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I've Seen the End of You: A Neurosurgeon's Look at Faith, Doubt, and the Things We Think We Know
This gripping inspirational memoir grapples with the tension between faith and science--and between death and hope--as a seasoned neurosurgeon faces insurmountable odds and grief both in the office and at home.
"Beautiful, haunting, powerful . . ."--Daniel G. Amen, MD
Dr. W. Lee Warren, a practicing brain surgeon, assumed he knew most outcomes for people with glioblastoma, head injuries, and other health-care problems. Yet even as he tried to give patients hope, his own heart would sink as he realized, I've seen the end of you.
But it became far more personal when the acclaimed doctor experienced an unimaginable family tragedy. That's when he reached the end of himself.
Page-turning medical stories serve as the backdrop for a raw, honest look at how we can remain on solid ground when everything goes wrong and how we can find light in the darkest hours of life.
I've Seen the End of You is the rare book that offers tender empathy and tangible hope for those who are suffering. No matter what you're facing, this doesn't have to be the end. Even when nothing seems to makes sense, God can transform your circumstances and your life. And he can offer a new beginning.
"Beautiful, haunting, powerful . . ."--Daniel G. Amen, MD
Dr. W. Lee Warren, a practicing brain surgeon, assumed he knew most outcomes for people with glioblastoma, head injuries, and other health-care problems. Yet even as he tried to give patients hope, his own heart would sink as he realized, I've seen the end of you.
But it became far more personal when the acclaimed doctor experienced an unimaginable family tragedy. That's when he reached the end of himself.
Page-turning medical stories serve as the backdrop for a raw, honest look at how we can remain on solid ground when everything goes wrong and how we can find light in the darkest hours of life.
I've Seen the End of You is the rare book that offers tender empathy and tangible hope for those who are suffering. No matter what you're facing, this doesn't have to be the end. Even when nothing seems to makes sense, God can transform your circumstances and your life. And he can offer a new beginning.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2020
155 people are currently reading
5397 people want to read
About the author
W. Lee Warren
8 books139 followersW. Lee Warren, MD, is a practicing neurosurgeon and award-winning author. His book, "I've Seen the End of You," won the Christian Book Award for Biography and Memoir in 2021.
His newest book ,"Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things," releases in July 2023 from Waterbrook.
Dr. Warren has appeared on The 700 Club and CBS Evening News and his writings have been featured in Guideposts magazine. His appearance on Focus on the Family was chosen as one of the “Best of 2021.”
He writes a weekly "Self-Brain Surgery" letter at drleewarren.substack.com
The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast, heard in more than 80+ countries around the world, explores the connections between faith and science and how to find hope even when life is hard.
Dr. Warren lives in Nebraska with his wife, Lisa.
His newest book ,"Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things," releases in July 2023 from Waterbrook.
Dr. Warren has appeared on The 700 Club and CBS Evening News and his writings have been featured in Guideposts magazine. His appearance on Focus on the Family was chosen as one of the “Best of 2021.”
He writes a weekly "Self-Brain Surgery" letter at drleewarren.substack.com
The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast, heard in more than 80+ countries around the world, explores the connections between faith and science and how to find hope even when life is hard.
Dr. Warren lives in Nebraska with his wife, Lisa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 383 reviews
February 2, 2020
Superb. Both in his patient tales and in the formation of his thoughts during the process of being their doctor and surgeon.
This is about faith, skills, science, and ultimately the differences between "believing" and "knowing".
It's beyond my ability to describe the ultimate nuance of our very personal cores to the facts of our own deaths. And also for the deaths of your closest, dearest, offspring.
It will be primarily understood more deeply by those who have a God belief. But there are numerous doubters, deniers, agnostic and the Dawkins too. If you are Scripture prone, there are parts you will love, or may not like?
The quotes in front of each chapter are chosen with a 6 star perception to the crux of Dr. Warren's issue. That he can see the end of you in one scan. And yet how he treats, connotes, succors or supports with the medical "truth" but also with his own very real personal fears. And not only about his patients' sufferings.
It's not an easy read because these brain cancer patients don't have news for any rejoicing in this book. But that does not mean at all that several of them do not rejoice. Life being the dichotomy of fate and reactive cognition we hold. Very different, very personal- best I've read in this field by eons.
Some of the quotes are beyond good to sublime. From classics to corn. Especially of high honored atheists.
But I like Uncle Si's the best. "I've been bitten 27 times, you can't blame the snake for being a snake."
If you have had more tragedy than most- this is the book for you. Strongly recommend. I'll remember this book as long as I have memory.
