Medicine and Health Books

One of Boston's leading cardiologists shares the gut-wrenching experiences of his life as a relatively young patient with the devastating, ravaging losses of severe Parkinson's Disease and dementia. His description of his struggle in the face of ongoing adversity is a remarkable handbook for all of us who may one day be patients ourselves. He writes with openness and insight of how he copes with his degenerative illness and also family relations. Dr. Graboys' grace and courage call to mind John Gunther's book about his son, Death Be Not Proud.

Being a Parkinsonian myself, but without the added Lewy body dementia, I can appreciate Dr. Graboy's attempt to find a graceful way to live with his wife and children, without being too dependent on them except as his disease forces him to be. I admire his courage at telling the story, and doing it before his disease takes away that ability from him too. The book is very well written and with great honesty. I hope I can be like him when I become dependent on my wife and children in a way that really begins to affect their lives. Already, I've been the beneficiary of caring attention from both them and my friends. For my part, I am trying to remain in control as long as possible - I jog 5K every fourth day, weather permitting, and dance at all the parties where there is dancing and music (doing it well enough for people to comment). My greatest handicap is my deteriorating voice, the one thing that led me to retire from my job at the New York VA and my job as a teacher of cardiovascular pathology at NYU School of Medicine. I am just going to start voice therapy lessons. Let's hope they help me regain my voice quality, the one thing that bothers me the most. I have tried to maintain my voice so far by singing at parties - Indians do a lot of this. To my surprise, I have discovered that singing is easier to do than ordinary voice conversation. As for Dr. Graboy's book, I have only praise for it, and I wish him the best in the difficult days ahead. My advice to him: continue to be as brave and as caring as you have been so far. Your loved ones will take care of the rest.

For a person to clearly articulate what is going through their mind as they grapple with a debilitating mental dementia (and physical) condition is remarakable. This is what Dr. Tom Graboys does in this book with great clarity. I know that my family who is grappling with a very similar issue with one our parents found the book extremely helpful- and for that Dr. Graboys deserves our real gratitude. He is continuing to provide valuable medical help to patients and their families in a new way- through this book rather than the exam room.

This book is so well written that I think people who don't have dementia related illness among their family or friends would still find the book compelling reading. Dr Graboys chance encounter with the Chief of Neurology in the parking lot is stunning.

Dr. Graboys pulls no punches in being real about what his life has become living with a debilitating disease. He writes not only about how this has affected him, but also the effect on his family, friends and the people that are part of his daily life. Anyone who has a loved one, be it family or friend, with a chronic disease should own and read a copy of this book - you will want to read it again. It will give you insight into the emotions and frustrations of living with a disease that currently has no cure. If this book does not touch your soul in some way, you might want to make sure you have a pulse. There is no "happy ending", but there is hope and love.

Only fifteen years ago, in 1993, Dr. Tom Graboys was on top of the world. He was one of the most respected physicians in the rarified atmosphere of Boston cardiology and a member of the "dream team", convened to look into the controversial case of Reggie Lewis, the Boston Celtics star. Tom was a stalwart leader in the Lown Cardiovascular Group, named for Bernard Lown, a co-founder of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which was the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1985. Especially in the years leading up to the Nobel, Tom was active in IPPNW and in its US affiliate, Physicians for Social Responsibility.

But Tom was more and had much more than that.

He had a wonderful, accomplished and universally admired wife, Caroline. He had a brilliant mind and an athletic body. And he had a legion of patients who virtually worshiped him, as much for his humanity as for his skills as a Harvard cardiologist.

Tom was known to the rest of us in Boston cardiology as a premier practitioner of non-invasive cardiology in its truest sense. He spoke and published widely on the over-use of expensive and often unnecessary invasive technologies. Even more importantly, he argued tirelessly in favor of seeing, listening to, and treating as a fellow human being the whole patient. Countless times on ward rounds, I have told residents and fellows that my friend Tom Graboys across town would have encouraged us, with evidence to support his view, "not to rush to angioplasty or coronary bypass surgery on this patient".

But even I did not know everything that Peter Zheutlin and Tom himself have disclosed in this magnificent and beautifully written book. I did not know that Tom, after examining his patients, would sit with them on a couch, almost knee to knee, never with a desk interposed. I did not know that he gave each patient his home phone number. And I did not know that he always wrote out longhand some encouraging suggestions after his patient visits, never giving the patient a pre-printed sheet of instructions.

