Medicine Books

I am a physician and I can assure you, this is the best book out there to get clear prospective and understanding about food allergies.
Each chapter has clear focus, breadth of knowledge that gives vital information and suggests remedial actions to prevent allergic reaction.
I love the book. Even medical school dont prepare you for your kids food allergies. No one in our family had it. Thanks for writing this excellent book.

Ditto everyone else's 5 star reviews. A fantastic book for parents and extended family members of the food allergic child. Sicherer write in a clear and concise manner, explaining all one needs to know. My child has food allergies, including Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES), and I've done a lot of research and am active in an online FA support group. This book explains it all, even stuff I didn't already know. His FPIES section is excellent. I keep this book on out for quick access, as I often use it as a reference.

This is a great book! It's a fabulous reference guide to have if you have a child with food allergies. It addresses case studies of children with multiple food allergies and questions that real parents have! It details out different diagnosis processes, treatments and day to day living. If you are raising a child with food allergies - you must read this book.

As a seasoned mom, but a new one to the food allergy world, this book provides a lot of technical info all in one source. If you want to understand why our bodies react to certain foods and how to proceed, this book is for you.

We have been managing my child's food allergies for the past 5 years - I have read many, many books on the subject. This one is the absolute best! As much as I understood about food allergies, I still had many questions. This book has helped to clear up most of them. Many of the books on food allergy create a sense of panic, especially when you are new to the situation. The information in this book takes some of the anxiety out of everyday life - our children can have normal, healthy, fun-filled lives!

Thich Nhat Hanh succeeds where others fail in writing a very understandable and clear work on the buddhist view of the mind. Highly recommended!

This book is as simple and lucidly written as all of Thay's books.

It however contains a wealth of knowledge which can be only be read, digested, understood and experienced in small chunks spread over time.

The original title of the book was 'transformation at the base'.

Thay addresses the basics of how the mind works, how we are all creatures of habit and how transformation is possible 'only if' its at the base.

Finally a book on consiousness that isn't overcomplicated, isn't too hippified or too scholarly. Practical and precise. I find myself reading sections over and over every few weeks.

It has always struck me that the people who are the most nimble at
presenting complex topics simply are those with the most understanding
and the least ego. Propelled by interest, they present ideas with quiet
enthusiasm. In his generally much shorter books written in a poetic,
almost childlike voice, Thich Nhat Hanh consistently hints at the wealth of
Buddhist knowledge this book presents. The book outlines for me how very much more I stand to learn about this way of thinking, while allowing me in the meantime, ways to continue to practice fundamentals.

For anyone seeking to ultimately transcend him/herself, Thich Nhat Hahn's explanation of our own human mind is, perhaps, the ultimate how-to guide. As some of the other reviewers have commented, this book does deal with some very complex ideas about "the self," consciousness, etc., but I hope that comment will not turn anyone away. I read this book over the course of the better half of a summer, and it has been transformational. The books is set up into digestible chapters that lead into and build on one another. The writing is simple and clear, and provides everyday examples to illustrate what the author is trying to convey.

The joy and discovery of this book is not simply in the reading of it; it's in patiently letting the words stew and simmer in your mind--letting yourself swim around a little in it--and then coming back to it. You will know when it is time to put the book down and let yourself think about things, and you will also know when to pick the book back up again. I carry this book in my purse. I read it on the subway, before and after meals, and on nice lazy weekend afternoons. I carry this book around like some do a bible, or the Dao de Jing.

I recommend this book if you are seeking ultimate peace in your life. Thich Nhat Hahn is a wonderful teacher. And, though you will be doing much of the "heavy lifting" yourself, if you can be gentle and patient with yourself--and yet persistant, you will ultimately find within yourself the ability to live freely, openly, lovingly, and peacefully. I promise you, this is the right direction.

This book helps both the parent of a bipolar child as well as the trained professional. It is an insight into the illness written in a way that is easy to follow, yet full of extremely valuable information. I have purchased many copies of this book in order to pass this information on to those parents I know who are struggling with their bipolar children. The idea of being a "good enough" parent has really helped me with my own daughter. I would highly recommend this book to anyone in search of information, or purely curiosity. It is an excellent read.