This is about faith, skills, science, and ultimately the differences between "believing" and "knowing".
It's beyond my ability to describe the ultimate nuance of our very personal cores to the facts of our own deaths. And also for the deaths of your closest, dearest, offspring.
It will be primarily understood more deeply by those who have a God belief. But there are numerous doubters, deniers, agnostic and the Dawkins too. If you are Scripture prone, there are parts you will love, or may not like?
The quotes in front of each chapter are chosen with a 6 star perception to the crux of Dr. Warren's issue. That he can see the end of you in one scan. And yet how he treats, connotes, succors or supports with the medical "truth" but also with his own very real personal fears. And not only about his patients' sufferings.
It's not an easy read because these brain cancer patients don't have news for any rejoicing in this book. But that does not mean at all that several of them do not rejoice. Life being the dichotomy of fate and reactive cognition we hold. Very different, very personal- best I've read in this field by eons.
Some of the quotes are beyond good to sublime. From classics to corn. Especially of high honored atheists.
But I like Uncle Si's the best. "I've been bitten 27 times, you can't blame the snake for being a snake."
If you have had more tragedy than most- this is the book for you. Strongly recommend. I'll remember this book as long as I have memory.
January 15, 2020
Where to even begin? I had this book in my TBR pile for a while and kept putting it off, what a mistake that was. This was a truly unforgettable book. Honest, thought provoking, heart breaking, gut wrenching and down right cruel at times but left me feeling lighter and with a much more positive outlook.
I suppose this is when I state that I am a staunch atheist. I've always been very strong with my feelings and almost dismissive of those with faith. This book truly opened my eyes. Whilst I am definitely still atheist, this has allowed me a deeper understanding of faith and what it means to people. Dr Lee Warren has written his journey of belief, faith and doubt so eloquently and without the "preachy-ness" you may find in similar novels.
I've Seen the End of You has the perfect mix of self reflection and stories of other other patients and their journeys navigating life, death, belief and faith. You will find yourself laughing one minute and crying your heart out the next.
Read this book, you won't regret it!
I suppose this is when I state that I am a staunch atheist. I've always been very strong with my feelings and almost dismissive of those with faith. This book truly opened my eyes. Whilst I am definitely still atheist, this has allowed me a deeper understanding of faith and what it means to people. Dr Lee Warren has written his journey of belief, faith and doubt so eloquently and without the "preachy-ness" you may find in similar novels.
I've Seen the End of You has the perfect mix of self reflection and stories of other other patients and their journeys navigating life, death, belief and faith. You will find yourself laughing one minute and crying your heart out the next.
Read this book, you won't regret it!
Read
April 16, 2022Dr. Lee Warren has a rarified vantage point, for he makes a living by entering the most secluded — and most sacred — part of a person: the human brain. The patients in this book have stories worthy of a novel, and Dr. Warren does them justice, describing their medical crises in gripping prose while also facing the questions that emerge to test his faith.
June 17, 2021
I have grown attached to all patients but a few stuff here and there didn’t sit right with me, instead, it made me question myself.
November 12, 2019
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Multnomah/Waterbrook Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
In the process of reading this book, I realized that the title of the book was far darker than I had thought it to be before starting it. Over and over again in this book, the author reflects upon his knowledge of a particular type of brain tumor, glioblastoma, with a very typical pattern of recurrence and infliction of horrible suffering before (nearly) certain death within a few years. The author artfully manages to discuss this particular disease in the context of his own struggles to understand and accept God's providence (or lack thereof) in his own life and in the lives of others, even as he serves to combine faith with skilled medical care and a high view of science in general. In the end, he comes to an understanding that he does not see the end of his patients as inevitably as he thought, and that the awareness of the gap between what he knows and what he believes is one that frees him (and others) from a great deal of the bitterness that could otherwise consume one who is engaged in the long war against brain cancers.
This book is about 250 pages long and is divided into three parts and 33 chapters. The three parts of the book are unequally divided to such an extent that the first part contains 27 chapters of the book, before the death of the author's son put him into a deep crisis of faith and almost derailed his attempts to promote his first book. This "before" chapter runs over much of the same ground the author had previously written about when discussing his experiences as a military doctor and discusses a variety of cases and his own growth as a doctor in dealing with brain tumors and the question of how end-of-life decisions and work dealing with grim brain cancers affects one's Christian walk. Four chapters deals with the during period where the author deals with the darkness of struggling with grief and the books and counsel that helped him through his crisis of faith. The book then ends with two chapters that look at his efforts to provide encouragement to others dealing with the same situations and the recognition that believing is better than the illusion of knowing what will happen, after which the book closes with an epilogue that looks at two options that are worse than a life of honest belief, as well as acknowledgments and notes.
