The Perricone Prescription

Average customer rating:

Amazing help for skin and health

The Perricone Prescription

Interesting theory...ultimately just conjecture

HUh?

Great Plan for Healthy Living

The Perricone Prescription
Nicholas Perricone
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Skin Care | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Dermatology | Specialties | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Dermatology | Internal Medicine | Medicine | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
jp-unknown1 | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Perricone Promise: Look Younger, Live Longer in Three Easy Steps

The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet: A Simple 3-Part Plan to Lose the Fat, the Wrinkles, and the Years

The Wrinkle Cure: Unlock the Power of Cosmeceuticals for Supple, Youthful Skin

Dr. Perricone's 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health, and Longevity: The Miracle of Cellular Rejuvenation

The Perricone Prescription Personal Journal: Your Total Body and Face Rejuvenation Daybook

ASIN: 0060188790
Release Date: 2002-08-06

Amazon.com

Healthy, vibrant skin depends more on what you put in your cheeks than what you rub on them, says dermatologist Nicholas Perricone. In The Perricone Prescription, fresh salmon tops the list of must-eat foods for total body rejuvenation. In fact, it is the star of Perricone's "Three-Day Nutritional Face-Lift," a convincing trial run for those who are a bit hedgy about committing to his 28-day diet and his supplement, skin care, and exercise regimen.

Perricone's clear explanation about the adverse effects of inflammatory foods persuasively argues for shunning destructive, low-fat favorites (including watermelon, carrots, and bagels) and "culinary horrors" like pizza, pasta, and beef. Better to eat anti-inflammatory choices (those with a glycemic index of 50 or less) like salmon, halibut, and trout. While the book's mega list of recommended supplements is a bit hard to swallow (literally and figuratively), the supportive information Perricone supplies about each is certainly helpful.

Another detailed grocery list--this time for topical anti-inflammatories--addresses skin care, and his wrinkle-free fitness plan promotes flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance. Finally, a handful of savory recipes offers respite to those who only know how to broil. So, despite all the salmon (and the angry kids whose parents have purged their high-glycemic kitchens), Perricone's prescription doesn't sound fishy at all. --Liane Emory Thomas

Book Description

Most people believe that sags, bags, and wrinkles –– on the face and body –– are inevitable. many people choose to temporarily circumvent these signs of aging with surgery, chemical peels, Botox injections, or laser treatments. The good news, according to research scientist and practicing dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, M.D., is that by following a simple program of diet, exercise, and skin care you can prevent and even reverse many signs of aging.

The Perricone Prescription clearly and succinctly explains the rock–solid laboratory research behind Dr. Perricone's revolutionary theories, revealing that inflammation at the cellular level, precipitated by poor nutrition, pollution, sunlight, irritating skin–care treatments, and stress, is the single most powerful cause of the signs of aging. Dr. Perricone gives you the knowledge and the tools to fight that inflammation from the inside out, while at the same time decreasing the likelihood of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and a host of other degenerative diseases.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing help for skin and health.......2007-10-01

The Perricone PrescriptionIf you want easy, natural ways to improve your skin and overall health, this is the author to look for. The changes are simple and readily available.

The Perricone Prescription.......2007-08-16

Use this book if you need motivation to lose weight and feel better. I quit drinking coffee and soda, now I drink water and green tea and added the supplements recommended. I use this book to improve my lifestyle long term. The price is worth buying on Amazon over the book stores, it was way cheaper. Enjoy!

Interesting theory...ultimately just conjecture.......2007-06-05

This was an interesting read, but ulitmately I found that the author doesn't really provide any evidence to back up what he says.

HUh?.......2007-05-07

I thought this book would be great because he's a doctor & has such great skin himself. I ended up throwing this book away. He doesn't do any kind of systematic research he just takes before & after pictures of these ladies & uses positive adjectives to describe the "after" photo, even though *I* think some them looked better before. The diet is way too complex & villifies foods that are perfectly healthy. I would recommend just eating off the food pyramid - those recommendations are supported by actual research. This guy is making a million bucks selling books & products with claims that I *doubt* would be endorsed by any medical or scientific community. Go figure.

