Book Review: "The Lupus Encyclopedia", by Dr. Donald E. Thomas Jr.

Since the LFA DMV's Annual Maryland Summit is tomorrow, I thought it would be a perfect time to share my glowing review of Dr. Donald Thomas' new book, “The Lupus Encyclopedia”. Dr. Thomas is a presenter at tomorrow's event, and if you're attending the summit, be sure to stop by and pick up a signed copy of his book. I plan on having him sign my copy - and I might even ask to snap a photo with the famous author, too!

Having known Dr. Thomas for several years, I had high expectations for his book. I knew it would be a thorough and accurate account of what lupus is, but I was hopeful that Dr. Thomas' all-encompassing goal of making life better for lupus patients would set this book apart from the rest. I’m thrilled to say that the book has exceeded my expectations, and Dr. Thomas has succeeded in publishing the ultimate lupus resource book. It is designed to educate, inform, and enlighten – and it gets the job done!

The Lupus Encyclopedia is a book that that every lupus patient should have in their home library. It's the most comprehensive lupus book out there, and is a valuable resource for anyone searching for a detailed and in-depth explanation of this complicated and mysterious disease.

The all-inclusive book runs over 900 pages, and offers a vivid account of the history, causes, symptoms, side effects, medications, treatments, and complications of the disease. Because of the breadth of information provided within the book, you actually begin to understand why lupus is so difficult to diagnose, treat, and manage. The Lupus Encyclopedia actually demystifies the disease in such a way that you, as a lupus patient, grasp just how complex your disease is. Your symptoms aren't crazy, abnormal, or figments of your imagination. You simply have a complicated, multi-layered disease called lupus. 

Here are three reasons why The Lupus Encyclopedia (TLE) is a valuable and much-needed resource:

1) TLE is easy to read: Even though the book runs 900 pages, it is organized into small, easy to digest sections. This subdivided format allows the reader to absorb two to three pages at a time, without becoming overwhelmed with information. At the end of each section, Dr. Thomas has included a handy, itemized list of the key points of each section, ultimately providing his own cliff notes to the text.

2) TLE is comprehensive: This will be your one-stop shop for all things lupus-related. Of course, it’s not a book that you read cover to cover. Rather, it’s a book that you consult and reference whenever you need a better, more complete understanding of the disease.  I even put TLE to the test. I had three specific, yet disparate lupus questions that I had lingering from a recent doctor’s appointment: what role does protein play in hair loss, is there a connection between gluten and auto-immune, and what are some joint-sparing adjustments that I can make in my daily routine? I looked to TLE, and within 15 minutes, I had my answers.  By consulting the detailed index, scanning the text, and perusing the key points at the end of each section, I quickly and efficiently found everything that I was looking for. It could have taken 30 - 45 min to track down that varied information online. And even then, I would have been bombarded with extraneous information that I didn’t need or want.

3) TLE is written by someone who cares: This is probably the driving factor behind the comprehensive, detailed nature of this book. It was written by a doctor who goes above and beyond in helping his patients become more educated and informed about their disease. In publishing this book, he’s allowed his passion for enabling patients to improve their lives with lupus to spread to the lupus community around the world. TLE includes practical advice and applicable coping strategies you don’t often hear from a doctor. As you read the text, and take note of the patient-directed inclusions on practically each page, it becomes clear that the author is knowledgeable, yet understanding. Direct, yet gentle. Dr. Thomas is just the kind of doctor we’d want to write a lupus book. I’m so glad he did!