One of the strengths of the author's approach as a writer is the way that he makes his practice and the people that he encounters come alive. Whether the reader is reflecting upon the author's process of developing competence and compassion on those he deals with, or whether we grieve with him at the death of his son and of the slow decline to so many people to recurring brain tumors and the hope and surprising life changes that result when people receive such a grim prognosis after having had seizures and nosebleeds and headaches that led them to the CT and MRI scans and biopsies that provided the evidence needed to diagnose them, this book's description of the lives of doctors and patients and friends is moving. The author manages to pursue several simultaneous lines of inquiry, including a discussion of the various paths that glioblastoma can take in the lives of people, a harrowing discussion of the way that some people are afraid of death and do not realize that there are some things worse than death, including lives destroyed by fear, as well as an appreciation of the mysterious and inscrutable ways in which God works in people to accomplish His purposes.
In the process of reading this book, I realized that the title of the book was far darker than I had thought it to be before starting it. Over and over again in this book, the author reflects upon his knowledge of a particular type of brain tumor, glioblastoma, with a very typical pattern of recurrence and infliction of horrible suffering before (nearly) certain death within a few years. The author artfully manages to discuss this particular disease in the context of his own struggles to understand and accept God's providence (or lack thereof) in his own life and in the lives of others, even as he serves to combine faith with skilled medical care and a high view of science in general. In the end, he comes to an understanding that he does not see the end of his patients as inevitably as he thought, and that the awareness of the gap between what he knows and what he believes is one that frees him (and others) from a great deal of the bitterness that could otherwise consume one who is engaged in the long war against brain cancers.
This book is about 250 pages long and is divided into three parts and 33 chapters. The three parts of the book are unequally divided to such an extent that the first part contains 27 chapters of the book, before the death of the author's son put him into a deep crisis of faith and almost derailed his attempts to promote his first book. This "before" chapter runs over much of the same ground the author had previously written about when discussing his experiences as a military doctor and discusses a variety of cases and his own growth as a doctor in dealing with brain tumors and the question of how end-of-life decisions and work dealing with grim brain cancers affects one's Christian walk. Four chapters deals with the during period where the author deals with the darkness of struggling with grief and the books and counsel that helped him through his crisis of faith. The book then ends with two chapters that look at his efforts to provide encouragement to others dealing with the same situations and the recognition that believing is better than the illusion of knowing what will happen, after which the book closes with an epilogue that looks at two options that are worse than a life of honest belief, as well as acknowledgments and notes.
One of the strengths of the author's approach as a writer is the way that he makes his practice and the people that he encounters come alive. Whether the reader is reflecting upon the author's process of developing competence and compassion on those he deals with, or whether we grieve with him at the death of his son and of the slow decline to so many people to recurring brain tumors and the hope and surprising life changes that result when people receive such a grim prognosis after having had seizures and nosebleeds and headaches that led them to the CT and MRI scans and biopsies that provided the evidence needed to diagnose them, this book's description of the lives of doctors and patients and friends is moving. The author manages to pursue several simultaneous lines of inquiry, including a discussion of the various paths that glioblastoma can take in the lives of people, a harrowing discussion of the way that some people are afraid of death and do not realize that there are some things worse than death, including lives destroyed by fear, as well as an appreciation of the mysterious and inscrutable ways in which God works in people to accomplish His purposes.
January 21, 2020
This book was an emotional rollercoaster. I teared up and started to cry at least half a dozen times while reading this book. It pulled NO punches when it came to the question of why God would let these things happen. It also didn't pretend to have all of the answers. None of us know why, none of us are guaranteed a safe and happy life when we follow the Lord. All we are guaranteed is that He will be with us every step of the way. It's up to us to accept His presence or not. And we can choose to be angry, to turn our back, to deny. He won't force himself onto us.
What this book brought home to me, was that God is the God of second chances. There was a character who was a drug-user, full of anger and pain and hate, who had an obvious second chance, while a good, God-fearing man had no chance. The God-fearing man didn't need the second chance, but the drug-user did. The book didn't say that, but that is the lesson I took from the book.
Jesus hung out with the sinners, the tax collectors, the fallen women, because they needed Him, needed that second chance. They didn't deserve it, but they got it. Which gives me hope. Doesn't make it seem any less fair when a young father of three dies from brain cancer, but I'm not privy to God's plans.