Great Plan for Healthy Living.......2007-01-04

I initially borrowed this book from the library and decided to buy it because it is such a good reference. I really like the whole approach with healthy eating complemented by supplements contribute to weight loss and improved skin. The explanations are very detailed but understandable, which helped me to stick to the program which has actually evolved into a lifestyle for me. I do believe the advice provided will contribute to reducing my risk of heart disease and cancer while giving me immediate payback of better skin and weight loss. My skin is truly more attractive with fewer, or less deep, wrinkles (I'm a 53 year old woman)and I do feel more energetic. I also purchased Perricone's Weight-loss Diet which continues along the same line but with a deeper focus upon weight loss.

The Acne Prescription: The Perricone Program for Clear and Healthy Skin at Every Age

Average customer rating:

Impossible program to follow without a BIG budget
Good advice although a little self promoting
I was a skeptic!!
Excellent
IT'S A MIRACLE IN MY LIFE!!!!!

The Acne Prescription: The Perricone Program for Clear and Healthy Skin at Every Age
Nicholas Perricone
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Skin Care | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Skin Ailments | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Dermatology | Specialties | Medicine | Subjects | Books

The Clear Skin Prescription: The Perricone Program to Eliminate Problem Skin
The Perricone Prescription: A Physician's 28-Day Program for Total Body and Face Rejuvenation
The Wrinkle Cure: Unlock the Power of Cosmeceuticals for Supple, Youthful Skin
The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet: A Simple 3-Part Plan to Lose the Fat, the Wrinkles, and the Years
The Perricone Promise: Look Younger, Live Longer in Three Easy Steps

ASIN: 0060188782
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Amazon.com

Acne: it's not just for teens anymore. Thanks to changing hormone levels, many women in their 30s and 40s (and some men as well) can expect to regain a part of youth they really didn't miss. It's not the curfew—-it's the problem skin. Early on in The Acne Prescription, Dr. Perricone (The Perricone Prescription) repeatedly emphasizes that half his patients are adult women. And really, this book seems written specifically for them. He refers to acne as a systemic inflammatory disease. His three-part program aimed at reducing inflammation emphasizes widespread dietary changes generally based on the glycemic index of foods, taking a variety of supplements, and using specific topical applications. The diet features plenty of water, several servings of salmon each week, and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. An extremely detailed guide to supplements offers an excellent education, and an illustrated yoga course provides a method of relaxation and gentle exercise. Few of the recipes from an extensive section are geared for novice cooks (almond flour pancakes with mixed berry compote, for example). If you're interested in curing acne problems from the inside out and are willing to make substantial lifestyle choices, you'll find this an excellent learning tool; in other instances, it may seem simply overwhelming. --Jill Lightner

Book Description

From the #1 New York Times best–selling author of The Perricone Prescription.

The Acne Prescription delivers a complete program that incorporates Dr. Perricone's trademark three–tiered approach (anti–inflammatory diet, targeted acne–fighting nutritional supplements, and breakthrough topical applications) that will help you clear your skin in a matter of days. Not only will you see impossible–to–ignore improvement in your skin, the program will help improve your body's overall health and appearance. And, Dr. Perricone will tell you what to do to treat the pitting and scarring that often affects adult acne sufferers.

The Acne Prescription features dramatic before–and–after photos, rock–solid scientific background explications, and a day–by–day program of meals and exercises. And, Dr Perricone will dispel common medical myths regarding the causes and treatment of acne. By following the Perricone Program of diet, vitamins, topical applications, and exercise, you can dramatically reduce the appearance of blemishes and breakouts, and achieve a smoother look within three days You will look and feel better than you ever thought possible. Good health and beautiful skin – an unbeatable combination.