In essence, Tom was in many ways the best of us at holistic cardiology care.

Aided selflessly by the considerable writing skills of Peter Zheutlin, Tom recounts in this deeply personal book what he has lost in the last ten years: his cherished wife Caroline to colon cancer in 1998; his career to severe Parkinson's with Lewy body dementia in 2005; and perhaps forever, his graceful athleticism and the confidence it conveyed. Tom does not pull any punches. The Parkinson's and Lewy body dementia have ravaged his body, his mind, and sometimes his spirit.

What he has retained and gained is equally important, though. While he clearly still grieves over the loss of Caroline, he is re-married to an extraordinary woman, Vicki. One surmises from this book that Vicki is essential to his physical and psychological stability, and a woman who loves and supports him despite now being married to a very different Tom than she had expected. He also has the love and strength of his adult daughters, Penelope and Sarah, their spouses, Vicki's children, and his grandchildren. And he has great friends and former patients from of old.

In the last several pages of this book, Peter Zheutlin has Tom reflect on what advice Tom the skilled and compassionate physician would give to Tom the patient with a devastating illness, or to any patient facing what he has faced. The wisdom and poignancy of those pages, but also the entire book, convinced me to put this unique and unflinching story into the hands of every cardiology fellow at my own medical center. Despite having been a cardiologist for more than 35 years, I have learned from Tom's unforgettably honest story how to live and practice better.

Tom freely admits throughout the book that in retrospect he has not handled every aspect of his devastating illness as well as he might have wished. But in my view, he has been as graceful a patient as he ever was a physician. Both as patient and as physician, he has also not lost his capacity to heal.

Purchase this book from Amazon.com

This book; consisting of 150 pages, carefully describes the basic concepts and principles in our understanding of the limbic brain anatomy dating to Broca's proposal in 1878. Also the Papez cicuit, MacLean's limbic system and Nauta's limbic midbrain are extensively described.

The text is written in a remarkably clear fashion. There are many figures which illustrate the text. There are also many citations that make clear that the limbic system itself is a system under construction. All quotations are referenced.

In brief, this book is a must for people working in psychiatry, psychology and neurology.

L. Brongers medical student LUMC, Leiden

Thinking. Reasoning. The unique qualities that makes us human. This book provides a unique and concise insight into that most complex of all machines, the human brain. Although not everyone will be up to the challenge, for those who do, that is read this book, it will be a mind opening experience. In "The Limbic Brain" Dr. Lautin offers lucid explanations that make this part of our minds, which we all share, a truly emotional experience. In this book, Dr. Lautin has achieved the sweet smell of success in making the arcane clear. This is a must read, not for the summer beach, but for a comfortable chair in front of a window to your mind.

Finally, a clinical text written for the average reader. The inner workings of the brain in an easy to understand form. Excellent.

The subject of this book is not only one of the most fascinating in neuroscience, but the author treats it in such a way to make it even more intriguing. More general texts about the limbic system are competent in conveying the facts, but Dr. Lautin adds another dimension by placing these facts in historic (and scientific) context, through copious footnoting and elucidating sidebars. Nothing could be better, in my view, than giving the reader the facts, a good narrative and a roadmap to learn more about the subject. This is what Dr. Lautin has accomplished. Bravo!

This book is a must for anyone interested in learning about the brain. It is packed with references to the literature of original investigators and not only explains the function of the limbic brain, but, in essence, details the history of ideas about the limbic brain, from Broca's anatomic description to Papez's Circuit. Although somewhat idiosyncratic, with some pages containing more footnote than text, this book is a terrific treatment of the subject. I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes a classic in the literature. Thank you Dr. Lautin!

As a non-professional bodyworker, I found this book very useful for understanding healing touch. The real experience, however, was to actually have a professional Rubenfeld Synergist work on me. It is amazing energy work: so subtle and so effective! Words do not really describe this work, but I think Ilana wrote this book very well.

This pioneer method is a gentle and easy technique that incorporates well in a wellness lifestyle. Photographs and case examples allow the reader to be their own healer. Since the 1960's, Ilana Rubenfeld has been refining and polishing her techniques that allows people to heal their emotional bodies as well as their souls. Very innovative and forward thinking from the onset. Rubenfeld is also a psychologist whose been one of the leaders in the mind-body movement.

