Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by a Patient

The power of laughter triumphs over illness in Norman Cousins’s bestselling classic memoir that revolutionized medicine.

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.

“An entertaining and instructive example of an inspired participation of a patient in his own treatment.” —The Washington Post

“Amazing and heartening.” —Chicago Sun-Times

“Always articulate . . . Firmly explores ‘the chemistry of the will to live’ and should attract a healthy following.” —Kirkus Reviews

“[Anatomy of an Illness] threw down the gauntlet.” —The New York Times Magazine

“Anatomy of an Illness opens a whole field of further inquiry.” —The New York Times Book Review