Customer Reviews:

Impossible program to follow without a BIG budget.......2007-08-03

I think he should rename his book as The Acne Prescription: The Perricone Program for the RICH by Nicholas Perricone. Has he checked the prices of wild salmon and all the berries he recommended lately? They are sky-rocket priced. If I follow his program and buy his over-priced products, I would spend all my paychecks and some loans. I think he should practice his program with limited budget like the rest of us to see if it is realistic or NOT.

I think the most effective, economical program is The Acne Cure: The Nonprescription Plan That Shows Dramatic Results in as Little as 24 Hours by Dr. Terry J. Dubrow and Brenda D. Adderly.

Good advice although a little self promoting.......2007-03-19

This book has really changed the way that I live. Not only has it really improved my overall skin quality, I have more energy and I am more vivacious than ever before! I have struggled with acne since I was about twelve years old. I have tried everything including accutane. It as not until I found this book and began following some of the principals that I really noticed a difference. I will say this, a really do not believe that all the supplements are required for you to reach your optimum skin health. I do fine with my fish oil and ALA ( which I will not buy at the overly inflated perricone web site prices), and watching my high glycemic carbs. I also take DMAE and eat a lot of salmon. Not only has my skin cleared, the entire color of my skin is different. People began to complement me for the first time in my life telling me that I had beautiful skin. In addition to the skin clearing, i also am much more toned and dropped about 10 pounds since the start of the program. The only problem I have with this book is it seems like Dr. Perricone really plugs his products waaaaay to much. The prices on his website are a little crazy for my taste. If you want to really save on your topical supplements go to a website called [...] With the products on this website you can make you own skin care products using cetaphil as a base. They are exactly the same thing.

I was a skeptic!!.......2007-01-29

I am 33 mom of 3 and at my wits end with Acne. I had been to a dermatologist again (off and on throughout the years) and been put on topical medications which were not working. I stumbled upon this and CANNOT BELIEVE that after 3 days my acne started clearing up. It has now been 6 days and it is only getting better. I went on the 3 day diet and am now incorporating his ideas into my regular lifestyle. I think I have lost 3 pounds too, but to me the clear skin is the best!! I have been taking a multivitamin, some extra Vitamin A and selenium drinking a lot of green tea, use flax seed on my yogurt and just started taking fish oil too and that has worked for me. If you have acne and really want a solution, I say give it a try...just incorporate what you can into your life and see. p.s. I love!! coffee but am going without except for maybe 1 cup a day.

Excellent.......2006-11-05

If you are into health at all, much of this information is obvious. However, some of the more specific information about nutrients, vitamins, foods and quantities are very useful. I found the book helpful and my serious adult acne problem began to lessen after a week or so when topical treatments did little.

IT'S A MIRACLE IN MY LIFE!!!!!.......2006-09-12

The plan and systemic treatment that Dr. Perricone has developed works! I wish there was a way I could give testimonials in his behalf on finally proving that acne is systemic. After having a child at 27 years old, my skin totally changed and I became very acne prone. I would suffer from mild to moderate acne at all times. It was very rare that I did not have some form of breakout on my face, neck, back and/or chest. I went to numerous dermatologists and received great treatments. However, nothing worked. I took the antibiotic - Tetracyclin off and on for over 9 years. Since finding this book, I have been eating the foods and taking the supplements that are listed in the book based on my type of acne. I look completely different. I even choose to go without any foundation on my face. His information is great. For the first time in 9 years, I have not taken any antibiotics. IT IS FABULOUS and my skin is radiant.

Thank you Dr. Perricone!

