, fitness, and common health problems of older women. 1983.
Available Formats:


Carved in Sand: When Attention Fails and Memory Fades in Midlife

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Cathryn Jakobson Ramin

A journalist in her forties, dismayed by her unreliable memory, chronicles her journey in pursuit of an agile brain. She interviews experts in the fields of physiology, psychology, and sociology to explore such factors as sleep, stress, diet, exercise, medication, and genetics. 2007.

  • DB 65246 - Read by Martha Harmon Pardee. Reading time 10 hours, 30 minutes.

The Sexy Years: Discover the Hormone Connection: The Secret to Fabulous Sex, Great Health, and Vitality, for Women and Men

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Suzanne Somers
    • Annotation:

Actress and health guru describes her search for a cure to the “Seven Dwarfs of Menopause.” Drawing on her own experience working with physicians who specialize in natural hormone treatment, Somers explains the value of bioidentical hormones in making menopause the best years of life. 2004.
Available Formats:

  • DB 58056 - Read by Suzanne Toren. Reading time 9 hours, 31 minutes.

Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Andrew Weil
    • Annotation:

Physician and author of //Eight Weeks to Optimum Health// explains the aging process and describes ways to keep healthy while growing older. Covers nutrition, physical activity, vitamins, rest, stress reduction, and maintaining a social and spiritual life. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2005.
Available Formats:

  • DB 60915 - Read by Andrew Weil. Reading time 8 hours, 33 minutes.

Braille

Sex After Sixty: A Guide for Men and Women for Their Later Years

Author: Robert N. Butler and Myrna I. Lewis
Annotation:
Information and guidance for mature people on continuing sexual activity.
1976.
Available Formats:


Vigor Regained: A Simple, Proven Home Program for Restoring Fitness and Vitality

Author: Herbert A. deVries
Annotation:
Fully-tested exercise program for adults over 50. Progressive walking or jogging, modified calisthenics, and stretching are some exercises geared to make you feel younger.
1974.
Available Formats:


Ourselves, Growing Older: Women Aging with Knowledge and Power

Author: Paula Brown Doress and Diana Laskin Siegal
Annotation:
Under the auspices of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective and with the help of 300 other writers, the authors offer practical assistance to women in the “second half of life.” Includes information on sexuality, employment, retirement and women's roles in society.
1987.
Available Formats:


On Our Own: Independent Living for Older Persons

Author: Ursula A. Falk
Annotation:
Americans cherish their independence, and so it is difficult when age raises the specter of dependence. Falk suggests ways in which older people can continue to live successfully on their own. She outlines meal programs, alternative living arrangements, family support systems, leisure activities, and employment opportunities.
1989.
Available Formats:

  • DB 31678 - Read by Dee Weber. Reading time: 7 hours, 6 minutes.
  • BR 08291 - 2 volumes.

Life After Work: Planning It, Living It, Loving It

Author: Allan Fromme
Annotation:
A clinical therapist calls upon older Americans to rise to the occasion of retirement and to avoid becoming trapped in patterns that lead them to yearn for the past or to decry the present. Dr. Fromme insists that apathy, boredom, and loneliness do not have to be the lot of today's senior citizens and proposes a plan for making the most of retirement years.
1984.
Available Formats:


50+: The Graedons' People's Pharmacy for Older Adults

Author: Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon
Annotation:
In this general reference book geared toward older people, the authors advocate that patients become actively involved in their own care. They focus on such problems as aging skin, forgetfulness, and osteoporosis. They provide information on when and how to take certain medications, data on drugs most frequently prescribed and ways to save money on prescriptions.
1988.
Available Formats:


Growing Old, Staying Young

Author: Christopher Hallowell
Annotation:
Science writer Hallowell reports on the aging process as it affects both the individual and society, with attention on the effect that a large older population will have on the United States. He points out the aged hold an exalted position in some countries, while we segregate our aged in retirement communities.
1985.
Available Formats:


Alone--Not Lonely: Independent Living for Women Over Fifty

Author: Jane Seskin
Annotation:
Emphasizes the opportunities for self-awareness, self-growth, and self-fulfillment achievable through independent living. Offers encouragement and practical advice on such topics as defining yourself as a single person, being confident in your status, creating or finding friends and support people, and taking responsibility for all decisions.
1985.
Available Formats:


The Best Years of Your Life

Author: Miriam Stoppard
Annotation:
Provides advice on maintaining physical and mental health for men and women over the age of fifty. Among the topics discussed are nutrition and exercise, the changes retirement brings, special problems of the older body, sex, and coping with long-term illness.
1984.
Available Formats:


Disabilities: Deafness and Hearing Loss

In Silence: Growing Up Hearing in a Deaf World

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Ruth Sidransky
    • Annotation:

As a hearing child of deaf parents, Ruth Sidransky learned signing as her first language. Only when she entered school did she master speech. She was placed in a class for retarded (“developmentally delayed” or “mentally challenged”???) children until her parents intervened. The richness of her experiences, surrounded by a loving family in a close-knit neighborhood in New York, helped to ease her transfer to the hearing world.
Available Formats:

  • DB 32598 - Read by Laura Giannarelli. Reading time 11 hours, 13 minutes.
Disabilities: General

Talking Books

Personal Computers and Special Needs

Author: Frank G. Bowe
Annotation:
Individual case studies demonstrate the many ways in which computers can make education, employment, and independent living safer and more enjoyable for people with vision and hearing impairments, mobility limitations, and learning disabilities.
1984.
Available Formats:


The Disabled & Their Parents: A Counseling Challenge

Author: Leo Buscaglia
Annotation:
The popular lecturer, writer, and educator emphasizes the importance of quality counseling for disabled persons and their families. He reviews the needs and rights of disabled persons, the role of family in their lives, and, in particular, the role of the counselor.
1983.
Available Formats:


The Baby Challenge: A Handbook on Pregnancy for Women with a Physical Disability

Author: Mukti Jain Campion
Annotation:
Practical guide to motherhood. Covers making the decision to become pregnant, available support services, pregnancy, delivery, and assistance from health professionals. Provides specific information about selected physical disabilities, such as visual impairment and diabetes. Appendices include a list of helpful organizations, other contacts, and a bibliography.
1990.
Available Formats:

  • DB 33357 - Read by Kerry Cundiff. Reading time: 7 hours, 1 minute.

Living Fully: A Guide for Young People with a Handicap, Their Parents, Their Teachers, and Professionals

Author: Sol Gordon
Annotation:
Takes a practical and honest look at how handicapped young people can face their problems and achieve full and happy adult lives.
1975.
Available Formats:


Making the Best of It--How to Cope with Being Handicapped

Author: Gillian K. Holzhauser
Annotation:
A young, legally blind woman offers practical advice, based on her own experiences and insights, on how to develop a healthy attitude and a good outlook on life if one is handicapped.
1986.
Available Formats:

  • DB 24717 - Read by Rosemary Schwartzel. Reading time: 4 hours, 32 minutes.

Business and Social Etiquette with Disabled People: A Guide to Getting Along with Persons Who Have Impairments of Mobility, Vision, Hearing, or Speech

Author: Chalda Maloff and Susan Macduff Wood
Annotation:
After interviewing hundreds of people who have lived with impairments for at least three years, the authors offer suggestions about how people with disabilities wish to be treated in both business and social situations.
1988.
Available Formats:

  • DB 29501 - Read by Ralph Lowenstein. Reading time: 5 hours, 4 minutes.

Promises to Keep: A Handbook for Parents of Learning Disabled, Brain-injured, and Other Exceptional Children

Author: David Melton
Annotation:
The parent of an exceptional child himself, the author provides detailed advice on such topics as finding Dr. Right, financing necessary medical treatments, selecting good day-care services, preserving family relationships, and dealing with psychologists. Melton strongly supports parents' taking care of their brain-injured child at home.
1984.
Available Formats:


The Disabled Child and the Family: An Exceptional Parent Reader

Author: Edited by Maxwell J. Schleifer and Stanley D. Klein
Annotation:
62 articles culled from issues of the “Exceptional Parent” magazine. Focuses on issues of family, growing up, and technology, and deals with such topics as reactions to disability, self-esteem of parent and child, relationship dynamics, community, recreation, education, health care, sex education, residential care, adaptive and communication devices, and utilization of computers. Includes directory of resources.
1985.
Available Formats:


Joni & Ken: An Untold Love Story

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Ken Tada, Joni Eareckson Tada and Larry Libby
    • Annotation:

Disability activist Joni and her husband Ken describe the difficulties that Joni's paralysis and extensive travel with her ministry have caused during their three decades of marriage. They explain ways their faith in God strengthened their relationship and helped them cope with Joni's cancer diagnosis and Ken's depression. 2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 76475 - Read by Catherine Byers. Reading time 6 hours, 37 minutes.

Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: United States Congress
    • Annotation:

Public Law 102-569 was enacted by Congress on October 29, 1992, “to revise and extend the programs of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.” Provisions of this bill include the establishment of a national council on disability, a study of the needs of American Indians with handicaps, the creation of independent living services for older individuals who are blind, and a section dealing with special training projects. 1992.
Available Formats:

  • DB 36219 - Read by Lou Harpenau. Reading time 8 hours, 22 minutes.

Braille

Living Fully: A Guide for Young People with a Handicap, Their Parents, Their Teachers, and Professionals

Author: Sol Gordon
Annotation:
Takes a practical and honest look at how handicapped young people can face their problems and achieve full and happy adult lives.
1975.
Available Formats:


After the Tears: Parents Talk about Raising a Child with a Disability

Author: Robin Simons
Annotation:
Parents of children with disabilities share their emotions, problems, and experiences in this handbook. Suggestions for dealing with relatives, strangers, and teachers and other professionals are provided, and a list of resources is included.
1987.
Available Formats:


Disabilities: Visual Issues

Talking Books

Blindness: What It Is, What It Does, and How to Live with It

Author: Thomas J. Carroll
Annotation:
The national chaplain of the Blinded Veterans Association comments on the problems of the blinded adult. While his main theme is rehabilitation and restoration, he begins by discussing the shattering experience of sight loss and its implications.
1961.
Available Formats:

  • DB 20473 - Read by Kerry Cundiff. Reading time: 13 hours, 56 minutes.
  • BR 16701 - 3 volumes.