Other books in this light are from Dr. Joan Boryshenko and Tim Laurence of The Hoffman Process.

Ilana Rubenfeld combines Gestalt Therapy and bodywork in this excellent book. For anyone who has read Perls, Hefferline and Goodman's "Gestalt Therapy", Ilana's book provides real life practical applications of the theory.

Most psychotherapy techniques overlook the importance of touch in human interaction and health. Ilana recognises that touch can be a fundamental part of the healing process and her methods will appeal to anyone who has found traditional psychotherapy lacking in this respect.



The Listening Hand touched me in more ways then one. Ilana Rubenfeld, the creator and "mother-master" of the Rubenfeld Synergy Method, is a clear stand that traditional talk therapies, while effective, are incomplete without the power of touch. Not just any touch, but the Rubenfeld Synergy Method, which she developed over many years, working with an impressive list of mainstream therapists. The book uses many illustrations from her professional practice, but is not so filled with second hand accounts that they become tedious. It is written in such a manner that it is easily understood by lay persons and those not in the field, yet in no way does it feel condescending in tone nor over simplified in its explanation of the nature of the method nor its efficacy. Rubenfeld's writing tone, her clearly constructed sentences, even her picture on the jacket cover, all led me to a space where I could identify with her unique combination of touch and talk. I could imagine her touch, and realize her personal warmth in this book. This was particularly helpful, as you are transported to a safe space while you are reading. Many of the examples from her patients are followed by exercises which can be done either solo or with a partner. Not normally an interactive reader, I found that I was "feeling" through the exercises as I read them.. Even if you are not plagued by physical ailments, nor emotional upsets, there appears to be extreme value in reading The Listening Hand, solo or with a partner with whom you would like to reach a new and highly sensitized level of communication.



The Listening Hand touched me in more ways then one. Ilana Rubenfeld, the creator and "mother-master" of the Rubenfeld Synergy Method, is a clear stand that traditional talk therapies, while effective, are incomplete without the power of touch. Not just any touch, but the Rubenfeld Synergy Method, which she developed over many years, working with an impressive list of mainstream therapists. The book uses many illustrations from her professional practice, but is not so filled with second hand accounts that they become tedious. It is written in such a manner that it is easily understood by lay persons and those not in the field, yet in no way does it feel condescending in tone nor over simplified in its explanation of the nature of the method nor its efficacy. Rubenfeld's writing tone, her clearly constructed sentences, even her picture on the jacket cover, all led me to a space where I could identify with her unique combination of touch and talk. I could imagine her touch, and realize her personal warmth in this book. This was particularly helpful, as you are transported to a safe space while you are reading. Many of the examples from her patients are followed by exercises which can be done either solo or with a partner. Not normally an interactive reader, I found that I was "feeling" through the exercises as I read them.. Even if you are not plagued by physical ailments, nor emotional upsets, there appears to be extreme value in reading The Listening Hand, solo or with a partner with whom you would like to reach a new and highly sensitized level of communication.

I've been in the practice of medicine for nearly 30 years, and, over those years, have continued to love caring for, and about, patients. I don't know if my medical school was especially prescient, but many of the rules in the book were passed on to me as part of good medical practice, and I continue to hold to them as a practical ideal. In fact, I now give copies of the book to graduating medical students, nurse practitioners, and physician's assistants who train under me. They know that these "rules" govern my practice, and I emphasize to them the need to practice similarly as their careers proceed.
Unfortunately, I know all too many colleagues who scoff at any suggestion that their practices might be improved by assimilating many of these ideals, not to mention improving the satisfaction level in their practice of medicine. These days, it all too often seems that people who go into medicine do so for all of the wrong reasons, predominantly surrounding greed and the pursuit of the almighty buck, and their satisfaction levels plummet. I wish I could get through to these people, to tell them that there is a better way, but, by that point, they won't hear of it. They're too busy making all the money they can, and don't realize that gold doesn't buy happiness.
My advice: to doctors, buy it now, and read it before you become disillusioned and jaded; for those who have friends or loved ones entering the medical field, buy the book and give it to them. It just might make them better doctors, and better people.

