Rating: 
Summary: Reviewer comment
Review: ...The best thing about the book is the ease of use. It has an easy-to-read text, an approachable index, and abundant appendices with sources for materials, help, and other books on the subject. Stop before you buy that can of paint--some kinds are better than others. Listen to experts succinctly guide you and your contractor before buying "treated" wood that won't treat you well.--Glenda Burnside in "The Bloomsbury Review," May/June 1998
Rating: 
Summary: A must read for keeping you and your family healthy....
Review: If you want to stay healthy or have any health challenges, you should read this book. I recommend the book to most all of my patients. It is complete on what are the best products to use in your home to keep from making you ill.If you are building, or remodeling, this book will assist you in making healthier choices. The 3 writers should be congratulated for their extensive resource lists and efforts they put into the life saving information in their book.
Rating:
Summary: Review comments
Review: Many good books have been written on healthy building, but until
now there has not been a nitty-gritty reference manual that covers everything
from theory to specification language in a way that can be applied to
any construction type. Prescriptions for a Healthy House is introductory enough
to be used by someone new to the field, yet detailed and practical enough
to be a valuable referenced for the more experienced. The best thing about thisbook is that it is laid out to be USED. The
graphic design allows for easy perusal to find the charts, case studies,
specification language, resources, details, or supporting text. In fact, I made
use of "Prescriptions" the first day I got it: a client called with a question,
and I went straight to the relevant page and read her
a concise list of practical suggestions. I was relieved not to have
to comb my mental or physical database! The backgrounds of the authors--experienced architect,M.D., and
healthy building consultant--combine to give the book a breadth and
depth rarely found in one place. More than an admonition to go nontoxic or
a list of materials, the book includes practical strategies and procedures,
clearly gained from experience, to ensure that the finished
home is a haven, not a nightmare. The case studies bring home the authors'
points. When you read that a cleanup product caused a nearly finished house to
be uninhabitable, you know WHY you need to specify everything that
is used on the site. In fact, it makes me want to specify that every contractor read this book!
--Carol Venolia, publisher of "Building with Nature" newsletter and author of "Healing Environments" I liked this book very much--it fills a real need.
--Vincent A. Marinkovich, M.D., Immunologist, allergist, and pediatrician, Menlo Park, CA I will definitely recommend this book to my patients.
--William Shrader, M.D., Allergist, specialist in environ!mental medicine, Santa Fe, NM
Rating:
Summary: Walking her talk
Review: Ones home is the most important factor in ones health, I believe. Todays houses are filled with toxic chemicles that slowly (sometimes quickly) erode the health of the occupants. Paula Baker-Laporte knows from first hand experience how a home affects its occupants - she herself has suffered from chemical poisioning in houses.
It is incredibly refreshing to know that an architect is building healthy homes. And, that she is sharing her years of research and personal experience with the public so that they can also live in a healthy home.
This is a book that everyone in the civilized world should read.
Rating:
Summary: Reviewer comment
Review: Prescriptions for a Healthy House is...distinguished in two respects. The material is laid out following the 16 point Master Fromat of construction specifications so that targeting specific topics of interest is easy. The second is that the authors' approach the subject based on the precepts of baubiology.
...[T]here is much interesting material here, including the many references to case studies from personal involvement illustrating a point they are making. Some refer to construction issues, others to examples of problems people encounter with pollutants in their environment... The most valuable contribution [the authors] make is suggesting text that can be added to specifications to deal with the key issues related to each aspect of work. Product sources...are also identified.--SOLPLAN REVIEW, March 1998.
Rating: 
Summary: Somwhat useful but limited
Review: The book's major strength is that it gives specific wording to put into your contract that will try to ensure a healthy house. But some contractors will take one look at these specs and laugh "yeah, right!" Overall, I recommend John Bower's book "The Healthy House" over this one because it covers more topics and gives much more information.
Rating:
Summary: Somwhat useful but limited
Review: The book's major strength is that it gives specific wording to put into your contract that will try to ensure a healthy house. But some contractors will take one look at these specs and laugh "yeah, right!" Overall, I recommend John Bower's book "The Healthy House" over this one because it covers more topics and gives much more information.
Rating:
Summary: Somwhat useful but limited
Review: The book's major strength is that it gives specific wording to put into your contract that will try to ensure a healthy house. But some contractors will take one look at these specs and laugh "yeah, right!" Overall, I recommend John Bower's book "The Healthy House" over this one because it covers more topics and gives much more information.
Rating:
Summary: This is the one!
Review: The new edition of "Prescriptions" is the most complete of any book about Healthy Homes/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. The combination of architect/doctor/building specialist as authors works very well. The information is thorough and well documented. They can back up what they say. It is very well organized. As a Home Builder, I find this to be the best resource available on MCS. On the down side, it is a little bit of a dry read.
Rating:
Summary: This is the one!
Review: The new edition of "Prescriptions" is the most complete of any book about Healthy Homes/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. The combination of architect/doctor/building specialist as authors works very well. The information is thorough and well documented. They can back up what they say. It is very well organized. As a Home Builder, I find this to be the best resource available on MCS. On the down side, it is a little bit of a dry read.
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