5 comments about A Random Act: An Inspiring True Story of Fighting to Survive and Choosing to Forgive.

1. Not possible to review, as I never received this item.
   Please refund my money.



2. I was really impressed with this book. Cindi is a remarkable woman to come through so much physical and mental pain and then to be able to forgive and move on with her life. It makes you grateful for what you have in life and shows you that amongst all the evil in the world there are still so many good people, helping each other. I really enjoyed reading this book and would urge others to do so.



3. It took courage to live thru this horrible attack and more courage to write so honestly about her pain and then to be able to forgive the anonymous attacker.



4. This was a great book! I really enjoyed the positive attitude that Cindi demonstrated throughout this extremely difficult time in her life. I thought it was a fabulous read! I was finished with the book in three days!



5. This is an incredible story of an amazing woman who fought (and in many ways is still fighting) a horrific and totally senseless crime. Her very personal journey of survival is truly an inspiration to us all,and I thank her for having the courage to share it. She is helping to make the world a better and safer place. While it is often very difficult, forgiveness is NOT an option: it is a necessary part of this life. The bondages of anger, bitterness and depression that accompany unforgiveness far outweigh the original pain of whatever we may have encountered.When we release those who hurt us to God's justice, we free ourselves of any and all bondages and then our own healing can begin.
   The only complaint I would have about this book is that it tended to drag a bit once I got past the half-way mark.Otherwise it is a powerful read.
   God's blessings to Cindi and all her family!

1 comments about On Women Turning 70: Honoring the Voices of Wisdom.

1. Incredible book - fun to read, I read it in my 40s and it served to light the way to how I want to age (in a serious and realistic and fun way - not something superficial like wearing purple or being ornery). Should definitely be brought back into print as we baby boomers NEED this kind of wisdom... Letty Cottin Pogrebins Getting Over Getting Older is also good - she nailed that what throws the whole game is being able to handle our loss/losses. That this is what separates the Great Elders from, well, the older folks none of us wants to become...

   i wasn't as inspired by the On Women Getting 40, 50, 60 in the series - don't know if it's because these 70ish women were/are such amazing human beings - or if 70 is a better stage in life ... so I'd check them out of the local library - or BUY them for the local library to have on hand... but THIS BOOK YOU WANT TO OWN and refer to and pass around and buy for others! Made me love the prospect of Old Age and showed me women I could emulate. Thanks, Cathleen - a book that should live forever - it's that definitive. Teens and young people should read it - they'd benefit from the wisdom of these "happening chicks"! An attractive preview of how the Endgame can be if you want to make it --- from women who hardly had everything breaking their way throughout life. You close the book thinking "ain't life grand even when it ain't grand?!"

5 comments about Singular Intimacies: Becoming a Doctor at Bellevue.

1. I read this one for a med school discussion group. At first I disliked it, feeling like Dr. Ofri was really trumping up Bellvue, how great the hospital is and likewise everyone who works there. However, then she went on to describe her relative incompetence in her medical performance as she transitioned through the end of medical school and residency. At this point in my education, I can relate to her lack of experience and feelings of inadequacy during her training.
   This is a great book to read if you are interested in the inner workings of medical education and its impact on patient care, especially if you prefer to read about it via entertaining anecdotes rather than those nasty boring textbooks. A good read for med and pre-med students, as well as those just wanting to eavesdrop on the system of medical education.
   
   This part of the review is by Kristi Florek, Matt's wife:
   I also read this book for a class in medical school, like everyone else reviewing this book. I really enjoyed reading it "for fun" even though it was assigned. Each time I read the assigned chapters I had a hard time putting the book down, and read several more chapters. I found the book to be a good sampling of what life as a med student and a resident is like. Sometimes life is hard: days are long and sleepless, patients die, you don't know what to do, you get stuck with a needle, patients and staff are difficult. But sometimes life is great: you diagnose a difficult case, a baby is born, one of your superiors gives you a word of commendation, you feel like you're succeeding at becoming a doctor. It is an up and down world with huge swings of emotion. One thing I really identified with were her feelings of inadequacy, realizing that I am not alone in thinking that I have no idea what I am doing!
   Overall, a very good book for anyone with any interest in medicine and medical education.



