How Our Ancestors Died by Dr Simon Wills

How Our Ancestors Died
by Dr Simon Wills

ISBN-13: 9781781590386
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Pen & Sword Family History
Released: January 19th 2014

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
What were the principal causes of death in the past? Could your ancestor have been affected? How was disease investigated and treated and what did our ancestors think about the illnesses and the accidents that might befall them? Simon Wills fascinating survey of the diseases that had an impact on their lives seeks to answer these questions. His graphic, detailed account offers an unusual and informative view of the threats that our ancestors lived with and died of. He describes the common causes of death - cancer, cholera, dysentery, influenza, malaria, scurvy, smallpox, stroke, tuberculosis, typhus, yellow fever, venereal disease and the afflictions of old age. Alcoholism is included, as are childbirth and childhood infections, heart disease, mental illness and dementia. Accidents feature prominently road and rail accidents, accidents at work and death through addiction and abuse is covered as well as death through violence and war.

Simon Wills work reveals how life and death have changed over the centuries, how medical science has advanced so that some once-mortal illnesses are now curable while others are just as deadly now as they were then. In addition to describing causes of death and setting them in the context of the times, his book shows readers how to find and interpret patient records, death certificates and other documents in order to gain an accurate impression of how their ancestors died.


My Review:
How Our Ancestors Died explains how to find out how your British ancestors died and what the various medical terms mean. The focus seemed mostly on the late 1700s to modern day, though he did comment on occurrences (of plague, etc.) further back in history. The author started by explaining the basic medical practices of the time and how to find death reports. He then talked about specific, common ways that people died, including basic information about the disease or examples of common fatal accidents as well as explaining the words that were used to describe that disease at the time. He covered accidents, childhood diseases, cholera, chest infections, bowel infections, influenza, plague, smallpox, tropical diseases, tuberculosis, typhus, venereal disease, heart problems, epilepsy, stroke, war, wounds, childbirth, suicide, scurvy, execution, murder, starvation, food poisoning, other poisoning, and more. He also talked about historical problems like dietary deficiencies, alcoholism, mental illness, pregnancy, etc. This book contained useful information on finding out how your ancestors died: both where to look for documentation and for understanding what's on the documents.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

En Plein Air: Light & Color by Iain Stewart

En Plein Air: Light & Color
by Iain Stewart

ISBN-13: 9781633228344
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Walter Foster Publishing
Released: April 13th 2021


Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Geared for beginning artists, En Plein Air: Light & Color introduces a variety of techniques for on-location watercolor painting. Following a brief introduction to the basics of painting en plein air and an overview of the necessary tools and materials, you will learn how to choose a subject and paint a compelling outdoor composition using the subtleties of watercolor to create beautifully expressive subjects and themes.

Other important topics include perspective, rendering the background and foreground, capturing both urban and pastoral landscapes, mastering color to convey weather and time of day, and much more. From choosing just the right subject to awaiting the perfect time of day, let En Plein Air: Light & Color guide you in your artistic travels as you explore this daring and expressive medium.


My Review:
En Plein Air: Light & Color is an art instruction book on watercolor painting. The author focused on urban landscapes and painting outside while viewing your subject. He provided useful tips on these topics (including useful tools and materials) and on watercolor painting in general. He provided several step-by-step exercises to teach various techniques, including perspective, creating good contrasts in value, and how to paint people, cars, and boats with minimal detail so that they don't distract the viewer from your focal point. He talked about choosing colors and creating a sense of light and dark to draw focus and create mood. I felt like he was able to clearly convey information and describe techniques. Overall, I'd recommend this book to watercolor painters who want to learn how to paint on location, urban landscapes.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Natural Medicine Handbook by Walt Larimore MD

The Natural Medicine Handbook
by Walt Larimore MD

ISBN-13: 9780593197882
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company
Released: April 6th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When it comes to natural medicines, such as herbs, vitamins, and dietary supplements, you want to make sure you're getting the truth about what works, what is safe, and what is a waste of money. You need evidence-based, trustworthy sources and studies so that you can make wise decisions for yourself and your family.

In consultation with the experts at ConsumerLab.com and Natural MedicinesTM, Dr. Walt Larimore has combed the available research from around the globe to evaluate about 1300 natural medicines or interventions for more than 500 conditions or indications summarized in helpful charts and tables. This highly readable and reliable guide will tell you what natural medicines have proven to be both safe and effective while suggesting the best-value "Top Picks" for health issues such as brain and heart health, digestive and immune health, energy and fatigue, losing weight, keeping hair, skin, and nails young, increasing the quality and length of your life, and many more.