I received this book when I was in medical school, but didn't really appreciate the collective wisdom in it's pages until I became an attending physician. Although some of the sayings seem obvious at first, sometimes the obvious escapes us. This is a book you'll continue to refer to year after year.

This is an invaluable little book , writen by someone with a great knowledge of medicine and of human nature. Warm, witty, pointing the way to attitudes in medical practice that bring back the best in doctor-patient relationships. A must for all medical students !

This is an excellent little book with a lot of wisdom. This would make a great gift for anyone in the medical field, especially students. Many years of experience are distilled into these 425 rules, and there is a lot of humor as well. Not particularly clinically oriented, the book stresses human behavior and patient assessment.

This collection of aphorisms and thought provoking truths is relevant for anyone who cares for patients. I am on the Clinical Faculty at UC Davis Medical School and I make a point of giving a copy of this wonderful volume to those who study with me.

If you are interested in a healthy life you must have this book. There is so much valuable information in it. I have tried many of the recommendations and they have all been helpful. My husband always asks, do we have plenty of clay on hand? He knows when some health issues arise we can go to this book for help. When people come to our home and see the clay jar on the counter they ask, what's that for and I tell them all the things you can do with it they look at me like I'm crazy. I just smile and show them the book, they are amazed. Hope this helps.

After having major surgery (colorectal), I had 20 bowel movements a day - it was horrible. I have a tendency toward colitis anyway. Well, I read about the clay and thought why not give it a try. My stools bulked up and I now only have from 3-5 bowel movements which are so much bigger, better, and less painful - in fact they are not painful at all. The clay and the directions that Perry A gave in her book has been a God send to me.

This book is full of information for those seeking alternative treatments. The mud packs are wonderful for detox. Your skin is so smooth and beautiful after treatments. The information could be life changing.

After reading this book, I applied Perry's directions to get rid of eczema that I've had for a year. The eczema was all over my hands, my arms, my upper chest and neck. I have been taking clay baths twice a week, I have been drinking one tablespoon of the dry clay mixed in a glass of water 3 times a day, and I also hydrated the clay to put on my eczema areas to draw out the impurities. 3 weeks later, it's almost completely gone!! This is the only thing that has really worked for me. I've tried all kinds of things, body cleanses, supplements, diet. I truly believe in it.

That statement may have you thinking it's an overstatement. NOT AT ALL!
I'm completely serious when I tell you that I was simply stunned reading
this book. Therapeutic, high grade Calcium Bentonite Clay is an incredible substance. One I have taken since November of 2006 and it has had a powerful and positive effect on my health. I originally started using it for external stuff, a facial mask, a bug bite and minor stuff like that. I kept hearing so much about this clay (and by the way if you have acid reflux issues--nothing and I mean NOTHING takes care of heartburn faster than clay and no toxic side effects!! In fact it's only going to do you tremendous good) so I got the book to learn more about it. I read this book cover to cover in a couple of hours and was so excited about the possibilities of this substance. I started taking it immediately and drink about 6 to 8 oz. a day now. I will never be without it. Even if you don't want to take it internally, but you'd be crazy not to after reading this book (that is also a reference book as well) you will want to have this clay in your medicine cabinet and first aide kits. One of the most truly stunning things I read in the book was that clay can help you survive poisoning of many types. After Chernobyl happened in Russia and so many were exposed to radiation poisoning they gave the children candy bars with Calcium Bentonite Clay to help them eliminate the radiation from their bodies. I just know that since I've been taking I have had no heart burn, no respiratory issues, my body chemistry has changed so much that I no longer need to wear deodorant...the list goes on but it's too long and personal. Get this book, then get the clay and start taking it and watch and love the effects of gently and continuously detoxing your body. You sometimes wonder if you can believe all that is claimed about the book, well I've been taking it for 8 months and continue to realize the benefits of detoxing a layer at a time, and I noticed results within taking it within the first 2 weeks. I would never consider being without it. I travel with it, I keep some at my office and at home and some in my purse. I would be willing to bet in an ever increasingly toxic world, you will too. This is a natural, non-toxic and
beneficial way to defend your health!!!
I have purchased many copies of the book so I could give it to friends and family. I've given it to my dog that has digestive issues and it's safe and beneficial for children too. I strongly suggest you get this book. Everyone should have this information.

