Seen at the local Barnes & Noble Bookstore last night... : Respectful Insolence

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Orac is the nom de blog of a (not so) humble pseudonymous surgeon/scientist with an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his miscellaneous verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few will. (Continued here, along with a DISCLAIMER that you should read before reading any medical discussions here.)

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« Detroit Rock City | Main | Seen at the local Barnes & Noble Bookstore last night...part 2 »

Seen at the local Barnes & Noble Bookstore last night...

Category: Alternative medicine • Humor • Medicine • Quackery
Posted on: September 30, 2007 9:03 AM, by Orac

I think the title says it all. Perfect!

Whoever wrote the book sure knows her potential readers!

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Comments

On the other hand, a friend of mine has a copy of "Chemotherapy & Radiation for Dummies", so be careful what you make fun of. :-) There's a "for Dummies" book for everything you can imagine. Maybe we should write "Writing 'for Dummies' Books for Dummies"?

Posted by: Barry Leiba | September 30, 2007 10:40 AM

My suggestion: Homeopathic Dilution and Succussion for the Terminally Stupid

Actually funnier: http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/

See the title:
ACUPUNCTURE STILL
NOT SUITABLE FOR
EYE CONDITIONS

Posted by: Watt de Fawke | September 30, 2007 10:48 AM

but it's all trumped by The Complete Idiot's Guide for Dummies...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Dummies-Stupidity/dp/1580081746

Posted by: PlanetaryGear | September 30, 2007 11:17 AM

One must be cautious about a book on Chemotherapy and Radiation if it is published by the same goofs who have books on reiki. Their books on software are quite useful.

Posted by: Joe | September 30, 2007 11:51 AM

I think it's a misprint. They clearly forgot to include the word "IS" in that title.

Come to think of it, if the "For Dummies" publisher is going to do a set of books on alternative medicine, perhaps someone should print up a lot of little black stickers with the word "IS" printed on them in yellow.

Sufficiently responsible persons could then adjust the title to reflect the contents.

Posted by: Crosius | September 30, 2007 12:06 PM

I'm waiting for Reiki car repair, where they wave their hands over the problem area and people pay them $500.

Posted by: Amy Alkon | September 30, 2007 12:33 PM

I'm waiting for Reiki car repair, where they wave their hands over the problem area and people pay them $500.

No! That's just your local neighbourhood car mechanic.

Posted by: Thony C. | September 30, 2007 1:53 PM

One of the most appalling things I've seen at Barnes and Noble is a display on the side of the shelves that had new medical/medicine books were one of Kevin Trudeau's Natural Cure books happened to be on the display.

Posted by: Chris | September 30, 2007 2:16 PM

Not perfect; actually, the title is redundant.

Though there is some demi-poetic ambiguity in whether the "for dummies" part is meant to refer to the "practitioner" of reiki, the recipient ... or both.

Posted by: Warren | October 1, 2007 11:24 AM

You definitly need this book in your library right next to Feng Shui for Dummies.

Posted by: David Tyler | October 1, 2007 12:54 PM

I'm starting to think that the only way to deal with my irritation at people who fall for reiki, homeopathy, cranial sacral therapy, and the like is to set up shop doing these things and start taking their money in large chunks. I know I'll feel better, and if they don't, they just need to see me twice as frequently.

Posted by: isles | October 1, 2007 11:15 PM

On a semi-related note, the local bookstore in the area I grew up would have put this book on their shelf labeled "Science & Occult".

Posted by: Marc B | October 2, 2007 4:42 AM

&uotWhy stop with Reiki?

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Astrology

Astrology for Dummies

Acupressure and Reflexology for Dummies

Feng Shui Your Workplace for Dummies

Tarot for Dummies

Posted by: Loren | October 2, 2007 7:06 PM

Why are you dummies being such assholes about Reiki? Live and let live. At least they're TRYING to help someone, not snarking soullessly on a worthless blog.

Posted by: Lauren | October 5, 2007 11:22 PM

Because reiki postulates an incredibly unlikely and dubious mechanism of action?

Because there's no evidence that it works?

As for your comment about their "trying to help someone," would you say the same thing about a well-meaning conventional doctor whose use of long-abandoned therapies from the realm of scientific medicine was at best ineffective and at worst prevented his patients from getting therapy known to be effective?

Posted by: Orac | October 6, 2007 12:35 PM