5 Questions with Nora T. Gedgaudas, author of Primal Body, Primal Mind

What was the most interesting part of about putting together this book?

Writing Primal Body, Primal Mind was an exciting process of connecting dots many would not readily think to connect together.  The book was a long term culmination of many aspects of health, diet, modern society, longevity research and our evolutionary history that blends surprisingly well together and creates a unique perspective many seem to find refreshing, exciting, quite compelling and even inspiring.

Which section of the book was most enjoyable to write?

This may sound like a cop-out, but it was really a love affair from cover to cover.  I think for me what was best about it were the most “eye opening” aspects—the myth shattering and paradigm shifting elements that truly seem to have an “awakening” effect on those that read it.  I am particularly passionate about that aspect of it.

What was the most challenging part about creating this book?

What was most challenging was the process of drawing together many different (seemingly unrelated) subjects and areas in a way that could make comprehensive sense to anyone that reads it.  So much out there of what is written about any particular subject takes a fairly compartmentalized view.  Compartmentalization is something typical of the way we are conditioned to think and is the way our educational system works, after all.  This book isn’t like that—it draws from many different things and creates a sort of comprehensive and synergistic alchemy.  Much of the information in it came to me over a period of many, many years and resulted in an evolutionary unfolding in my own thinking.  This culminated over time in several generations of “AHA’s”, articles and manuscripts I had written that I finally decided to weave together into a more integrated publication.  It was no small challenge and no small accomplishment putting it all together in a way that really worked.  The result has truly been gratifying.

What has been the feedback thus far on the book?

The feedback on the book has honestly been overwhelming.  It simply never occurred to me the book would have such a powerful impact on so many people and have the kind of success it is enjoying.  I’ve been particularly pleasantly surprised, too, at the number of emails I’ve gotten from all manner of healthcare providers and experts across the board (MD’s, PhD’s, ND’s, DO’s, DC’s, and neurologists) who tell me I’m right on---especially since what my book represents is a considerable departure from mainstream thinking.  I am now receiving in excess of 100 emails a day that include innumerable positive testimonials and responses to the book from many (including even vegetarians and vegans) experiencing their lives and their health in a whole new way as a result of applying some or many of the ideas I present.  Some are real tear-jerkers.  It all feels a little surreal at times.

What’s next for you?

That’s a great question.  I still have my very full time neurofeedback and nutritional therapy practice.  Where the book is concerned, however, there are many new possibilities and opportunities presenting themselves I am currently sorting through and the direction of my career goals seems to be in significant flux.  I think what I would like to do is more speaking and creating more specific information products that can help people both integrate the principles in the book into their lives more effectively, as well as help people more broadly (as opposed to simply one-on-one) with more specific aspects of what might be challenging for them.  I am also working on creating a larger resource network that can give people more of a “one stop shop” for resources of all kinds related to information in my book.  I am quite excited about this and looking forward to promoting the work of many others that are aligned with the principles of Primal Body, Primal Mind.  It seems I am being approached daily with exciting new projects, proposals and ideas and I have a lot of thinking to do around that.  Right now it’s a little overwhelming, but very exciting.I am also about to take all this internationally as I plan to travel to Australia this November on a paid 3-4 city speaking tour there.  The event is being well promoted and is receiving a lot of intense public interest. Primal Body, Primal Mind is already huge in Australia.  I guess we’ll see where it all leads.  Stay tuned!

5 Questions with Jamie Talan, author of Deep Brain Stimulation

 

 

What inspired you to put this book together?

 

I have been a science reporter covering the brain for 30 years, spending my first 25 years as a daily reporter for a New York newspaper called Newsday. As my interest in the brain is diverse, I was asked to write the book as many people were now using the technology for a variety of different neurological diseases. I decided that the best way to tell the story of deep brain stimulation was to interview patients from all walks of life and use their experience with DBS to write the short history of the technique.

 

Which section of the book did you find easiest and most natural to write?

 

I loved interviewing different scientists and the patients who so graciously shared their lives with me. I grew very close to a number of people during this process and they will always be a part of my life. I enjoyed the chapter on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, where we meet Mario. And on the science side, I loved the chapter on Minimally Conscious States and the work of Dr. Nicholas Schiff.

 

Did the final product come out as you envisioned it when you first started?

 

Yes, the book is a small but powerful story of science in the making. I have always seen it as my mission to educate people and that is precisely what this book enabled me to do.

 

What is the best compliment you have received on the book?