This book is HARD reading. It's honest, but hard to read. Not just the emotional parts, but also where he's discussing his work cutting away bits of brain and other medical things. I'm not into bodily fluids and medical stuff. Thankfully there are people out there who can and do that stuff, because if the world relied on me for that, we would all be in trouble.
This book may not be for everyone, but it is interesting reading how a neurosurgeon who is also a Christian tries to reconcile his faith with his profession and the sadness that he sees too often. Recommended for those who are questioning and for those who think they already know. 4, there is hope, stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
What this book brought home to me, was that God is the God of second chances. There was a character who was a drug-user, full of anger and pain and hate, who had an obvious second chance, while a good, God-fearing man had no chance. The God-fearing man didn't need the second chance, but the drug-user did. The book didn't say that, but that is the lesson I took from the book.
Jesus hung out with the sinners, the tax collectors, the fallen women, because they needed Him, needed that second chance. They didn't deserve it, but they got it. Which gives me hope. Doesn't make it seem any less fair when a young father of three dies from brain cancer, but I'm not privy to God's plans.
This book is HARD reading. It's honest, but hard to read. Not just the emotional parts, but also where he's discussing his work cutting away bits of brain and other medical things. I'm not into bodily fluids and medical stuff. Thankfully there are people out there who can and do that stuff, because if the world relied on me for that, we would all be in trouble.
This book may not be for everyone, but it is interesting reading how a neurosurgeon who is also a Christian tries to reconcile his faith with his profession and the sadness that he sees too often. Recommended for those who are questioning and for those who think they already know. 4, there is hope, stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
January 9, 2020
This is the only review that I am struggling to write. So apologies for the delayed review.
I remember how I wanted to extend my reading comfort zone and started exploring the 'Biographies and Memoirs' section. I came across this book and I instantly requested it. I didn't know then how intense this book will be and the impact it will have on me.
Every page turn turned out to be the moment where I just had to lay down my phone aside even though my brain constantly told me to continue reading. It is unputdownable and yet, you cannot read this book without taking constant breaks because of how intense it is. I have never read a book like this nor have an experienced a read like this! This book provides such a raw insight into faith, hope, death and doubt amidst the tornadoes that come across in life unimaginably. Neurology has always fascinated me. This book provided lots of insight into the life of a Neurologist. Most of the cases mentioned are of GBM and one case is about Melanoma: Teresa. She is an absolute inspiration!
This book has impacted me in ways one cannot imagine. The author's writing style is so gripping that it just felt too intense yet engrossing. It set the tone of the book perfectly for the topics pondered upon. This is truly applaudable because he tells us how he learnt to write after Philip Yancey saw that he had a story that needs to be told and how he believed in it!
This book is so beautifully written with heart-wrenching rawness in the words of the author. There are religious notions in this book, more than you will expect it to have. There is constant turmoil, that the spiritual aspects turned out to be solacing. I am not religious but I am raised in a family which is. They have always respected my take on religion and they hope that one day, I would be spiritual. I have always been the person who asked questions since a very young age and I haven't found an answer to, to this day. So, most of those questions are in this book and they are answered. This is truly something I need to introspect on for the days to come. All I want to say now is that I loved reading this book. I wouldn't say I enjoyed reading this book because I don't want to sound disrespectful but I did. I will reread this book again and again as I want to explore the thoughts this book will lead me to!
I have nothing but gratitude in my heart for Dr Lee Warren for penning this book which will truly touch everyone's heart. I am thankful for all our healthcare providers. We often grieve when we lose someone. Sometimes, we lose people in surgeries and after prolonged treatments but we never think about how it has affected the doctor. Robert Chang's family should be every one of us. I was so heart touched and emotional when Mrs Chang dropped by to talk to Dr Lee about how he was doing and how much that meant to him. I understand that we would be grieving for our loss and the doctors absolutely don't expect us to comfort them even though they are questioning themselves and maybe, wondering what they could have done better or what they could have not done. When they lose a patient in their own hands while doing surgery of sorts, they blame each step they took and it emotionally affects them. We all seem to forget that doctors are humans too and if I hadn't read this book, maybe I would have never thought about this. I have always had respect for doctors and after this book, they have my utmost reverence.
So, trust me when I tell you to read this book no matter what. Trust me when I say that this book needs to be read at all costs. Trust me when I say that this book is the book you never thought you needed to read until you read it.
I remember how I wanted to extend my reading comfort zone and started exploring the 'Biographies and Memoirs' section. I came across this book and I instantly requested it. I didn't know then how intense this book will be and the impact it will have on me.
