All Book Titles
To find a book simply select a letter from the list below or select to view all.
A
Acting from the Heart
In recent years, thousands of Australians from all walks of life have been moved to act in support of asylum seekers and refugees and against the Australian government's immigration policy and practice. In Acting from the Heart, over 50 people who reflect the diversity of this movement describe how and why they became involved. The contributors shared a sense of disbelief and outrage that 'Australian values' suddenly appeared to include callous self-interest and a disregard for human suffering.
Active Hope
A legendary eco-philosopher and a British sustainability activist present a personal way forward through despair over ecological crises.
ADHD: Who's Failing Who?
'We should not only be asking how our kids with ADHD are failing society, but also how society is failing these kids.' So writes Dr Brenton Prosser, author of this significant new book on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD: Who's failing who? aims to help parents, teachers, educational advisers and health professionals make informed decisions about how they can support children with ADHD.
Adolescence
Adolescence has changed. Young people now enter puberty earlier (in many cases, at ten or eleven) and leave home later. What's more, modern society expects children to grow up emotionally all too quickly. The good news is that the skills, knowledge and strategies parents need are clearly explained in Adolescence. In this book, Michael Carr-Gregg and Erin Shale discuss:
Adproofing Your Kids
A sanity-saving book to help parents banish 'pester power' from their homes! Adproofing Your Kids is a hands-on, practical book that offers parents the tools to alleviate the 'pestering' behaviour encouraged by marketers and advertisers. It also guides parents in helping their children think critically about the media messages that surround them on a daily basis.
Autism Puzzle, The
Research by the Australian Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders, based on the Commonwealth Government’s Centrelink data, found that one out of every 160 Australian children is now diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. This represents 10,625 children aged between 6 and 12 years.
B
Baby Care
Baby Care contains acclaimed advice for parents of newborns from an Australian mothercare/childcare professional awarded an Order of Australia for her services to infant health and the care of mothers and babies.
Baby on Board (second edition)
Update December 2011: now available on the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/baby-on-board/id481679374?mt=11
The primary focus of Baby on Board is on ways you can care for your baby during the most vital time in a child's development - the first few months. In this second edition of his successful book, leading Australian baby expert Dr Howard Chilton presents the latest international medical information on the fundamentals of baby-care. He offers clear advice on how to care for a young baby in the first weeks, the early months and beyond. One issue that causes parents the most anguish - how to settle their distressed and crying baby - is explored in detail.
Best School for Your Child, The
Now more than ever parents are concerned about which secondary school to send their children to. Selecting the 'right' school is crucial as it will be the world in which their teenager learns to develop socially, emotionally and morally. The right environment can help children enjoy learning, discover their talents and, possibly, their future career path. The Best School For Your Child offers parents a down-to-earth, practical guide to identifying the sort of school that will best meet the unique needs, qualities and strengths of their son or daughter.
Birth Stories
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/birth-stories/id491300755?mt=11
Birth Stories is a collection of nineteen candid stories by Australian women about the triumphs, challenges and delights of their experiences of childbirth. Each of these women discovered the value of being able to make informed decisions about their maternity care, and had positive and empowering birth experiences.
Biting Anorexia
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/biting-anorexia/id490412273?mt=11
'My name is Lucy. I am in recovery from anorexia nervosa and major depression, each of which almost killed me.' So begins this extraordinary depiction by an 18-year-old woman of her descent into the tortured existence of anorexia and her arduous and remarkable recovery from it.
Blood Ties
Blood Ties is a collection of the stories of five Australian HIV-positive women. These powerful narratives reveal how each woman has approached her predicament, and the inner qualities she drawn on to persevere. The authors' honest and courageous writing allows us to live with them through their struggles. What emerges is a triumph of the human spirit over adversity. There are few stories by or about HIV-positive women - the silence surrounding this issue has rendered 'positive' women invisible and voiceless participants in this contemporary epidemic.
Body Snatchers, The
There is hardly a woman alive - fat, thin or in-between - who doesn't wish she could alter the body she was born with. From childhood on, we're bombarded with imagery from Barbie dolls to starvation chic that tells us we can never be too thin or too young. The cosmetics, fashion and diet industries, the mass media and the burgeoning business of cosmetic surgery all profit from this message. But for women and girls there's a high price to pay: low self-esteem, body hatred and eating disorders are now a major part of their lives.
Bouncing Back
In this practical book, Brian Babington, a professional counsellor specialising in grief and loss, outlines some approaches to cope with the initial trauma of loss and failure - and to find ways to recover. His approaches are of use to people who have experienced severe loss - such as a death in the family - or other traumatic events such as the breakdown of a relationship or the loss of a job. Brian Babington guides the reader through ways of coping with anxiety and despair, releasing loss, re-energising themselves and realigning their attitudes.
Boys in Schools
Many schools today face serious, daily problems with boys' behaviour and attitudes that reduce the quality of education for girls and boys. The need for boys to change is crucial - but how can it be done? Boys in Schools presents accounts which show how innovative approaches used in schools can change the way boys view themselves and others. Boys in Schools is an important book for teachers, parents, educationists and all those who work with and care for boys.
