food prices. In this book, Trager, who has written of food and nutrition in other books, has seized on a topical theme and has done a well-crafted job in setting forth the partially-known, partially-hid­den story of the Russian wheat deals of the summer of 1972. It was all done very quietly, piece by piece, in hotel rooms in New York. When it was over, the largest grower of wheat in the world, the Soviet Union, bought up one-quarter of the en­tire 1972 U. S. wheat crop at bargain basement prices. In the aftermath, those prices didn't stay in the basement but went through the roof. A new era in food prices had begun.

Unraveling the origins and the conse­quences of the wheat deal (at 20 million tons, the largest commercial transaction in history) was a challenge that Trager has handled lucidly and entertainingly. Nutrition, politics, economics, agricul­ture, national priorities, social values­and more-are set forth amidst reverber­ations still echoing in the market place. For an insight into these relationships, "Amber Waves of Grain" is a case study well worth the reader's attention.

Howard A. Schneider, Ph.D. , Direc­tor, Institute of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Learn to lJe Thin, Simon, S. , G.P. Put­nam's Sons, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, 1973, 222 pp. , $6.95.

In this book, the author, who is trained in psychology, explains how a success­ful weight reduction program can be achieved and maintained through be­havior modification. The reader is taught to recognize the common excuses used to explain weight problems, the different types of overeating in "bingers," nibblers, and hearty eaters, and the types of situ­ations and stimuli that trigger overeating. A 13-step guide includes several tech­niques and an actual diet plan to lose weight. Recommendations for lifetime maintenance are made.

The content of the book reflects this, stresses behavior, not specific food and nutrition information. The reader is en­couraged to identity his or her own problems and to make necessary changes. Those working with overweight persons of all ages should find the book useful.

K.A.C.

Candy, Chocolate, Ice Cream and How

to Lick 'Em! Sprung, S., Tandem Press,

Tannersville, Pa., 1973, 144 pp., $5.95.

This book describes the author's suc­cess in losing, and keeping lost, 100 pounds with a diet she calls the "On/ Off

Vol. 6, No.4, October-December, 1974

Diet." One day is spent eating the num­ber of calories recommended for one's sex, height, age and level of activity and the next, eating no more than 900 Cal­ories. The strength of this diet, the au­thor maintains, is that "it satisfies the nutritional requirements that the body needs while it allows the indulgences that the emotions crave."

I don't share the author's optimism about meeting nutritional requirements since there is nothing in this diet per se that guarantees its being nutritionally sound, but the one day on, one day off motif may make dieting seem less rigor­ous than a lowered energy intake day-in and day-out. Additionally, the author talks in a humorous and understanding fashion about the habits and attitudes that lead to obesity.

There's a mild pitch for "natural" and "organic" foods that's more than offset by the author's description of special ice cream concoctions and various gourmet delights. There's an extensive calorie guide at the end of the book.

This book might be useful to diet counselors as a means of understanding the feelings of the obese and to dieters as a source of moral support.

Kathleen Carpenter, Dept. of Nutri­tional Sciences, University of Cali­fornia, Berkeley.

Fun Foods for Fat Folks, Coffey, K.R. and Terrell, M.A. , University of Ten­nessee Child Development Center, 71 I Jefferson Ave. , Memphis, TN 38105, 1974, 135 pp. , looseleaf, ring binder, $5.00 plus 50 cents postage.

Apart from its rather off-putting title, this book is a comprehensive guide for parents of overweight children. It con­tains basic nutrition information and background facts about overweight and the importance of weight reduction . The major part of the book is devoted to ex­plaining a dietary pattern based on the Basic Four Food Groups modified by an exchange list. The suggested menus can easily be adapted to meals for the whole family, so that the overweight child does not feel singled out. Sample meal plans for 1,000, 1,200, 1,500,1,800, and 2,000 Calories are given. Also included are helpful suggestions on psychological techniques to avoid overeating; exercis­ing; lunch boxes and restaurant meals; and saving money along with cutting calories. Low calorie recipes, food prep­aration hints, the latest RDAs, and addi­tional references are given. The book is worth recommending to any laypersons who need and! or wish to lose weight as

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