1 comments about Terry: Terry Fox and His Marathon of Hope.

1. I was initially given this book as a gift, knew nothing about it, but loved it. It's a great, well put together coffee table book, about an inspiring Canadian role model. As a Canadian export living in the States, it made me nostalgic for Terry Fox Runs from the past :). Highly recommended.

3 comments about Working on a Miracle.

1. I read the book and i think is a extraordinary human review of a patient with aids, he showed to us how difficult is live with this desease and the important role of hope in the course of the desease. Creo que es una obra recomendada para todo paciente con VIH/SIDA.



2. This book is great. It is a must read for anyone who has tested positive for HIV,has aids,or knows anyone who are in either of these situations. All others not in any of these categories, will be touch by the way that Dr. Mahlon Johnson's opens up his heart and shares even the most intimate thoughts and details of his life as he goes about "working on a miracle". He explains in a very understandable way exactly how he waged war on the virus that had invaded his body. He shares how the courage of one person who touch his life renewed his strength and inspired him to continue his battle with the enemy. So much to learn from this book.



3. This is my second attempt at writing a review for this book. I'm wondering why my first review was never posted. I detailed my reason for giving this book a 3 star rating. I won't elaborate again... just will say that several things mentioned in the book rubbed me the wrong way - and I thought it could have been better written.

1 comments about Hippocrates, Volume III: On Wounds in the Head (Loeb Classical Library, No. 149).

1. Since I owe this title, I checked the detail of this entry for customers' convenience:
   
   Hippocrates Volume III: On Wounds in the Head, In the Surgery, Fractures, Joints, Mochlicon
   translated by E. T. Withington
   
   Hardcover: 455 pages + 8 pages of advertizement
   Publisher: Harvard University Press (June 1, 1928)
   ISBN: 0674991656
   British ISBN 043499149 X

2 comments about Amazing Grace: Autobiography of a Survivor.

1. In September 1995, I was diagnosed with cone-rod dystrophy, a degenerative condition of the retina. Two independent retinal specialists diagnosed me with this condition. Both specialists told me that the disease typically leads to legal blindness over time and that there was no treatment for the disease.

   Fortunately, on the day the doctor called me with the diagnosis, I found the book, Amazing Grace - Autobiography of a Survivor, at the Chicago Public Library. I was immediately intrigued by the idea that something could be done, and that people had gotten results. After contacting Grace, I attended a one-week therapy session, and experienced improvement in my eyesight in only one week of therapy.

   I am haunted by the thought of how many people walk out of the doctor's office each day with the same diagnosis and same feeling of helplessness that I once felt. I was lucky to have found Grace's book, Amazing Grace - Autobiography of a Survivor, and to have recovered a great deal of my eyesight as a result of her work. For those who have not been so lucky, I hope that her book and work finds its way into their lives. Please feel free to share this letter with other people who are interested in her work. I would also be pleased speak to people and share my experience with them. Grace has become a great friend, and I will always be thankful for what she has meant to my life.

   Incidentally, as I am finishing this letter, I just walked outside and looked at the stars in the sky. I looked directly at them and could see them just fine.

   Eric Lickteig / Chicag




2. Grace tell her life story with a lot of spirit and inspiration. From a turbulent adolescence where she served time in Federal prison to where she is now, Co-director of Maximum Eyes an Institute of Visual Healing. Dr. Halloran eloquently tells of her struggle with retinitus pigmentosa for herself as well as her fears for her son. Anyone with a visual impairment will be able to relate to her pains, her joys and be inspired

2 comments about When It Gets Dark: An Enlightened Reflection on Life with Alzheimer's.

1. Book illustrates that people with alzheimer's are human. Baggio , an Alzhiemer's victim) takes us on a journey of his life long affair with gardening. This sensitvely chronicles an ordinairy life as being something special. It lets us know that all of our lives are special and to be handled with care. This reader developed a bond with the author through his well chosen words. Worth reading if you are pre-disposed to alzheimer's though family history, have it or know someone who does. This is a delightfully sensitive and artistic book on a dreadful disease. It certainly helps with coping with it.



2. I really liked this one. It tells about the story of a 57 year of man who has Alzheimers,his love of gardening, his wife, son, love of cats,and his Italian family roots. It was a nice story about a man dealing with the disease and his family. I read this book in one night. Well written and a great choice of words. Parts of this book took me back to the old days when he talks of his family.

5 comments about King of Hearts: The True Story of the Maverick Who Pioneered Open Heart Surgery.

1. It's a good story, and Dr. Lillehei blazed an amazing trail, but this man appeared to be a sociopath who destroyed everything and everybody he touched - except, of course, his patients. I can't believe nobody addressed this yet, or maybe they were so fascinated by the story that they missed - or dismissed - it completely. This was more than a massive ego; this guy could have been a Dr. Swango had things been just a wee bit different.
   
