A Book of Miracles: Inspiring True Stories of Healing, Gratitude, and Love

by Bernie S. Siegel, Deepak Chopra (Foreword)

Bernie Siegel first wrote about miracles when he was a practicing surgeon and founded Exceptional Cancer Patients, a groundbreaking synthesis of group, individual, dream, and art therapy that provided patients with a “carefrontation.” Compiled during his more than thirty years of practice, speaking, and teaching, the stories in these pages are riveting, warm, and belief expanding. Their subjects include a girl whose baby brother helped her overcome anorexia, a woman whose cancer helped her heal by teaching her to stand up for herself, and a family that was saved from a burning house by bats. Without diminishing the reality of pain and hardship, the stories show real people turning crisis into blessing by responding to adversity in ways that empower and heal. They demonstrate what we are capable of and show us that we can achieve miracles as we confront life’s difficulties.

Genres: Inspirational, Spirituality, Self Help, Health

312 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2011

About the author

Bernie Siegel is an American writer and retired pediatric surgeon, who writes on the relationship between the patient and the healing process. He is known for his best-selling book Love, Medicine and Miracles.

Reviews

[Cori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read of Dr. Siegel’ s and it’s making me want to read more from him. Very inspirational. I believe in miracles.

[Sunflower · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you haven't read any of Bernie's previous books, don't start with this one. Don't get me wrong, I hold Bernie Siegel in great esteem. I think his work is ground-breaking,he has touched and helped many people in his work initially as a compassionate surgeon and later with exceptional cancer patients. This book, though, is a disappointment. His contribution is minimal, most of the content is anecdotes contributed by others, and he confines himself to an introduction at the beginning of each chapter, and a recap/summary at the end. It reads like a "Chicken Soup for the unwell" type of book, and at times is even somewhat hero-worshippy, which doesn't fit with my previous reading of his work.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring short stories.

[Susanna Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book containing real life stories of inspiration, encouragement, and hope for the hopeless.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Inspiring” is the word. Love is the key.

[Linda Galway · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5

[Iona Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a great fan of Bernie Siegel, so initially I was disappointed that the book turned out not to have been written entirely by Bernie, but mostly consists of a number of accounts composed by various of his former patients and others. Janet Colli recounts that Bernie tells us that "disease is a divine message of redirection" - very useful to keep in mind if one is ill.

Every now and then a chapter appears penned by Bernie, in which he comments on these accounts and otherwise provides us with inspiring tales of his pets and makes insightful comments.

I was considering just giving the book 4 stars, but then the stories got better and better, and what with the Bernie chapters and all, I had of course to give it top marks, 5 stars.

Bernie loves animals and has himself many pets, and many of the stories comprise pet miracles/synchronicities/ accounts of amazing pets. Others deal with miraculous recoveries from serious illnesses, helped of course by the persons in question having been inspired/helped/loved by Bernie.

Bernie grew up Jewish, and there are also some stories by those with Jewish backgrounds.

He tells us that each of his animals taught him something about his own behaviour and what he needed to incorporate into his life to be a better person.

He says if we raised our children the way we train and raise our beloved pets - "with love, trust, respect, consistency, exercise, affection and discipline" - it would be a healthier and more peaceful world.

Bernie can communicate with animals - talk to them and hear what they say, even if they've passed to the other side. This was inspiring to hear about.

He states: "Love is the only thing of permanence and the bridge between the world of the living and the world of the dead."

Susan Duffy tells us about Bernie that he would sit in a room with a dying patient for hours so that person would know that someone cared. "He was never afraid of the dying patient. He gave them the courage to live."

I've recently been in and out of hospital for 7 months. I wish there had been a doctor like Bernie there, but of course there wasn't. He is unique. I asked the doctors if they knew of Bernie, but no, they'd never heard of him.

The book also contained a chapter by a male doctor, one of Bernie's students, who was inspired by him and found out what being a doctor was all about - or should be about (my comment.

Another quote from Bernie: "Keep your eyes and ears open to the greater consciousness and let your awake mind and dreaming mind guide you and help you to heal."

We are told a little about Bernie's use of patients' drawings -how he interprets them, and are referred to a couple of books where we can learn how to interpret our own drawings.

This is a wonderful, positive, loving and inspiring book. It is easily, easily read and reading it will raise your vibration. I highly recommend that you read it, and all of Bernie's books.

[Rebecca Orton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read "A Book of Miracles; Inspiring True Stories of Healing, Gratitude, and Love" by Dr. Bernie S. Siegel and even though the title seems lofty, I found this book to have too much self-promotion and testimonials about the author himself. There were some stories that I really liked, but the rest of the stories seems overly optimistic. I understood that the power of prayer and positive thinking can change your world, heal your body, and make life better. However, there are such things as too much sappiness and mushiness. Unfortunately, this book seems to be one of them. Guideposts and Reader's Digest have similar stories about miracles and I've always enjoyed reading about them. They do not try to make a metaphysical point. They are emotion-filled, raw, pity-invoking kinds of stories. You take away what you will from these stories. Dr. Siegel's book did not invoke these kinds of feelings in me. Instead, I felt cynical because of the constant references to how wonderful the author and his teachings were. Really? The book would be much better without these. On the other hand, my feelings could have been because the author was preaching to the choir. I only learned a little bit of metaphysical information from this book. I would give this book three stars with a cautious recommendation to read it with a grain of salt.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. A bunch of short accounts of miracles that happen in everyday life and the power of the mind if it is open to receive.

[Denise Caudell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small book is packed full of short stories about everyday miracles. It was touching,inspiring, and sad in places. It gives the reader hope that miracles do exsist and that they can happen to anyone. Some areas will make you teary both in saddness and joy. But overall this little book is short, easy to read, and gives the reader something to ponder. :)

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of inspiring true stories from people who have overcome difficult challenges. These stories are a reminder that each of us possess the power to change our lives by using our minds.