This is an excellent book, written in laymen's terms, for understanding the complexities of living with and/or treating a brain tumor.... a very good read for anyone who has a tumor or for anyone who has someone they love with a brain tumor. This is a basic primer.

I may be biased, as Dr. Black performed a surgery on me 7 years ago, but I think he has done a very good job in relaying the ins and outs of tumors in an easy to understand book for the average person. It is organized in a way that you are able to look back to certain sections for guidance at your stage in treatment.

This informative guide, written by Peter Black, M.D., Ph.D. (along with medical writer Sharon Cloud Hogan) is a welcome addition to the resources that are available for the brain tumor community. Dr. Black, an eminent neurosurgeon, brain tumor researcher, and professor at Harvard Medical School, offers his expertise about a variety of topics that affect brain tumor patients and their loved ones in an easy to understand format. The book is divided into five parts: An Introduction to Brain Tumors, Types of Brain Tumors, Living with a Brain Tumor, Treatment Options, and Recovery. Chapter titles include "What a Brain Tumor Means for Me and My Family," "Choosing Supportive Care," "Working Toward Wellness," and "Reasons for Hope," in addition to the expected sections about specific tumor types, chemotherapy, surgery and radiation treatment. Issues that affect adults with brain tumors, as well as specific pediatric concerns, are clearly explained. In addition to his technical expertise, Dr. Black's warmth, concern and compassionate approach to his patients is evident throughout this book. His tone is optimistic and reassuring, including helpful suggestions for patients at every stage of their brain tumor journey. At the end of the book, more than 40 pages list practical resources, including contact information for adult and pediatric brain tumor treatment centers throughout the United States and Canada. This wonderful book should be required reading for anyone affected by brain tumor issues - current patients, long term survivors, family members, and medical professionals. As a health educator and a brain tumor support group facilitator (as well as a long term brain tumor survivor myself), I have already purchased several copies of this book to add to the lending library of my local brain tumor support group. I am grateful to Dr. Black for writing this excellent brain tumor guide, which will benefit so many people who are affected by all types of brain tumors. Nancy Conn-Levin, M.A. (Oakhurst, New Jersey)

My father was diagnosed 4 months ago with an anaplastic astrocytoma grade III. The neurospecilist told us right away: "your father won't last more than a month". Here we are, my father has passed through radiotherapy for a whole month and chemotherapy (temodal) will last for 5 more. Every day he is getting better in all aspects (his movements, vision etc...). This book has something really great, you learn what you need about the process since the diagnosed, information about the different kinds of brain tumors and the doctor who wrote it has something very important for the familiy and friends... HUMANESS. You will learn that there's no final diagnosed. EVERY ONE AND EVERY BRAIN TUMOR is different and has different behavior and not because the CT or the MRI tell us a devastating news, it means the panorama will be so dark. Go on; buy this book because it is a relief for all whom are passing this complicated period.

I wish I'd had this book when I first learned about my brain tumor. It's full of important information from the beginning of the diagnosis to after treatment and how to cope with it all.

This book is a decent intro to the topic if you don't know much about it, and definitely gets points for being a quick, easy read. I would recommend it to someone that knows very little (or nothing) about lupus, but not for anyone that has a good knowledge base already. It does contain a lot of good information, but a lot of it is obvious common sense you don't need to pay for (like.. are you tired? rest! or a great way to exercise is to walk!)...

This book provides up to date coverage of a complex and commonly misunderstood disease. It is easy to read and well organized, yet provides a great deal of detail. Suggestions for action as well as for further inquiry are provided.

WOW! This is was a well written book and has answered many of my questions. I was pleased to see there was a whole chapter dedicated to Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. This book will stay in my personal library.

Easy to read, with current information. Definitely a book to buy. Very helpful and answered a lot of questions. It was nice to see a whole chapter dedicated to APS & Pregnancy. Will be recommending this book to others.

This book covers all the ins and outs of a disease that is just as much a mystery now as it was years ago. This gives detailed information about what to expect in testing, physician's appointments, symptoms, different treatment options and how to cope with the fact that you have a chronic disease.

