The Scalpel and the Soul - by Allan J Hamilton (Paperback)

About the Book

Originally published: New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, c2008.

Book Synopsis

A Harvard-educated neurosurgeon reveals his experiences--in and out of the operating room--with apparitions, angels, exorcism, after-death survival, and the miracle of hope. For the millions who have enjoyed Proof of Heaven, Heaven is Real, To Heaven and Back, and Getting to Heaven--an inspiring tale from where the veil between life and death is often at its thinnest.

The Scalpel and the Soul explores how premonition, superstition, hope, and faith not only become factors in how patients feel but can change outcomes. It validates the spiritual manifestations physicians see every day and empowers patients to voice their spiritual needs when they seek medical help. Finally, it addresses the mysterious, attractive powers the soul exerts during life-threatening events.

Review Quotes

"Funny, irreverent, earthy, big-hearted, honest, real."
-Family Circle online "Books of the Month" Review

"Allan Hamilton is a natural storyteller. His real-life experiences remind us that patients and surgeons can share in a spiritual transformation during the course of battling disease."
-Linda Klein, R.N., producer of Grey's Anatomy and Nip/Tuck

"His observations and insights push the limits of current scientific knowledge as he attempts to bring some rational thought to the unexplainable."
-Richard Carmona, M.D., MPH, FACS, 17th Surgeon General of the United States

"A moving account of what can happen when a doctor opens his heart and his eyes to life's spiritual lessons and to the mystery that thrives amidst the terror and trauma of life-threatening illness."
-Bernie Siegel, M.D., author of Help Me to Heal and Prescriptions for Living

About the Author

Allan J. Hamilton, MD, FACS, is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and has held positions as chief of neurosurgery and chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Arizona. He is currently the executive director of the Arizona Simulation Technology and Education Center. Dr. Hamilton has authored more than 20 medical textbook chapters and 50 peer-review research articles, and has served on the editorial board of several medical journals. He is the author of The Scalpel and the Soul, winner of the 2009 Nautilus Silver Award, and Zen Mind, Zen Horse--The Science and Spirituality of Training Horses, which won the Nautilus Gold Award.