Breastfeeding with Confidence
Breastfeeding is a practical skill which young women used to learn by watching a mother breastfeed her baby. Today there are many new mothers who would like to breastfeed but who have not had the opportunity to successfully learn how to do it. This practical book aims to help by presenting easily understood information, including many stories and comments from breastfeeding mothers that provide a wealth of reassuring advice for others.
Bully Blocking
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/bully-blocking/id488666086?mt=11
Bully Blocking offers practical advice to help children (aged 4 - 16) deal with bullies who tease, exclude, intimidate or harass. In this book renowned bullying specialist Evelyn Field provides parents and teachers with understandings and tested approaches to assist a child who is a target or a bully.
Bump & Grind: The A-Z Survival Guide for when you're trying to get pregnant and sick of being told to relax!
After 18 months of trying to get pregnant without success, Genevieve Morton was told over and over to "just relax!". But she couldn't. She scoured fertility books hoping one would make her feel better about herself. Instead, they made her feel worse. Sure, they all told her how to pinpoint ovulation and analyse her cervical mucus (ew!).
C
Carer's Guide, A
Every day in Australia, tens of thousands of people care for loved ones at home. This is often a difficult road for volunteer carers, particularly when the illness is a debilitating and progressive one such as dementia. Most carers find themselves thrust into the role ill-prepared and intimidated by a multitude of troubling questions. A Carers Guide combines useful information for all carers with a touching personal odyssey by Rosette Teitel, who nursed her husband through vascular dementia until his death.
Catch Up with the Sun
Catch up With the Sun is the unusual account of a remarkable achievement as ex-RAAF pilot and veterinarian Heidi Douglas writes about her journey through the outback of Australia with horses and camels. She covers Victoria, NSW, Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory.
Catfight
In Catfight, Leora Tanenbaum explores the roots of destructive competitiveness among women. Catfights thrive, she says, because women are conditioned to regard each other as adversaries rather than allies. In virtually every walk of life, women compete with their '˜sisters' in a tacit contest over who is the 'better' woman. From diets to dating, from the boardroom to the delivery room - the author describes how women compare their looks, bodies, men, career achievements and competence as mothers.
Chasing Ideas
'The most important thing parents can do for their parents is to encourage them to think. Children really enjoy thinking, and this builds on that enjoyment.' Edward de Bono. Chasing Ideas is a stimulating resource of ideas for parents of children of all ages. Christine Durham has compiled a treasure trove of techniques and tips to help parents with the delightful process of unleashing children's curiosity about the world.
Children Learn What They Live
'If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn; if children live with acceptance, they learn to love'. Expanding on her universally loved poem, 'Children Learn What They Live', which has inspired countless families since its initial publication in 1954, Dorothy Law Nolte offers this simple but powerful guide to parenting. Addressing issues of security, self-worth, tolerance, honesty, fear, respect, fairness, patience and more, this book of rare common sense will help a new generation of parents find their own parenting wisdom and create lifelong values in their children.
Cocktails at Naptime
Update December 2011: now available on the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/cocktails-at-naptime/id481628324?mt=11
A laugh-out-loud, utterly realistic examination of all the things that can happen to your mind, your body, your partner and your relatives after the birth of a new baby.
Coping Well
'Rubin Battino gives us a compelling, useful and heartfelt contribution to help us meet the challenges of living well with a life-threatening illness.' Petrea King, Founder, Quest for Life Centre and author of the foreword for Coping Well.
D
Dad Factor, The
Update December 2011: now available on the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/the-dad-factor/id481629473?mt=11
This stimulating book explores many fascinating new understandings of the importance of a father in a child's development. Richard Fletcher, a pioneer researcher in the area of men’s health and family issues, examines how a father's close bond with his baby is vital for the development of the child’s healthy brain structure and their cognitive and emotional development.
Diary of a First-time Mum
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/diary-of-a-first-time-mum/id491301624?mt=11
Diary of a First-time Mum is an amusing record of the unpredictable life of a new mum – with its doubts, delights and disappointments. Nicole shares her innermost thoughts on all aspects of new motherhood such as breastfeeding, mastitis, sleep deprivation, body changes and the relationship with her husband, often jotting down her thoughts in the wee hours of the morning while breastfeeding.
E
Easy Parenting
Easy Parenting is about meeting the challenges that parents face in raising their children to become well-balanced adults. 'Our original sources for the book were other parents. Over the years we have collected as much information as possible from people who were raising or had raised their children successfully' (from the Introduction). The authors, Ken and Elizabeth Mellor, have spent the past thirty years working with families. The concepts they teach are simple and fundamental, such as:
Emotional Fitness
Emotional Fitness offers a program of 30 proven ‘emotional workouts’ to help people achieve balance, resilience and self-acceptance.
F
Fat Paddler, The
Update December 2011: now available on the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/the-fat-paddler/id485646075?mt=11
Horrific car accidents, the Bali bombing, too many sausages ... Sean Smith survived them all. This is one man’s story of his journey back to health and fitness and recapturing his passion for life.