Allen Schoen and Pam Proctor bring us a rich, detailed spectrum of ways in which love, intuition and complementary/ alternative therapies can help animals small and large. This book is rich in anecdotes and reports of healings on physical, psychological and spiritual levels for animals with these approaches after conventional veterinary care had exhausted its potentials to help. Schoen integrates acupuncture, homeopathy and herbal remedies in his practice.

This is a truly wholistic book, addressing body, emotions, mind, relationships and spirit - both of the animals who were helped and of their owners.

Schoen illustrates his work with many heartwarming stories of his challenges and adventures with animals and their owners.

A typical example is Schoen's description of how he nursed a wild hawk who was paralyzed from the neck down following injuries from a power line. Schoen found ways to tame and heal this wary creature so that it could recover, eventually returning to his wilderness home. As with many of his animal patients, Schoen found himself learning and growing in the process of his ministrations.

" ...no creature can remain forever closed to the healing power of love. I knew that if I could establish an intimate relationship with a bird of prey, I could communicate with any animal, no matter how distant or fearsome it might appear to be. All I would need was a sensitivity of spirit, a willingness to open myself nonjudgmentally to a dimension of reality where feathers, fur, skin, scales, or hair are stripped away - and where the only language is love.

"Hawkeye had his freedom, and now I had mine. He had given me my wings, and I was ready to soar." (p. 71)

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in learning about ways of healing that extend beyond conventional veterinary care.

I am twelve years old, and have great dreams of being a vet some day. I always like to read vet books, and when I found this one at the library I was amazed, it look awsome. I read it, and thought it was even better. I am now looking to purchase a copy, one for me, and one for Nina,(a friend of mine) and one for Kendra(another friend). I think that this is an awsome book, and if you haven't read it you should.
Allan tells wonderful tales of his life as a vet, and the absured treatments that he used. Nothing was too absured, he even untwisted the cow when he couldn't untwist the uterous! He also uses acupuncture and Chinese medicine.
I don't have a pet:(, but if I did I would want a vet like Allan to take care of it for me.

Dr. Schoen has once again succesfully captured the attention of his readers with a warm yet informative account on the veterinary experience. His years of medical expertise and devotion to his field add to the composition of his book. Flavored with plenty of heart-felt emotions, his tales of his animal companions really remind Us, as humans, what it is to care for another living creature. Dr. Schoen effectively conveys his numerous veterinary experiences, and even manages to shed some Western thought on the ancient, Eastern art of acupuncture.

DR. SCHOEN IS AN INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUAL. IT WAS AMAZING TO READ MY OWN BELIEFS IN PRINT. THE FEELINGS I HAVE ABOUT ANIMALS AND THEIR ABILITIES ARE THE EXACT PRINCIPLES BY WHICH DR. SCHOEN PRACTICES. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANY ANIMAL LOVER. I RECEIVED IT FOR CHRISTMAS AND FINISHED IT CHRISTMAS NIGHT. IT IS TRULY A TREASURE

A mixture of tender stories and practical advice. I've read the book many times and with each reading, I'm always moved to try a little harder to communicate with my pets. Great book. Wish I had a vet like this.

I have been to lots of back doctors and have gathered different opinions and beliefs and I must say that this book is the missing link to what the back really needs. In my view most back sufferers(including myself)have pain due to the lower back being compressed over time without ever having a way to decompress. No wonder I have had back pain since I was 16 due to lifting to much weight(military press). I am 48 at the time of this writing. But pain no more! Yahhhoooo!!! Now I can play endurance golf :)

For most back pain suffering which you feel is the result of 'pulling' a muscle, this book can offer a wealth of rewarding advice. The same applies if you feel your discomfort has been brought about by either stress or muscle spasm. Your back pain may be nerve related or the result of, for example, a car accident in which case professional advice is called for. For the rest of us...usually those like me who are carrying more weight than recommended...this book will do you much good to help you over those times when doing anything with your back brings tears to your eyes. For example, when my back is killing me, the thought of leaning over to brush my teeth is gruesome. You think if you lean over you will just keep falling forward. Maggie's Back book offers priceless advice about a wide variety of issues. I have used it since its original publication (1976) and have just ordered three more replacements to use as loaners to friends in need. They are rarely returned but that's okay since I know they have been put to good use. Definitely five stars. John H.