I am a psychologist who works with bipolar adolescents and adults and I think this book is the best I have read on this topic.
This is a kind and gentle book that shows great understanding of the problems and strengths of the bipolar child. This is a wonderfully written book without jargon, which accurately describes the good, the hard and the complicated of being a child or raising a child with this disease. This book also deals with the secondary problems children face such as drug and alcohol use and other risk taking behaviors.
The author describes in detail how such children function from preschool through young adulthood. There is an important section of the difference between bipolar disorder and ADD. And, there are clear recommendations as to how to deal with the difficulties bipolar children have in ways that don't punish the child or the parent.
Actually, his suggestions are great for parents with children who are not bipolar.
What comes across is this is a caring book written by a caring doctor.

I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist and just recently sat down to read the book cover to cover. Dr. Lombardo is a gifted teacher who presents ideas and concepts in such a fashion that the recommendations he gives to parents make sense. I especially was glad that he acknowledges that parents need to be good enough, not perfect. As Dr. Lombardo phrased it: "perfect is the enemy of good" (pg 62). I think this is very validating to parents of bipolar children who all too often get unspoken messages from others that defective parenting skills are the cause of the bipolar's child's behaviors. As if in a "hats off" to parents of bipolar children, Dr. Lombardo states: "It takes courage to acknowledge the presence of bipolar disorder, in ourselves and in our children....Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to do the right thing in the presence of fear" (pg 276).

I am a psychotherapist with some 20 years of experience, but I do not deal directly with children. I was drawn to this book in an effort to learn more about a field that is outside my own. I found it to be an amazing work. In the first place,it makes a major contribution to the problems raised in understanding and parenting a bipolar child. It presents the very latest knowledge in the field,in clear and lucid language, beautifully organized and wholly understandable to the lay person. I found it particulary useful because it also deals with the positive aspects of this illness, such as the extraordinary sensitivity and creativity that many of these children manifest. Its coverage is complete, extending from infancy into adolescence. But beyond that, it successfully places those problems in the much broader context of human psychological and personality development in general. For example, the chapter dealing with saying "No" to young children contains a brilliant analysis applicable to all children or even,for that matter, to adults. At the end of the book there is a thorough discussion of the many different types of treatment available, together with a reference guide to the latest medications. I can recommend it without hesitation both to parents and professionals. Indeed, I will be recommending this book to those of my own patients who have problems with their children, even though they may not necessarily be diagnosed as bipolar.

I?m a parent that tackles family problems with books, support groups, therapy, whatever it takes. I read Dr. Lombardo?s book only 6 months or so into the diagnosis of bipolar disorder for my 13 year old son, after the nightmarish depressions, poor and nasty psychiatrists, after reading 4 books -- The Bipolar Child (twice), Acquainted with the Night, Jamison?s book (can?t remember the name), and some other book on alternative therapies for bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses, and after spending countless hours talking to parents online and learning about meds, side effects, behavioral issues.

As a single parent, with an MA and a PhD in fields of psychology and education, I can honestly tell you that I learned quite a bit from Dr. Lombardo?s book. Here?s what I found?.

The perspective Dr. Lombardo has on child development as a teacher, psychiatrist, and one who has suffered from bipolar disorder greatly enhances, and lends credibility to his ability to differentially diagnose typical and atypical behaviors in children. Furthermore, the information on the differential diagnosis of ADHD versus BP from the neurological and behavioral perspective was very clearly presented, highly informative, and points to the need for expert care for children with these disorders.

The overall developmental approach is extremely valuable because, behaviors and life issues change through development, and is helpful to look ahead to see what might be coming along. Additionallly, some of the more subtle behavioral and cognitive issues that children with BP face is discussed and NOT COVERED in the other books I?ve read ? including a discussion of the concomitant disorders that some kids face along with bipolar disorder.

The review of the meds was excellent, partitioned clearly, and will be a helpful resource guide. As for the structure, I overall liked the format, where some of the critical issues are set out from the rest of the text. Only boring part for me was some of the case studies ? written more for a psychiatric textbook than for a parent.

All in all, I found the book to be an excellent companion to the Bipolar Child and highly recommend it ?. For the novice parent and the ?experienced parent?. I also think this book should be required reading for school psychologists and social workers! At least one of these 2 books, please.

This book is practical, easy to understand and provides the keys to increased vitality. If you have an interest in Ayurveda, it is a wonderful book which provides simple steps for incorporating the ancient practices into a modern life. Dr. Simon is a gift and so is his "how to" manual "Vital Energy".