 

I have heard from many patients that they decided to get DBS after reading the book and learned a lot and that is very comforting to know. Again, educating people is the key. We had an amazing book talk at Book Revue in Huntington NY and a patient/physician in my book came to talk as well as a neurologist who has done many DBS surgeries. It was a packed crowd and everyone seemed pleased by the stories.

 

What are some new and upcoming things we can expect from you?

 

I am now writing a coming of age book about a family of a boy with Neurofibromatosis. It is an incredibly engaging story.

5 Questions with Dr Rajan Sankaran, author of Homeopathy for Today's World

 

 

For those who haven’t heard, what’s the book all about?

The book deals with questions like what makes each of us unique, what makes each of us feel, perceive, experience, and act in our own unique manner and what is the real cause of the stress in our life is. I have been working on these questions in my practice for the last three decades and has made some  discoveries. I found that stress comes not from external reality but the specific way each of us perceives it. At the deepest level our experience is not of outer reality, but is a constant inner sensation. This core sensation matches something from one of the three kingdoms in nature.  It is as if a specific animal, plant, or mineral lives in each one of us and colors our whole experience of life. It is our constant companion, the other song that keeps singing within us, shapes our personality, determines our life patterns, and is the underlying factor behind our stress. I have set down the knowledge that decades of seeing patients has taught me about the inner other song within each of us in order to guide the reader to awareness of his own other song and find release from it.

What was one of the big things you learned from creating this book?

That truth is simple, and if clearly understood can be conveyed to others. Also that the fundamental truth behind all sciences and art is one. At a deeper level the borders between art, science and philosophy fade. and that music, psychotherapy, homeopathy, art , literature, chemistry, botany, zoology etc all speak of the same truth. This is very beautiful to see and  a very useful tool for healing

Which part of the book was most compelling to you?

The part about the seven levels of our experience. I found that each one of us ca perceive reality in any one of seven levels. The discovery of this is a breakthrough for me. What’s been the most rewarding part of this process?

The most rewarding thing is to find the whole concept useful in knowing myself better

What new projects do you have on the horizon?

I am now heading the newly formed International Academy of Advanced Homeopathy located in Mumbai. it is called "the other song" , and promises the be the one of the world's premier institutions for treating, teaching and research in homeopathy. . Details can be found on www.theothersong.com. For my new and upcoming books, please visit www.rajansankaran.com.

5 Questions with Christopher Vasey, author of The Detox Mono Diet

 

What inspired you to put this book together?

My motivation was to explain the importance of detoxifying the body in order to regain a good health. An accumulation of toxins is indeed considered in natural medicine as the primary cause of illnesses. Nowadays this overflow of toxins is very common because many people overeat and under exercise. However, overeating doesn’t lead to overweight only but can also – with or without overweight – lead to an intoxication of the body and illness.
 
Which section of the book did you find easiest and most natural to write?
 
It was the practical guide to the cure which shows step by step how to proceed: how to prepare for a cure, how to follow the cure itself and how to come out of it. Following a detox cure is not difficult, but a few important points must be respected in order for the cure to be the most effective.
   
Did the final product come out as you envisioned it when you first started?

Yes, it did. And the layout made by the publisher enhances the important points and makes it easy to read and to understand.

What is the best compliment you have received on the book?
 
The best compliment is when readers write to tell me that they cured themselves by following the instructions given.

What are some new and upcoming things we can expect from you?
 
My upcoming book is “The Healing Power of Fever” which will be published in January 2012. It explains that fever is not a hindrance but a help to heal. It tells what to do during fever and shows the practical means to support and control the healing processes which are taking place.

5 questions with the authors of "Seattle in Black and White"

 

1. What inspired you to put this book together?

A desire to remember and preserve this historical period accurately. The initial inspiration for writing Seattle in Black and White happened at the memorial service for a friend who was involved in the civil rights movement.  Although the eulogy was positive, much of what was said was inaccurate.  Also in recent years there were articles in the newspapers  alluding to events during the civil rights struggle of the 60s that were incorrect.  We simply decided that we had to set the record straight.  Our combined mission was to record Seattle's history and make clear that the civil rights movement did not happen only in the South; it happened all over the United States.

2. Which section of the book did you find easiest and most natural to write?

Bettylou says it for all of us: "One in which I was an actual participant." Joan adds: "Since I have never written anything but a term paper for college, the book  did not seem 'easy' to write at any time.  I was comfortable with telling the story but it was the combined talent of four authors that made it interesting."

 3. Did the final product come out as you envisioned it when you first started?
 

The final product was much greater in content and scope than we originally envisioned.  We are pleased at how many personal touches enliven the factual text. The uncovering of FBI files and police files served to explain many events that happened 50 years ago that we were able to include in the book. 

