Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient

Norman Cousin's enormously influential best-selling book illustrates the concept at the heart of the holistic health principle: that the human mind is capable of promoting the body's potential for healing itself even when faced with a seemingly hopeless medical predicament. Recounting his personal experiences of working in close collaboration with his doctor to overcome a crippling and supposedly irreversible disease, Cousins outlines the life-saving and ultimately life-prolonging benefits to be gained by taking responsibility for one's own well-being. "I have learned," the author writes, "never to underestimate the capacity of the human mind and body to regenerate -- even when the prospects seem most wretched." This remarkable story of the triumph of the human spirit is inspirational reading for anyone contending with a serious illness.