I found this book very enlightening and user-friendly. I highly recommend it.

Vital Energy: The Seven Keys to Invigorate Body, Mind and Soul is a landmark contribution to health and wellness. The author poses two important questions:

1) Why are so many people overwhelmed by fatigue, lack of enthusiasm, and depression?
2) Why are so many people haunted by the sense that something vitally important is missing from their lives?

In pursing answers to these questions, Simon focuses on the idea that "we have learned a lot about how to treat illness but not much about how to create health." In medical school he learned that modern medicine can effectively deal with the symptoms of disease without necessarily helping them to heal.

Simon states, "I learned that health and illness were the consequence of the thoughts and choices people made." This personal discovery came to him through the tension that existed between his medical studies and his cross-cultural explorations of health and wellness in various parts of the world.

Healing is a holistic concept that has global reach. The idea of healing in many cultures is focused on creating a greater sense of unity across mind, body and spirit. Simon promotes the belief that the experience of happiness and health represents an essential unity across mind, body and spirit while unhappiness and disease represents some degree of disintegration. A broad view of healing is critical for reintegrating these essential connections and David SimonÕs ÒVital EnergyÓ is an essential contribution to everyoneÕs health and well being.

Dr. Simon does a marvelous job explaining how to tap into energy that we already have. Simon begins by helping us understand our own natures using "Earth-Wind-Fire" categories. From there, Simon advises on all sorts of areas such as the best types of foods for each elemental type, best type of physical activity, etc. Simon also advises on the importance of meditation and relaxation. Vital Energy is a very interesting and informative read, and a must-have for those who seek to improve their view of life and increase their energy.

Dr. David Simon has done an excellent job in describing ancient Ayurvedic wisdom for well being of body, mind and soul. Dr. Simon has explained in simple modern language the Ayurvedic principles for invigorating body, mind and soul. Although, being an Indian, I was familiar with many of the things stated by the author, the simplicity and clarity of the whole book has value- added to my own understanding of the ancient vedic science. Author has dealt with almost all the methods of reaching the source of vital energy which is available within all of us. Author's suggestions are not only very useful but so pratical that one can use them for one's own benifit without much of complex efforts.
I emphatically suggest everyone read this book, practice the principles told methodically and ENJOY invigorating VITAL ENERGY for body, mind and soul.
Lastly, but not in the least, this book must be kept on the book shelf for day to day reference till the time the principles get thoroughly ingrained in one's own Mind-Body system.

As a minority faculty in the academics Frances Conley's book vividly portrays the reality of the ivory tower that, though pretentiously progressive in ideas, is way behind the iota of gender equality that exists outside the academe. I, sometimes, feel I am living in the medieval period when entering the academe.

When I first came across this book I thought this must have been written in the seventies and I could share it with my students as a historical autobiography of sexism in an academic institution. I was horrified to find that it was written in the nineties about one of the most prestigious institution in California.

I have always felt alone, alienated in the academe and of course disconnected from other women who were struggling too much to bother with the problems of their women peers. This book validated my experience and helped me understand where my alienation was coming from.

I wish this book could be a standard read for all freshman students in all universities. Only when women who appear to be in power tell their stories of powerlessness and abuse can we act collectively to stop the misogyny that exists among our men and more particularly among our elite men.

Frances Conley offers a compelling indictment of gender discrimination at Stanford Medical School, past and present, focussing on her own recent experience. I started this book at midnight and could not put it down until finishing it at 4 a.m. Conley provides case after case of medical school professors given virtually absolute and unchecked power over their subordinates and their subordinates' careers, abusing that power, and the medical school administration covering up that abuse. While she never addresses the issues of solidarity in the face of sexual harassment, her cases all indicate that when one woman protests, she loses, and only a pattern of abuse reported by multiple women leads to any punishment of the harassers at all. Conley was fortunate and grateful that 37 others came forward to support her claim that Gerald Silverberg engaged in inappropriate sexual contact and other activities counterindicating his capability for leadership. I'll be passing this book onto many women who have had the choice to be treated at Stanford Hospital and may well now rethink that choice.