2. How does medicine educate its upcoming doctors? When is it okay to let a medical student to do a procedure? Given a choice would you let a medical student do your surgery? In the big picture, young doctors need experience because they are the future. This is just one of the many issues surrounding medical education and the maturation of young doctors that Ofri tackles. Some stories will move you, others will demystify the aura surrounding doctors, other may make you think twice before going to the doctor. Ofri's humbleness and honesty allow the reader an inside look at the decision making process of a doctor as they go through their training, which is sometimes a marvelous progression of logic and efficiency, and other times a shot in the dark at best. A good quick read for anyone interested in medicine or what medical training is like.



3. Dr Ofri has written a moving account of a resident doctor's personal experiences. Residency program is indeed a trial (and training) by fire which can either melt or strengthen the heart of a novice doctor. Being a doctor myself, I have been to "hell and back" with many of my patients. There are quite a few Dr Sitkins in the world of medicine : humane and highly sensitive doctors hiding behind a facade who snap when the reality of the harsh world and its inequalities,espeically, in life and death situations become unbearable.



4. Ofri's book was assigned for a class at the medical school I attend. I found the book to be entertaining and an easy read from her style of writing, although a bit nerve-wracking to realize that the experiences she goes through are similar to those I will experience in my own training. I enjoyed the progression of her book from third year medical student, to residency and beyond. For anyone pursuing medicine as a career I would recommend this book as a way to realize that you are not the only one who is nervous about the responsibility that comes with being a physician. While some of her stories seem a bit grandiose or embellished, it is nonetheless a very entertaining and encouraging read.



5. I am a second year medical student and after reading this book I'm not sure if I am encouraged or more frightened about what I am about to face in the next 5 years. I am encouraged that some one else with little confidence can survive, but I am afraid of the many daunting tasks and cases that I could meet. Ofri does a good job at expressing the efforts and troubles that an aspiring physician must face. However I think that few of us will find such entertaining stories. However embellished the stories are they make for good reading for everyone, non-medical folks will appreciate the fine story telling and people in the field will appreciate the stories and technical aspects.

No comments about Pioneers of Cardiac Surgery.

5 comments about Cradled All the While: The Unexpected Gifts of a Mother's Death.

1. This book is a moving account of Sara Corse's mother's death not as a moment in time, but as a culmination of life's journey. It is wonderful to see someone be able to look past the stress and burden of caring for a dying person and realize the emotional rewards. Sara is down to earth about her and her mother's relationship and demonstrates that you do not need a perfect relationship to fully appreciate one another. There are many ways that this book can touch the reader: daughters can relate to the many dimensions of a mother-daughter relationship; caregivers can be inspired by Sara's fortitude; those who lost a loved one can learn a way to fill a void. Death is a very difficult subject to discuss and the fact that this book presents it in such a beautiful way is a gift in itself.



2. "My mother's final gift to me was given when she was beyond believing that she had anything left to offer anyone, and was received when I was long past expecting anything from her." Thus ends the prologue to the author's moving personal account of her mother's cancer experience, and the way in which the illness transformed their relationship over time. In this memoir, Dr. Corse intertwines flashbacks from her own life with the unfolding story of her mother's illness, illuminating the complex web of family relationships within which she struggles to understand and cope with her mother's dying. Memoirs about personal loss run the risk of leaving the reader feeling depleted or emotionally manipulated. Dr. Corse's book does neither. Her book is about the redemptive and transformative power of caring for a dying parent, leaving the reader feeling hopeful and inspired. This book is for anyone with a disappointing relationship with a parent who has died or is dying, and for everyone who seeks grace and healing in their relationships throughout life. The reader's guide, available free at www.councilforrelationships.org/articles/staying-centered_2-20-06.htm, offers a vehicle for reflecting on and discussing the book's themes related to dying, caring, and healing. The guide is organized according to topic, referencing specific sections in the book, and contains thought-provoking questions suitable for book clubs and for students in psychology, psychiatry, pastoral counseling, social work, nursing, and religion.