Father and Child Reunion
'Just as the last third of the twentieth century was about creating equal opportunity for women as workers, so the first third of the twenty-first century will be about creating equal opportunity for men as parents. Neither goal will be achieved until both goals are achieved.' Warren Farrell. In Father and Child Reunion Dr Warren Farrell challenges us to be part of a revolutionary act - to acknowledge the importance of fathers in the lives of families.
Fathering from the Fast Lane
Dr Robinson knows the difficulties of working 'in the fast lane': as a father of three, he has had to balance his family life with the pressures of being a Professor of Medicine. The pressures of working life today mean that many fathers have limited time to spend with their children. This book presents practical and straightforward ways for fathers to improve this situation and rethink their priorities.
Fear-free Children
In this important contribution to managing children's fears, psychologist Dr Janet Hall outlines how children's anxieties are caused, and shows parents how to recognise and deal with both appropriate and inappropriate fears. She demonstrates why it is crucial that parents adopt the correct approach to helping their child overcome fear, as a wrong approach can actually exacerbate the problem.
Fight-free Famililes
Acknowledging that a certain amount of fighting in families is inevitable, psychologist Dr Janet Hall outlines how some fights can be prevented and how others can be quickly resolved with a minimum of conflict. She demonstrates how families can actually benefit from conflict, which provides both a necessary release of pent-up feelings and a path towards healing. Understanding the triggers and the nature of family fights allows families to learn lessons about their patterns of behaviour.
First-time Father
For many men, the birth of their first child is a truly life-changing event. The newness and wonder of it all - the unfamiliar, overwhelming love, the feelings of protectiveness and responsibility - often cause a man to redefine himself and his place in the world. With such a momentous life change, it is important to family wellbeing that the transition be as smooth as possible. In this practical and straightforward book, Tony White and Dr Graeme Russell help 'expectant' dads understand what is happening from the start of the pregnancy through to the first few months with their new baby.
G
Getting on With Others
School teachers know one thing to be true: that cooperative children do better at school and in life. Such children learn how to make friends, manage their emotions and solve problems with others. In Getting on with Others, clinical psychologist John Cooper identifies three skills as being essential building blocks for children: developing cooperative behaviour, acquiring basic social skills and solving social problems. He shows how parents can teach these skills and help children learn about feelings.
Getting Past Your Breakup
Breaking up is hard, but it happens - and it hurts. Whether you are the 'dumper' or the 'dumpee', losing an intimate relationship can be devastating. This book shows you how to move on and plan ways to find a new, healthier relationship.
Give Yourself Permission to Fly
Ignite your passion, get your dream airborne, and fly it to wherever you want to go ... Greater is the force within you than the obstacles before you.' Brett Murray.
H
Handbook for Happy Families, A
A Handbook for Happy Families provides ideas for parents on 40 or more common problems with children of all ages. Dr John Irvine's responses to these problems - which he encounters in his clinic, his public talks and on his Web advisory line - are arranged in three age groups: baby to preschool, primary school and high school years.In this book, Dr John - as he is widely known through his advice for parents on radio, the Internet and in newspapers - gives practical information on issues that perplex parents. His wit and wisdom help us laugh at the issues that anger us.
Happiness Handbook, The (2nd edition)
Updated December 2011: now available on the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/the-happiness-handbook/id481628858?mt=11
Since the 1990s clinical psychologist Dr Timothy Sharp has been helping people to become happier. As the founder of The Happiness Institute in Australia and consultant to numerous large organisations, as well as hundreds of individual clients and families, Dr Sharp has developed a range of simple but effective plans designed to increase happiness levels.
Happy Family, The
Ken and Elizabeth Mellor's valuable parenting advice is also available in bite-sized form! The Happy Family, one of the Busy Parents Series, contains many topics from their acclaimed ParentCraft. The Happy Family is about how to make family life enjoyable. The Mellors write: '
Helping Your Baby to Sleep, 2nd edition
Update December 2011: now available on the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/helping-your-baby-to-sleep/id481628929?mt=11
In this updated edition of their acclaimed "Helping Your Baby to Sleep", child development specialists (and mothers) Anni Gethin and Beth Macgregor have created the most sought-after resource for new parents: a guide to understanding what babies need from their parents in order to help them to sleep.
Her Mother's Thighs
Dara Chadwick has an unusual story to tell. After gaining 15 kilograms following the birth of her children, she won a competition to write a weight-loss diary column for one year for Shape, a women's fitness magazine with more than 1.5 million readers. She also wrote a twice-weekly blog and corresponded with other mothers. She discovered there is a question that plagues mothers everywhere: If I hate my body, how can I teach my daughter to like hers? In this heartfelt and down-to-earth book, Dara Chadwick offers a pathway towards a solution.
How the Rich are Destroying the Earth
In this powerful, personal and very readable analysis of the world's dire ecological crisis, Herve Kempf deftly illuminates the links between global ecology and the global economy. Drawing on a career of more than twenty years as an environmental journalist, he describes how the unchecked privilege of the world's wealthiest classes is thwarting action on global warming and other ecological disasters.