Every page turn turned out to be the moment where I just had to lay down my phone aside even though my brain constantly told me to continue reading. It is unputdownable and yet, you cannot read this book without taking constant breaks because of how intense it is. I have never read a book like this nor have an experienced a read like this! This book provides such a raw insight into faith, hope, death and doubt amidst the tornadoes that come across in life unimaginably. Neurology has always fascinated me. This book provided lots of insight into the life of a Neurologist. Most of the cases mentioned are of GBM and one case is about Melanoma: Teresa. She is an absolute inspiration!
This book has impacted me in ways one cannot imagine. The author's writing style is so gripping that it just felt too intense yet engrossing. It set the tone of the book perfectly for the topics pondered upon. This is truly applaudable because he tells us how he learnt to write after Philip Yancey saw that he had a story that needs to be told and how he believed in it!
This book is so beautifully written with heart-wrenching rawness in the words of the author. There are religious notions in this book, more than you will expect it to have. There is constant turmoil, that the spiritual aspects turned out to be solacing. I am not religious but I am raised in a family which is. They have always respected my take on religion and they hope that one day, I would be spiritual. I have always been the person who asked questions since a very young age and I haven't found an answer to, to this day. So, most of those questions are in this book and they are answered. This is truly something I need to introspect on for the days to come. All I want to say now is that I loved reading this book. I wouldn't say I enjoyed reading this book because I don't want to sound disrespectful but I did. I will reread this book again and again as I want to explore the thoughts this book will lead me to!
I have nothing but gratitude in my heart for Dr Lee Warren for penning this book which will truly touch everyone's heart. I am thankful for all our healthcare providers. We often grieve when we lose someone. Sometimes, we lose people in surgeries and after prolonged treatments but we never think about how it has affected the doctor. Robert Chang's family should be every one of us. I was so heart touched and emotional when Mrs Chang dropped by to talk to Dr Lee about how he was doing and how much that meant to him. I understand that we would be grieving for our loss and the doctors absolutely don't expect us to comfort them even though they are questioning themselves and maybe, wondering what they could have done better or what they could have not done. When they lose a patient in their own hands while doing surgery of sorts, they blame each step they took and it emotionally affects them. We all seem to forget that doctors are humans too and if I hadn't read this book, maybe I would have never thought about this. I have always had respect for doctors and after this book, they have my utmost reverence.
So, trust me when I tell you to read this book no matter what. Trust me when I say that this book needs to be read at all costs. Trust me when I say that this book is the book you never thought you needed to read until you read it.
August 20, 2021
There are only a handful of books that I consider page-turners. I remember my first one being the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I was up until 3 am finishing its last book. What they all have in common is they are fiction. This is the first non-fiction book that I would put in the page-turner category. Dr. Warren's personal story is incredible and the stories he tells from his practice of neurosurgery are even more so. In the midst of the stories of glioblastoma multiforme (you'll have to read the book but think brain cancer) he wrestles with faith and doubt, the goodness and power of God to heal and whether his atheist friends are right.
It's not an easy read emotionally. There are so many tragedies, inevitable deaths and heartwrenching decisions to be made, I found myself sobbing at many points. This is an honest book that comes to faithful conclusions after all of the wrestling. I highly recommend the book. It is one of the best I have read in the past year.
It's not an easy read emotionally. There are so many tragedies, inevitable deaths and heartwrenching decisions to be made, I found myself sobbing at many points. This is an honest book that comes to faithful conclusions after all of the wrestling. I highly recommend the book. It is one of the best I have read in the past year.
October 5, 2022
If you are a person who questions the efficacy of prayer, who has trouble understanding God in the midst of tragedy, or has struggles believing in God AND science, "I've Seen the End of You" is a really good read. Dr. Warren puts into words and into real life many of the questions I've had, and doesn't provide sugary answers that don't deal with the real issues. I wish I had read it with others and could have processed it together.
The basic setting for the book is that Dr. Warren, as a neurosurgeon, knows with an impossibly high degree of certainty that when he reads a brain scan and a certain type of tumor shows itself, the person is going to die. Is it possible to pray for healing when you know the answer from God will be "no"? How do you give hope when there isn't any? And why do people handle the news so differently?
This is not an easy read, but it is a very good one.
The basic setting for the book is that Dr. Warren, as a neurosurgeon, knows with an impossibly high degree of certainty that when he reads a brain scan and a certain type of tumor shows itself, the person is going to die. Is it possible to pray for healing when you know the answer from God will be "no"? How do you give hope when there isn't any? And why do people handle the news so differently?
This is not an easy read, but it is a very good one.