Men groping women. Men coming on to women, and making incredible jackasses of themselves in the process. Men getting drunk and acting like barbarians. Men with one thing in mind. Men whose compulsion to talk about sex is so strong that they do it at highly inappropriate times in public. Men who think that pressuring women is their God-given right. If you think that what I just described is a high school football team on an overdose of steroids, you're wrong. These sexual antics weren't perpetrated by adolescents with testosterone bubbling out their ears, they were committed by male doctors at Stanford University. Not being stupid, these demigods put two and two together and realized that they could use their power to pressure women. One of these men made a fatal mistake, though: he pressured Dr. Frances Conley, a topnotch neurosurgeon and renowned researcher at Stanford. Bad move, fella. I suppose that guy never learned that if you're going to pick a fight, you don't provoke someone who can whack you back so hard you just might rethink whether it's wise to be a bully.

As publicity spread about Dr. Conley's fight, more and more women came forward to reveal their stories. This was certainly an eye-opening book. Before reading it, I'd never given much thought about the sexual harassment of women in medicine and allied healthcare fields. Perhaps we're more civilized here in Michigan, because I've never seen or heard of any such hanky-panky. Well, let me revise that last statement: I have witnessed a lot of sexual inducement, but what I saw was women chasing men not the other way around. But everyone knows that those California folks are trendsetters.

Dr. Conley never envisioned herself as a trendsetter, though. For years, she passively participated in the abuse until a concatenation of events convinced her that it was time to draw a line in the sand. To make a long story short, the men didn't believe she'd put up much of a fight, but she did, and they lost. Big time.

(...) Perhaps the most chilling message in this book is that some men in positions of power are willing to use that power to stifle the careers of women. So what is an attractive woman to assume? That if she goes into medicine her pulchritude will serve as a magnet for sexual harassment? Perhaps this abuse is, unbeknownst to me, more pervasive than I think. I suppose because most of my friends are women, I can't understand men who view women as being somehow inferior. However, you shouldn't necessarily construe from that statement that I think women physicians are as competent, on average, as male physicians. There's no doubt that some are, and there's no doubt that Dr. Conley is a superior physician, not just competent. (...) My only major criticism of the book is that it is too focused upon abuse of women by men. Since the core of this book is hinged upon some of the depredations that ensue when power is abused, I think she could have achieved a more balanced perspective by pointing out that powerful people often use their power against men, too � not just women. I've seen male docs fight one another with such a vehemence that it made the stories in Dr. Conley's book seem as pleasant as afternoon tea and cookies with a neighbor. Consequently, while I don't intend to trivialize the unfortunate reality of the abuse Dr. Conley documents, it's important to keep in mind that this abuse is but one aspect of a much larger problem. In defense of Dr. Conley, broadening the scope of this book to include other aspects of hospital politics would have diluted the message she wished to inculcate, and it would have made for a very unwieldy book. With that in mind, I suppose I'm on shaky ground by wishing that her book had a wider focus. Her book, her demeanor, her dedication, her resolve, and her competence are commendable. Dr. Conley is a great doctor and I am happy to have met her, however indirectly, by reading this book.

Review by Kevin Pezzi, M.D.

I'm not an MD or a PhD; I don't work in a hospital or academia. Yet I too have experienced sexual harassment, and I too have consulted the EEO department that is supposed to get involved in handling these issues, and I found that they were disinterested, that they gave subtle and obvious messages that the problem was "my" problem and not the corporation's, and that they relied on my being too timid or unmotivated to initiate a lawsuit so the whole thing could be, well, ignored. Sexual harassment exists because the society permits men (even encourages men) to expect that it is their right to harass women. Not all men harass, and not all men admire harassers. In fact, it is quite the opposite, but those who possess the attitude that women who dare to compete must be put down through sexual threat or debasement will harass (they also enjoy and even need it, since these men have very real problems). Through her description of her own experiences, the author illuminates the social mechanism of harassment. She also brings to light the story that all we women know -- what it feels like to be the victim not just of a troubled person but of an organization that insists she accept the role of victim. When we are harassed, we women discover the battle we are in, not against one man but against all those societies which are founded on (this does sound harsh, I know) the hatred of women. This is a marvelous book -- hard to read at times if you've been there -- but it is important that women know what we are facing (especially our daughters, who like us may have been programmed to think that all men will be nice to us, will treat us fairly, and that if someone is abusive, it is our own fault, there is something wrong with me, etc.). Important too is having the author detail the steps she took to handle the harassment. This is a very supportive book for anyone enduring just such a situation (harassment as well as gender discrimination, which is a lot more rife and a lot less obvious). I'd recommend this to any woman who is willing to step outside of the traditional role, because we all need to know what we are up against, how the system is going to fail us, and especially all the steps we are entitled to take to combat this problem so that we change society's viewpoint and not just our own. I'd also recommend this to men, because there are many who are supportive of women in the workplace. Our husbands and boyfriends need to read this book to know how difficult it is for women, because in the end we can only effect a change if we all stand together.