I
Inconceivable Notion, An
Our media is full of parenting success stories: pregnancy through IVF, becoming first-time parents after age 40, overcoming mental or physical barriers to successfully conceive or even using surrogacy. But what of those many people whose stories are not so successful?
Into Adulthood
Into Adutlthood is a practical guide for parents of young people who have finished school and are progressing to further study at university, TAFE college or any other tertiary institution. The authors, both university counsellors, work daily with the problems faced by students, and know well the stresses associated with moving fro the more sheltered environment of high school to the independent world of tertiary study.
Is it Me or My Hormones? (second edition)
This widely acclaimed book is based on the question most asked by women who are experiencing physical and emotional changes in their middle years (ages 40 to 55). Experience has shown gynaecologist Dr Margaret Smith and psychotherapist Patricia Michalka that not all women need or want hormone therapy at this time and, indeed, not everything that happens at this time of life is due to hormones. In this book, the authors use women's experiences (including their own) to explain how to sort out the confusion caused by the interaction of hormones and life events.
J
Journeys in Healing
Journeys in Healing takes us into the lives of eight people who have suffered life-altering illness or disability. In discovering how each of them has dealt with their condition, we learn not only how they have found something positive in adversity, but also how the process of healing can work in the face of even the greatest challenges. The people interviewed here have experienced a range of afflictions, among them asthma, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome and physical disabilities.
K
Kids Food Health 1 Â the first year
Choosing good nutrition for your child ought to be easy, but the amount of confusing and conflicting parenting information is increasing all the time. Nowhere is this more evident than in the area of infant nutrition. In this book, the authors outline the ample benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child, provide simple and clear options for feeding your infant, and explain important health concerns. The foods you give your infant form the basis for your child’s nutrition and health, both now and in the future.
Kids Food Health 2 Â from toddler to preschooler
Children in these years develop assertive independence and have a reputation for being fussy eaters. At no other age is there such a potential for small changes in diet to significantly impact on health. However, they know when they are hungry and when they are not, and if we respect this and apply a few simple rules, good nutrition at this age is easy. The authors, Dr Patricia McVeagh and Eve Reed, specialise in children’s health and nutrition, and on a daily basis, answer queries and concerns from parents.
Kids Food Health 3 from school-age to teenage
During a child's school years, eating behaviours are not always conducive to good nutrition. The peer group becomes important in moulding children's food preferences, which are also influenced by exposure to food advertising. This occurs at a crucial time when some nutrient intakes such as iron and calcium are critical, and when serious nutritious problems - including obesity and anorexia nervosa - can occur. In this book the authors guide parents in establishing healthy eating habits that their children will carry into adulthood.
L
Language Older Than Words, A
Derrick Jensen writes: 'We are members of the most destructive culture ever to exist. Our assaults on the natural world, on indigenous and other cultures, on women, on children, on all of us through the possibility of nuclear suicide and other means - all these are unprecedented in their magnitude and ferocity.'
Last Adventure of Life, The
This collection of sacred and inspirational writings is for anyone who is interested in exploring new ways to view spirituality and the end of life - whether they are facing death themselves or caring for loved ones who are ill, grieving or preparing to die. The author, Maria Hoaglund, a hospice counsellor, writes: 'Many people wait until the last minutes of life to talk about death. I have come to see that talking, reading and thinking about one's death - even visualising it - can be one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime.
Lessons From My Child
Every expectant parent dreams of having a healthy, ‘perfect’ baby. But for some, those expectations are shattered forever with the arrival of a disabled child. Long-cherished hopes must now be set aside as these parents begin to deal with a new, unwelcome reality and take the first tentative steps on a long and challenging life journey. Lessons From My Child is a collection of stories gathered from parents of special-needs children from around the world.
Lessons From My Left Testicle
A candid, occasionally unpleasant but frequently hilarious true story of a young man’s journey through the terrors of being diagnosed with cancer and all that follows. When Ben Peacock, newly married and fresh home from overseas travel, is unexpectedly diagnosed with testicular cancer his life morphs into one darkly humorous roller-coaster ride of survival, which plunges through immediate life-saving surgery, the prospect of imminent death, the ravages of chemotherapy and the uncertainties of his future.
Life Overload
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/life-overload/id490412295?mt=11
Are you the type of person who starts a new sentence before finishing the old one? Who can’t sleep at night because the mind is ticking away with unfinished tasks? Who keeps working harder and harder only to have less and less spare time? Who is so busy ‘doing’ you have no time for ‘living’?
Then you may be suffering from Life Overload!
Life Smart
Life Smart is for young people aged 13-19 to help them navigate the challenges of adolescence. Written with awareness and understanding, this book provides sound advice on how to deal with the most pressing issues of these vital years – issues everybody experiences in their teens, including:
Life: A Guide
Life: A Guide, a new book by psychologist and author Andrew Fuller, explores this question: Have you ever wondered why some people seem glide through life relatively trouble free while others repeat the same damn patterns over and over again?
