Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient
National Book Award Finalist: The “amazing” New York Times bestseller about the power of laughter and optimism in fighting serious illness (Chicago Sun-Times).
Norman Cousins’s iconic firsthand account of victory against terminal disease, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient inspired a revolution, encouraging patients to take charge of their own treatment.
A political journalist and activist, Cousins was also a professor of medical humanities at UCLA, where he studied the biochemistry of human emotions and their relationship to healing. When Cousins was hospitalized with a debilitating collagen illness, he decided to take his health into his own hands. Cousins and his doctor combated the disease together by creating a regimen of laughter and vitamin C specifically calibrated to his needs. Against all odds, the treatment worked, proving to Cousins that a positive attitude was key to his improvement.
Years later, Cousins set pen to paper to tell the story of his recovery. In this humorous and insightful account, Cousins analyzes his own journey in relation to holistic medicine and discusses the astounding power of mind over body. The result is an inspirational and educational guide to health that continues to offer hope to many.
This ebook features an extended biography of Norman Cousins by his daughter, Sarah Cousins Shapiro.
Norman Cousins
Norman Cousins, a successful author, journalist, professor, and world peace advocate, was born in New Jersey in 1915. He graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx, then earned his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University’s Teachers College. In 1934, he joined the staff of the New York Post. Soon after, he moved to the Saturday Review, where, in 1942, he was named editor in chief, a post he would hold until 1972.
Cousins was a tireless advocate for world peace. Albert Einstein called him to Princeton University to discuss issues of nuclear disarmament and world federalism. He was awarded the Eleanor Roosevelt Peace Award, the Family Man of the Year Award, the United Nations Peace Medal, the Niwano Peace Prize, and the Albert Schweitzer Prize.
Cousins also served as adjunct professor of medical humanities for the School of Medicine at UCLA, where he did research on the biochemistry of human emotions, which he believed were the key to understanding human beings’ success in fighting illness. When he was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, Cousins, working closely with his doctor, prescribed himself large doses of vitamins, laughter, and a positive attitude. The treatment was a success, and Cousins survived. His book, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient (1979), based on his illness and recovery, was one of the first to bring widespread attention to holistic health and healing. In 1990, he passed away at the age of seventy-five, having lived twenty-six years longer than his doctors predicted.