Sadly, any woman who's achieved a doctorate (& not just in medicine) will relate wholeheartedly to this book. I greatly admire Dr. Conley's unbelievable courage in standing up to the Boys' Club & trying to make things better for women in academia. Hopefully this book will encourage ALL women to stand up to the misogyny & be heard.

This book provides an accurate reference for someone interested in this subject. It can be too truthful for someone faced with this awful disease. Therefore beware of giving it to a sufferer or carer whom you wish to shield from the facts.

this book was full of good info and good photos of stages of skin problems. This is a must own book for all Southern Californians.

This book is for anyone who has been diagnosed with Melanoma. It is written in a way that is easy to understand. Knowledge is needed with this disease since it is so different from other cancers. I found answers I haven't been able to find from my husbands oncologists. Excellent book!

I got this book because I have moles and wanted to learn more about them and understand the diagnosis and treatment for melanoma.

The glossary and index were very helpful. The best aspect for me was the photos of moles and the chapter on skin warning signs.

Part I of the book starts with recognizing and preventing melanoma. Part II of the book focuses on Melanoma and the treatment. Part III is the less common types along with research.

I found this book to be a wonderful resource as I hit 45. The diagrams are useful as well.

This book was an encellent source for me and my family regarding my recent diagnosis of Melanoma. I read the entire book in one day and refer back to it very often! Highly recommended reading that is on a level everyone can understand.

I'm recommending this book to all my clients. It provides a 'scientific' confirmation of parents' inner wisdom, and many people need that.
Trusting and knowing how to access our own best instincts (and sometimes that instinct is to seek help from a professional or other outside source) are solid and effecive parenting tools. I'm glad to have more confirmation that learning to express love and affection in all its many forms to our offspring is the essence of good parenting.
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I've found this book a great insight to many areas of human brain development and all its "issues".
This book should be read in conjunction with many other books which also look at psychology. I do not feel this book will answer questions standing on its own as you will get a one sided view - as in the author talks about her situations within her life. But in saying that MANY people will relate to what she is talking about and many people will find her scientific information very interesting.
I enjoyed this book and found that I was able to explain to many others who "poo poo" our parenting methods the reasons why...but you will always need more information so don't stop at just this wonderful book.

Everyone has seen a mother kiss her infant. Who would have thought such a simple gesture would be needed--very much needed.

Gerhardt explores all the recent scientific research on infant brain growth, and has come up with a book that's desperately needed.

Mothers who are angry, depressed, or cold, can alter the actual structure and growth of their child's expanding brain. "Early experience has a great impact on the baby's physiological systems, because they are so unformed and delicate...Even the growth of the brain itself...may not progress adequately if the baby doesn't have the right conditions to develop" (p 19).

There are some scary facts here. Mothers who do not adequately love and interact with their children create babies with a smaller than usual prefrontal cortex, babies likely to grow up to suffer from depression and social problems.

Another consequence of poor mothering can be narcissistic personality disorder (p 157).

One third of our children today are born illegitimate. How many of those poor mothers can cope, work jobs, and provide a truly loving and interactive home for their children?

An excellent source of information for everyone. Would be extremely helpful for mothers-to-be. Helps you understanding your developmental psychology. Gives you more information on you and why you turned out the way you did. Should be required reading for high school students who will be parents of the future. It would give them a better overview on how to interact with their children in a more positive way.

This book really opened my eyes to the fundamentals of brain development in infancy. I had no idea how much the actual physiology of the brain is affected by infant experience, not just the psychological. Sources are well cited, ideas are well backed up in scientific research, and the information is presented in a way which benefits lay readers as well as researchers (with an introduction about brain structure and development).

I suggest every parent-to-be get a hold of this book. One reviewer was dissapointed by the lack of specific exercises to play with. However, I don't think they are necessary because this book gives specifics about why certain strategies affect infants. I think understanding why certain types of parenting work better than others makes parents more likely to come up with the kind of adaptive spontaneous strategies which come out of such a way of thinking. You could also check out Brazelton for more specific info about exercises to do with your baby.