Updated December 2011: Now also available from the iBookstore as both the complete edition and mini editions by age group:
Little Pink Book, The
Updated December 2011: now also available as an iBook http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/the-little-pink-book/id491301584?mt=11
"This books answers all the questions I have been asked over the last 30 years," Dr Phillip Yuile.
A complete, comprehensive Australian medical guide for those diagnosed with breast cancer
Love is Not For Cowards
When two people in a relationship are overwhelmed by conflicts that seem unsolvable they often believe that it is due to a lack of love. But this is the moment when we should stop blaming our partner and take a look at ourselves! Love is Not For Cowards is a book about daring to love. About daring to share our inner feelings and thoughts with our partner without worrying about their reactions. Unfortunately, many people believe that conflicts should be avoided at all costs, as they are the sign of an unhealthy relationship.
M
Marzipan and Magnolias
Update December 2011: now available on the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/marzipan-and-magnolias/id481629105?mt=11
Marzipan and Magnolias is a charming, poignant and humorous story that traces Elizabeth Lancaster's complex relationship with her somewhat eccentric mother Ruth. The relationship becomes even more complicated when Elizabeth refuses to acknowledge the early signs of her own incurable illness.
Men After Separation
Men After Separation is for men whose relationship has been ended by their female partner, and who find themselves struggling to deal with the loss. For many men, the ending of a relationship in this way can be truly devastating. Feeling rejected and suddenly rudderless in the world, they can resort to extreme responses as they try to cope - or not - with the situation.
Men at Birth
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/men-at-birth/id490412627?mt=11
- What’s it like to be at the birth of your child?
- How do you cut the umbilical cord?
- How can you best support your partner?
- What happens if something doesn’t go to plan?
Mindfully Green
In this wise and compassionate book (full of' all the impossibly gnarly problems that face us on this planet'), featuring a foreword by Susan Murphy, Stephanie Kaza helps awaken in the reader a state of 'green practice'. She describes this as a skilful propensity to become aware and creative towards the engulfing environmental disaster of our time without becoming paralysed. While practical approaches to an eco-responsible lifestyle offer important first steps, it is critical that we ground these actions in a broader understanding so that we can effect real change in the world.
My People's Dreaming
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/my-peoples-dreaming/id491303240?mt=11
Max Dulumunmun Harrison, or Uncle Max as he is widely known, is an Elder of the Yuin people, who lived throughout the south coast of New South Wales. He has been sharing his cultural knowledge for over 30 years and has taken over 6000 people from all walks of life onto country, explaining Aboriginal ways and the intricate understandings of the environment.
N
Nature and the Human Soul
Today there is a growing awareness that our planet has entered a time of crisis. The damage to our ecosystems, and the pollution we create, are consequences of our self-centred and irresponsible cultures. It is now undeniable that significant change is required. According to wilderness guide and former psychology professor Bill Plotkin, the changes we need will only flow once we progress from egocentric, competitive consumer societies to ecocentric, soul-based ones that are sustainable, cooperative and compassionate.
New Manhood, The
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/the-new-manhood/id490412650?mt=11
For sixteen years Steve Biddulph's groundbreaking Manhood had a remarkable impact around the world. Thousands of men reconciled with their fathers, became closer to their children, improved their marriages or made sweeping changes to their lives.
No Chopsticks Required
Walkley-award winning journalist Katrina Beikoff sets off with her two young children and her partner to spend a year living and working in Shanghai.
No Chopsticks Required is Walkley-award winning journalist Katrina Beikoff's memoir of the year she and her young family spent living and working in Shanghai (after she and her partner accepted contracts to work at The Shanghai Daily). During their year, Katrina and her family witnessed a range of major events: a once-in-a-lifetime snow storm, a devastating earthquake which kills over 80 000 people, the Tibetan uprising, the enormous cover up of incidents at the Beijing Olympics, the melamine-tainted milk scandal and the crippling global financial crisis. These events were accompanied by a range of more run-of-the-mill situations: being scolded daily by complete strangers for not dressing her children in warm enough clothes, the struggle to find bread that looked like bread, milk that came from a cow and eggs that came from chooks, and the ability to cope with corruption and political spin in their newspaper workplaces. Written in a highly amusing and warmly appealing tone, Katrina's personal observations of daily life in contemporary China are insightful as they are as fascinating.
O
Older Men's Business
As men age, many seem to become invisible and silent - and reluctant to talk about the significant things in their lives. Yet, once asked, older men approach such discussions with energy and remarkable insight. Jack Zinn talked to older men - his counterparts - about personal issues they identified as important. In Older Men's Business, these men speak with clarity, passion and humour about changes to their lives and valuing their relationships.
On Their Own
Boys are missing their fathers both physically and emotionally. For a young man, the absence of an involved father in his life can create a powerful sense of loss that he takes into adulthood. Such an absence - whether caused by his father's death, divorce, lack of time or lack of interest - can leave a crippling legacy for the young man that may lead to real difficulties in his adult relationships, his role as a parent, his happiness and his success at work.