3. When I recently picked up this book again to re-read it, what I remembered best about it were the author's impressive honesty and the insights that gave me into my relations with my own mother.
   
   This time I was struck by how gracefully she handles the language and tells her story. Ever since my Jane Austen kick a few years ago I have found myself putting down books that I believed had something to say because I didn't like the way they were saying it. Not so here. This book is thought-provoking, and it is also a pleasure to read (but not if you're looking for something light-hearted!). I think it would appeal to a wider audience than those especially drawn to it for its focus on grief and on mother-daughter relations. I hope the author will write more.



4. I found this to be a beautifully written book. To be able to take care of the dying is a tremendous gift, a blessing, and Sara found unexpected grace and healing in it. I found it only made me appreciate my mother even more. I wanted to tell her how important it was to me to be able to take care of her now that she is older, and she mustn't prevent me from doing so. If your relationship with your mom is troubled, all the more reason to read this book. Most of us don't want to face the inevitable, but when we do, some surprising things can happen. An excellent book for anyone with a mother...particularly someone in midlife with an older parent. Thank you Sara, for this book.



5. As the author of this beautifully written book says, "The curtain between life and death is a gossamer veil." With insight and honesty, Sara Corse gazes through this gossamer veil as she recounts her experiences caring for her mother, dying of cancer. Part memoir, part reflection on the meaning of life and death, this book mainly gives a moving account of her mother's last months, but through the use of flashbacks and discursions, Corse shows how the tenderness and pain of this final illness are woven into the larger complexities of a mother-daughter relationship. Corse understands the anguish of losing a parent in the context of her own sometimes anguished struggle for a personal identity and a meaningful faith. For those facing the death of a loved one, this book will be a comfort and a help. For anyone seeking understanding in the presence of the mystery of death, this book will be a deep river of wisdom.

5 comments about The Man with the Iron Tattoo and Other True Tales of Uncommon Wisdom: What Our Patients Have Taught Us about Love, Faith and Healing.

1. I learned about this book after reading about Dr Castaldo's son's accident in Catholic Digest. I ordered the book and once I started reading the book I couldn't put it down. A must read book. I'm passing it on to my daughter who is going into the medical field. It renews one's faith in doctors who really do care. Lorraine Schoedler, Allentown, PA



2. Excellent reading, should be required for any one entering the medical profession. These stories explain why we go into medicine



3. I bought this book after reading an excerpt of the story about David in Catholic Digest. This is a very enjoyable book and definitely should be read by health care providers.
   Greg .. a dentist



4. I must caution readers that this review may be biased - Dr. John Castaldo has been a close personal friend for over 20 years.
   
   To me the book is more than stories of love, faith and healing. It's the story of two human beings who, as they become more skilled as physicians, struggle to become more human, in a profession that is simultaneously life-and-death, and often dehumanizing.
   
   I visited John daily while his son David was in the hospital. I remember the hundreds of cuts on David's body, and the grief expressed by John and his family. But I also remember his determination that David would recover.
   
   This is not a superstar ("look at all the great things I did") type of book. There are successes mixed with sadness, and perhaps failures. But that is the human drama of life. The book is worth buying and reading.



5. In this book, two neurologists recall memorable cases in their practices and events in their personal lives where their patients taught them valuable lessons about life. The stories reveal very human and humorous aspects of these eminent physicians' personalities. Some of the accounts are sad, others almost incredible, and still others will have you chuckling and shaking your head. In many chapters, the spotlight shines on the patients - not on the doctors. This is a unique book with stories you will want to share with family and friends.

