A Hummingbirds' Guide to M.E.

Information on the neurological disease Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

M.E. Books - the good, the bad and the burnable!!!

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis book reviews are in 5 sections

 

An overview of each section is given on this page, below.

For those of you eager to buy some good M.E. books TODAY, you may be interested in looking at my 'Amazon M.E. Booklist' links (at the bottom of this page)

A new section is also available focusing on DVD's about the illness, see: Recommended M.E. DVDs (at the bottom of this page)

Note: Both the ability to read and also to buy M.E. books are often in very short supply when the illness is severe so critical book reviews are important so that both scant resources can be put to the best possible use. Critically evaluating each book's value for people with moderate - severe M.E. in particular was the goal. Reviews by other authors have also been included where possible.

M.E. book reviews overview...

The Best books on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis section includes:

* Note: The two books The Clinical and Scientific Basis of M.E. edited by Byron Hyde MD. and CFS: A Treatment Guide by Verillo and Gellman (a book about M.E. which uses incorrect terminology unfortunately) are absolutely essential for everyone who has M.E., or has an interest in M.E. Also essential are the following papers by Dr Byron Hyde M.D. available for free online: A New and Simple Definition of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and a New Simple Definition of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & A Brief History of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis & An Irreverent History of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and The Complexities of Diagnosis. Dr Hyde's latest paper is also a MUST-READ: The Nightingale Definition of M.E.

The Other excellent books on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis section includes:

Novels (etc) involving M.E. and/or M.E. sufferers

  • Diana's Story by Deric Longden (a novel)
  • The Bounty Hunters by Gurli Bagnall (a novel)
  • Pathogenesis by Peggy Munson (poetry)
  • stranger and stranger by Robert McMullen (non-fiction/memoir)

     The Books with some good information but which also unfortunately... section includes:

    The Books not directly related to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis section includes:

    Note that this last book in particular is NOT recommended

    The Books best avoided by those with an interest in M.E...(if not burned!) section includes:

      1. Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st-Century Stress Syndrome.
      2. Conquering Chronic Fatigue: Answers to America's Most Misunderstood Epidemic.
      3. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Your Natural Guide to Healing with Diet, Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs, Exercise, and Other Natural Methods.
      4. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the Yeast Connection: A Get-Well Guide for People With This Often Misunderstood Illness--And Those Who Care for Them
      5. America Exhausted: Breakthrough Treatments of Fatigue and Fibromyalgia.
      6. Tired of Being Tired: Overcoming Chronic Fatigue & Low Energy 
      7. Living Well with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia : What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know 
      8. Gentle Medicine : Treating Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Successfully with Natural Medicine
      9. Alternative Medicine Guide to Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Environmental Illness
      10. Facing and Fighting Fatigue : A Practical Approach
      11. M.E., Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia - The Reverse Therapy Approach by John Eaton
      12. Recovering from M.E.: A Guide to Self-empowerment by William Collinge
      13. Chronic Candidiasis: How You Can Benefit from Diet, Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs, Exercise and Other Natural Methods by Michael T. Murray, Jennifer Basye Sander (Editor)
      14. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Facts by Michael Sharpe, Frankie Campling
      15. Overcoming Chronic Fatigue by Mary Burgess, Trudie Chalder
      16. Self Help for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Guide for Young People by Trudie Chalder, Kaneez Hussain
      17. Counselling for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Trudie Chalder, Alicia Deale
      18. Coping with Chronic Fatigue (Overcoming Common Problems) by Trudie Chalder (Introduction by Simon Wessely)
      19. When You Want to Say Yes, But Your Body Says No: The Proven Mind-body Plan to Beat Chronic Fatigue and Stress-related Illness by Liz Tucker
      20. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: There Is a Cure by Patricia J. Taylor
      21. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Natural Way to Treat M.E. by Basant K. Puri, Professor Basant K Puri
      22. The Natural Way to Beat Depression: The Groundbreaking Discovery of EPA to Successfully Conquer Depression; Paperback ~ Basant K. Puri, Hilary Boyd
      23. The Chronic Fatigue Healing Diet (Overcoming Common Problems S.); by Christine Craggs-Hinton
      24. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, ME and Fibromyalgia: The Long Awaited Cure; by David Mickel
      25. Erica White's Beat Fatigue Handbook: Break Free from Chronic Fatigue for Good by Erica White
      26. Tired So Tired: And the Yeast Connection by Bernard Rimland (Foreword), et al
      27. Living with a Long-term Illness by Frankie Campling, Michael Sharpe
      28. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Facts by Michael Sharpe, Frankie Campling
      29. Can God Help M.E?: Hope for Those Suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Liz Babbs
      30. Understanding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Better Ways of Managing Your Lifestyle by Alastair Jackson
      31. Hiatal Hernia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: And Many Other Diseases Healed Naturally Through the Power of Cause and Effect by Patricia Ann Hellinger
      32. Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, and Lyme Disease by Burton Goldberg, Larry Trivieri
      33. Conquering Chronic Fatigue: Answers to America's Most Misunderstood Epidemic
      34. Silent Hypothyroidism/Fibromyalgia/Yeast Overgrowth Syndrome/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Jonathan Forrester
      35. Herbs for Chronic Fatigue by Kathi Keville
      36. Acupuncture Physical Medicine: An Acupuncture Touchpoint Approach to the Treatment of Chronic Fatigue, Pain and Stress Disorders by Mark D. Seem
      37. Bible Cure for Chronic Fatigue and Myalgia: Ancient Truths, Natural Remedies and the Latest Findings for Your Health Today by Don, M.D. Colbert
      38. Chronic Fatigue and Tiredness: A Self Help Program by Susan M Lark
      39. The Downhill Syndrome: If Nothing's Wrong, Why Do I Feel So Bad? by Pavel Yutsis, Morton Walker
      40. ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and the Healer Within by Nick Bamforth
      41. Chronic Fatigue: Poisoned by the Mercury in Your Mouth? by Annika Jeppsson-Mcclintock, Christer Malmstrom
      42. Eighteen Natural Ways to Beat Chronic Tiredness by Norman D. Ford
      43. The Bowersox Protocol for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue by Dr. Harold Bowersox
      44. Chronic Fatigue Busters: What to Do When Your Doctor Gives Up by Crystina O'Brien
      45. Energy Drainers, Energy Gainers: Solutions to Chronic Fatigue by Paul Reisser
      46. Chronic Fatigue (ME Association Special Edition) by Netdoctor
      47. Doctor- Why Am I So Tired?: Discover and Overcome the Hidden But Real Medical Causes of Chronic Fatigue by Podell Richard N.
      48. User's Guide to Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia by Laurel Vukovic
      49. Bailliere's Clinical Psychiatry: Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Bailliere's Clinical Psychiatry S.)  S. Lynch (Editor)
      50. Chronic Fatigue: The Silent Epidemic by William Vayda
      51. How to Have Super Energy in a World of Chronic Fatigue by Robert Atkins
      52. Recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Guide to Self-Empowerment by William Collinge
      53. Curing Fatigue: A Step-By-Step Plan to Uncover and Eliminate the Causes of Chronic Fatigue by David Sheffield Bell, Stef Donev
      54. Tired All the Time: How to Regain Your Lost Energy by Ronald L. Hoffman
      55. From Fatigued to Fantastic!: A Manual for Moving Beyond Chronic Fatigue & Fibromyalgia by Jacob Teitelbaum

