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papidoc's review against another edition
5.0
I read Cousins' first edition of Anatomy of an Illness way back when...it was terrific then, and hasn't lost any of its relevance today. It essentially energized an entire movement around mind/body health, and cracked open the possibility in many previously closed minds that there might be more important inputs into human health than drugs and surgery. Indeed, as I recall, Cousins became the first non-MD member of the faculty at a prominent medical school, based on his experiences and writing.
The hope he gave (and that his books continue to give) to many who are facing serious illness and diminishment of quality of life is extraordinary. Attention to nutrition, spiritual and emotional health, and personal involvment in medical decisions are all still powerfully motivating forces in improving the health of people around the world. Simply recognizing the impact of maintaining a humorous perspective is an astonishingly powerful insight, let alone Cousin's numerous other contributions. His own recovery from a (thought to be) fatal illness, and his later recovery from a heart attack, add vitality to his thoughts on health.
Highly recommended.
The hope he gave (and that his books continue to give) to many who are facing serious illness and diminishment of quality of life is extraordinary. Attention to nutrition, spiritual and emotional health, and personal involvment in medical decisions are all still powerfully motivating forces in improving the health of people around the world. Simply recognizing the impact of maintaining a humorous perspective is an astonishingly powerful insight, let alone Cousin's numerous other contributions. His own recovery from a (thought to be) fatal illness, and his later recovery from a heart attack, add vitality to his thoughts on health.
Highly recommended.
dixiet's review against another edition
4.0
A very thought-provoking little book. Considering that this was written in 1979, I would like to have seen medical science pursue these ideas much more than has been done. Meanwhile I am taking my ascorbic acid and filling my shelves with movies and books that make me laugh out loud. Can't hurt.
papi's review against another edition
5.0
I read Cousins' first edition of Anatomy of an Illness way back when...it was terrific then, and hasn't lost any of its relevance today. It essentially energized an entire movement around mind/body health, and cracked open the possibility in many previously closed minds that there might be more important inputs into human health than drugs and surgery. Indeed, as I recall, Cousins became the first non-MD member of the faculty at a prominent medical school, based on his experiences and writing.
The hope he gave (and that his books continue to give) to many who are facing serious illness and diminishment of quality of life is extraordinary. Attention to nutrition, spiritual and emotional health, and personal involvment in medical decisions are all still powerfully motivating forces in improving the health of people around the world. Simply recognizing the impact of maintaining a humorous perspective is an astonishingly powerful insight, let alone Cousin's numerous other contributions. His own recovery from a (thought to be) fatal illness, and his later recovery from a heart attack, add vitality to his thoughts on health.
Highly recommended.
The hope he gave (and that his books continue to give) to many who are facing serious illness and diminishment of quality of life is extraordinary. Attention to nutrition, spiritual and emotional health, and personal involvment in medical decisions are all still powerfully motivating forces in improving the health of people around the world. Simply recognizing the impact of maintaining a humorous perspective is an astonishingly powerful insight, let alone Cousin's numerous other contributions. His own recovery from a (thought to be) fatal illness, and his later recovery from a heart attack, add vitality to his thoughts on health.
Highly recommended.
ajsdf's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderfully readable book. It is so very hard to think so little has changed for the good in 36 years, and so much for the bad. With the latter, I am thinking particularly of the distance between doctor and patient that comes with the ever-present, ever-used laptop computer during an appointment, and how appointment times have shortened dramatically over the years.
kcourts's review against another edition
http://www.43things.com/entries/view/2093633
brushelsprouts's review against another edition
4.0
fun story about this book: I was doing shelf maintenance at the library when I stumbled upon it. it was a cute little book, and then when I saw it was about patients' perspectives on illness, I knew I had to check it out. then, when I did check it out, it turned out it was a missing book and I had found it (even though it was shelved exactly where it was supposed to be...not sure what that means...)
if you couldn't tell by my excessive updating and quoting, I adore this book. it blows my mind that something written in 1979 that has very important things to say about nutritition, the role of mental health in physical health, and many other things is so on point--while we're still struggling with these things today. it captures so many of the thoughts and feelings I felt while dealing with my own illness, and it only added to the desire of pursuing clinical health psychology as a career.
if you couldn't tell by my excessive updating and quoting, I adore this book. it blows my mind that something written in 1979 that has very important things to say about nutritition, the role of mental health in physical health, and many other things is so on point--while we're still struggling with these things today. it captures so many of the thoughts and feelings I felt while dealing with my own illness, and it only added to the desire of pursuing clinical health psychology as a career.
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