I have compiled this list of the books that I recommend very highly. There are so many very helpful books out there (and so many books not worth buying also) so I will keep adding more of the brilliant ones as and when I find time.

 

STOP SMOKING

 

Easy Way to give up Smoking by Allen Carr.

 

I do not smoke but several people who did have told me about this book. They all told me that they read this book and when they finished it they were able to give up smoking immediately. Just like that!

 

JUICING

The following two books are excellent, a mass of information but it was not until the second book that Jason worked out that fruit juices are not advisable if you wish to lose weight. Well worth buying if you are interested in juicing.

The Juice Master’s Ultimate Fast Food: Discover the Power of Raw Juice

The Juice Master’s Slim 4 Life: Freedom from the Food Trap

 

BLOOD TYPES

 

Eat Right 4 Your Type by Dr. Peter J.D’Adamo

This book is all about the 4 different blood types and the 4 different types of diet that suit each one. I use the information that this book contains with my clients all the time. However although I think the basic theory is sound some of the minute detail may not apply to all individuals.

 

BMA Concise Guide to Medicines & Drugs by The British Medical Association

This is an excellent book that will give you a mass of information about the medicines and drugs prescribed by the Medical Profession. It seems that not many medical doctors study this book before they prescribe.

 

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L Hay    

I’ve kept this book by my side for nearly 20 years. I’ve tested what it says against most of my clients with amazing results. This is a great book to work through any issues with disease and illness with. There is a section on various ailments and also parts of the body, well worth getting.

 

Fit For Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond (no relation)

I often recommend this book as it is a great help to those who have a problem with digesting various combinations of food. The explanations are easy to follow and they go into the reasons why they suggest their eating plan. They say it is not what you eat, but when and how! It has helped many people back to health including myself.

 

DEEPAK CHOPRA

 

I came across my first book by this author in a bookshop in Canada and I was hooked, highly recommended.

 

Ageless Body, Timeless Mind: A Practical Alternative to Growing Old

 

Perfect Health

 

The Path to Love: Spiritual Lessons for Creating the Love You Need

 

Quantum Healing Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body/Spirit

 

How to Know God: The Soul’s Journey into the Mystery of Mysteries

 

The Deeper Wound: Preserving Your Soul in the Face of Fear and Tragedy

 

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success for Parents:

 

Guiding Your Children to Success and Fulfilment

 

 

DENISE LINN is another author who inspired me; the only thing was that she does seem to tell her personal story in every book.

 

Pocketful of Dreams 

 

Sacred Space: Clearing and Enhancing the Energy of Your Home

Past Lives, Present Dreams: How to Use Reincarnation for Personal Growth

 

I very much like the first books by David Icke, especially The Robots’ Rebellion

 

The Robots’ Rebellion: The Story of the Spiritual Renaissance

 

And the Truth Shall Set You Free 

 

I Am Me, I Am Free: The Robots Guide to Freedom

 

Heal the World: A Do-it-yourself Guide to Personal and Planetary Transformation

 

I used the following books as reference when I was writing up my doctorate on Herbs, Growing And Using. I have over a hundred books on herbs, spices, essential oils, natural remedies and gardening but for this particular purpose, I found that these books were the best of my collection. I have placed them in alphabetical order using the author’s surname. 

 

The first book by DENI BOWN, Encyclopaedia of Herbs & Their Uses (1996) which has been published on behalf of The Royal Horticultural Society of Britain. It is a super, large hard backed book which contains over 1000 plants and 1500 photographs and is described quite rightly as The Definitive Reference Work For Every Gardener. There are sections on the history of herbs and their uses, designing an herb garden, herbs in the wild, using herbs, herb dictionary and herbs in myth and legend. This is an excellent book for reference and identification purposes and I highly recommend it.

 

Over ten years ago I was lucky enough to be able to live near Mill Valley half way up Mount Tamalpais for a month. I was able to shop in San Francisco and was taken to a shop where I bought this book by SCOTT CUNNINGHAM The Magic of Food: Legends, Lore & Spellwork. (1990) and I added it to my large collection of books on all aspects of food. I have an advanced diploma in nutritional medicine so I am always interested in further information on whole foods. This book covers foods and the planets, elements and energies that each food links to plus their legends and folk lore and I can recommend this book to those interested in this subject.