November 27, 2019
I've seen the end of you by W. Lee Warren, M
A Neurosurgeon’s Look at Faith, Doubt, and the Things We Think We Know.
I’ve never read a book like this. This book was so well written and with such honesty. I had a lot to think about when I finished the book and it stayed in my head for days. I’ve had to call people up and tell them they need to read it!
The chapter Voices was so enlightening for me. His conversation with Pastor Jo, his many conversations with Pastor Jo were so thought provoking for me. His patient Rupert Chang and his meeting with that patient’s family following his death, that story had me reading with tears going down my face.
This was the true story or stories from a Neurosurgeon who believes in science and believes in God, and has had his doubts regarding God. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in reading other people’s thoughts and feelings on the subject. This from a doctor who deals with life and death on a daily basis and with all types of people. He’s been to war; his first book was after he returned where he would operate to put men back together.
I received this book as an advanced reader copy from the publisher Penguin Random House in exchange for a review of my opinion or thoughts on the book upon reading it which I have gladly written. I gave this book five stars and recommend this book to everyone!
Description as found on Good Reads: This gripping inspirational memoir grapples with the tension between faith and science--and between death and hope--as a seasoned neurosurgeon faces insurmountable odds and grief both in the office and at home.
Dr. W. Lee Warren, a practicing brain surgeon, assumed he knew most outcomes for people with glioblastoma, head injuries, and other health-care problems. Yet even as he tried to give patients hope, his own heart would sink as he realized, I've seen the end of you.
But it became far more personal when the acclaimed doctor experienced an unimaginable family tragedy. That's when he reached the end of himself.
Page-turning medical stories serve as the backdrop for a raw, honest look at how we can remain on solid ground when everything goes wrong and how we can find light in the darkest hours of life.
I've Seen the End of You is the rare book that offers tender empathy and tangible hope for those who are suffering. No matter what you're facing, this doesn't have to be the end. Even when nothing seems to makes sense, God can transform your circumstances and your life. And he can offer a new beginning.
A Neurosurgeon’s Look at Faith, Doubt, and the Things We Think We Know.
I’ve never read a book like this. This book was so well written and with such honesty. I had a lot to think about when I finished the book and it stayed in my head for days. I’ve had to call people up and tell them they need to read it!
The chapter Voices was so enlightening for me. His conversation with Pastor Jo, his many conversations with Pastor Jo were so thought provoking for me. His patient Rupert Chang and his meeting with that patient’s family following his death, that story had me reading with tears going down my face.
This was the true story or stories from a Neurosurgeon who believes in science and believes in God, and has had his doubts regarding God. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in reading other people’s thoughts and feelings on the subject. This from a doctor who deals with life and death on a daily basis and with all types of people. He’s been to war; his first book was after he returned where he would operate to put men back together.
I received this book as an advanced reader copy from the publisher Penguin Random House in exchange for a review of my opinion or thoughts on the book upon reading it which I have gladly written. I gave this book five stars and recommend this book to everyone!
Description as found on Good Reads: This gripping inspirational memoir grapples with the tension between faith and science--and between death and hope--as a seasoned neurosurgeon faces insurmountable odds and grief both in the office and at home.
Dr. W. Lee Warren, a practicing brain surgeon, assumed he knew most outcomes for people with glioblastoma, head injuries, and other health-care problems. Yet even as he tried to give patients hope, his own heart would sink as he realized, I've seen the end of you.
But it became far more personal when the acclaimed doctor experienced an unimaginable family tragedy. That's when he reached the end of himself.
Page-turning medical stories serve as the backdrop for a raw, honest look at how we can remain on solid ground when everything goes wrong and how we can find light in the darkest hours of life.
I've Seen the End of You is the rare book that offers tender empathy and tangible hope for those who are suffering. No matter what you're facing, this doesn't have to be the end. Even when nothing seems to makes sense, God can transform your circumstances and your life. And he can offer a new beginning.
November 30, 2019
Warren is a brain surgeon and a man of faith. He shares his struggles of seeing so many with brain tumors (glioblastoma) and a hopeless prognosis while believing in a God who can heal but most often does not.
Warren shares many of his experiences with patients, changing names to protect their memory. There is the good guy with the tumor so extensive there is no remedy. It will kill him. There is the bad guy whose tumor was found and operated on and will live another day. There is Warren's own self doubt when surgery does not go as planned. There is guilt at an unexpected death. There is the 18 month old, severely shaken by a drunken boyfriend who had been using the child as a punching bag for some time. There were families taken in by fraudulent cures, spending their life savings. There were prayers answered, just not in the way Warren had expected.