Online and Personal
Online and Personal confronts the growing problem of Internet misuse - in particular the dangers associated with forming relationships online. The problem is not the Internet itself, but how some people use it. Online and Personal offers suggestions for protecting yourself, your relationships and your children from the hazards that exist on the Net. This book is especially relevant to:
Other Side of Blue, The
At some point we all face tragedy, misfortune or hardship. That is why stories of people overcoming adversity can be so powerful. They demonstrate triumphs of the human spirit in the face of obstacles. The Other Side of Blue is an anthology of twenty stories, from Australians mainly in their 20s and 30s, that provide hope for those struggling with tough issues in their lives.
Out of the Frying Pan
Out of the Frying Pan is a collection of 15 Australian stories that recount the trials and tribulations of confronting adulthood. Covering the hilarious, the heartbreaking and the tragic, these stories by talented young writers encompass what it really means to 'grow up'. In turns powerful, funny and confronting, the wide range of stories reveals that no-one escapes unscathed during the transformation into adulthood.
Out of the Shadows
Out of the Shadows brings together eleven women who tell their stories of growing up with mentally ill mothers. In this book, the first of its kind, the depictions of individual mother-daughter relationships are unstintingly honest. They show the messiness, pain, everyday challenges and triumphs of spirit that have been part of all of their lives. The legacies are not sanitised. Indeed, a key feature of Out of the Shadows is the presence of the women's voices, heartfelt and revealing. Growing up in a family with a mad parent can be traumatic and overwhelming.
P
Parentcraft (second edition)
In this practical, commonsense guide, Ken and Elizabeth Mellor provide important parenting skills and tested ways for parents to deal with a wide range of family situations. They include insights into the cycles and stages of childhood as well as how our family backgrounds contribute to what we do. In ParentCraft, the Mellors explore themes that relate to managing families, catering for the needs of parents and children, setting standards and limits, love and discipline, and integrating important values into parenting. ‘Parenting is a 21-year journey', say Ken and Elizabeth.
Parenting after Separation
Parenting after Separation is a guide to parenting successfully from two households. This situation is now increasingly common, with our national divorce rate at over 35%. In this practical and sympathetic book, Jill Burrett shows how parents - despite the disappointments of separating - can continue their commitment to their children to ensure that they thrive. In Parenting after Separation, the author explains how to:
Parenting for Character
Character is very much the sum total of our good habits – habits such as compassion, honesty, optimism, generosity and loyalty. Parenting for Character is a practical manual to help parents develop in their children qualities necessary for a happy and fulfilling adult life. These include sound judgement, responsibility, self-control, integrity, perseverance, courage and resilience. In this book, Andrew Mullins, Headmaster of Redfield College, Sydney, argues that parents need to help build character: it does not just evolve.
Partner Test, The
This entertaining and informative book, designed for the under-40s, aims to give couples insights into their relationship and to answer a persistent question: Is this partner right for them? Twenty tests cover important issues associated with attraction, compatibility, commitment, life together, intimacy and sex, communication and expectations. Each quiz from The Partner Test is intended to be an accessible entry point into a serious relationship topic.
R
Radical Homemakers
Radical Homemakers is an inspirational book featuring stories of people who’ve cast aside the pressures of a consumer culture and quit their jobs to live a simple life of self-sufficiency and foster relationships within their local communities. It details a slow revolution quietly spreading throughout the United States in which families are deciding to reject the treadmill of high pressure living and its never-ending consequences of expense, consuming and commuting – and are opting instead for a simpler life. The parallels with what is happening in Australia are clear and fascinating. Interviews with 20 men and women reveal how they achieved independence and happiness and redefined the good life by adhering to simple principles of family wellbeing, self-sufficiency, sustainability and community engagement.
Radical Homemakers is about men and women who have centred their lives around family and community for personal fulfillment and cultural change. If you’ve ever thought of transforming your life to have more time to plant tomatoes, read to a child, pursue creative work, make preserves or heal the planet, this is your book.
Raising Boys (third edition)
A phenomenal bestseller across the world, Raising Boys has helped millions of parents to understand what makes boys tick, from birth right through to late teens. In this easy-to-read book, Steve Biddulph shares powerful stories and gives practical and honest advice to parents so they can recognise the different stages of boyhood and learn how to raise happy, confident and kind young men. This expanded and updated edition explores some important topics:
Raising Boys Audio
Since its publication in 1997, Raising Boys has been an outstanding success, selling over 250 000 copies in Australia and New Zealand and being translated into nine languages. Most importantly it has resulted in a new awareness of the differences between boys and girls (something appreciated by every parent!) in the areas of brain development, behaviour, learning and family relationships. In Raising Boys, Steve Biddulph brings his humour, honesty and practical knowledge of families to the vital task of raising our sons.
Raising Girls
Updated December 2011: Now available from the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/raising-girls/id485641970?mt=11
In this straightforward and thought-provoking book, psychologist and parenting author Gisela Preuschoff considers the understandings that parents require to raise girls today. The book focuses on girls' emotional and physical development, their education, social conditioning and their relationships with parents and siblings.