Making Life More Livable: Simple Adaptations for the Homes of Blind and Visually Impaired Older People

Author: Irving R. Dickman
Annotation:
In a question-answer format, the author offers suggestions and options for the older person who has deteriorating vision and lives at home. The author suggests safe ways of dealing with obstacles that may be encountered in the kitchen, bathroom, and other rooms of the house.
1983.
Available Formats:


Coping with Low Vision

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Marshall E. Flax, Don J. Golembiewski, & Bette L. McCaulley
    • Annotation:

Information for everyone coping with visual impairment, including friends, family, and care givers. The term “low vision” is defined, and an analysis of the visual system is given. Topics such as diseases, optical aids, mobility, and myths and feelings about visual impairment are discussed. Almost half of the book is devoted to resources for coping with vision loss and answers to common questions and concerns. 1993.
Available Formats:

  • DB 38113 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time 3 hours, 38 minutes.

How Do I Do This When I Can't See What I'm Doing? Information Processing for the Visually Disabled

Author: Gerald Jahoda
Annotation:
Calling upon his own experiences, the author describes how visually impaired persons can gather and process information, including using computers as assistive devices. He also discusses personal information management systems, jobs and leisure activities, daily living, and organizations that assist visually disabled persons.
1993.
Available Formats:

  • DB 36212 - Read by John Stratton. Reading time: 3 hours, 16 minutes.
  • BR 09176 - 1 volume.

Blinded by Sight: Seeing Race Through the Eyes of the Blind

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Osagie K. Obasogie
    • Annotation:

Legal scholar explores the ways blind people experience racial differences. Argues that we are socialized to attach particular characteristics to race regardless of our ability to see and considers the implications of that convention on efforts to achieve a “colorblind” society. 2014.
Available Formats:

  • DB 78044 - Read by Gary Telles. Reading time 14 hours, 14 minutes.
  • BR 20441 - IN PROCESS

When the Cook Can't Look: A Cooking Handbook for the Blind and Visually Handicapped

Author: Ralph Read
Annotation:
The author, who became blind in adulthood, offers practical, safe, and easy cooking methods for sightless people, including how to measure ingredients, light the stove, chop onions, and serve and eat gracefully.
1981.
Available Formats:


If Blindness Strikes--Don't Strike Out: A Lively Look at Living with a Visual Impairment

Author: Margaret M. Smith
Annotation:
The author, blind since birth, has worked with the visually handicapped since completing her master's degree in journalism. Designed primarily to help blind people cope, the volume is crammed with anecdotes and information that offers the sighted a realistic glimpse into what it is like to live without sight.
1984.
Available Formats:

  • DB 21060 - Read by Kerry Cundiff. Reading time: 11 hours, 36 minutes.
  • BR 05858 - 3 volumes.

Self-Esteem and Adjusting with Blindness: The Process of Responding to Life's Demands

Author: Dean W. Tuttle and Naomi R. Tuttle
Annotation:
Third edition of a manual written for professionals who work with blind and low-vision individuals. Topics include an overview of blindness and its meaning for the individual. Describes the adjustment to the condition, psychological implications, and issues of self-esteem. Includes case studies.
2004.
Available Formats:

  • DB 66055 - Read by Lou Harpenau. Reading time: 13 hours, 27 minutes.
  • BR 16647 - 4 volumes.

How Do You Kiss a Blind Girl?

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Sally Wagner
    • Annotation:

A newspaper reporter shares the story of her adjustment to blindness resulting from a complication of diabetes. She also offers advice about living with friends and strangers who have disabilities. 1986.
Available Formats:

  • DB 27117 - Read by Pam Ward. Reading time 4 hours, 42 minutes.

Macular Disease: Practical Strategies for Living with Vision Loss

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Peggy R. Wolfe
    • Annotation:

Second edition of guidebook suggests strategies to compensate for declining vision. Provides tips for organizing one's home; dealing with financial, personal, and legal affairs; and maximizing one's independence. Lists technological devices available and organizations and businesses that offer assistance. 2011.
Available Formats:

  • DB 76495 - Read by Carol Dines. Reading time 5 hours, 8 minutes.

Braille

Blindness: What It Is, What It Does, and How to Live with It

Author: Thomas J. Carroll
Annotation:
The national chaplain of the Blinded Veterans Association comments on the problems of the blinded adult. While his main theme is rehabilitation and restoration, he begins by discussing the shattering experience of sight loss and its implications.
1961.
Available Formats:

  • DB 20473 - Read by Kerry Cundiff. Reading time: 13 hours, 56 minutes.
  • BR 16701 - 3 volumes.

