by Shelley Civkin Richmond Public Library

Reading to get you through days in bed

Much as we like to think that spring is here and therefore the season for colds and flu is gone, think again. Everywhere I go, I see people suffering with coughs and stuffy, runny noses. So it's not too late to read The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Colds and Flu by the editors of Prevention magazine. This handy collection of remedies from experts in a wide range of fields will help you to cope with the symptoms of the common cold as well as those of the flu. Spanning the spectrum from aromatherapy to immunology, advice is offered for things like laryngitis, cough, headache, aching bones, and more. The authors teach us not only how to overcome colds and flu, but also how to ward them off by strengthening our body's immune system.

Using herbs, foods, massage, scents and other therapies, the authors show how easy it can be to heal the body naturally. You will need to take quite a leap of faith if you're someone who typically follows the edicts of traditional Western medicine. For instance, there is a recipe for Onion Cough Syrup that claims to act as an expectorant and loosen up mucus that's in the nose or bronchial passages. Or you can try the Spicy Congestion Tonic, that contains lemon, honey, hot water and cayenne pepper. Then there are the recipes containing truckloads of garlic, which is said to cure bacterial and viral infections. If you're open to trying alternative medicines and therapies then this might just be the book for you.

If you're laid up in bed and you want something to pass the time, there's always a new celebrity biography around. The latest is The Unruly Life of Woody Allen by Marion Meade. Meade peels away the layers of controversy and rumor to unveil the talented man behind the much-celebrated neuroses. There's no question that Allen has elevated self-deprecation and overanalysis to an art form, but there's also no doubt that he's a filmmaking genius. Meade brings together testimonials and anecdotes from Allen's childhood friends, old teachers, other actors, directors and film reviewers to show us the more private side of Woody Allen. If you've ever wondered if Woody Allen's films are a direct mirror of his life, then you'll want to read this book. Being a big Woody Allen fan, I found it entertaining.

If you enjoy English mysteries and you like Simon Brett's Mrs. Pargeter series, then you'll want to give his newest Fethering Mystery series a try. The Body on the Beach features retirement home resident and aging sleuth Carole Seddon and her new friend Jude. When Carole discovers a body on the beach, and the body vanishes mysteriously before the cops arrive, Carole begins to wonder if she's losing her marbles. It's her friend Jude's belief in what she saw that spurs the two of them on to solve the mystery.

Shelley J. Civkin is the head of the Readers' Advisory Department at the Richmond Public Library.