   I realize the book was about Dr. C. Walton Lillehei, but his brother Richard was also a transplant surgeon, as are his sons Craig and Kevin.



2. Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. What a fascinating subject and such wonderful storyteller. From the mom of a "heart baby" it just amazes me how far we've come in such a short amount of time.



3. When a friend gave me this book to read, I thought I'd skim a few chapters and either get bored with the technical details or be bothered by them since I have had heart surgery for congenital heart defects myself.
   
   I thumbed though the first chapter and I was hooked! The writing demonstrates the intensity found in intense pediatric cases very well and uses that and the determination of Dr. Lillehei to move the story along at a fast clip. I finished it in about 36 hours!
   
   I had gotten to the point there I was trying to take care of myself well as an adult with congenital heart disease (treated defects), but I hadn't quite grasped the details of my own surgeries nor did I want to. After I read this book I ordered my surgical records immediately and was excited to read them! The book filled the descriptions of the surgeries with such excitement that it carried over into my own personal education about my health.
   
   I like how they told the story of Dr. Lillehei as a person who did great things, but was also human being as much as his patients - with faults of his own - but also clearly, great gifts.
   
   For more information about the long-term outcome of patients with congenital heart defects/disease and how we continue to lead the longest and healthiest lives possible for us, please visit the Adult Congenital Heart Association's website at www.achaheart.org



4. The medical history related in this book is one of the boldest and most amazing one. If it wasn't for these highly risk taking individuals, open heart surgery would not be possible today.



5. I am a patient that has had heart problems for awhile now. I just had surgery in 2006, so reading this book really helped me to understand where heart surgery all started. It brought it all home for me at the end. There is something about this surgeon that I now have a close connection to, and I didn't even realize it until the end! Those of you who have read "King of Hearts" would understand! This book has taught me a lot, but it also has a lot of great stories intertwined within. Totally worth the read!!

2 comments about Reverence for Life: The Ethics of Albert Schweitzer for the Twenty-First Century.

1. Collaboratively and expertly edited by Marvin Meyer (Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies, Chapman University, Orange, California) and Kurt Bergel (Professor Emeritus, Chapman University and founder/co-director of the Chapman University Albert Schweitzer Institute), Reverence for Life: The Ethics Of Albert Schweitzer For The Twenty-First Century is an inherently impressive selection of profound essays by humanitarian Albert Schweitzer, enhanced with an eclectic variety of soul-searching commentaries on his thoughts and recommendations. Among Schweitzer's presented and scrutinized works are sermons, letters, as well as tidbits of his personal autobiography and deep philosophy. Reverence For Life is highly recommended as life-affirming, fundamental and thoughtfully constructed reading.



2. If you've read Dr. Schweitzer's "Reverence for Life", you should enjoy this compilation of letters and papers regarding and reinforcding Schweitzer's ethic. The included writings are authored by everyone from Graduate students to correspondents and Albert Schweitzer himself. Very enjoyable reading.

5 comments about Breastless in the City: A Young Woman's Story of Love, Loss, and Breast Cancer.

1. Cathy Bueti's book about surviving breast cancer opens with the death of her first husband. This heartbreaking story about becoming a widow in her early 20's begins a book that is difficult, if not impossible to put down. After your husband, your high school sweetheart, dies unexpectedly - surely the worst of your life is behind you, no? Lightning doesn't strike twice, does it?
   
   And yet, for Cathy Bueti, lightning did strike twice. At the age of 31, WAY before the age most women even think about having a mammogram, she discovered a lump in her breast that once again brings her life to a temporary halt. She spent the next year fighting cancer, all the while attemtping to maintain a semblance of normalcy as a single, dating and professional woman.
   
   Bueti delivers her story with much honesty and good humor. Reading this book is like sitting down with the author personally to hear it directly from her mouth. Crafting a believable and approachable story of so much tragedy so early in life must have been a daunting task - yet, it is highly readable.
   
   The book is about much more than fighting and surviving cancer. I loved her stories of dates and brief relationships gone wrong - the fact that she had cancer while dating was almost incidental for me, simply because so many of my own funny and crazy experiences as a single person came to mind.
   
   There are many important books available to women over a certain age who are experiencing the terror of breast cancer. However, there are very few for women in their 20's and 30's, women who still have the possibility of marriage, motherhood and career ahead of them. Cathy Bueti's book speaks directly to those women.
   
   And yet, a common theme in the book is the importance of listening to the little voice inside your head, trusting your instincts at critical moments in your life. Bueti's little voice has played an important role in her self-reflection and quest for good health and long-lasting happiness in her life. Surely this message will have widespread appeal.
   
   I will remember this book for a long time to come.



2. Cathy Beuti paints the picture of a hopeful strong woman. Breastless in the City is an insightful look into living and surviving breast cancer.