 

I have studied Ayurvedic medicine for many years; ayurveda is the science of life and has its roots in India. This knowledge goes back over 3000 years and the authors DR. DAVID FRAWLEY & DR. VASANT LAD are both well respected Ayurvedic doctors. Their book is The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide To Herbal Medicine (1986) which lists over 250 medicinal herbs with 88 explained in detail. Most of these herbs are easy to find and include black pepper, poppy seeds and rhubarb also some simple remedies are included. I can highly recommend this book to all. 

 

There seem to be very few books available in this country on the subject of moon gardening, however this next book is available every year and gives the day by day details of moon gardening. I did obtain a great little book that had been translated from German but unfortunately I have not been able to find it. Nick Kollerstrom, is the author of Gardening & Planting By The Moon: higher yields in vegetables and flowers, better flavours, stronger displays, heightened colour (2006) and there are also a couple of websites of the same name. The .com is the American version and the .co.uk is the British one. This book is simple to use and has excellent information on the subject, and as far as I can tell it is about the only choice you will have in Britain in book form. I have no hesitation in recommending this book; I use my copy all the time.

 

Late last summer I attended a talk by Geraldine Holt who lives in France for much of the year and England for the rest. She has such a wonderful demeanour and after her talk she had a beautiful hard backed book for sale called, Diary Of A French Herb Garden. (2002). I bought a copy and spent a wonderful day in my garden reading it. I was transported by her words to her garden in France, what an inspiration she is. Geraldine was a studio potter and teacher by profession who began to write about food as a result of selling her homemade cakes in a local market. She is now an international food writer and some of her books have been translated into eleven languages. I would highly recommend this lovely book to anyone interested in herbs, French or otherwise.

 

I wanted a book on herb craft and the next one was recommended very highly to me, the authors are Susan Lavender & Anna Franklin and the book concerned is Herb Craft: Guide To The Shamanic And Ritual Use Of Herbs (1996). The first part of the book is set out nicely in alphabetical order from Acacia to Yew. They have included the botanical name, other names, deities, history, lore, magical uses and recipes followed by more general information at the back of the book including a remedy reference. I can highly recommend this book. 

 

The next book on this list is a hardback book by Julia Lawless The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide To The Use Of Oils In Aromatherapy And Herbalism ( 1996) it contains loads of photographs and diagrams which are excellent for identification purposes. The listing is by the Latin name as opposed to the previous book which was listed by the common name. I found this a little less easy to use but the common names are listed in the index. Everything is very attractively set out and you could spend an hour or two enjoying the contents whenever you desired. Julia’s grandmother who lived in Finland knew a great deal about herbs and wild plants and passed this onto Julia’s mother who helped with research into essential oils when Julia became a bio-chemist. I highly recommend this book.

 

Now onto the book that I have found invaluable especially during my studies into herbs. It is Jekka’s Complete Herb Book (1997) written by a master in this field, Jekka McVicar.  If you only want one book then I consider this would be very high on the list. Jekka is the foremost herbal gardening expert in this country; she has taken the gold for every year that she has exhibited at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show. I am very lucky that Jekka is also president of the South West England Herb Group where she turns up regularly to speak and take part in the monthly meetings. She is not one of those big headed television celebrities although she is often on various TV programs and works a lot with Jamie Oliver to promote culinary herbs and good foods. Jekka designs and builds herb gardens and runs her own nursery about 40 miles from here, she is a herb gardener extra-ordinaire and gives details of 335 in this book along with the designs of ten themed garden displays. I recommend this book very highly.

 

I was at a boot sale where I found someone selling quality books for only £2 each, so I bought about five of them to add to my collection. The Complete Guide to Spices: The Definitive Visual Encyclopaedia Of Culinary Spices From Around The World, And How To Use Them (2003) was one of these, it was written by Sallie Morris. Sallie is a food writer and consultant and has travelled extensively through Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Kenya and Malaysia to gather recipes for herself and her books. There are some excellent photographs and the alphabetical listing is by the common name of each spice. Fifty spices are listed together with instructions on how to make spiced gifts, decorations, aromatic cooking oils, flavoured vinegars and a variety of drinks. Well worth spending £2 on, recommended.

