Women and Beauty
Loren
1984
I am a big fan of Sophia Loren, and my parents introduced me to the movie Houseboat (1958) with Cary Grant. She always seemed ageless to me and I would imagine this book to be a good choice in the early 1980s. I think the publishers were after a book that would show that even though you might be over 40 (gasp!), you can still look good.
Illustrated Color Guide to Healthful Yoga
Donat
1974
Submitter: In cleaning up a collection, we found this Awful Library gem… Illustrated Color Guide to Healthful Yoga. I think the pictures speak for themselves – who does yoga in their underwear? Found in an academic library. The cover really doesn’t do the book justice – it’s what’s inside.
Holly: Dear readers, feast your eyes on this!
The Aerobics Way
New data on the world’s most popular exercise program
Cooper
1977
Aerobics was just beginning to be the exercise fad when this was published. Most folks would probably credit Jane Fonda’s 1982 workout tape. This is more a discussion of aerobic activity and all the supporting data. It really isn’t any kind of workout, but more of the science and studies related to heart and lung function. A dated book, but I have a feeling this became the springboard for the aerobic dancing exercise fad.
Aerobic Dancing
Sorensen
1979
Now that we are in January for real (I was in denial), time to get started on those new year’s resolutions. How about you go old school with some aerobic dancing? Although it’s changed a bit over the years, the basics are still out there: music, accelerated heart rate, and some kind of choreography. You can even break out some leg warmers if you want the truly authentic retro experience.
Aerobic dancing was the new thing in the late 1970s and Jane Fonda’s exercise video in 1982 made aerobic dancing a household term. Basically, this was the incorporation of dancing to improve your heart rate and general endurance.
The Lucille Roberts
14 day makeover plan
Roberts
1980
I never heard of Lucille Roberts, but I guess she is pretty well known around New York. Roberts opened a chain of budget health clubs aimed at women in 1969. Although Roberts died in 2003 from lung cancer at only 59, her fitness clubs are still going strong in the tri-state area.
Strong Women Stay Slim
Nelson
1998
Submitter: I wanted to share this book I just weeded from the collection at the public library where I work. The actual content of the book is more helpful than the title would suggest, but the whole premise of strength being linked to body type is beyond insulting.
Yoga: The 8 steps to health and peace Hittleman 1975 Submitter: I have a submission for a book I just weeded from our collection. We are a suburban community college located outside of Philadelphia. I found this gem in the
Look Younger Look Prettier beauty through diet and yoga techniques Thomas 1972 I doubt if modern practitioners of yoga would endorse the looking younger and prettier sales pitch of this particular book. In fact, this author seems to be selling