In 1970 (yes, I'm somewhat of an old fart) I suffered from an acute case of lower back pain. Luckily, Maggie's Back Book was then widely available. It didn't hurt that at that time Maggie also had her PBS show "Maggie and the Beautiful Machine", and thus was well known (certainly, here in Cambridge). I read it while in bed, on my back, and in pain. I decided to resist the doctor's recommendation for a spinal fusion operation. The injury healed over time, with the help of Maggie's good advice.

Nowadays, I have learned to feel and control my lower back's posture (as well as the rest of my spine). I've added basic Pilates to Maggie's recommended exercises. I'm extremely healthy, with strong and supple posture. I count my blessings when I shudderingly consider where I'd be today had I given in the the orthopedic surgeon's recommendation.

This is an amazingly comprehensive series of vignettes on living with and overcoming the spoiler that a bad back becomes.
Some of its beauty is in its simplicity which the drawings make very clear.
Every move one makes that causes back pain can be altered to reduce or remove the pain.It covers standing, walking, sitting, sleeping, sex and even constipation.

Now how thorough is that!

If you are having back problems, read this book. I read an earlier edition a long time ago and have followed the recommended exercises ever since. The result: very few episodes of serious back pain in 16 years. Maggie was one of the first people to publicize the importance of exercise for dealing with and preventing back pain.

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans", John Lennon. Or, if you prefer, "Since the house is on fire, let us warm ourselves", Italian proverb.

This is an excellent book that uses the "parabolic" method of crisis experiences as comparitive guideposts to deal with life's contingencies. As it has been said the first casualty of war is the plan. Paul provides some rather calm and sage advises on how to handle the inevitable often shocking circumstances that present opportunities in life and business. You can't change what happens to complicate one's life, but with the proper actions taken, one can correct the course with an eye to the future.

Drawing from extensive experience in the emergency room and in the boardroom, the author identifies lessons he learned while practicing good medicine that can be applied in corporate management. At a time when corporate America is faced with a crisis of consciousness concerning effective and perhaps even ethical management practices (Enron, Imclone, Supreme Specialties, Steve Madden) it's helpful to be reminded how simple lessons can lead to successful management.

Thankfully, the author doesn't provide a checklist or formula but identifiable lessons by way of entertaining examples. The book is written in a casual narrative form, which makes it a quick (I finished it in 3 hours) and entertaining read. After putting the book down, I was left with a handful of insightful lessons, which I am confident I can apply to my work.

As an Executive Coach who works often with emergency room physicians, I approached this new management advice book with great enthusiasm. Organized as a series of management prescriptions drawing from the field of emergency medicine, Management Lessons From the E.R., is a quick and enjoyable read chock full of healthy vitamins that can help revitalize the managerial heart and mind. I will highlight just a few of the many metaphorical tonics served up in the book.

The author, Paul Auerbach, a practicing physician and successful businessman, draws upon real-life experiences in the E.R. to instruct the reader as to how he or she might approach various management issues. In the introduction, Auerbach states that nothing is more revealing than letting your customers and employees tell you what they think and that if you set up a way to periodically endure unfiltered comments it can become the best stethoscope into the heart of your business. This insightful statement hit home for me, as it is the foundation of my coaching philosophy. I suspect it will ring true for you too.

The author shows us how the field of applied medicine can inform management. For example, just as most physicians possess a knowledge base that can be difficult to translate effectively into lay language for patients, so too do business leaders need to cut through their technical jargon in order to communicate effectively with their employees and customers. Whether in clinical medicine or a consumer electronics company, the leader must make information accessible to his or her followers.

I recommend this book to all organizational leaders - not only to those in the medical profession - without hesitation. For much less than the cost of a visit to your local hospital emergency room, Management Lessons From the E.R. is a valuable addition to your management toolbox.

Betty Till
Executive Coach...

Inciteful and amusing. Not just a mindless list of rules and formulas for addressing business issues. Dr. Auerbach's analogy of the descision process for diagnosing and curing critically ill patients and that of fixing critically ill businesses is right on.

From my 10 plus years senior management experience in building high performance product development organizations and helping business fix their product development problems, "Management Lessons from the E.R. : Prescriptions for Success in your Business" is just what the doctor ordered.

This is a very good book. Paul is the only person in the world that I would entrust my company and life to.

Guy Kawasaki
CEO
Garage Technology Ventures