Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools of Us All [Import] [Paperback]

Rose Shapiro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 16, 2009

Alternative medicine is an increasingly mainstream industry with a predicted worth of five trillion dollars by the year 2050. Its treatments range from reputable methods like homeopathy and acupuncture to such bizarre therapies as nutraceuticals, ear candling, and ergogenics. Alternative approaches are endorsed by celebrities, embraced by the middle class, and have become a lifestyle choice for many based on their spurious claims of rediscovery of ancient wisdom and the supposedly benign quality of nature. As this hard-hitting survey reveals, despite their growing popularity and expanding market share, there is no hard evidence that any of these so-called natural treatments actually work. It reveals how alternative medicine jeopardizes the health of those it claims to treat, leaches resources from treatments of proven efficacy, and is largely unaccountable and unregulated. Bracing and funny, this is a calling to account of a social and intellectual fraud that has produced a global delusion.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rose Shapiro has contributed to Good Housekeeping, the Independent, the Observer, and Time Out.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Random House UK (March 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0099522861
• ISBN-13: 978-0099522867
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.8 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,635,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely brilliant and revealing book, April 23, 2008

By 

Dr. C. Becker (Edinburgh, Scotland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools of Us All (Paperback)

Suckers is an easy read and very well researched. I must admit that I rarely read "popular science" books, since I find them brushing over details and ultimately getting facts wrong. This book however, has the facts and backgrounds of a whole host of "alternative" "treatments" down to a T, teaches you how to recognise a quack by the language they use and will ultimately save you money, because you will not fall for their promises. I finished the book on Monday and have already recommended it to two colleagues.

Did you know that "Traditional Chinese Medicine" is barely over 50 years old?

Did you know the origins of chiropractise and osteopathy?

This book is an essential read for the parent who constantly needs to defend their decision not to use a naturopath and for the health professional who has preserved their ethics and is not offering unproven treatments to satisfy the modern trend for supposedly ancient healing methods.

26 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suckers-the whole truth about alternative medicine, June 13, 2009

By 

Carl Bartecchi - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools of Us All (Paperback)

Snake Oil Science: The Truth About Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Suckers is an excellent book that critically reviews the many problems with all forms of alternative medicine. Any person using or considering the use of any form of alternative medicine (CAM,integrative, complementary, etc.)should read this well researched book. It covers a broad range of ineffective practices, nicely exposing the weaknesses of those practices, many of which could be dangerous and contribute to the delay of the application of an appropriate therapy. Unlike other excellent books exposing the problems of alternative medicines (SNAKE OIL SCIENCE, TRICK OR TREATMENT)this book covers the increasing use of alternative medicine practices in infants and children, practices which I believe should be considered malpractice or even criminal. I am not aware of any alternative medicine practice that could be justified for infants or children.
Carl Bartecchi, M.D.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Read, Well Researched, December 6, 2008

By 

G. Smith "LookatLao" (Seattle, Wa United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools of Us All (Paperback)

This is a great book. Lot's of historical background to explain how some of the wackier alternative medicines originated (homeopathy, chiropractic, TCM, etc.) and some good explanations as to why they are still around. While there is some "preaching to the choir" to be had in this one, the historical context is more than worth the effort.