The Clear Skin Prescription: The Perricone Program to Eliminate Problem Skin

Average customer rating:

This program plus microdermx worked
His skin products don't work. His diet isn't new (and imperfect)
Great book! But get the supplements for less...
Ignore the weird-looking girl on the cover and read this book!
Sound Advice, Good At-Home Prescriptions

The Clear Skin Prescription: The Perricone Program to Eliminate Problem Skin
Nicholas Perricone
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Skin Ailments | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Dermatology | Specialties | Medicine | Subjects | Books

The Wrinkle Cure: Unlock the Power of Cosmeceuticals for Supple, Youthful Skin
The Perricone Prescription: A Physician's 28-Day Program for Total Body and Face Rejuvenation
The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet: A Simple 3-Part Plan to Lose the Fat, the Wrinkles, and the Years
The Acne Prescription : The Perricone Program for Clear and Healthy Skin at Every Age
The Perricone Promise: Look Younger, Live Longer in Three Easy Steps

ASIN: 0060934360
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Book Description

From the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Perricone Prescription and The Wrinkle Cure comes a powerful new weapon in the fight for clear and healthy skin. No matter your age, race, or gender, here's everything you need to know about acne –– and how to prevent it.

Long recognized as a pioneer in reversing skin damage caused by aging, board–certified dermatologist and #1 New York Times–bestselling author Nicholas Perricone, M.D., now turns his knowledge and experience toward acne. Although often thought of as an unavoidable teenage problem, in reality millions of adults suffer from this inflammatory disease well into middle age.

The Clear Skin Prescription delivers a complete program that incorporates Dr. Perricone's trademark three–tiered approach (anti–inflammatory diet, targeted acne–fighting nutritional supplements, and breakthrough topical applications) that will help you clear your skin in a matter of days. Not only will you see impossible–to–ignore improvement in your skin, but the program will also help improve your body's overall health and appearance.

Like the #1 bestseller The Perricone Prescription, The Clear Skin Prescription features dramatic before–and–after photos, rock–solid scientific background, and a day–by–day program of meals and exercise. And, Dr. Perricone dispels common medical myths regarding the causes and treatment of acne. By following the Perricone Program of diet, vitamins, topical applications and exercise, you can dramatically reduce the appearance of blemishes and breakouts and achieve a smoother, clearer complexion within three days –– to look and feel better than you ever thought possible.

Customer Reviews:

This program plus microdermx worked.......2007-03-10

I used to have acne scars, zits and skin that was showing signs of aging. I used the perricone program for a while and did like have some positive results. But then after hearing about Microdermx on beauty forums, I tried it and the Microdermx has completely changed my bad skin into skin that I looks beautiful to me. I have about 85% less acne scars, no acne, and my skin is firmer with a glow. The price is better too than say Dr. Brandts.

His skin products don't work. His diet isn't new (and imperfect).......2006-08-10

It hasn't been clinically proven that Perricone skin products work. My mom (age 46) tried them anyway, and they didn't work.

His advice to stay away from grains (and whatever comes from them, of course) is great, but not new. Yes, farm-raised salmon is screwed up, eat the wild one, but again, I knew that already.

And I disagree with his complicated "system" of taking supplements. If you just eat normal food, like vegetables and fruit, NOT grains and soda, you won't need supplements. The only supplement you need is fish oil, since farm-raised animals that we eat lack necessary fatty acids.

Great book! But get the supplements for less..........2006-04-17

I think the biggest complaint or criticism of Dr. Perricone's recommendations is the excessive cost of supplements and creams. With regard to the supplements, Dr. Perricone gives recommendations on the vitamins and supplements you should take. I spent some time looking at all the ingredients listed and realized that you can get those same supplements, vitamins, and minerals at your local health food / vitamin store (GNC carries a lot of them (get DMAE here) and so does Trader Joe's (you can get the Complete EFA (essential fatty acids), Alpha Lipoic Acid, but does not have DMAE), and Costco (good price for CoEnzyme Q10)! The prices are much more reasonable. (In fact, on the nvperricone website, the vitamin packets list all the ingredients and the amount of product included in the packets. In his book, he makes dosage recommendations too.) I hope this helps.