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Sex-Life Solutions
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/sex-life-solutions/id488666212?mt=11
Most books on sex sensationalise the possibility of amazing sexual success for everyone. The truth is, in the real world, many people suffer sex problems in silence. There is an urgent need for a book like Sex-Life Solutions, which gives straightforward answers to people who want understanding, clear direction and practical strategies.
Shared Parenting
Research shows that children in separated families do best when both parents are actively involved in their lives. The aim of shared parenting is to have children in post-separation families spend substantially equal time with both parents. Shared parenting is widely regarded as the best parenting arrangement because it focuses on the benefits the child can gain through having such time. However, in many family situations, the implementation of this may seem daunting: equal time with both parents might be an unrealistic ideal, and communication between ex-partners may be difficult.
Sometimes I Feel...
Although it is natural for children to feel emotions such as being worried, sad, angry or shy, at times they can be overwhelming. Parents, too, can wonder how to help their child cope with these difficult emotions. Sometimes I Feel is an imaginative and highly visual book, created by clinical psychologist Dr Samantha Seymour, and designed for parents to read with their young children (aged 2 - 7).
Spiritual Compass
In a world facing an unprecedented global crisis, we need to restore the values of care, compassion and respect. Spiritual Compass is a call for us all to live a more balanced life, and one that is in harmony with our surroundings. Spirituality must be a part of our everyday existence – in business, politics, farming, cooking and in our relationships. Satish Kumar writes: 'In Indian thought, there is a way to perceive the world as being made up of three qualities.
Starting School
‘The first year of school is the most important of all for a child: a poor beginning can affect a child’s success, both academically and socially, for many years to come.’ So says Sue Berne, author of this valuable book for parents on assessing a child’s readiness for school. Starting School looks at the key issues involved in preparing children for school and the problems that can arise from the outset.
Stepfamily life
In this book, Margaret Newman, an experienced couple and family counsellor and a member of a stepfamily herself, describes challenges that members of a stepfamily usually encounter. In her experience, stepfamily life is different, and therefore different solutions are needed to get it ‘on track’ – and, more importantly, to help it survive. In this reassuring and straightforward book, Margaret Newman considers a wide range of stepfamily scenarios, and gives practical suggestions as to what to do in each case to overcome any difficulties.
Stories of Belonging
'But at night, lying in bed, troubled by death and overwhelmed by life, I find I can shut my eyes and whisper: 'Take me there.' That's all I have to do. The magic begins. Gold light slides down a red canyon wall. A green river sings. I am a shining thing in a shining place, far from here. And I belong there.'
Stories of Manhood
Updated December 2011: Now also available from the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/stories-of-manhood/id488666293?mt=11
In this companion volume to the bestselling book Manhood, Steve Biddulph selects a wealth of uplifting and stimulating writing about the experience of being a man. By turns powerful, heartrending, wise and funny, these stories are chosen with a single purpose - to break down the narrow stereotypes that men are crushed into.
Strong Woman's Desire for a Strong Man, The
Why can't a strong woman fall in love with a nice, normal, likeable guy? In her bestselling book - which has been translated into 10 languages - psychotherapist and author Dr Maja Storch examines the ways in which successful, independent women unwittingly manage to repeatedly undermine their intimate relationships, and their unconscious reasons for doing do. She helps women unloc the fears that lie behind self-perpetuating patters and achieve the necessary balance of independence, vulnerability, desire and strength that will enable them to succeed in a relationship.
Surviving Year 12
According to leading adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, many students and their families are given a distorted view of the importance of the final exams, leading to unrealistic expectations and extraordinary pressure on the students. In Surviving Year 12 he shows both students and parents how to keep the examsn - and the year in general - in perspective. 'Parents should focus on the student's emotional wellbeing.' he says, 'rather than on the quality of work being done.
Surviving Year 12, 2nd edition
Every year, more and more emphasis is placed on achieving good results in the end-of-school exams. This can lead to students feeling extraordinary pressure and having unrealistic expectations. In this new edition of Surviving Year 12, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, Australia’s leading adolescent psychologist, gives advice to students on how they can cope with the pressure, work smarter and actually enjoy their final year of high school.
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Teen Stages
Shock, horror - teenagers actually want to be controlled and have their parents involved in their lives! According to parent educators Ken and Elizabeth Mellor, parents need to stay involved, not 'step back', as their children become teenagers - because teenagers in the early to middle teen years actually want ongoing guidance, despite appearances! As well as parental involvement, teenagers need attention to safety, clear expectations and limits, and for their parents to understand what is happening. Among the Mellors' other key points are:
Thriving at School (second edition)
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/thriving-at-school-2nd-edition/id488667039?mt=11
Thriving at School aims to help children flourish in the crucial early school years and beyond. This easy-to-read, practical guide is designed to help parents develop their children's attitudes, values and good habits and so help them become happy and effective learners. Highly regarded authors Dr John Irvine and John Stewart consider ways to help a child succeed in the classroom, be stimulated to learn, deal with difficulties in the playground, and get on well with others at school and at home.
