Prescriptions for Living
   Bernie S. Siegel, M.D.
  1998 HarperCollinsPublishers NY USA
   ISBN: 0060191961


Lessons to inspire a Joyful, Loving Life. How peace of mind, a sense of meaning in one's life & the willingness to give & receive unconditional love can influence health, especially in the face of dire illness.

If you've not read a Bernie Siegel before, a pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, I encourage you to find his Love, Medicine & Miracles. I've reviewed Bernie's works ever since this one came out, I've always been helped, enlightened & interested by his take on living. “Love is the answer. Read this book and you'll find out the question.”

The couple of times I've met up with Dr. Siegel at conventions, we've instantly recognized each other, although we've never met before. Once was on a buffet line, we glanced at our name tags, grinned & energetically compared notes about how it was, at that time, in that moment. Later, as we were zooming hither & yon about our itineraries, we collided laughing, embraced & waved farewell. That's how Bernie Siegel, M.D. affects you & that's how he writes.

Vividly energetic, immensely affectionate & refreshingly in the moment. I've often wondered what would happen to our relationships with our own doctor/s were we to bravely carry a copy of any one of Bernie Siegel's books into our appointments. He is, after all, one of their own, a shining example of the humanity possible in healing; an articulate raconteur, keenly observational & thoroughly entertaining.

Don't get me wrong! Bernie Siegel isn't writing about fluff! His subject is the nitty gritty of life: living with cancer, living with dying. The lessons he's learnt, listening to & counseling his many, many patients are not only unremitting, they are valid, inspiring & passionate.

“I have not forgotten the deformities I saw every day as a pediatric surgeon at Children's Hospital... And I know that the people I love can develop cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS - the list is endless. But life has taught me that while much can go wrong, there is little to fear in physical deformities or illness...is another opportunity for love. If something is missing, it's missing. We'll make the best of it, and who knows what good things we'll learn from this?”

Bernie Siegel reminds us that we need power to change & power comes from inspiration, from something greater than yourself. His Favorite Recipe is a concoction of delicious ingredients, the spices of a good life. Prescriptions for Living are simple, illuminative & they work, the dosage, however, is up to you.

Also by Bernie Siegel, M.D.: Love, Medicine, & Miracles Peace, Love & Healing How to Live Between Office Visits
(05/30/99)

Rebecca