Ignore the weird-looking girl on the cover and read this book!.......2006-01-30

This book has some really sound advice in it. I followed most of the suggestions (only I just incorporated the advice into my current eating patterns, I did not follow the diet mentioned in the book), such as: eating good fats and protein with meals, taking a good multi-vitamin. I did not buy any of the expensive skin care products mentioned in the book, and I have seen good results.

Sound Advice, Good At-Home Prescriptions.......2005-10-07

Whether you are trying to maintain already great skin or wanting to improve the complexion you have now, this book offers terrific advice and some excellent dietary and supplemental programs. Dr. Perricone's opinion that aging is a disease like any other (and therefore treatable) is novel and not without some supporting evidence. His suggestions on starting young to keep your skin well-toned are invaluable. I read this book end to end and didn't find anything to really object to and there was a lot here that merits serious attention. This is a good program for maximizing what nature gave you and bettering it through all natural, non-cosmetic remedies. Whereas the typical American response to skin care has been "clean and cover" this shows it is possible to build a healthy foundation from within. The best book in this field on the market today.

The Perricone Prescription Personal Journal: Your Total Body and Face Rejuvenation Daybook

Average customer rating:

His skin products don't work. His diet isn't new (and imperfect)
I've read about him in jounals
Words of wisdom
Handiest and my best nutrition tool!
It Works!

The Perricone Prescription Personal Journal: Your Total Body and Face Rejuvenation Daybook
Nicholas Perricone
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Skin Care | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Supplements | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Dermatology | Specialties | Medicine | Subjects | Books

The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet: A Simple 3-Part Plan to Lose the Fat, the Wrinkles, and the Years
The Perricone Prescription: A Physician's 28-Day Program for Total Body and Face Rejuvenation
The Perricone Promise: Look Younger, Live Longer in Three Easy Steps
The Wrinkle Cure: Unlock the Power of Cosmeceuticals for Supple, Youthful Skin
The Clear Skin Prescription: The Perricone Program to Eliminate Problem Skin

Accessories:

RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)

ASIN: 006054161X
Release Date: 2002-12-24

Book Description

A companion to the bestselling The Perricone Prescription, this personal journal is filled with information, tips, and a three–month day–by–day guide to everything you need to do to look and feel years younger!

With detailed information about Dr P.'s diet and exercise suggestions, tips for staying motivated, a step–by–step daily skin–care routine, and a helpful three–month day–by–day guide to each step in the Perricone process, The Perricone Prescription Personal Journal is the perfect companion to the bestselling The Perricone Prescription.

Let's face it : the average Australian wants to look his or her best (not to mention, his or her youngest), but busy schedules and a life on the go make it difficult to remember and ௥ ncil inߡll the details of a new diet, even one as easy–to–follow as Dr Perriconeᱮ The Perricone Prescription Personal Journal, which breaks the diet into daily doses, makes the instructions easier to stick to and remember, and virtually guarantees a successful journey to vibrant, younger–looking skin, and a fit, toned body.

Customer Reviews:

His skin products don't work. His diet isn't new (and imperfect).......2006-08-10

I've read about him in jounals.......2004-04-21

It seems he's not widely respected by other physicians.

Words of wisdom.......2003-02-06

I devoured Dr. Perricone's Wrinkle Cure book, so I was ecstatic about his latest book, The Perricone Prescription. His advice is so logical and easy to follow it was no wonder I shed weight and felt great, not to mention looking younger, too! His menu plan and anti-aging research is not to miss! The journal was such a helpful tool to follow my progress. That is why I have previously given up on other diet plans. This was easy to follow and successful, too! Thanks Dr. Perricone!

Handiest and my best nutrition tool!.......2003-02-04

The Perricone Prescription Journal is the best tool I have ever used for a nutritional program and it has become as essential to my day as my home keys!! Not only can I follow a daily menu at a glance, but I can keep track of my progress as far as skin and body condition: (my weight, of course but important details too like my pore size and my stress level) as well as jot down my impressions and my feelings every day! Plus I love the fact that the book is light weight and spiral-bound. Extremely handy, full of zen-like sensible advice, I recommend it to anyone with a will to win the anti-aging battle!