 

I happened on the next wonderful book about spices in a second-hand book shop in Glastonbury, it is an immaculate hardback and cost just £1.75 and I would not part with it under any circumstances. It is The Complete Book of Spices: A Practical Guide To Spices & Aromatic Seeds (1992) written by Jill Norman, this one is also arranged by botanical name. There is a small section on cooking with spices, spices in the home, as medicines, preparing & storing and the spice trade. The book starts with individual spices but then there is a large section on spice mixtures which is excellent. The many photographs are truly exceptional, but sadly there is no information about Jill Norman herself. This is very highly recommended book.

 

I have at least a couple of dozen books on simple herbal remedies but this was the one that I found most useful for this dissertation. Home Herbal: A Practical Family Guide To Making Herbal Remedies For Common Ailments (1995) is written by Penelope Ody who is a professional practicing herbalist and a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. She was editor of the Herb Society’s magazine for six years and writes for Here’s Health magazine. This is a 144 page hard backed book with a section on the seven life stages, an A-Z of sixty medicinal herbs, growing herbs & making remedies, common ailments, the herbal first aid box and lists of other medicinal herbs. This is a very fine book for any household interested in natural herbal remedies. Highly recommended. 

 

The last book in this part of the review is by no means the ‘least’ book. I wanted a good book on essential oils and this one was highly recommended to me. It is a 546 page paperback which is just crammed with excellent information. The book shows how each essential oil can offer many diverse benefits, it is billed as a household manual of the future and I whole-heartedly agree. I made up the remedy for head lice for my youngest son with great effect; he never housed another head louse in the following 12 years. I’ve mixed flea remedies for all my animals and the section on essential oils in the garden was brilliant. The book is The Fragrant Pharmacy: A Complete Guide To Aromatherapy & Essential Oils (1990) by Valerie Ann Worwood. The author is an aromatherapist and reflexologist and runs her own clinic in Essex, England. She lectures all over the world and conducts aromatherapy and holistic research on infertility and endometriosis.  

 

IRIDOLOGY

 

I have chosen to offer this review of Iridology literature alphabetically by means of the author’s name.

 

The first book on iridology written by James & Sheelagh Colton, is a guide, which is part of a series. It outlines what iridology is, how it works, what it can be used for, where to find out more, and includes basic iridology techniques for self-diagnosis. Iridology:Health Analysis and Treatments from the Iris of the Eye), (1996).  There are some good basic diagrams included, but no photos except the one on the front cover. 

 

The second book also from the same authors is, Iridology: A Patient's Guide. (1988). A basic book to get individuals started on Iridology. A few charts to explain the various diseases or weaknesses in the body, again no photos except the one on the front cover. The authors are founders of the Anglo-European School of Iridology and cite Joseph Deck a German iridologist as their inspiration.

 

The next was a set book written by Dorothy Hall, when I was studying iridology with Dr Lawrence Plaskett. Anyone interested in iridology would find this a very informative and easy book to follow and study, Iridology: How to discover your own pattern of health and well-being through the eye. (1994). Dorothy Hall is an Australian naturopath and herbalist who focuses on the psychological side. The book is very interesting and has some excellent full colour photographs showing how the iris changes during the healing process. Highly recommended.

 

Although the next book was not a set book for my diploma I found it very helpful to give me a different perspective whilst I studied. In the early 90’s there were not many affordable iridology books available. Iridology (1993) was written by Adam J Jackson who practiced in England as a solicitor before re-training in natural health therapeutics. Adam studied iridology at the International Institute of Irisdiagnosis in Germany. He has natural health practices in North London, England and Toronto, Canada. His book contains straight forward naturopathic information, no photos but there are charts, diagrams and cartoons. This is an affordable book which I recommend.

 

At the back of the next book, namely Practical Iridology: Using Your Eyes to Pinpoint Your Health Risks and Your Particular Path to Wellbeing (2004), written by Peter Jackson-Main, there is a useful section dealing with detoxification: bowel cleanses, dry skin brushing, kidney and liver flushes, hydrotherapy, etc. that is packed full of information. There are also sections on deep breathing, stretching, visualisation, etc. Recommended.

 

I highly recommend the next book in this review, The Science and Practice of Iridology (1989) by Bernard Jensen, especially for the serious student. In fact I would recommend any book by this author. Bernard Jensen 1908 - 2001 was born in California and was one of the foremost pioneers in the field of iridology. He qualified as a chiropractor in 1929. He then went to New York but studied naturopathic practices on his travels worldwide. He carried out much research and his iridology chart is considered to be the most detailed and best available, see appendix. This was my main reference book during studies for my diploma in iridology. There are lots of detailed diagrams and some interesting photos, but in black and white only.

