Bodywork, Encyclopedia of

The word "comprehensive" may have been invented to describe this book - it definitely is an encyclopedia, not just in its alphabetic listing and cross-references, but also in its breadth of knowledge. Unless you are a bodywork specialist, this book probably has much more than you would ever want to know about what seem to be some very esoteric practices. However, it is a fabulous resource to use to find out about alternative therapies (the section on acupuncture was the most comprehensive and easy to read I have come across in all my research) and Stillerman has a wonderful bibliography and resource listing (many resources have been transcribed into my Complementary Medicine Resources list). Reading it from cover to cover as I did was an interesting experience in that it showed the interrelated qualities and history of many types of bodywork (some individuals had the same teachers or came out of the same schools of thought and developed in their own direction). Stillerman does not judge any of the bodywork methods she reviews so it is up to the reader to decide whether or not a particular method would be right for their condition (this is where the bibliography and resource list is invaluable for further investigation). An excellent resource but unless you're a massage/bodywork professional, you probably won't want to purchase this book - just borrow it from the library.