It Works!.......2003-01-31

Once I started writing in the Journal the effects were amazing. The daily reports motivated me to stay on the program and the results, noticable with every passing day have been wonderful. I've lost weight, feel great but best of all feel in control. I can honestly say that Dr. Perricone has changed my life for the better.

Average customer rating:

The Perricone Prescription
M.D. Nicholas Perricone
Manufacturer: Harper Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0060568291

4 Book Set; the Wrinkle Cure, the Perricone Prescription Personal Journal, the Perricone Prescription, the Perricone Promise

Average customer rating:

4 Book Set; the Wrinkle Cure, the Perricone Prescription Personal Journal, the Perricone Prescription, the Perricone Promise
Nicholas, Dr., M. D Perricone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000XC8J4O

Healthy Aging: The Perricone Prescription VHS VIDEO

Average customer rating:

Healthy Aging: The Perricone Prescription VHS VIDEO
Nicholas Perricone
Manufacturer: Santa Fe Ventures
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000OT97EM

Average customer rating:

The Perricone Prescription
Nicholas Perricone
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEK1GA

The Perricone Prescription : A Physician's 28-Day Program For Total Body & Face Rejuvenation

Average customer rating:

The Perricone Prescription : A Physician's 28-Day Program For Total Body & Face Rejuvenation
M.D. Nicholas Perricone
Manufacturer: Harper Resource
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000WLW8GG

Product Description

A Publisher's Weekly Bestseller: Most people believe that sags, bags, and wrinkles -- on the face and body -- are inevitable. many people choose to temporarily circumvent these signs of aging with surgery, chemical peels, Botox injections, or laser treatments. The good news, according to research scientist and practicing dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, M.D., is that by following a simple program of diet, exercise, and skin care you can prevent and even reverse many signs of aging. The Perricone Prescription clearly and succinctly explains the rock-solid laboratory research behind Dr. Perricone's revolutionary theories, revealing that inflammation at the cellular level, precipitated by poor nutrition, pollution, sunlight, irritating skin-care treatments, and stress, is the single most powerful cause of the signs of aging. Dr. Perricone gives you the knowledge and the tools to fight that inflammation from the inside out, while at the same time decreasing the likelihood of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and a host of other degenerative diseases.

The Perricone Prescription CD: A Physician's 28-Day Program for Total Body and Face Rejuvenation

Average customer rating:

The Perricone Prescription CD: A Physician's 28-Day Program for Total Body and Face Rejuvenation
Nicholas; Robb, Webb Perricone
Manufacturer: HarperAudio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEEXCS

Book Description

Some of the freshest and bravest thinking about government in decades.

The Next Deal offers a highly readable blueprint for politics in the twenty-first century. The old-style one-size-fits-all government, Cherny argues, cannot accommodate the significant changes-including the moral revolution of the '60s and the technological revolution of the last fifteen years-that American society has undergone. Cherny proposes a "Next Deal" that will expand democracy by taking decision-making power out of the hands of experts and back into the hands of ordinary people.

Customer Reviews:

Spot on.......2007-02-02

This book is concise and spot on with it's predictions thus far --and it was written in 2000. Regardless of one's political standpoint, it is irrefutable that Mr. Cherny has a solid epistemology when writing in a political genre.

I had to read this book for one of my classes at Seattle University, and in hindsight, I'm really glad. It opened my eyes to a lot of things that were going on in the world of politics that I would plead ignorance to normally. I devoured this book in two sessions.

