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

An inspiring and profoundly enlightening exploration of one doctor's discovery of how hope can changethe course of illnessSince the time of the ancient Greeks, human beings have believed that hope is essential to life. Now, in this groundbreaking book, Harvard Medical School professor and New Yorker staff writer Jerome Groopman shows us why.The search for hope is most urgent at the patient's bedside. The Anatomy of Hope takes us there, bringing us into the lives of people at pivotal moments when they reach for and find hope--or when it eludes their grasp. Through these intimate portraits, we learn how to distinguish true hope from false, why some people feel they are undeserving of it, and whether we should ever abandon our search.Can hope contribute to recovery by changing physical well-being? To answer this hotly debated question, Groopman embarked on an investigative journey to cutting-edge laboratories where researchers are unraveling an authentic biology of hope. There he finds a scientific basis for understanding the role of this vital emotion in the outcome of illness.Here is a book that offers a new way of thinking about hope, with a message for all readers, not only patients and their families. "We are just beginning to appreciate hope's reach," Groopman writes, "and have not defined its limits. I see hope as the very heart of healing."From the Hardcover edition. An inspiring and profoundly enlightening exploration of one doctors discovery of how hope can change the course of illness Since the time of the ancient Greeks, human beings have believed that hope is essential to life. Now, in this groundbreaking book, Harvard Medical School professor and New Yorker staff writer Jerome Groopman shows us why. The search for hope is most urgent at the patients bedside. The Anatomy of Hope takes us there, bringing us into the lives of people at pivotal moments when they reach for and find hope--or when it eludes their grasp. Through these intimate portraits, we learn how to distinguish true hope from false, why some people feel they are undeserving of it, and whether we should ever abandon our search. Can hope contribute to recovery by changing physical well-being? To answer this hotly debated question, Groopman embarked on an investigative journey to cutting-edge laboratories where researchers are unraveling an authentic biology of hope. There he finds a scientific basis for understanding the role of this vital emotion in the outcome of illness. Here is a book that offers a new way of thinking about hope, with a message for all readers, not only patients and their families. "We are just beginning to appreciate hopes reach," Groopman writes, "and have not defined its limits. I see hope as the very heart of healing." The Author Shares What He Has Learned About Hope Caring For Patients With Cancer, Blood Diseases, Hiv, And Hepatitis C, And Discusses His Personal Experience With Hope Which Led Him To Investigate Whether There Is A Scientific Basis For Believing Hope Contributes To Recovery. Introduction : The Anatomy Of Hope -- A Note From The Author -- Unprepared -- False Hope, True Hope -- The Right To Hope -- Step By Step -- Undying Hope -- Exiting A Labyrinth Of Pain -- The Biology Of Hope -- Deconstructing Hope -- Conclusion : Lessons Learned -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Index. Jerome Groopman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 217-236) And Index. "The search for hope is most urgent at the patient's bedside. The Anatomy of Hope takes us there, bringing us into the lives of people at pivotal moments when they reach for and find hope - or when it eludes their grasp. Through these intimate portraits, we learn how to distinguish true hope from false, why some people feel they are undeserving of it, and whether we should ever abandon our search."--BOOK JACKET Explores the diverse ways in which hope and other positive emotions influence the healing process, drawing on real-life experiences to analyze the biology of hope, as well as its benefits and limits