As a side note, once you read this book and make decisions about parenting based on the exhaustive research cited within, you will not only feel more confident about your parenting, but you will be able to defend against attacks from helpful but persistent grandparents, in-laws, and friends - should you want to engage in such discussions.

I purchased 5 of these books as a "Thank you" to 5 excellent physicians who supported me as an oncology nurse practitioner. Since I was retiring, I wanted to say "Thank you" and each physician was thrilled to receive a copy.

This is one of the most absorbing and readable biographies of Sir William Osler. Michael Bliss' book is considerably shorter and easier to read than the monumental Pulitzer Prize winning book by Harvey Cushing, Life of Sir William Osler.
As a retired general practitioner, Sir Willam's life and example is particularly close to what I have been practicing for the past forty years. When one reads this account one can begin to fathom this great man's ability, perception of human suffering, natural curiosity and dedication to the patient's welfare. This book reveals to us some of his other unique abilities and qualities namely his bibliophilia,vast reading, writing close to 170 papers, teaching scores of students, and having the honor of holding responsible and prestigious positions in the fields of medicine and the humanities. In addition to all these were his literally developing Johns Hopkins Hospital and University into the best in the world in his time and marshalled the achievements of hospitals in Philadelphia, Montreal and Toronto. As Regius Professor at Oxford from 1915 to 1919 he was a towering giant . He therefore stands in my eyes as the greatest doctor of the 19th.,20th. and perhaps the 21st. centuries. Not Sydenham, not Hunter, not even Lister could do all that Osler managed to do and do so with so much energy, dedication and humility.
We doctors who were not with him on hospital rounds, clinical demonstrations,lectures, lunches, teas and dinners and amazing conversations with him are very envious of those who were blessed with these opportunities.
He set a living example to his protege the way a doctor should live and work to earn that mark of nobility that the profession has had for centuries. He was the healer of all healers and inspired many to literally follow his foot steps. To mention two such would be too few but the likes of Harvey Cushing and Wilder Penfield come to mind and they both became superb neurosurgeons even though their hero, Osler , was an internist. I was astounded to read the great numbers of international luminaries who were treated by him. He ministered to doctors and their families, medical students and staff and was thus a doctor's doctor both as a teacher and physician.
His love of little children, the youth, the aged and his own extended family was exemplary to say the least.
How sad that such a doctor left the world at a mere 70 years of age. Three great nations, Canada, the U.S. and Britain all claim him as their own son. That honor and adulation no one and no doctor has the distinction of achieving. He served all of them so well.
We all stand in awe of this stalwart of modern medicine and Michael Bliss has opened our eyes to this individual so well.

Despite almost a century since his death, William Osler persists as the `the grand old man of medicine', a life devoted to doctoring and doctors, who has supplied inspiration for many generations of physicians in the United States, Canada, Britain and the Continent.

Osler's life was a remarkable achievement as a medical teacher, (important in America in giving medical students real medical experience, as clinical clerks in hospitals) physician, prolific author, councillor, researcher and mentor to literarily thousands of men and women embarking on the profession in the medicos. It was the philosopher and great teacher, William James, who commented to Osler, marvelling and his energy and interests. Osler replied, that he was terribly conscious of time that it was a commodity he wished he could buy more of, as there was so much he could do with it. (p. 502) Osler's zest for work and unbounding passion for medicine set the standard for medical women and men in the twentieth century.

After reading Michael Bliss's brilliant biography of the pioneering neurosurgeon, Harvey Cushing, another remarkable medical man, and Osler's first biographer, it seemed only natural to read about Cushing's mentor. Both biographies are first rate and it really would be a disservice to compare them, because both works are thorough, educational, inspiring and definitive contributions to the greats of medical history.

Osler is the author of the currently classic text, The Principles and Practice of Medicine, which became the core textbook for students and practicing physicians during his life. It became a yearly task for the doctor to revise later editions, (sixteen in all) and in present time, for modern doctors, according to Bliss, has now become patient-centred and a historical document of the state of 19th century medicine.

Osler is famous for his bedside manner, the notion of empowering patients and autonomy in clinical practice. The man's faith in medicine and the legendary "aura" of healing that surrounded him, causing patients to regain the faith in their own healing ability, has caused a renewed interest in humanities joining forces with science, a proper balance, ensuring an optimal treatment and outcome for the patient.