Also, if you liked this book, you might like "The Power Elite" by C. Wright Mills

The Future of Politics - Hopefully.......2005-01-25

This book is concise, well-written, and contains ideas that could potentially change the face of government in the near future. Cherny's thesis is that we need to give the government back to people. He notes that the big government that dominated so much of the nineteenth century was necessary to effectively create change in Americans' lives at that time. But today, the government has not responded to the needs of the "Choice Generation" - the younger generation today that has a broad range of choices, from ipod colors to salad dressings. Consequently, the government is less effective than it could be. To remedy the situation, he proposes some ideas ,some radical and some pratical, that, if implemented, would improve the situation of my generation and give the government more credibility. Personally, I think some of the ideas were great and would significantly alter the face of this country (the idea of requiring one year of public service for all young people when they turn 18, for example, is a great idea). Agree with them or not, the ideas included in this book are worth a read, and though it may be awhile, I think many of them will eventually come to pass.

What's NEXT in Public Policy . . ........2003-01-25

Building on the work of "Reinventing Government" by Osborne and Gaebler, former Gore speechwriter Andrei Cherny makes the case for a federal government that drops the old "New Deal" bureaucracy in favor of a new guiding and enabling role. In the course of doing so, Cherny presents American history through the lens of Jeffersonian and Hamiltonian philosophies of government and weaves it together with a demographic portrayal of what he calls "The Choice Generation".

The result is readable and interesting, but left me (admittedly, a Republican) with the feeling that Cherny is in the wrong party. He believes Americans want the ability to control their lives more than anything else, but doesn't grapple with the notion that lower taxes and control over one's financial resources are probably the single greatest enablers of personal choice. I'd like to see him deal with the question of financial freedom instead of just blowing past it.

Cherny's prose style has speechwriter written all over it. He clearly enjoys putting together words and phrases that would snap when spoken to an audience.

If you're interested in what the future of public policy looks like to a well-informed young writer of the center-left, give The Next Deal a try.

Cherny "Gets It" - Information Age Public Policy.......2001-11-01

To have a 21-year-old Gore speechwriter mature into a 25-year-old public policy book writer and then have that book enthusiastically trumpeted by a conservative former Speaker of the House is a moment of unique achievement. Let me be clear. While Andrei Cherny is a liberal, he has written one of the most thoughtful books about public policy in the information age to be produced by anyone of any ideological background or from any partisan belief. Cherny does a stunning job of placing the progressive movement in the context of the rise of the industrial corporation and makes a profound case that the rise of information technology that moves from mass production to intense personalization and choice that will profoundly change the relationship between government and citizens.

At one level these are not new ideas. Alvin and Heidi Toffler explained the general principles in 1979 in The Third wave. What makes Cherny's contribution so impressive is the degree to which he embeds the technological changes of today in the parallel ideas and experiences of 100 years ago. Just as the rise of the industrial corporation created the systems and the structures that could be translated into professional bureaucracy and into systems such as the city manager form of government, so the development of the automatic teller machine, the self serve gas station, the internet based personal reservation system for airlines and the personally directed 401k all spell the rise of a personally directed citizen process that will transform the process of governance.

I disagree deeply with some of Cherny's ideas, but I am in awe of his ability to take big concepts and embed them in American political history in a manner which will give them context and meaning for any citizen who wishes to study them.

I unequivocally recommend this book to any citizen who wants to know how we can improve our country.

The Choice Revolution and the Democratic Party.......2001-02-20

At a mere 21 years of age, Andrei Cherny became the youngest White House speechwriter in history, eventually becoming Vice President Gore's senior speechwriter.

But how he got the job I'll never understand.

Yes, Mr. Cherny and the Vice President share a passionate interest in the revolutionary changes being wrought by the dawn of the Information Age.

But the Vice President's 2000 campaign demonstrated a passionate interest in resisting the very changes that would make government more responsive to the new expectations and new choices of the American people. The Vice President waged a vehement campaign against giving workers the freedom to choose personal retirement accounts to complement their basic Social Security contract...against the freedom to choose from a wide variety of private health insurance options via Medicare...against the freedom to choose schools that work, be they public, private or parochial...against the very Choice Revolution about which Mr. Cherny is so refreshingly passionate.

Indeed, at times it seemed Vice President Gore was building a bridge back to the 19th century with its class warfare and big machine politics.