My Review:
The Natural Medicine Handbook talked about the dangers of dietary supplements and how to find safe and effective ones. The author has more confidence in pharmaceuticals than dietary supplements and herbs. He'd prefer that supplements undergo similar testing for safety and effectiveness as prescription drugs and doesn't recommend any that lack testing like this. Which isn't really fair for herbs that have been used safely for centuries, but, hey, he doesn't talk about very many herbs. However, I do agree that supplements should contain what they say they contain and in the amounts claimed and not contain contaminants or undeclared additives. I already knew about services like Consumerlab.com and Labdoor.com and have used them. I also approve of his emphasis on changes of lifestyle, like eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising more, quitting smoking, etc.

The first part of the book covered information like this, but the rest looked at different categories of supplements, like multivitamins, supplements for brain health, hearth health, losing weight, immune boosters, energy boosters, high cholesterol, digestive problems, hair and nail problems, etc. He named certain products that are approved of by Consumerlab and talked about some supplements that he doesn't recommend, explaining the problems with them. I'd recommend this book to those who aren't aware of the potential problems with dietary supplements.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Castle Builders by Malcolm Hislop

Castle Builders
by Malcolm Hislop

ISBN-13: 9781526796615
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Pen and Sword Archaeology
Released: April 30th 2021


Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In Castle Builders, Malcolm Hislop looks at the hugely popular subject of castles from the unusual perspective of design and construction. We discover something of the personalities behind their creation - the architects and craftsmen - and, furthermore, the techniques they employed, and how style and technology was disseminated. Castle Builders takes both a thematic and a chronological approach to the design and construction of castles, providing the reader with clear lines of development. Themes include earth, timber and stone construction techniques, the evolution of the great tower, the development of military engineering, the progression of domestic accommodation, and the degree to which aesthetics contributed to castle design.


My Review:
Castle Builders is a detailed look at the archaeological evidence for how castles were built in Great Britian, from manors on raised earthworks to carpentry walls, floors, and roofs, to masonry fortification, buildings, and plumbing issues. The author spent a lot of time providing details, from the exact dimensions of the moats to the name of the engineer that headed the building project to the apparent spread and development of different architectural features based on when different castles were built. Some pictures of the described features were included and were very interesting, illustrating his points. If you want to know the layers of subsoil found mounded next to the moat and the implications for how both were created, you'll find that information in this book. Architectural and castle-related terms were rarely defined in the text, though there's a glossary in the back. However, this is probably too detailed to be of interest if you don't know the basic terms already. While the book provided a great deal of information and analysis, it's probably too technical to interest someone with only a casual interest in castles.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Art of Paint Marbling by Rene Eisenbart

The Art of Paint Marbling
by Rene Eisenbart

ISBN-13: 9781600588761
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Walter Foster Publishing
Released: March 9th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Paint marbling uses a base of thickened water, onto which paint is poured and then swirled. Dipping paper directly into the paint creates beautiful, abstract art that’s easy to do at home using minimal, affordable supplies. Using step-by-step projects with thorough instructions, artists can use a variety of techniques to manipulate colored paint into intricate patterns and create marbled artwork on a variety of surfaces, including paper, cloth, and wood panels. Large, beautiful, and colorful photos accompany all of the projects and techniques. Paint marbling serves as a fun hobby for beginners, a new art form for more advanced artists looking for alternative techniques, and a family activity perfect for artists young and old.


My Review:
The Art of Paint Marbling is an acrylic paint art instruction book. I had thought paint marbling was relatively simple. The author made it sound like there were a number of challenging aspects and skills that took some practice before you got good results. You also need specialized ingredients and specific paints in order to get the correct buoyancy in the thickened water. If you're ready to buy a completely new set up to try it out, this book seems to thoroughly cover paint marbling.

She talked about the equipment, materials, and ingredients you'll need, the basic steps, and step-by-step demonstrations on how to do different techniques to get different marbled effects. She started with the easiest techniques and then built on those to create more elaborate designs. She also talked about troubleshooting problems and how to fix them as well as how to use abstract marbling with multimedia art (watercolor, collage, etc.) I'd recommend this book to anyone seriously interested in trying out paint marbling.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.