A Superb History Rather Than a Miraculous Cure

Reviews the book, The cure within: A history of mind-body medicine by Anne Harrington (see record 2008-00956-000). This book, by Anne Harrington, a Harvard professor and chairperson of the Department of the History of Science at Harvard, annalistically explores the diachronic connections of mind-body medicine superbly. Terminally ill patients, on the other hand, who longingly look for a textual dose of self-induced sanguinity to cure what modern medicine cannot explain will be left with a feeling of slight despondency; however, this book would be the perfect and appropriate required textbook for a seminar course titled "A Historical Analysis of Mind-Body Medicine." The ongoing theme throughout this analysis is the often vulnerable patient who seeks to answer the nagging question (whose subjective nature staunch medical practitioners do not want to acknowledge) of "why me?" Harrington closes with the global desire for the continued study of alternatives, expressing that "this book has been all about demonstrating that there is more to say--much more" (p. 243). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)