3 comments about Seeds of Hope: A Physician's Personal Triumph Over Prostate Cancer.

1. This is an excellent book, written by a physician, but from the perspective of a patient considering the many options available for prostate cancer treatment. It is particularly beneficial in describing the details of the seed implant treatment, and the impact of this disease on spouse and family. It should be read by every man who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer before a treatment choice is made.



2. This is an essential source of information if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer. This has certainly been a real eye-opener for me, here is a doctor, who suddenly finds himself as a patient. So well written, so personal, and yet so easily understood, none of the "latin" that we sometimes get from doctors, you feel as though you are actually sitting there with him, or even in his brain. He shares ALL his worries, frustrations, anxieties, relief's and his joys too as he moves forward in his goal to be truly the master of his own destiny. I highly recommend this book, to anyone who is having to cope/deal with prostate cancer. Doctor's too, cancer affects so many people, this book can even give you the professional a lot of insight into patients perspectives. BUY it NOW!



3. A great book! Prostate cancer, and possible treatments, are not subjects that are easy to explain. However Dr. Dorso is able through his position as not only a physician, but also a patient, to explain possible cancer treatment options in a clear and understandable way. His story is personal and compassionate. Thoughout the book I found his experience became my experience. His sincerity and authenticity shine throughout. "Seeds of Hope" is definitely a must read for anyone who has cancer or who knows someone that has cancer. If I were a doctor I would prescribe it!

5 comments about Uplift : Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors.

1. All breast cancer patients should read this while going through treatment. The stories provide hope during a difficult time in a woman's life.



2. This book is organized well. Each topic has its own chapter so women going through one procedure don't have to hear stories about other procedures. (Sometimes, less or more.) The various entries provide advise, support and realism that only real breast cancer patients and survivors can. It was like having my own personal support group between the covers of this book at any time I needed it! A great tool for women going through treatment. It also provides insight to friends and family that want to know how they can help their loved ones. Lots of good practical ideas!



3. As a breast cancer survivor myself, my observation is biased. The book is actually a handbook for women going thru treatment, and beyond. I only wish this book had been available 15 years ago when I was going thru treatment. But its here now, and I certainly would recommend it for anyone going thru treatment, or as a gift for a friend or family member to give to a loved one going thru this very emotional disease. 5 stars isn't a good enough rating....but it's the best one you have.



4. Once again, Barbara Delinsky's updated version of her original UPLIFT book provides survivors and their loved ones with courage, hope and humor about a dreadful disease that strikes one in eight. As a survivor and contributor to her latest effort, I am in awe of the women who shared their experiences with such insight and candor. Thank you, Barbara, for championing this cause. Stay well, my friend.



5. This book is a "must read" for anyone who has a family history of breast cancer, is currently undergoing treatment for it, is a survivor, or is close to anyone who has breast cancer or has survived it.
   
   Breast cancer, while predominantly a "female disease" does strike men (it also strikes transgendered individuals, especially those on female hormone regimens).
   
   The need for a book with a title like "uplift" becomes apparent when we stop and think about the place of the female breast in modern culture. Mass media and many aspects of our culture fixate on breasts in such a way that many women feel defined by their breasts. Consequently, breast loss can have a profoundly diminishing effect on a woman's self image.
   
   In some locations, the emphasis on breasts has become extreme. I live in Kansas City, which is second only to Hollywood for the number of breast augmentations done per year (both in actual numbers and per capita). In the late 1990s (while in KS), I had a girlfriend who was so striking that my buddies referred to her as "that goddess."
   
   But she didn't see her incredible beauty. She agonized over the fact she was small-breasted (an A cup). Not only was she beautiful, she was intelligent, articulate, and entertaining. If you had a list of the 1,000 most desirable characteristics a woman could have, you could check off one after the other in her case.
   