4. What is the best compliment you have received on the book? 

Many readers are surprised that Seattle had such a history and thank us continually. They want us to know how much they appreciate the time we invested in explaining in great detail what was involved in attempting to end racial discrimination in Seattle  during the 1960s.

5. What are some new and upcoming things we can expect from you?

Bettylou's response: "Nothing, nothing, nothing." (We began this book in 2002, and it was finally published in March 2011.) The four authors  are all in our late 70s and do not expect to do another book.  We now have separate agendas. Maid feels free to be actively retired. Joan is working on is a family history for her grandchildren. "They are growing up in the electronic age and I grew up in a time without indoor plumbing and a four party telephone line. I feel family histories are important and wished that someone in my large family had done that for me." Jean may do something of the sort for her grandchildren.

What we do hope for is that our readers will take up the challenges ahead for our communities and our country. We hope we inspire you that a committed  group can accomplish important results.

5 questions with David Ewen, author of CHASING PARADISE

 

For those who haven’t heard, what’s the book all about?

Donald Trump’s bid to build what he says will be the greatest golf course in the world. He picked a spot on the east coast of Scotland that happened to be a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and where the locals weren’t for moving. It took Trump five fraught years to get planning permission. What started out as an argument about sand ended up with an attempt to bring down the Scottish Government. Essentially it’s a drama—a flamboyant billionaire’s quest to realize his life's ambition.

What was one of the big things you learned from creating this book?

That people will always view a book through the prism of their own emotional experience. Preconceptions proved surprisingly difficult to challenge. The title itself was ambiguous – and people did indeed read it in different ways. My own opinion, for what it’s worth, is that it may take a long time for us to mature sufficiently as a species to understand our place within the natural world. 

Which part of the book was most compelling to you?

The story crystallised a much wider debate – how we balance economic aspiration with custodianship of the environment; the power of celebrity; the nature of devolved democracy; the changing role of the media; and the meaning of place. The saga also unfolded against a background of unusual events – the recession, the harshest winter in a generation, the climate change summit, Tiger Woods's fall from grace, Scotland's push for independence – all of which helped provide a narrative drive.

What’s been the most rewarding part of this process?

Hearing people say they thought the book was unbiased. The book has a foreword from Trump, which helped secure the publishing deal. It obviously had to be reasonably sympathetic but the Trump Organization were commendably relaxed about what I included, even unflattering stuff. I thought it was better to go with the foreword and get all the arguments out there, and it was great to have the space to do that.

What new projects do you have on the horizon?

I’m writing the songs for a musical my wife Donna has written about Hollywood screenwriter Lorna Moon. The project already has an endorsement from Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond (he lives in the village where Lorna grew up and was later disowned). I’m also working on a novel about Scotland’s mythical creatures. 

Q&A with Mark Conard, author of "The Philosophy of the Coen Brothers" & "The Philosophy of Spike Lee"

 

What was the most interesting part of about putting together this book?

Reading the contributors’ essays and exploring the philosophical angles they take on the Coens’ films.

Which section of the book was most enjoyable to write?

My own chapter. It’s about Barton Fink, which I’d always liked but had always been puzzled by. In writing the essay, I’d wanted to come to a better understanding of the film; I wanted to interpret it better. And as I was working on the essay, it became clear that that difficulty of interpretation was what the piece should be about.

What was the most challenging part about creating this book?

The most challenging thing about any of these works is coming up with something philosophically relevant and interesting to say about the subject matter. There are some other, practical issues that can present some difficulties, but this is the most serious challenge.

What has been the feedback thus far on the book?

The feedback has been great so far. People really seem to love the book.

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For those who haven’t heard, what’s "The Philosophy of Spike Lee" all about?

It’s about the philosophical themes of Spike Lee’s films. The contributors explore issues such as justice, the nature of time, race and community, transcendence, moral motivation, etc.

What was one of the big things you learned from creating this book?

I certainly learned a good deal about Lee’s films and a fair amount about race studies. I watched a number of his movies for the first time while preparing the book and writing my essay, so some of the work was quite new to me.

Which part of the book was most compelling to you?

All the essays are compelling. They’re really very good, very interesting, and very accessible.

What’s been the most rewarding part of this process?

Working with the contributors and the good people at The University Press of Kentucky. Everyone has been great.

What’s next for you?

Not sure yet. I’ve had it in the back of my mind to do a book on The Philosophy of Jazz. This would be a departure for me, since I’ve never written about music before. I have to give it some more thought.