Transition Handbook, The
Around the world, societies are facing the prospect of a future with dwindling oil reserves, an unstable climate and unpredictable food production. What are the ways we might move away from our dependency on oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and still enjoy a good quality of life? The Transition Handbook provides accounts of how individuals have responded with their local communities to the twin threats of peak oil and climate change.
Tricky Kids
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/tricky-kids/id490970361?mt=11
What makes some kids 'tricky'? They've found one particular way to get what they want in the world, and they've kept using that approach over and over again. They are not 'bad' kids, but they can make their parents and teachers feel like doing some very bad things. Why? Because they are used to getting their own way, and they are not the type of people to give up an advantage easily.
Tricky People
Updated December 2011: now available on the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/tricky-people/id484066264?mt=11
Adopting Jean-Paul Sartre's dictum, 'Hell is other people', Andrew Fuller, author of the highly successful Tricky Kids, takes us on a voyage through a rogues gallery of weird, nasty and not-so-loveable types. These are people whom we may have the misfortune to meet at breakfast, at work, at a family reunion, or even (horrors!) in bed at night.
Trying to Conceive
When a couple has trouble conceiving, emotional factors can often be at play. While stress is a well-known factor affecting fertility, other more subtle issues can play a major role - such as unresolved fears about becoming a parent, childhood traumas, repressed emotions, self-esteem issues and relationship difficulties. Trying to Conceive provides fifteen real-life stories from women and men who were able to conceive only after they had taken a more holistic approach to pregnancy and resolved the emotional issues underlying their infertility.
Twelve Principles
In a world seeking moral leadership, Twelve Principles proposes ways by which we can live responsibly, reappraise our values and develop a world consciousness. These times of great change challenge us to reconsider the values by which we live. Our pursuit of materialism has delivered vast inequalities in wealth, the destructive consequences of climate change, and ever-increasing divisions between peoples and countries. It is a time when many are questioning the wisdom of the prevailing ethos.
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Understanding the Woman in Your Life
Updated December 2011: now available from the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/understanding-woman-in-your/id490970175?mt=11
This is a book for any man who is struggling to understand the woman in his life - some of the time, most of the time or all of the time. An entertaining, no-nonsense guide, it is full of relationship-saving advice, delivered with warmth, as well as the occasional wake-up punch. When it comes to daily life with a partner, this book will give many men that 'Aha!' moment.
Up Downs
Up Downs shows how enjoyable and easy it can be for parents to introduce reading and writing to young children (aged 2 to 5). The Up Downs' approach makes it fun for parents and children to share time together reading, singing, moving and playing. At the heart of this book are songs, beautifully illustrated stories and imaginative activities.
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Weaning Made Easy
New mothers nowadays face the question: Should I choose baby-led weaning or traditional puree weaning? Weaning your baby can be a daunting prospect, and the advice you’ll receive is often confusing and contradictory. Should you follow the traditional method of introducing pureed food, or should you bypass purees altogether and try baby-led weaning? What is best for your baby? With over 18 years as a nutritionist, Dr Rana Conway is here to guide you through this sticky (and messy) subject.
What I Would Do If I Were You
Updated December 2011: now also available on the iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/what-i-would-do-if-i-were-you/id488666564?mt=11
Welcome to the wonderful, slightly-wacky world of Mandy Nolan. She is a stand-up comedian, an artist and a mother of five children ranging in age from toddler to teenager. Her on-stage accounts of everyday events of family life have entertained audiences for years. What I Would Do If I Were You is a hilarious collection of stories centred around Mandy’s chaotic and slightly dysfunctional family life – and her attempts to be the like the perfect, ideal mother she knows exists … somewhere.
When Friendship Hurts
Having a lifelong friendship is wonderful, but occasionally some friends do more harm than good. Have you ever been hurt by a friend – or betrayed in some way? The disappointment and pain associated with such experiences can cause chaos with your emotional wellbeing. It can even affect your working life. But how do you deal with a destructive friendship? In When Friendship Hurts Dr Jan Yager, a sociologist and friendship coach, provides invaluable insights and advice to identify and overcome negative friendships.
When Our Children Come Out
How do we support our young people as they struggle with issues around the sexuality? For many of them, the process of 'coming out' to their families, schools and communities can be very traumatic. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered young people wrestle - all too often in isolation - with the difficulties of being 'different'. Fears of rejection and alienation often lead to mental health problems, self-harm and even suicide.
When the Bough Breaks
Updated December 2011: now also available from the iBookstore http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/when-the-bough-breaks/id490412653?mt=11
‘The only way you’ll ever have a baby is through IVF or adoption.’
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Your Child’s Emotional Needs
For today’s parents there is no shortage of advice about how to deal with their child’s behaviour. But children’s emotional needs are rarely discussed. Even though parents know that emotions matter, most would struggle to name their child’s key emotional needs. In this groundbreaking book, Dr Vicky Flory explores the emotional needs of children from birth to age 12, explaining what all children need in terms of a secure attachment to a parent, as well as detailing the specific needs at particular stages in a child’s development.
