The Anatomy of Hope: How People Prevail in the Face of Illness

This book is awesome & helped me step back & look at things in a different way

As a patient whom has encountered many physicians, from different specialties, I can say this book gives me some more hope that their are a few good doctors out there who truly care about what they can do for their patients, even if it ends up just being there for them. The Anatomy of Hope was a fascinating read about how hope can impact care and outcomes. My one doctor kept telling me it’s extremely important to not give up hope and this book points out through its stories as to why hope is vital in care. I learned a lot from reading this.

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An excellent account of an oncologist's own experience,during his multiple years of training and practice, with a description of actual cases and how the different outcomes of these cases changed the author's approach and understanding of patients with serious and terminal illnesses -mostly cancer-. This book is the product of the author's emotional journey through understanding how differently patients react to their own diagnoses and circumstances, and why physicians have to treat patients individually, and not as cases of this type or another type of cancer. It is clear from the stories, that he realized that many patients do not want to hear about statistics, they don't want to know their possibility of survival in 5 years or 10 years in percentages, because all human beings hold on fast to hope, and this is what makes them survive in some incredible cases. As a physician myself, I recommend this book to all medical students, all students of oncology, and professonals in the field. Please, don't forget that the last thing that a patient loses is hope, and in a background of truthfullness, try to help them hold onto this last resource, which may benefit their immune systems in the struggle against the disease.

This book is a realistic exploration into the role of hope in life-threatening situations. This book is not about being a wishful thinker nor about denying the truth. I believe it has profound value for those who face debilitating illnesses and their caretakers. I strongly recommend it, and I strongly recommend Optimal Thinking: How To Be Your Best Self, a realistic book which explains the advantages and disadvantages of positive and negative thinking and the thinking that works best in specific situations.

I could NOT put this book down, as it is so well written and informative on the brain and how it interacts with the body and hoe HOPE gives one the impetus to persevere and fight. I have numerous illnesses, have fought 2 bouts of breast cancer, had a spinal fusion, FMS, etc., but I have always had HOPE in spite of the negativism of some of my doctors. It was a delight to read how a doctor learned from patients and his own struggle with back pain and how he overcame it. This is a very positive book with delightful, upbeat, information in spite of some adversities. It is a MUST read for everyone!

In an easy to read style, this book offers wise insight into the powerful connections between mind and body. It is hopeful and inspiring without ever being simplistic or sappy. The writer, a physician, displays unusual insight and humility. Human stories are well balanced with science, and there is respect for the spirit. This is not a simplistic self-help book. I have been asked a lot about who should read this book. Someone who is suffering with a life-threatening illness, and is feeling hopeless, may feel misunderstood and negated if you give this book as a gift. Better will be for you to read it and see if you can gather some ideas on how to be most helpful. People who have chronic pain may find this book a very welcome read.I cannot imagine many readers who wouldn't find this book thought provoking and hope affirming.