3. This is the story of one woman's journey with breast cancer. Through the trials of loss, Cathy Bueti shares her experiences in a simple, honest, and heartfelt way. As I read this book, I thought that it is also a book about relationships, relationships with parents and other family, dating, friendships. It's about understanding the right things to say to someone and, as the author so wonderfully points out, forgiving people when they say the wrong thing because they don't know better. On the other hand, it's also about knowing when something is not right, trusting your instincts, honoring yourself, and setting boundaries.
   
   Ms Bueti learns a lot along the way and does not hold back from the reader, she shares what she learned and what she has yet to learn. She shares her humanity, her hopes and fears, and especially the love she wants to share with her readers, to help make anyone's life more meaningful and hopeful. I'm very touched by her sincerity.
   
   This isn't a book just for people with breast cancer, this is a book for anyone who wants to be be inspired through any hard time in life.
   
   Thanks to the author for letting us into your life with such honesty. I do believe that you give inspiration and support to all who will read your book. And may you be blessed as you bless others.
   
   Laya Saul, Author of "You Don't Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way"



4. Many brave women have overcome breat cancer as well as many other hardships in their lives, and I applaud them. However, I cannot bring myself to rate consider this book as anything but a study in functional illiteracy. I am sorry for the author's troubles, but this book taught me only that anyone can get anything published if they know the right people.
   The cover may be the worst I have ever seen.



5. A great book!
   
   A book not only of cancer survival Cathy digs deep in her heart pulling all the painful details before hand in her life as well. If you are looking for a good story here you have it. Life in general is so hard on a daily basis for all of us. To know there are others out there who have possible experience similar encounter is truly inspiring.
   
   Many of times I felt as if I was there experiencing your pain. I cried and rejoice with you. I received my book on a Monday finished by Wednesday only putting it down to see to my family. As a cancer survivor and writer as well your journey actually touched my heart assuring me to continue on sharing my own journey. A way of letting me know things I have thought and felt in the past I am not alone. You have inspired me in away you might not image.
   
   A must read!
   
   Thank you for sharing your journey.
   
   The cover is very catchy.
   
   ashley :)

3 comments about Blow the House Down: The Story Of My Double Lung Transplant.

1. Overcoming greats odds, the author elequently tells the story of his fight against Cystic Fibrosis that ultimately leads to a double lung transplant.

   Mr. Tolchin recounts the trials of growing up with CF and all the procedures, medical problems and hospital stays that he encountered. His tale includes all the medical staff and friends that support him during his journey and the importance humanity and human contact has to medical science.

   His story is one of triumph, and displays how important family and friends are to overcoming difficult situations. Charlie's not the only hero in this book. He is quick to point out all the people who inspired him along the way. It is here where the books succeeds and inspires. The team effort is unbelievable.

   Blow The House Down, is a book that has many lessons a reader can learn. The science and medical break-throughs involved with a double lung transplant are amazing, but the courage of Charles Tolchin, the love of his family and friends and the professional dedication of the medical staff is the real story here.




2. I was delightfully surprised at the effect this book had on me. I couldn't seem to put it down! I've had a rough time in the past 3-4 years but the ambition displayed in the book showed how differently one can perceive their troubles and turn them into triumph. I admired this portrayal of strength and tenacity.



3. This is an engaging, lucid story by an intelligent man with heart and honesty ... not to mention a mischievous twinkle in his eye! While most of us have not suffered the wrenching health challenges the author recounts, this book is a good companion to anyone who is looking for friendship and encouragement on a hard journey. Certainly, care givers and family should give this book to those who want to know they are not alone in the face of cystic fibrosis, cancer, depression, or other hardships. Charlie knows the icy stare of mortality. And like a hockey ruffian, gives it a full-body check and goes out for beers afterward. Way to go, Charlie!

5 comments about All Things Wise and Wonderful.

1. The books arrived so quickly that I got to take my time
   wrapping the books.



2. I have the complete series of All Creatures Great and Small books now. This was the last one and I loved it as much as I loved the others. He was a fantastic writer and having been born and raised on a farm I can appreciate a lot of what he talks about. I also have his cat and dog stories books and loved them just as much.



3. If you like animals you will enjoy all James Herriot's books. This is one of a series of delightful books. Reading one will make you want to read the next one. I can read them over and over.



4. I read his books as a teen and loved them. Bought the whole set for my grandsons, [teens]. They laughed until they cried. [so did I].



5. The third book in the series and you know exactly what to expect. Yes, folks, it is every bit as entertaining as the first two, and that's probably all you need to know. But I'll go ahead and mention that he spends some time in the RAF during World War II, which we knew he would as the second book ended. I'll also mention that he and Helen have a baby, which you probably expected. One of the great joys of his writing is discovery, so I'd hate to screw that up with a spoiler, but these two tidbits are on the back cover anyway. Oh, and halfway through it, I predicted an ending in advance, and I only had to read 1000 pages by this guy before that happened. It's still great, great stuff, and you know you'll love it.