   Despite her looks, brains, and personality, she was immensely insecure. She even chewed her nails down to the quick. The problem, in my opinion, was she succumbed to false comparisons that left her feeling she was somehow deficient because she wasn't carrying around huge levels of silicone, saline, or adipose tissue on her chest.
   
   One time, she asked, "What do you see in me?" I was so stunned by the question, and so incapable of knowing even where to begin, that I couldn't reply quickly. She took this as confirmation that she wasn't "woman enough" and said so. That's about on par with saying Lance Armstrong isn't "biker enough." Yet, this idea dominated her self-image. She typifies what many women go through, even without breast cancer. Imagine the feelings after losing a breast or two.
   
   How could this woman, with so much going for her, become emotionally impoverished over what is basically a minor cosmetic attribute? Especially when, only a few generations ago, women in America bound their breasts in an effort to hide them? That's a good question. It's one to think about.
   
   In the meantime, think about how devastating it must be for most women to lose a breast or both breasts. That is one of the many issues facing women with breast cancer. Men with breast cancer don't face that particular issue, but they share all of the other breast cancer issues with their female counterparts (including, for most men, the loss of hair).
   
   Of course hearing "You have cancer" is devastating to anyone. While cure rates today for most cancers are high (if the cancer is caught early), we still think of it as "the deadly disease." Most of us want to survive, so we avail ourselves of modern medicine in an attempt--one that is usually successful--to beat the cancer. But the process is grueling, painful, scary, exhausting, and risky. With breast cancer, there are additional emotional pressures--especially for women.
   
   Uplift takes us through every stage of the breast cancer victim's long ordeal, and it even follows up with survivors five years after. The book is essentially a well-organized collection of thoughts of people who made the journey, along with some thoughts contributed by those who traveled with them. Delinsky's commentary helps the reader keep those thoughts in perspective, and she does an excellent job of prefacing the material in each section.
   
   I don't know how much material Delinsky actually sifted through. But the result of her labors is a mix that is variously uplifting, instructional, and insightful. There's nothing sappy or boring in any of it.
   
   For example, how do you feel after reading this excerpt from a woman who talks about hiding her bald head from her husband of thirty five years. She'd let him see her only in a wig or turban (towel wrapped around her head after a shower). The pressure apparently got to her one day, after she let him in the bathroom:
   
   "...but suddenly I decided to just take the stupid towel off my head, and I immediately started to cry. Mike held me, smiled right into my lashless eyes, and said, 'So what?' And I thought the best I'd ever heard was 'I love you.'"
   
   Uplift brings real power to people who are fighting breast cancer, whether on the front lines or in a supporting role. Those who've read Uplift can stride into this ferocious battle, this fight to the death, with greater calm and a deeper well of reserve to draw from. Those who are in supporting roles will not have to clumsily grope their way through, but can instead understand how to be a powerful ally to the person they don't want to lose.
   
   Most books have one or two strong chapters that stand above the rest. I can't say that about Uplift. It's all strong. It's all good. It's all worth reading again.
   
   Unfortunately, I won't have the opportunity to re-read my copy any time soon, because it is going to a breast cancer survivor and then on to make its rounds. Yes, the borrowers will eventually buy a copy for their own bookshelves, but my copy will be gone for quite some time.
   
   It looks like I'll have to pony up for a second or third copy, so I have one on hand. But that's not all bad, either: all of the author's proceeds will be donated to breast cancer research.

2 comments about Zombie Curse: A Doctor's 25-year Journey into the Heart of the AIDS Epidemic in Haiti.