How did the man accomplish so much in one lifetime? Similar to the 18th century philosopher, Immanuel Kant, people close to him could adjust their clocks to the second by the philosopher's movements. Osler was the same: his day was usually planned down to the minute, rising at seven and retiring by ten-thirty everyday.

He was also a man born with writing disease, never a day would go by without putting pen to paper, as his articles, correspondence, speeches and books certainly reveal. A consummate bibliophile, his collection of medical texts and related subjects, at the end of his life reached eight thousand, taking many years to catalogue, ending up being donated, as was his wish, to McGill University.

An excellent biography of an extraordinary man of medicine.

This is, quite honestly, a hefty tome, but no less may be expected when writing about the greatest American physician who ever lived. Bliss presents us with a detailed, well-paced, and engaging biography of Dr. Osler, from his childhood days in Canada to his final years at Oxford. Being both a student of medicine and a Baltimorean (currently), I took a special interest to the chapters devoted to his post as the first chief of medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Unlike the time-honored work by Cushing, Bliss's book is no hagiography; it makes no false overtures about Dr. Osler's iconic grandeur, instead letting the reader discover for himself (or herself) that Dr. Osler was, in fact, as great a man as people say he was. (All that being said, I still value the two-volume Cushing biography, and there is no way I will rid myself of the precious first-edition set I snatched up last year at the Maryland Historical Society bookshop!)

One need not practice Oslerolatry (that is, the veritable worship of Dr. Osler expressed by many of the older faculty at Hopkins and elsewhere) to appreciate this book, though having an interest in medicine and/or medical history may help. Critics often lament that American doctors no longer have any professional integrity, and that taking the Hippocratic Oath is a sham. Read this book, and discover how great the American physician can be...and THEN lament that they don't make them like they used to.

William Osler remains an iconic figure in American medicine. Osler is taken often to epitomize the physician who brings a crticial and scholarly approach to the bedside in conjunction with compassion and empathy. In this very well written biography, Bliss traces Osler's life, his achievements, and examines how he assumed iconic status and whether or not this status is deserved. Bliss is particularly well equipped to undertake this task. A well known specialist on Canadian history, he has written other fine books on medical history in a Canadian context.
Bliss presents Osler as a product of the rising British Victorian middle classes. The remarkable son of impressive parents, Osler was the son of an English naval officer turned Anglican minister and his equally intelligent wife. Raised in rural Ontario when this part of Canada was still a frontier, Osler's parents inculcated respect for learning, dedication to hard work, and clearly taught the value of community service. William Osler was not an outlier in this family. One of his brothers became a prominent businessman and two other brothers became important figures in Canadian law and politics. An early interest in natural history (biology) lead Osler to medicine. Trained in then provinicial Toronto and Montreal, he finished his education in some of the great teaching hospitals of Europe. Spotted by his mentors in Montreal as a future star, he was brought back to McGill to teach at the modest medical school. At McGill, Osler launched the career of careful clinical observation, pathologic correlation, and teaching that would propel him to the apex of his profession. His growing reputation led to appointments at the University of Pennsylvania and then to the nascent Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. At Hopkins, he became the first Professor of Clinical Medicine and introduced the teaching methods that revolutionized medical education in the USA. Relatively little of what Osler did was truly novel. Clinico-pathologic correlation has been standard method for expanding medical knowledge for decades and the clerkship method of teaching had been used in Britain and continental Europe for some time. Osler carried these methods to new heights. In his clinical practice, in his teaching, and in his great textbooks, Osler summarized and codified almost all of 19th century medicine. He was not a notable scientist, though his description and characterization of several important clinical conditions was very valuable, but he brought the best science of his time to the bedside and set clinical medicine on the course of drawing from systematic scientific work. In terms of his personal accomplishments and the example he set for his numerous trainees, his impact on 20th century medicine was immense.
Osler's reputation as a fine physician was deserved. Bliss shows him to be an warm and compassionate individual who was regarded often with great affection by his patients. Blessed with a generous and kindly personality, he enjoyed a wide circle of friends and a happy family life. In important respects, Osler exemplifies some of the most important and most admirable features of the Victorian period. His sense of virtue and service was very strong but he was not a prig and had relatively liberal values. Traveling in Germany towards the end of the 19th century, he noted and deplored rising anti-Semitism. He appears to have been devoid of overt anti-Semitic feelings and had a number of Jewish trainess, all of whom he appears to have treated with his usual combination of high expectations and civil behavior. Alone among the faculty at Hopkins, he supported the admission of women, though he did not really believe in female equality. Bliss spent years immersed in Osler's extensive writings and tremendously extensive correspondence, clearly likes and admires Osler, and his regard for Osler is reflected in the tone of this biography.