Mr. Cherny, by contrast, is a young man in a hurry to see our central government decentralize...to see the federal government devolve to more individual and state control...and to see the Democratic Party shift from the party of Big Government welfare to Smart Government wealth creation. And how sweet it is.

He simultaneously blasts "Blockhead Conservatism" and "Treadmill Liberalism" as old slices of a stale political pie.

Nowhere are Mr. Cherny's ideas more revolutionary than in the area of wealth creation and Social Security. "Americans should -- for the first time -- be guaranteed a minimum Social Security benefit, come what may. This should be coupled witht he freedom to choose to invest a portion of their Social Security taxes as they see fit. In the 1990s bull run on Wall Street, the wealthiest 10 percent of American households received nearly 90 percent of the profits. All Americans should have a greater chance to share this prosperity -- and a greater choice in how to receive it."

You won't hear talk like this from Al Gore.

It took a speechwriter leaving the Clinton-Gore Administration and striking out on his own to match Gore's passion for technology and the Internet Age with a intellectually and morally consistent view of how to apply such marketplace changes to the functions of government.

Better yet, Mr. Cherny is not alone. If one looks closely, a trend is beginning to develop among the mavericks, the renegades within the Democratic Party.

To this end, I highly recommend a book by another lifelong Democrat -- this one a Baby Boomer, not a Gen-Xer -- named Wade Dokken, a book called "New Century, New Deal: How To Turn Your Wages Into Wealth Through Social Security Choice." Mr. Dokken is passionate about his party, the "party of the people." But as a "New Investor Class Democrat," he pleads with his party to "wake up and smell the Starbucks" -- to realize the dramatic social and demographic changes that are washing over the electorate...and not let President Bush and the GOP capture the 80-million strong New Investor Class who embrace the Choice Revolution. Instead, go after them with passion and persistence.

Mr. Dokken has more real world experience than Mr. Cherny, and it shows in their books. As the CEO of American Skandia, a $30 billion company, Mr. Dokken understands how money is made, how money is managed, how wealth is created. He's also got a sense of humor -- a sense of revolutionary spirit -- a willingness to needle his party more than his younger ally.

"As a life-long Democrat, it pains me to say this, but I feel obligated to warn my party," writes Mr. Dokken. "When it comes to saving Social Security, building upon FDR's legacy, and helping working families create real wealth through personal retirement accounts, the leadership of the Democratic Party is dangerously out of touch with the American people. It's as though Al Gore is from Mars and Hillary Clinton's from Venus. They just don't get it. And if they don't start getting it fast, they're going to get left behind in a cloud of dust, with a mighty 'Heigh ho, Silver, away!' echoing in their ears as millions of working families stampede to a political party that does get it, that promises to fight for their right to enter the New Investor Class and turn wages into wealth."

Mr. Dokken adds: "As I see it, the leadership of the Democratic Party is stricken with a historic case of Attention Demographics Disorder. They seem inexplicably inattentive to the financial aspirations of some 80 million Baby Boomers and 46 million Gen-Xers who are America's future. Thus, as a I write this in the summer of the year 2000, the Republican Party seems poised over the next several election cycles to reshape dramatically the political landscape. It's poised to transform itself from the the 'party of the rich' to the 'party of people who want to become rich.'...Just as a generation of working class social conservatives fled from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in the 1970s and 1980s, I believe that a new generation of savings and investment minded fiscal conservatives -- 'New Democrats' who are part of the emerging 'New Investor Class' -- are now also poised to flee to the GOP."

And that, Mr. Dokken writes, spells trouble for the party of FDR, Kennedy and Clinton.

Still, taken together, Mr. Cherny's fascinating treatise and Mr. Dokken's marvelous manifesto are MUST READING. These two aren't famous -- yet. But they will be. Anyone who wants to understand the revolution about to occur within the party should start with "THE NEXT DEAL" and "NEW CENTURY, NEW DEAL." They are a dynamic duo for a party in the doledrums.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books