How Do I Do This When I Can't See What I'm Doing? Information Processing for the Visually Disabled

Author: Gerald Jahoda
Annotation:
Calling upon his own experiences, the author describes how visually impaired persons can gather and process information, including using computers as assistive devices. He also discusses personal information management systems, jobs and leisure activities, daily living, and organizations that assist visually disabled persons.
1993.
Available Formats:

  • DB 36212 - Read by John Stratton. Reading time: 3 hours, 16 minutes.
  • BR 09176 - 1 volume.

If Blindness Strikes--Don't Strike Out: A Lively Look at Living with a Visual Impairment

Author: Margaret M. Smith
Annotation:
The author, blind since birth, has worked with the visually handicapped since completing her master's degree in journalism. Designed primarily to help blind people cope, the volume is crammed with anecdotes and information that offers the sighted a realistic glimpse into what it is like to live without sight.
1984.
Available Formats:

  • DB 21060 - Read by Kerry Cundiff. Reading time: 11 hours, 36 minutes.
  • BR 05858 - 3 volumes.

Self-Esteem and Adjusting with Blindness: The Process of Responding to Life's Demands

Author: Dean W. Tuttle and Naomi R. Tuttle
Annotation:
Third edition of a manual written for professionals who work with blind and low-vision individuals. Topics include an overview of blindness and its meaning for the individual. Describes the adjustment to the condition, psychological implications, and issues of self-esteem. Includes case studies.
2004.
Available Formats:

  • DB 66055 - Read by Lou Harpenau. Reading time: 13 hours, 27 minutes.
  • BR 16647 - 4 volumes.

DISABILITIES: MOBILITY ISSUES

Sexual Adjustment: A Guide for the Spinal Cord Injured

Author: Martha Ferguson Gregory
Annotation:
Overview of the physical and psychological problems of paraplegics, showing how to overcome obstacles to sexual fulfillment. Also informative for individuals with other physical handicaps.
1974.
Available Formats:


Triumph! Conquering Your Physical Disability

Author: LeRoy Hayman
Annotation:
Hayman was disabled in his early thirties by a freak accident that caused massive brain damage. He tells how the daily victories achieved since his near-death experience have made him a winner. Interviews with other disabled people focus on self-esteem, living in the present, education and careers, health and recreation, and travel. For high school and adult readers.
1982.
Available Formats:


The Sensuous Wheeler: Sexual Adjustment for the Spinal Cord Injured

Author: Barry J. Rabin
Annotation:
An experienced psychologist and sex counselor offers a survey of information on sexuality as it relates to people with Spinal Cord Injuries. Discusses sexual response and functioning, sexual options, and specific methods for achieving sexual satisfaction. May be used by professionals as a counseling guide and by persons with Spinal Cord Injuries as a self-help aid.
1980.
Available Formats:

  • DB 16641 - Read by Hal Tenny. Reading time: 7 hours, 6 minutes.

The Wheelchair Child: How Handicapped Children Can Enjoy Life to Its Fullest

Author: Philippa Russell
Annotation:
A comprehensive guide for people living or working with children who use wheelchairs. Detailed discussions cover a variety of concerns, from choosing schools, pets, sports, mobility aids, and special furniture to discussions of toilet training, sibling rivalry, and adolescent sexuality. Lists addresses for manufacturers of special products discussed and organizations serving the handicapped.
1985.
Available Formats:


An Easier Way: Handbook for the Elderly and Handicapped

Author: Jean Vieth Sargent
Annotation:
This book was compiled from a series of articles published in two Iowa newspapers on the needs of elderly and handicapped persons who want to remain independent. Suggestions include cups for shaky hands, writing aids for the arthritic, a tricky way to puncture a tall juice can with only one hand, and a sock “taker-offer.”

  • 1981.
  • Available Formats:
  • DB 21628 - Read by Ila Toney. Reading time: 3 hours, 20 minutes.

Providing Care for a Loved One

Talking Books

Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Aging Parents: How to Help, How to Survive

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Claire Berman
    • Annotation:

A guide for children who care for aging parents. Offers advice on balancing the needs of parent and caregiver, while protecting the physical and emotional health of the latter. Covers key areas such as sibling stress, communication, and the nursing home dilemma. 1996.
Available Formats:

  • DB 42931 - Read by Margaret Strom. Reading time: 7 hours, 24 minutes.

Caring for Your Aging Parents: A Concerned, Complete Guide for Children of the Elderly

Author: Robert R. Cadmus
Annotation:
Practical guide for dealing with the problem of “What to do with Mom and Dad?” Coverage includes healthy attitudes toward retirement, the importance of seeing that one's parents find new and appropriate life-styles after sixty-five, maintenance of good nutritional and exercise habits, and the dangers of depression and isolation.
1984.
Available Formats:


Where Can Mom Live? A Family Guide to Living Arrangements for Elderly Parents

Author: Vivian F. Carlin and Ruth Mansberg
Annotation:
Describes alternative housing choices for elderly people, such as home sharing, group homes, and congregate and life-care communities, and discusses the pros and cons of each. Also provides lists of agencies and other resources.
1987.
Available Formats:


Author: Donna Cohen and Carl Eisdorfer
Annotation:
The authors attempt to set ground rules that will help a family cope with the emotional and physical stress of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease who becomes increasingly irrational, helpless, and even violent. Includes accounts of how various families have dealt with and solved some of the problems.
1986.
Available Formats:


What Every Family Should Know about Strokes

Author: Lucille J. Hess and Robert E. Bahr
Annotation:
A practicing speech pathologist and a family physician describe the causes and the effects of strokes. Book emphasizes how families can cope with the changes in relationships, attitudes, income, and environment that strokes can cause.
1981.
Available Formats:


Caring for the Parkinson Patient: A Practical Guide

Author: Edited by J. Thomas Hutton and Raye Lynne Dippel
Annotation:
Parkinson's disease afflicts thousands of older Americans and affects many more who are concerned with their care. Although neither cause nor cure is known, this series of essays addresses the diagnosis, possible complications, and treatment of this neurological disorder. The book also provides professional, practical advice for families and other community support systems.
1989.
Available Formats:

  • DB 32558 - Read by Butch Hoover. Reading time 6 hours, 38 minutes.

Heartmates: A Survival Guide for the Cardiac Spouse

Author: Rhoda F. Levin
Annotation:
Drawing on personal experience and professional training, a psychotherapist offers a guide for the spouses and families of heart attack survivors. She provides advice on changing roles and responsibilities following a cardiac crisis, and confronts such issues as the long recovery period, concerns over stress and finances, guilt, fear, fatigue, and sexuality.
1987.
Available Formats:


Author: Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins
Annotation:
Third edition (updating RC 19261) of guide for families whose members suffer from dementia. Covers a wide array of related social, medical, psychological, financial, and legal problems and suggests possible solutions. Includes information on hospice and assisted facility care and advances in medical research.
1999.
Available Formats:

  • DB 52028 - Read by Janis Gray. Reading time: 17 hours, 39 minutes.

Caring for Your Parents: The Complete AARP Guide

Author: Hugh Delehanty and Elinor Ginzler
Annotation:
AARP's advice for middle-aged people on assisting one's aging parents. Subjects include communicating about issues, advocating on health and legal care, determining financial status, finding caretakers and suitable living arrangements, and, eventually, letting go and grieving. Includes resources.
2005.
Available Formats:

  • DB 60482 - Read by Jill Ferris. Reading time: 10 hours, 48 minutes.
  • BR 16115 - 3 volumes.

Home Care for the Elderly: A Complete Guide

Author: Jay Portnow and Martha Houtmann
Annotation:
Practical working guide that covers home care from the basics of providing good nutrition and a pleasant, safe environment for the aging to step-by-step instructions on caring for the bedridden. Includes a checklist for evaluating a nursing home, an overview of national resources and tips on obtaining emergency assistance, supplies, and facts on Medicare.
1987.
Available Formats:


Mainstay: For the Well Spouse of the Chronically Ill

Author: Maggie Strong
Annotation:
An account of how the author coped with the deteriorating health of her spouse, who had multiple sclerosis. Using her experiences and those of others in similar situations, she offers advice on such topics as maintaining family relationships, rearing children, handling financial burdens, and dealing with health professionals. The appendix offers a list of organizations offering help.
1988.
Available Formats:


Home Care for the Elderly

Author: Julie Trocchio
Annotation:
How-to guide in the basics of home care nursing for older invalids. Deals with the aging process, emotional support, nutrition, special conditions often encountered by elderly people, and their need to be treated with respect and love.
1981.
Available Formats:


Braille

Caring for Your Parents: The Complete AARP Guide

Author: Hugh Delehanty and Elinor Ginzler
Annotation:
AARP's advice for middle-aged people on assisting one's aging parents. Subjects include communicating about issues, advocating on health and legal care, determining financial status, finding caretakers and suitable living arrangements, and, eventually, letting go and grieving. Includes resources.
2005.
Available Formats:

  • DB 60482 - Read by Jill Ferris. Reading time: 10 hours, 48 minutes.
  • BR 16115 - 3 volumes.

Helping Your Aging Parents: A Practical Guide for Adult Children

Author: James Halpern
Annotation:
A family therapist with clinical experience offers support and advice to those whose parents are coping with old age. Halpern aims to equip these adult children with information and strategies they will need to aid their parents. Provides lists of state agencies on aging, information on nursing homes, hospice facilities, and donor cards.
1987.
Available Formats:


Mainstay: For the Well Spouse of the Chronically Ill

Author: Maggie Strong
Annotation:
An account of how the author coped with the deteriorating health of her spouse, who had multiple sclerosis. Using her experiences and those of others in similar situations, she offers advice on such topics as maintaining family relationships, rearing children, handling financial burdens, and dealing with health professionals. The appendix offers a list of organizations offering help.
1988.
Available Formats:


DEATH & BEREAVEMENT

The Hospice Handbook: A Complete Guide

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Larry Beresford
    • Annotation:

Beresford has been involved with the concept of hospice since 1978, when his mother was diagnosed with cancer and received hospice care. At several facilities around the country he talked with staff, patients, and family members. He offers information on the philosophy of hospice; services provided, including caring for patients at home; and issues such as referral, finances, barriers to hospice access, and legal considerations. 1993.
Available Formats:

  • DB 38968 - Read by Dick Jenkins. Reading time 6 hours, 24 minutes.