I like that Warren includes many life lessons learned from his experiences. One example is focus. A surgeon can focus so much on the immediate narrow problem, a deadly problem nearby may be ignored. One needs to maintain perspective, being able to see the narrow problem but also the larger issue. He shares how he helps people learn to live in a painful world of the deadliest cancer.
This is an engaging memoir. Warren's writing style is captivating. I am amazed at and have great respect for those who work in emergency rooms and deal with head traumas. Readers with weak stomachs may have difficulty with some of the head trauma descriptions.
Warren notes that he wrote this book to help people navigate the path of faith and doubt and loss. The latter he experienced when his own son died. I think he achieved his goal. The book is a very good one for Christians troubled by the place of faith in their painful lives.
I received a complimentary ARC of book from the publisher. My comments are an honest and independent review.
Warren shares many of his experiences with patients, changing names to protect their memory. There is the good guy with the tumor so extensive there is no remedy. It will kill him. There is the bad guy whose tumor was found and operated on and will live another day. There is Warren's own self doubt when surgery does not go as planned. There is guilt at an unexpected death. There is the 18 month old, severely shaken by a drunken boyfriend who had been using the child as a punching bag for some time. There were families taken in by fraudulent cures, spending their life savings. There were prayers answered, just not in the way Warren had expected.
I like that Warren includes many life lessons learned from his experiences. One example is focus. A surgeon can focus so much on the immediate narrow problem, a deadly problem nearby may be ignored. One needs to maintain perspective, being able to see the narrow problem but also the larger issue. He shares how he helps people learn to live in a painful world of the deadliest cancer.
This is an engaging memoir. Warren's writing style is captivating. I am amazed at and have great respect for those who work in emergency rooms and deal with head traumas. Readers with weak stomachs may have difficulty with some of the head trauma descriptions.
Warren notes that he wrote this book to help people navigate the path of faith and doubt and loss. The latter he experienced when his own son died. I think he achieved his goal. The book is a very good one for Christians troubled by the place of faith in their painful lives.
I received a complimentary ARC of book from the publisher. My comments are an honest and independent review.
February 8, 2020
I read every cancer/faith/memoir I can get my hands on, which tells me I'm fascinated most with what I fear most. These books wreck me, but they make me think about the hard stuff.
This one in particular was especially interesting to me because the author grew up Fundie, so his doubts were very serious and were approached with a lot of previous scripture knowledge. His voice was so humble and genuine and transparent. I wish I could sit in a Panera with him and overthink and overtalk about all this.
I think the idea of God saying "shhhh" before we even finish praying (because His answer is already no) will stay with me a long time. As will this quote: "Faith doesn't keep us from having problems. It just gives a clearer view of how God is responding to them. Doubt is not fatal if we recognize it for what it is: a smudge on the lens. When we realize that, wipe it clear, and put the glasses back on, we'll be okay."
This was not a perfect book, but its message was, and I'm thankful to have read it.
This one in particular was especially interesting to me because the author grew up Fundie, so his doubts were very serious and were approached with a lot of previous scripture knowledge. His voice was so humble and genuine and transparent. I wish I could sit in a Panera with him and overthink and overtalk about all this.
I think the idea of God saying "shhhh" before we even finish praying (because His answer is already no) will stay with me a long time. As will this quote: "Faith doesn't keep us from having problems. It just gives a clearer view of how God is responding to them. Doubt is not fatal if we recognize it for what it is: a smudge on the lens. When we realize that, wipe it clear, and put the glasses back on, we'll be okay."
This was not a perfect book, but its message was, and I'm thankful to have read it.
July 8, 2019
An outstanding and unforgettable book. A book on hope, loss of hope, faith, life and death. It is such an honest and raw memoir of Doctor W. Lee Warren, a neurosurgeon, that will take your breath away . I highly suggest it for people in grief especially if they are in the stage where they question their faith in God. Although the whole book is very powerful, the last chapters are remarkable.
A personal note to the author's wife, Lisa: Thank you for insisting that he should write this book. Your journey as individuals and as couple through the darkness of grief towards the light has given me the courage to face my crisis in my faith as no other book has done until now.
A personal note to the author's wife, Lisa: Thank you for insisting that he should write this book. Your journey as individuals and as couple through the darkness of grief towards the light has given me the courage to face my crisis in my faith as no other book has done until now.
January 7, 2020
Dr. W. Lee Warren, a practicing brain surgeon, recounts medical stories. It contains tangible hope for those suffering. God can offer you a new outlook, a new beginning.
