What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Hypothyroidism by Ken Blanchard, M.D., Ph.D.

I've read several books on hypothyroidism and this one is probably the most accessible. Dr. Blanchard's explanations were clear and each section was labeled so that the reader need only read the sections he or she chooses. Dr. Blanchard discusses both prescription solutions and homeopathic solutions.

A few negatives: I thought his list of symptoms of hypothyroidism was not complete. I also felt that his emphasis on constant checking implied that those who suffer from hypothyroidism could not hope to find long-term stability easily. I think it might be more realistic to say that the average patient will find a measure of stability, although it is likely that the elimination of ALL symptoms of hypothyroidism will be difficult to achieve.

Generally, though, I found the information in this book valuable. It will join my collection and I might even give a copy of it to my doctor. (I'm continually disappointed by the number of doctors who don't know enough about this all-too-common illness.) It's a good read for anyone with any unresolved/"mysterious" health issues and if a reader has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I think it might be an essential read.

Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling

This is a classic book written, I think, for children, especially boys. I read it with my 13 year old son. We first attempted it on CD, but he really disliked it. So we switched to an annotated version and he really liked that one. I read a regular copy.

Kipling used lots of phonetically spelled brogue in the dialogue for some characters that was challenging to understand sometimes. There were also some marine terms that I didn't really know and some archaic words that I didn't understand. These were, I think, what made the CD difficult for my son to enjoy. But the book he read defined many of these terms so he was able to understand and get into the story. I didn't find the unfamiliar words too distracting, but I am a more experienced reader so it was easier for me to guess at a meaning from the context. I'm glad we both read it at the same time. We were able to discuss and clarify some of the things from the book.

This is a coming-of-age tale, a growing-up story. This boy grows from an indulged, self-centered son of a rich man to a hard-working respectful young man. He falls from a yacht and is rescued by a fisherman and there begins the tale.

I really liked the book. I loved the story and I especially loved some of the beautiful language that Rudyard Kipling used--no surprise there. I was surprised at how much I liked it. I guess that's the reason this is a "classic"--because it never gets old and it has entertained readers of varied ages for many years.