Osler was also that quintessential Canadian, the provincial boy who achieves fame on the wider stage of the USA or Britain. At the peak of his fame, he was the best known physician in the English speaking world and something of a minor celebrity.
Like all fine biographies, this book is about more than its central subject. It is valuable on the development of Canadian society, the growth of universities in the USA and Canada, the history of medicine, and the devastating impact of WWI.
This will be the standard biography of Osler and it is worthy of its subject.

This book is great! I love it already and I have only had it a week. I injured my knee skiing over a year ago and am still having knee pain, stiffness and instability. Physio was costing lots and achieving less. I highly recommend it. Be prepared for long descriptions! I have only done the excercises three times and my knee already feels substantially better! Thanks Sandy!

Excellent Book. Well illustrated and easy to follow. Well designed for people with joint problems, who want to strenghthen their bodies through yoga.

I had knee pain due to runners knee (patella tracking) and started physical therapy. I did PT twice a week for 4-5 months and the pain worsened and became chronic. I could not exercise and even sitting at work was painful. I went to an orthopedist and had x-rays and a MRI to rule out other issues and he found nothing other than the patella tracking issue and suggested me to continue on with more PT. At this point I decided to try yoga, even though the PT felt it would be a waste of my time. I got this book since it was specifically for knees and went through the full routine for a week and felt much better and went cold turkey on PT as it was doing nothing other than thinning my wallet. Within a month I could exercise again (not run though, too much pressure under the kneecap still). After 3-4 months I can run again with no discomfort. For maximum sustained benefit Yoga needs to be practiced consistently and I do find if I go too long my knees will both me slightly, much like the author warns of. The poses in this book are basic and were not intimidating to me with the exception of Hero Pose which I did not attempt for a few months, but now I can comfortably hold the pose for a few minutes with no support. Explanations are excellent and pictures are sufficient. Overall a must buy for those with knee pain.

Written by a yoga teacher who fixed her own knee pain with the help of yoga, I found this book very easy to use. Here's a few reasons why I liked it:

-it's not too long (its smaller than I pictured, 95 pages, but that was fine with me
-the idea here is to help your knees out by strengthening what's weak and loosening what's tight
-this is accomplished through yoga poses which you hold for a minute or so
-there are 3 different sequences of poses depending on your needs (nice)
-there's even a short routine for those busy days we all have

Finding a yoga teacher is suggested, but with all the pictures, descriptions, and sheer straightforwardness of the poses, I don't feel like it's a must. In short, this is a good, safe place to start if you have a general knee problem. Also recommend The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution for those who suffer from plantar fasciitis.

After doing a lot of PT for my knee and going nowhere, I decided to buy 3 books about knees. I liked this one very much and also "The knee crisis handbook", which has explanations about several types of knee injury. My only complain is that some asana explanations (Warrior, Triangle) talk about the front knee, and says nothing about the rear knee, which can be misaligned as well if you let your knee drop (which normally happened to me).

Great illustrations and very straight forward approach to viewing and handling many orthopedic xray images. For the price, it is indeed one book that all medical students should have. In 10 years of my practice, it is the one radiology book that I turn to the most.

I am an urgent care physician and have found this book incredibly useful in my day to day practice...great "watch out to not miss this" notations! Highly recommend!

this book is very smart up to the point updated easy to recall and to study i do believe that is essential to all A,E team.

The best basic radiology reference I've encountered for those of us who aren't regularly interpreting Xrays but need to have a systematic approach that will work for us when we need it. It provides a guide for analyzing an X-ray in a step-by-step fashion and gives relevant pointers regarding subtle findings that you don't want to miss and common pitfalls. Contains lots of useful (and clearly reproduced) sample Xrays.

Excellent content and organisation with high quality pictures. Useful size to carry to work and will no doubt make an A&E term or beginning of radiology training much easier. I particularly liked the summary at the end of each chapter for take-home points.
Obviously not the most in-depth reference but at this size and price it is an excellent supplement to a larger text. Not too sure how I survived a year of A&E without it...!