Funny, irreverent, earthy, big-hearted, honest, real -- just some of the adjectives that describe Allan J. Hamilton, MD, neurosurgeon and author of The Scalpel and the Soul...... More
Dr. Hamilton has written a series of short, pithy first-person essays that tie together his childhood experiences, medical training, unusual and uplifting relationships with patients, and his own very human doubts, fears, and triumphs. As he tells the stories of special medical cases, the reader witnesses his growing understanding of human consciousness, hope, and wonder. Surprisingly for his profession, he's frank about the many mistakes he made over the years as a neurosurgeon, and how all his experiences educated his sense of what's spiritual and important.
Dr. Hamilton ends the book with 20 useful lessons for anyone dealing with doctors, hospitals, and health crises. For example, Rule No. 6 is, "Ask your doctor to pray with you. There are a lot of docs who can't bring themselves to pray for help, so ask them to sit down with you." Rule No. 12: "Develop your own healing rituals. These can be as mundane as praying and meditating each day or as creative as smearing bear grease and herbs on oneself." Rule #19 is "Assign someone to be your guardian angel. Give someone in your family the assignment of writing down everything that's done to and for you. It's their job to make inquiries of the medical staff, to review medications, and to be a general pain in the ass."
A Harvard-educated neurosurgeon who operated for as long as his own body was strong enough, Hamilton has created a second career developing and running a center to train doctors to avoid making errors. His energy, apparently, is irrepressible. Certainly he has created a memoir that gives a fresh perspective on the human condition. visit Family Circle Books of the Months
Publisher's Weekly
"There are moments in this spiritual memoir when readers will wish he were their personal guide for the scariest of surgeries ......More
Readers will be moved by stories of former patients like Thomas, a child burn victim with such a gift of spirit that he could manage joy despite his tragic condition, and "Donald" a brave man determined to live life to the fullest despite a vicious brain tumor. Hamilton's voice soars when he reflects on his experience as a brain surgeon."
One Spirit Book Club
The One Spirit Book Club announced that they will be carrying The Scalpel and the Soul in their line up. ....More
A Harvard-educated neurosurgeon reveals his remarkable experiences—in and out of the operating room—with apparitions, after-death survival…and the miracle of hope.
For many physicians, supernatural intrusions are often disturbing because they are trained to disregard the unexplainable. But for patients, life-threatening illness or surgery can bring dormant spirituality to life. The Scalpel and the Soul explores how premonition, superstition, hope and faith can change outcomes, validate spiritual manifestations physicians see every day and empower patients to voice their spiritual needs when seeking medical help.
This exhilarating examination of the life-giving powers of the soul will make a lasting impact on your own life.
One Spirit is a mind body spirit book club offers a diverse collection of titles, ranging from engaging psychology books to instructive feng shui books. Members to the club enjoy savings on a vast selection of the latest titles covering health and wellness, self-help books and psychology books, religion and inspirational books, and more. Visit One Spirit Book Club
More Reviews
 Dr. Allan J. Hamilton, a neurosurgeon and professor of surgery at The University of Arizona, has been awarded a 2009 Nautilus Silver Award for his book "The Scalpel and the Soul: Encounters with Surgery, the Supernatural, and the Healing Power of Hope," which tells the stories of patients he's encountered during his years in the operating room read more
--Alexis Blue, Lo Que Pasa
"Yet, the thought of life after death is a hard sell in the science- and technology-driven 21st century. But when a Harvard-educated neurosurgeon admits the likelihood of a consciousness that survives beyond the body and the physical brain, well, it’s hard to dismiss him." read entire review
--Tonja Warad, Houston Style Magazine
"The Scalpel and the Soul covers a lifetime of unusual mind-body encounters Hamilton experienced and put into writing. It runs the gamut from the powerful idea of hope in a patient’s mind, to the memories of a woman who was clinically dead for 17 minutes. Probing the reader’s thoughts, one wonders, is it faith which keeps a stage IV ovarian cancer patient alive years after a terminal diagnosis, are memories stored outside the body, are we a part of a greater consciousness, and who is that light at the end of the tunnel?"Read entire review
--Kelly Jad'on Basil and Spice: Author and Book Views on Healthy Living basilandspice.com
"A spiritual memoir by a distinguished neurosurgeon, from childhood experiences to relationships with his patients, in and out of the operating room. Predicated on the assumption that "medical science [is] an integral part of God's creation" and that there is no conflict between religion and scientific integrity, Dr. Hamilton, who specializes in brain tumors, relates his experiences with great candor, including deathbed paranormal phenomena that challenge the skeptics among us. "
--Hamilton College Alumni Review
"In the final pages of this marvelous book, the author offers Twenty Rules to Live By. These too contain astonishing insights and observations. Go get this book. It’s one of the best I’ve read in quite some time." Read Entire Review
--Ulrich J Mohrhoff Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, India (Managing Editor)
"I have more than a decade of experience working in military and civilian hospitals and I have never met a physician with religious convictions; at least, none who shared those with me. .......... I believe I enjoyed the book because early in its pages, Hamilton adapts the mind set of Henry David Thoreau, “It is never too late to give up one’s prejudices.” ..............He covers many more topics and, whether you agree or not, he presents his arguments well and will make you think about the many ways 20th century medicine has affected our culture. It's worth the read."
Read Full Review in The Turret
--Maureen Rose The Turret Associate Editor
"Although there are certainly exceptions to the rule, the suggestion to medical doctors that their ability to heal could be enhanced by incorporating "intuitiveness" into their practice would not be held in high regard.........As Dr. Hamilton's medical career unfolded, his intuitive skills seemed to keep pace with his advanced technical skills as a neurosurgeon." Read entire review as PDF
--Forever Family Foundation foreverfamilyfoundation.org
""The Scalpel and the Soul" by Hamilton is a wonderful collection of lessons learned by the doctor and his patients during surgical procedures. The doctor insists that patients must find a doctor who cares about them, ask your doctor to pray with you and develop your own healing rituals. Dr. Hamilton said it doesn't matter what your ritual is - crystals, aroma therapy, music, massage or whatever you choose - they're important in helping focus your energy."
--Tonya McKiever NWAnews.com Northwest Arkansas' News Source
"Profound" is not the word I would use to describe this book by Dr. Hamilton, which of course, came to me TOTALLY by happenstance. A better word would be "breathtaking!" In this wonderful, powerful book, not only do you learn about the "delicacies" of neurosurgery and the medical profession, you also get real insight messages of your Soul. Read Entire Post
--Namaste Holistic
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