 

However if you wanted just one book on iridology, then Understanding Iridology (1997), by Bernard Jenson & Donald V Bodeen, is the one that I recommend most highly. Donald Bodeen was Bernard Jenson’s research colleague and fellow iridologist. Very Highly Recommended for the beginner as well as anyone interested in or practicing iridology. There are some good coloured photos and detailed diagrams. This book includes Bernard Jenson’s iridology chart and also the reversed chart required for self examination purposes.

 

The next book in this review is by Theodor Kriege, the Fundamental Basis of Irisdiagnosis (1986). It has been translated from the German original and has been up-dated and re-printed several times. The German school like their very precise measurements, I find their illustrations in relation to the body parts within the irides very detailed and beautiful. Theodor was a life long researcher in the art of irisdiagnosis. The book includes a few black and white photos. Recommended for the serious student of iridology.

 

The next author and iridologist is Frank Navratil who was born of Czech parents in Vancouver, Canada where he completed a degree in physiology and nutrition. In the 1990's he moved to Sydney, Australia where he studied alternative medicine, iridology and clinical nutrition before practicing as a naturopath, iridologist, and nutritionist. Since 1997, he has lived in Prague, the Czech Republic where he currently runs a natural therapy practice. Frank is the author of For Your Eyes Only: A Fascinating Look at the Art and Science of Iris Diagnosis, the Diagnostic Method of the New Millennium (2002) I have to say that I do not agree with every interpretation in this book so I do not advise people to take all the information as proven fact. Nevertheless, I have recommended this book because of the mass of information and colour (2002) I have to say that I do not agree with every interpretation in this book so I do not advise people to take all the information as proven fact. Nevertheless, I have recommended this book because of the mass of information and colour photographs that it contains.  There is some interesting information on reading signs in the sclera and also details of various colours and their indications when seen in the eye, as distinct from the colour of the actual irides. The book contains masses of very helpful colour photographs of eyes. Frank also specialises in dark brown eyes especially of Spanish decent, which are rarely covered in other iridology text books.

 

Now for quite a different take on iridology by Jim Verghis who works in a very different way to so called ‘classic’ iridologists like myself. I spent a whole day at a workshop with him and I keep in contact; he is a fascinating person who has devoted the last 20 years to his research and work. He often tours Britain doing talks and workshops. I can testify that he puts his ‘all’ into whatever he does. Jim’s first book Behavioral Iridology: Personality Assessment Through The Eyes (2006) contains masses of quality colour photos to illustrate his text. Jim works using the eyes, family dynamics and ancestral history to understand his clients. When he looks into your eyes he is absolutely looking straight into your soul. Jim is a registered unlicensed psychotherapist, based in Colorado. Jim and his British associate Andrew Mason offer courses in Behavioural Iridology and I highly recommend this book to anyone who is particularly interested in aspects the personality. Not available on Amazon.

 

Natural healer and herbalist Ian White wrote Bush Flower Healing. (1999) and although this is a book on Bush Flower Healing there is a chapter on Iridology pp.126-132. This book is so obviously written by a powerful healer and is fascinating reading. Ian tells the in depth story about his journeys across his native Australia to locate the flowers of all kinds that he required to make up his excellent range of Australian Bush Flower Remedies. Ian is a fifth generation Australian herbalist, and has been practising naturopathy and homoeopathy for nearly 30 years. This is an inspirational book well worth reading and highly recommended. Remember, iridology is just a diagnostic tool and it is the healing methods that are then utilised that are extremely important, not forgetting the healer who could use any type of remedy they chose and still achieve excellent results.

 

I bought the next item the Iridology Decoder) (1994) by Stefan Mager at least 10 years ago. It is a small folded board booklet with 6 ‘pages’. Two have detailed plastic information wheels, one page has 12 illustrated iris signs and an excellent visual representation of the body, organs and iris location, see appendix. It is a very nice compact iridology information tool, well worth getting to carry with you, at least 10 years ago. It is a small folded board booklet with 6 ‘pages’. Two have detailed plastic information wheels; one page has 12 illustrated iris signs and an excellent visual representation of the body, organs and iris location. It is a very nice compact iridology information tool, well worth getting to carry with you.