1. May 2, 2008
   I'm grateful for this true story of a courageous man who shows us all how one person can make a difference, if we only will wake up to our opportunities. Initially I checked out The Zombie Curse: A Doctor's 25-year Journey into the Heart of the AIDS Epidemic in Haiti from our local library as I was preparing to go on a five-day humanitarian trip to Haiti with some students and a professor to install a water purification system at an orphanage. I liked this true story of Dr. Arthur M. Fournier's work with Haitians so much that I bought six copies, one for each of us who went to Haiti, to inspire us to perhaps one day return to our Haitian friends and do more that we have already done to help them improve their quality of life.
   Yes, there is much need in places like Haiti. As we choose to start someplace as Americans who care about helping others, especially children, to get their basic life needs met, we will find that we are awakened from the Zombie Curse that has afflicted too many of us up to now. I've been asleep for the most part, too. By small things are great things brought to pass. If we can but throw back into the nourishing sea but one star fish ... it will matter to at least that one, and to those who come after that one!
   Part one of the book, The Curse Descends, covers Dr. Fournier's work in Florida with Haitians back when AIDS was just being recognized. Part two, Secrets Revealed, goes into depth about the work Dr. Fournier has done in Haiti itself over the past 25¬+ years. His compassionate willingness to get involved and to open doors for hard-working Haitians who have vision for their country, and his ongoing mentoring of medical students who want to learn and help, makes this book a must-read if you, too, feel you want to understand how you can make a difference in one corner of this vineyard we call planet earth.
   Jackie Ransom, Missouri



2. The Zombie Curse: A Doctor's Twenty-Five-Year Journey Into The Heart Of The Aids Epidemic In Haiti by Arthur M. Fournier (Physician at the Jackson Memorial Hospital and Professor of Family Medicine and Internal Medicine and Vice-Chairman of Family Medicine and Associate Dean for Community Health in Miami, Florida) is the remarkable story of Dr. Fournier's passionate struggle to understanding the terrifying truths of the AIDS virus. Having first been introduced to an AIDS patient in 1979, Fournier determined to take action in helping to discover the cure for this lethal epidemic as it swiftly unfolded throughout the United States and the world. The Zombie Curse reveals the devastation experienced by the Haitian people as the prescriptions offered had little or no effect on the patients, and the broadening tragedy became increasingly pervasive through Haitian society. Very strongly recommended for all non-specialist general readers seeking a greater understanding of the early years of the AIDS outbreak, The Zombie Curse is an outstanding account of the terrible first years of AIDS epidemic and a first-hand account of the often empty pursuit of helping the Haitian victims AIDS.

5 comments about Benjamin Rush: Patriot and Physician.

1. According to our documented family tree, Dr. Rush was a distant relative relative for whom our grandson, Bengamin was named. This book let me know even more about this man, physician, diplomat, the first Surgeon General of the United States and signer of the Declaration of Independance. Compared to some of the "guick on the scene and as quickly out of favor, contemproray "heros," we presently have, our county and world would do well to encourage the development of simaliar heros today!



2. In addition to a number of factual errors, e.g., that General George Clinton had been a governor of N.Y. in pre-Revolutionary times when it was Clinton's father who had served as governor, and the occasional disparagement of Benedict Arnold as a military commander, the picture which this biography paints of its subject is much too flattering. Rush was not a very pleasing personality nor was he particularly influential in any positive sense as a "founder". Moreover, many details of his life have been omitted. For example, there is no mention of the relationship between Rush and Paine or what became of the son that was institutionalized. Rush's medical practice, in light of the general ignorance of the subject at the time Rush was practicing, does not warrant the extensive treatment which the author gives it. I wrote to the publisher on these subjects and pointed out a number of editorial errata but received no reply.



3. I feel bad saying this, but I was severely disappointed with this book. As a physician and early American history buff I was really looking forward to learning more about Benjamin Rush.
   
   In general it seems that the author, despite putting out what appears to be a finished, presentable biography, never really dug into source materials to find out who Benjamin Rush was and why he was important. Repeatedly, we hear of Rush's fame and accomplishments and influence, but the details are missing.
   
