A New Plan to Kick an Old Habit

“7 Steps to a Smoke-Free Life”

By Edwin B. Fisher Jr., PhD,

with Toni L. Goldfarb

Soundelux Audio Publishing

Abridged nonfiction

Two cassettes

Length: Three hours

$17.95

Read by Richard Bebe

Available in bookstores or by calling

(800) 227-2020

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Based on the American Lung Assn.’s “Freedom From Smoking” program, this offers a concrete plan to give up those cancer sticks. It contains most of the material offered in the printed version, plus one important asset: You can play this as often as needed. Seven steps are clearly explained to help you plan your Quit Day, build your motivation and stick with your vow. These tips are designed to help you deal with social situations, physical cravings and psychological yearnings. One small complaint: The reader sounds generic and just a bit dry. Granted, this is serious stuff, but that is exactly why someone a little peppier would have helped maintain our focus.

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“The Healing Power of Love & Intimacy” By Dr. Dean Ornish Sounds True Audio Original material Two cassettes. Length: 2 hours, 10 minutes, $17.95; Read by the author; Available in bookstores or by calling (800) 333-9185

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This audio edition of Dean Ornish’s PBS program is fascinating food for thought. He offers concrete evidence that we can take better care of ourselves, heal faster and live longer if we just learn to open up. This is not a complicated message, but it is intriguing. Ornish, who has a friendly, chatty style, talks to us, not at us. He cites studies and uses his own life for examples of how relationships can keep us alive. Less wonderful is the question-and-answer discussion on the second cassette. It covers much of the same material on the first cassette. He is a quick thinker and offers lots of useful information, but very much limits what he tells us by repeating himself. We could have done with just the first tape and a lower price tag. Also just released is the similarly formatted “Simple Choices, Powerful Changes.”