    Note that all of these books are NOT recommended.

    Please note that not all of these books have been reviewed yet, merely categorised. NYR = not yet reviewed.

    • Shopping with Amazon book lists...

    You may also like to look through My Amazon M.E. Listmania List
     
    This list links to and lets you purchase (or find out more about) many of the M.E. books recommended here, at Amazon.com (a US based online bookshop). 
     
    Amazon sell both new and used (often out of print) books and the Listmania list saves you the effort of having to individually search for each book title separately. I would recommend that you read the reviews here first before purchasing as they are much more comprehensive however.

    (If you buy books through using these Amazon links, a small percentage of your order total will be paid to me, and then donated towards M.E. research and advocacy. So please do use these links! The total amount of commissions I've earned so far is $4.)

    I've also created Amazon lists for other genres of books unrelated to M.E., for anyone also interested in these topics:

    Recommended M.E. DVDs...

    The Heart of the Matter; A lecture by Dr Paul Cheney

    See the Dr Cheney page on this site for:

    • Purchasing details for the double DVD set (from the DFW group)
    • Links to view the entire 3 hour lecture for free online (if you have a broadband Internet connection) on the MESA website
    • To find out more about the DVD and the different sections available on it
    • To read Dr Cheney's introductory paper on this topic 'The Heart of the Matter'
    • To read a summary of some of the main points of this DVD (written by Margaret Williams)
    • To read other papers by Dr Cheney

    Engaging with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: a lecture by Professor Malcolm Hooper

    This lecture may be viewed for free online. See the Audio and Video page for details.

    Invest In M.E. 2006 Conference DVD

    Includes lectures by Professor Hooper, and Dr Byron Hyde MD. and many more.

    Read a short review of the DVD

    Read more about the conference here. Purchase the DVD here.

    To see more information on M.E. available in audio or video format see the new Audio and Video page

    Future book reviews...

    • Why Freud Was Wrong: Sin, Science, and Psychoanalysis by Richard Webster
    • Making Us Crazy: DSM - The Psychiatric Bible and the Creation of Mental Disorders (Psychology/self-help) by Stuart A. Kirk
    • Illness as Metaphor & AIDS and Its Metaphors by Susan Sontag
    • The Greatest Benefit to Mankind: A Medical History of Humanity by Roy Porter
    • Surviving Severe ME by Claire Wade
    • Brave Hearts - poetry by young people with ME'
    • Chronic fatigue syndrome is a real pain by Linda Wylie
    • Handbook of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Leonard A. Jason
    • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Genes, and Infection: The Eta-1/Op Paradigm by Roberto Patarca-Montero
    • The Virus Within : A Coming Epidemic by Nicholas Regush
    • Science in the Private Interest : Has the Lure of Profits Corrupted Biomedical Research? by Sheldon Krimsky
    • The Virus and the Vaccine : The True Story of a Cancer-Causing Monkey Virus, Contaminated Polio Vaccine, and the Millions of Americans Exposed by Debbie Bookchin
    • Emerging Illnesses and Society : Negotiating the Public Health Agenda - Randall M. Packard
    • Making Us Crazy: DSM - The Psychiatric Bible and the Creation of Mental Disorders (Psychology/self-help) by Stuart Kirk
    • Post-viral Fatigue Syndrome: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Rachel Jenkins (Editor), James Mowbray (Editor)
    • Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: Post-viral Fatigue Syndrome and How to Cope with it - Celia Wookey

    These are the books I hope to be able to review in the future (as finances allow). Note that this is anything but a list of recommended books!

    Please email me with any further book title suggestions.