Widower

Author: Scott Campbell and Phyllis Silverman
Annotation:
Firsthand accounts from twenty widowers who describe in depth their reactions to the deaths of their spouses, whether from illness, suicide, or murder. Provides not only a practical guide for the bereaved, but also insight into how self-help programs can ease the pain and help the mourner to live once again.
1987.
Available Formats:


When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens about Grieving & Healing

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Marilyn E. Gootman and Pamela Espeland
    • Annotation:

Advice for teens on handling grief, anger, guilt, and depression after a friend dies. Includes quotes from youths who have experienced the loss of someone their age. Offers suggestions for seeking help from family, counselors, and/or therapists. For junior and senior high readers. 2005.
Available Formats:

  • DB 66273 - Read by Gabriella Cavallero. Reading time: 1 hour, 4 minutes.

On Children and Death

Author: Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Annotation:
A renowned psychiatrist considers the difficulties faced by parents who are losing or have lost a child. She offers compassionate and practical help for coping with the loss of a child through miscarriage or stillbirth, terminal illness, or accidental or violent death.
1983.
Available Formats:


Survival Handbook for Widows: And for Relatives and Friends Who Want to Understand

Author: Ruth Jean Loewinsohn
Annotation:
Explores what is known about a woman's reaction to the death of her husband and offers practical advice as well as emotional support. Suggestions are given on settling estate claims and on estate planning, on getting others to help, and on entering a new lifestyle.
1984.
Available Formats:


When Parents Die: A Guide for Adults

Author: Edward Myers
Annotation:
An analysis of the problems and emotional reactions experienced by those who have lost a parent, and how they coped.
1986.
Available Formats:


How Do We Tell the Children? A Step-by-Step Guide for Helping Children Two to Teen Cope When Someone Dies

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Dan Schaefer and Christine Lyons
    • Annotation:

Guide for parents, older siblings, and other caregivers who are helping children deal with death. This third edition includes a section on assisting children to cope with traumatic loss. Provides instructions both for specific types of loss and for children of specific ages. 2001.
Available Formats:

  • DB 54913 - Read by John Hammock. Reading time: 7 hours, 5 minutes.

The Bereaved Parent

Author: Harriet Sarnoff Schiff
Annotation:
Written by one who suffered “the ultimate tragedy,” the death of her child, this book conveys a positive self-help message of survival. Schiff recommends that we carry our sadness rather than let it carry us.
1977.
Available Formats:

  • DB 29210 - Read by Sara Morsey. Reading time 4 hours, 22 minutes.
  • BR 05475 - 1 volume.

Living Through Mourning: Finding Comfort and Hope When a Loved One Has Died

Author: Harriet Sarnoff Schiff
Annotation:
Manual designed to assist the bereaved and those around them. Focuses on the death of a loved one, describing the grieving process and suggesting ways to cope with the loss. Includes advice on relating to others during the mourning period.
1986.
Available Formats:

  • DB 25917 - Read by Kay Bergen. Reading time: 11 hours, 13 minutes.

When Someone Dies: The Practical Guide to the Logistics of Death

  • ADDED 2013*
    • Author: Scott Taylor Smith with Michael Castleman
    • Annotation:

Smith, an investment banker and lawyer, uses personal experience and advice from estate attorneys to provide a step-by-step guide to the practical decisions that must be made following the death of a loved one. Discusses funeral and related expenses, and covers paying outstanding bills and settling the estate. 2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 76454 - Read by Bill Wallace. Reading time: 5 hours, 33 minutes.

Living Through Personal Crisis

Author: Ann Kaiser Stearns
Annotation:
A self-help guide to dealing with loss, grief, and guilt. Based on her personal acquaintance and professional experience with bereavement, the author offers insight and support for facing loss and allowing the healing process to unfold.
1984.
Available Formats:


GENERAL

Having It All: Love, Success, Sex, Money, Even If You're Starting with Nothing

Author: Helen Gurley Brown
Annotation:
The editor of “Cosmopolitan” magazine offers her wit and wisdom and cheery common-sensible advice on men and women, sex and marriage, work and love, health and money. Some explicit descriptions of sex.
1982.
Available Formats:

  • DB 18684 - Read by Terry Hayes Sales. Reading time: 17 hours, 26 minutes.