   We hear what a great doctor Rush was, considered the preeminent physician of his times, according to the author, but all the author writes about is how Rush tortured his patients with medical treatments we now know are harmful, such as bloodletting, giving cathartics, etc. Rush is known as the "Father of American Psychiatry", his book on psychiatry was bible for many many years, and his observations on mental illness were in many ways way way ahead of his times...yet not a word of this is mentioned except in the last ten pages of this 365 page book. This subject desperately needed to explained. This is why he is important for heaven's sake.
   
   Furthermore, I think it would have been fascinating to have gotten a better feel for what bloodletting and giving cathartics was about, we needed some good old source material, firsthand observations and then-current thoughts, as well as an expose of the tools employed, etc. Rush, it is clear, considered himself first and foremost and physician. He dedicated his life to the practice of medicine, he was considered a top academic lecturer. We are told all the top American physicians for the next half century were either disciples of Rush or disciples of his students.....but we don't really get a feeling for why.
   
   His political contributions and inolvement were similarly neglected. Although he wasn't the political calibre of Hamilton or Jefferson, he was definitely a major player. Much of the earlier portion of the biography seemed to focus on explaining the political events occurring around Rush during the fight for independence. The focus should have been Rush. There's a lot of negativity surrounding Rush early on in the book, but how he seems to know all the important figures in the Revolution and why they respect him is not explained.
   
   There also weren't any pictures or illustrations. I could go on. On the bright side, at least the book reads well. If you want to learn more about Rush, you should probably choose another book. Sorry.



4. Benjamin Rush: Patriot and Physician draws a fascinating picture of one of the United States "Founding Fathers" and "Founding Physicians". Although from humble background, Dr. Rush was able to get the best possible medical education in the world and practiced in Philadelphia for the majority of his adult life. In addition to teaching at the new Medical College in Philadelphia and thus training a whole generation of physicians, he actively participated in the deliberations of the First and Second Continental Congresses and signed the Declaration of Independence. He was a tireless writer, contributing articles on the need of independence from England and the structure of the new government. His contributions were in his own name, but often under another name, in part because of the strength of his beliefs (religious, medical, and political). Rush was a prolific correspondent and he played a crucial part in the reconciliation of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson after their retirements from active politics. Alyn Brodsky presents a sympathetic, but critical, appraisal of a key figure in the emergence of the United States. Further, the history of the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War is wonderfully told through the eyes of one who participated in the Revolution first hand.



5. Modern day Constitutionalists, in their passion to defend this document against ill-conceived modern-day dilutions, sometimes make the mistake of viewing the Founding Fathers of the United States as a pantheon. They were heroes, to be sure, but they had feet of clay and sharp disagreements. Some of the issues for which a compromise was found in the Constitution are worth revisiting today.
   
   Alyn Brodsky has done a first-rate job of portraying this complex individual---Benjamin Rush, a curious combination of man of peace and man of war. He was one of the firiest firebrands in the pre-Revolutionary War days (his prolific pamphleteering helped to persuade those who had been obedient servants of the monarch, bringing to critical mass those who considered themselves defenders of the God-given right to liberty.) On the other hand, his humanitarian side is demonstrated in his pioneering work in the abolition of slavery, his visions for publicly funded schools (at which girls would study the same acedemic subjects as boys), his selfless work among the poor afflicted with Yellow Fever Plague in Philadelphia, his compassionate treatment of mentally ill patients, and due to his insight into the link between criminality and mental illness, his outspoken championing of prisonhouses as centers of reform rather than humiliation.
   
   Particularly moving was the revelation, through letters Benjamin Rush had written to both men, of the antagonistic rift that developed between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson in the years after the War. It pained Benjamin Rush, who worked hard to reconcile these close friends. A testament to his success at doing so, and to the character of Benjamin Rush himself, is found in a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to John Adams when Benjamin Rush died in 1813: "...a better man than Rush could not have left us, more benevolent, more learned, of finer genius, or more honest." Adams reply to Jefferson: "I know of no character, living or dead, who has done more real good in America."