This book is special. It could only have been written by a man deeply in love with Jesus and with medicine. If you read the preface you will discover how Philip Yancey met Dr. Paul Brand and how they came to be co-authors. It appears to me that the joint production worked this way: Dr. Brand provided the substance of medicine and spiritual insight while Mr. Yancey with his journalistic background cast it in beautiful words. Mr. Yancey seems in awe of Dr. Brand and I can see why. Don’t misunderstand me. This book doesn’t elevate any person other than the Lord. Besides your own personal edification, this book will also supply you with a host of exquisite illustrations for teaching and preaching.

Dr. Brand is one of those doctors that you would dream of having. A doctor who sees the big picture of so many things and yet can perform tasks that in our day are usually only done by specialists. That he has spent much of his career in dispensing his considerable talents to those afflicted with leprosy tells you so much about the person he is. He proves to be a reflective Christian as well and his first two chapters on being image-bearers are nothing to sneeze at. In part two, he does a commendable job in four chapters of highlighting diversity and unity. Part three brings out many observations of the spiritual nature from his areas of specialty including the skin and bones and other such things. The fourth part that he calls proof of life looks at blood and breath. His section on pain, and his work among the suffering helps you realize that we are listening to an expert, is spiritually rich. The final section on the brain is profound as well.

I don’t want to steal his thunder in this review because you will want to discover these things as you read it yourself, but there is not one chapter where he didn’t take something I didn’t know medically and illustrate a spiritual truth that I was aware of but could now see better. I never felt he stretched anything in making his spiritual points. In fact, in every chapter, I was more amazed by my God.

This new edition that is described as “updated and combined” is an attractive hardback with a beautiful dust cover. You will want this one!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.