Dr. Dobson Answers Your Questions

Author: James Dobson
Annotation:
Contains more than four hundred typical questions which people bring to this family psychologist, with answers drawn from his experience in the counseling office and from the university classroom. Some of the topics included are marital relationships, the care of infants, the disciplining of young children, and physical problems.
1982.
Available Formats:


The Ann Landers Encyclopedia, A to Z: Improve Your Life Emotionally, Medically, Sexually, Socially, Spiritually

Author: Ann Landers
Annotation:
Includes four hundred essays by physicians, psychiatrists, business people, attorneys, teachers, clergymen, and psychologists, with Landers's comments on the experts' articles and a number of topics of her own. Landers interjects some of her memorable newspaper columns. Some explicit descriptions of sex.
1978.
Available Formats:


The Healing Circle: Authors Writing of Recovery

Author: Mary Swander and Patricia Foster
Annotation:
Explores strategies of recovery for people with chronic illnesses or long-term injuries from accidents. The writers, including such literary artists as Jane Smiley, Dennis Covington, and Andrew Sullivan, discuss disability and recovery in the context of personal experience. Examines the notion that healing through imagination is an act of courage.
1998.
Available Formats:

  • DB 50192 - Read by Kimberly Schraf. Reading time 11 hours, 22 minutes.

The Best of Dear Abby

Author: Abigail Van Buren
Annotation:
Collection of the author's syndicated columns with a brief story of her life as Pauline Esther Friedman, twin of Esther Pauline, the popular columnist Ann Landers. The remainder of the book is made up of letters and snappy responses. The correspondence is arranged by topics such as marriage, sex, snoring, teen traumas, infidelity, pets, and aging.
1981.
Available Formats:


Kim Williams' Book of Uncommon Sense: A Practical Guide with 10 Rules for Nearly Everything

Author: Kim Williams
Annotation:
Here, in humorous, pithy essays and verses, the author, a popular commentator on the “All Things Considered” radio show delivers tips on coping with life's problems. Among the subjects included are doctors, family life, fickle fashion, stingy banks, politicians, and “practically everything.”


UNEMPLOYMENT / JOB HUNTING (Added 2013)

Successful Job Search Strategies for the Disabled: Understanding the ADA

Author: Jeffrey G. Allen
Annotation:
Allen addresses the more than forty million Americans who are disabled, sixty percent of whom are unemployed. He offers advice on finding a job, gives an overview of the ADA, and discusses topics such as: where jobs are, self-assessment for a job, what to disclose regarding a disability, interview guidelines, accommodations, and enforcement of the ADA guidelines.
1994.
Available Formats:

  • DB 39730 - Read by Art Metzler. Reading time: 9 hours, 31 minutes.
  • BR 09834 - 3 volumes.

Job-Hunting Tips for the So-Called Handicapped or People Who Have Disabilities a Supplement to What Color Is Your Parachute?

Author: Richard Nelson Bolles
Annotation:
The author defines a disability and discusses vocabulary that is important to people with disabilities. While he is primarily interested in helping people looking for work, he is also eager to educate employers. He prepares both sides for the interviewing process, offering hope and practical suggestions.
2001.
Available Formats:


What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual For Job-Hunters and Career-Changers

  • ADDED 2014*
    • Author: Richard Nelson Bolles
    • Annotation:

Revised and updated edition of the popular guide for determining job objectives and career goals. This 2014 version offers advice on social media and search tactics and discusses interviewing, networking, negotiating salary, beginning your own business, changing careers, and dealing with handicaps. 2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 77533 - Read by Bill Burton. Reading time 14 hours, 43 minutes.
  • BR 16193 - 2005 edition - 4 volumes.
  • BR 20222 - 2014 edition - IN PROCESS

What Color Is Your Parachute? for Teens: Discovering Yourself, Defining Your Future

Author: Richard Nelson Bolles and Carol Christen, with Jean M. Blomquist
Annotation:
Revised and updated edition of the popular guide for determining job objectives and career goals. This 2005 version assesses the impact of global outsourcing on job growth as compared to actual job vacancies, which are the product of constant employment turnover. Offers advice for finding a niche. Includes resources.
2005.
Available Formats:

  • DB 62321 - Read by Ken Kliban. Reading time: 16 hours, 10 minutes.

Job Search Handbook for People with Disabilities

Author: Daniel J. Ryan
Annotation:
Comprehensive resource guide to career development for people with disabilities. Covers locating openings, preparing for interviews, writing resumes, using government programs, networking, and succeeding at work. Discusses available accommodations and provides job links from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy.
2011.
Available Formats:

  • DB 77534 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time 12 hours, 2 minutes.
  • BR 20270 - 2011 Edition - IN PROCESS
  • BR 15463 - 2005 Edition - 3 volumes.

RETURNING VETS / MILITARY FAMILIES (Added 2013)

Flashback: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Suicide, and the Lessons of War

Author: Penny Coleman
Annotation:
Vietnam War widow studies the link between war-induced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide. Includes the history of PTSD and interviews with veterans' families. Warns that a non-responsive military system will cause the suicide rate of soldiers in Iraq to exceed that of Vietnam veterans. Some strong language.
2006.
Available Formats:

  • DB 64341 - Read by Michele Schaeffer. Reading time: 7 hours, 14 minutes.

On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society

Author: Dave Grossman
Annotation:
A psychologist and former army officer examines the specific nature of the act of killing and its social and psychological implications and repercussions. Compares modern military combat training to conditioning children through media and video-game violence. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language.
1996.
Available Formats:

  • DB 53109 - Read by Rick Rohan. Reading time: 12 hours, 19 minutes.

Special Needs Families in the Military: A Resource Guide

Author: Janelle Hill and Don Philpott
Annotation:
The authors of //The Wounded Warrior Handbook// (DB 68275) provide advice for military families dealing with special-needs children and adults. They discuss benefits and treatment options and highlight the importance of acting as an advocate for one's child. Includes resources section that lists support groups.
2011.
Available Formats:

  • DB 72224 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time: 12 hours, 51 minutes.

The Wounded Warrior Handbook: A Resource Guide for Returning Veterans

Author: Janelle Hill, Don Philpott, and Cheryl Lawhorne
Annotation:
Guide for injured U.S. military veterans and their families provides information on medical treatment, rehabilitation, mental-health counseling, family support, and transitioning to civilian life. Details benefits, taxes, and legal issues and discusses bereavement. Includes resources and success stories.
Available Formats:

  • DB 68275 - 2009 Edition - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time: 19 hours, 52 minutes.
  • DB 75316 - 2012 Edition - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time: 24 hours, 56 minutes.

Life After the Military: A Handbook for Transitioning Veterans

Author: Janelle Hill, Don Philpott, and Cheryl Lawhorne-Scott
Annotation:
A guide for veterans leaving the military. Discusses the emotional and psychological challenges of becoming a civilian and ways for families to cope with the change. Includes information on obtaining employment, furthering education, and managing finances. Lists relevant websites.
2011.
Available Formats:

  • DB 76698 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time 17 hours, 35 minutes.

Author: Cheryl Lawhorne and Don Philpott
Annotation:
Guidance for military veterans–and their families–who are dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or combat-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Authors describe symptoms and diagnoses; discuss treatment options; and list resources for rehabilitation, support, and insurance and benefits issues.
2010.
Available Formats:

  • DB 72228 - Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time: 12 hours, 54 minutes.

Military Mental Health Care: A Guide for Service Members, Veterans, Families, and Community

Author: Cheryl Lawhorne-Scott and Don Philpott
Annotation:
Resource guide for U.S. military veterans and their families provides information on medical treatment, rehabilitation, counseling, transition, and other care needed for mental and physical health. Includes information on traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide, and other psychological issues.
2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 76384 - Read by Peter Johnson. Reading time: 10 hours, 23 minutes.

Through Veterans' Eyes: The Iraq and Afghanistan Experience

Author: Larry Minear
Annotation:
Commentary from post-9/11 veterans collected from the Library of Congress Veterans History Project and supplemented by author interviews. Covers reasons for enlisting; dealing with combat, local populations, and contractors; and living with post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injury. Strong language and some violence.
2010.
Available Formats:

  • DB 73626 - Read by Peter Johnson. Reading time: 9 hours, 18 minutes.
  • BR 19370 - 3 volumes.

Final Salute: A Story of Unfinished Lives

Author: Jim Sheeler
Annotation:
Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Sheeler recounts the two years he spent shadowing marine major Steve Beck, an officer whose job is to notify the families of fallen soldiers. Sheeler portrays the lives of the deceased, Beck's efforts to comfort the grieving relatives, and the toll on surviving kin.
2008.
Available Formats:

  • DB 67110 - Read by Roy Avers. Reading time: 6 hours, 48 minutes.
  • BR 17911 - 2 volumes.

The Things They Cannot Say: Stories Soldiers Won't Tell You About What They've Seen, Done, or Failed to Do in War

Author: Kevin Sites
Annotation:
Eleven veterans–including the author, an award-winning war correspondent–discuss their combat experiences in World War II Europe, Vietnam, and the Middle East. They relate the difficulties of returning to civilian life and dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. Violence and strong language. Commercial audiobook.
2013.
Available Formats:

  • DB 76432 - Read by Donald Corren. Reading time: 7 hours, 47 minutes.

After the War Zone: A Practical Guide for Returning Troops and Their Families

Author: Laurie B. Slone and Matthew J. Friedman
Annotation:
Two experts in post-traumatic stress disorder address the needs of soldiers returning home after their tour of duty. The authors detail the emotional cycle of deployment and common reactions to the trauma of war. They discuss case studies and the effect of community and family support on service members.
2008.
Available Formats:

  • DB 67380 - Read by Jill Ferris. Reading time: 13 hours, 4 minutes.

Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors

Author: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Annotation:
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 2012 summary of benefits provided to eligible individuals. Covers health care, service-related disabilities, pensions, education and training, home loans, life insurance, burial and memorial benefits, transition assistance, and dependents and survivors.
2012 edition.
Available Formats:

  • DB 75377 - Read by Annie Wauters. Reading time: 6 hours, 1 minute.
  • BR 19606 - 2 volumes.
  • DB 72994 - Spanish, 2011 edition. Read by Harry Froget. Reading time: 8 hours, 52 minutes.

coping_skills.1406836995.txt.gz · Last modified: 2014/07/31 16:03 by mn1a