I loved this book. The scenes were detailed as I got a first-hand look at the examination of a patient. The brain is amazing and Warren brings this out. There were funny sections, serious scenes, and life-changing advice. It brought me face to face with reality. It's sobering when a person has to face their mortality. I've Seen the End of You brings that out. I highly recommend this book, as it increased my faith in a way no other book could. This is one of those books I will read again.
I loved this book. The scenes were detailed as I got a first-hand look at the examination of a patient. The brain is amazing and Warren brings this out. There were funny sections, serious scenes, and life-changing advice. It brought me face to face with reality. It's sobering when a person has to face their mortality. I've Seen the End of You brings that out. I highly recommend this book, as it increased my faith in a way no other book could. This is one of those books I will read again.
February 28, 2020
Wow. What an inspiring book. As a nurse of 20 years, I have yet to run into a physician that thinks like the author did. The stories in the book will cause you to think and ponder about things, including life. Amazing life lessons are also woven throughout this book. This was definitely a tearjerker read and I was also able to get some more book suggestions while reading this book. The author did a great job with the information set in the book.
December 7, 2022
This was not what I expected. I was hopi g for some insight and stories from a surgeon who’s seen people cross over and return. Oh, no. All his patients die. His son dies. Very sad and not a fun read. If I get glioblastoma, I’m gonna go watch sunsets in a beach and die there instead of in a futile hospital bed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2020
I devoured this book in two sittings. Dr Warren is very relatable and he made me feel like he was telling these medical stories directly to me. My Mom is battling cancer right now and I found great comfort in reading this book.
September 5, 2025
This is one of my oldest requests in my NetGalley backlog. I requested it when I was in a different part of my faith journey. I don’t actually consider myself part of the author’s faith anymore, but I’m still glad I finally read the book. A lot of the things he struggled with were things that I often thought about too. They’re things I still think about. And despite us arriving at different destinations, it was fascinating to hear about how his life as a neurosurgeon assisted him in getting to his. I bawled so many times throughout this book (a mark of many favorite nonfiction books for me). It was incredibly emotional.
August 16, 2021
What a personal story. I listened to the audiobook and felt the author inviting us to share his own journey of knowledge, doubt, fear and faith.
December 6, 2019
W. Lee Warren is a neurosurgeon, and a very good one. A man who has saved thousands of lives and one, who due to the nature of the work he does, routinely battles one of the most deadly brain cancers known to man, Glioblastoma Multiforme. 100 % fatal. GBM kills, all the time.
He is also a Christian who believes in the supreme power of God and of His faithfulness to His children. Dr. Warren arises early each day to pray and study scriptures, prays often with his wife and children, and always prays for and sometimes with his patients and their families.
In this memoir, open, raw, gritty, heartwarming and heartbreaking, we are privy to Dr. Warren's struggles with trying to reconcile what he believes through his faith and what he knows as a scientist. God is good all the time vs GBM kills all the time. We see his pain, his doubts, his longing to believe unquestionably, unwaveringly. His desire to give his patients hope when, scientifically, he knows there is none. What a tough, tough job!
In the course of the book, the reader comes to know several of Warren's GBM patients, and hears and sees the interactions Dr. Warren has with his patients and their families. We learn that patients who believe in a power greater than themselves tend to do better medically during the course of their disease than those who don't, even though the outcome might be the same. We see how different people and families deal with this horrible diagnosis and the disease; one which can give hope through brief respites at times, and then come back, bigger, bolder, deadlier than ever. We see how God can use this circumstance to change people, and how seeming coincidences uncovered the GBM, so that surgery could buy a patient and family a bit more time together.
I admire Dr. Warren, as a good and decent man, and as a neurologist. His job is not an easy one. He could easily wall himself off to protect himself from the pain that dealing with GBM on a routine basis must cause, but he doesn't. He is there for his patients with his skills, and with his human warmth. At times when things must be said and understood and plans made, at times when there are no words.
My older brother died of a GBM. I only wish, we had had someone like Dr. Warren with us during his fight against, and ultimate loss to this disease. It would have been such a comfort!
I highly recommend this book for several reasons - first, so people understand that God accepts doubt and pain; that God doesn't lie; that He is with us always in whatever the circumstance, comforting us, perhaps even helping us to grow. Second, because it shows the true impact on the doctors of dealing with not only with using their skills and knowledge against the diseases they fight, but with trying to provide to us all the other things we look to them for - hope, understanding, comfort, help.
Many thanks to Dr. Warren for writing this book, and to NetGalley and Waterbrook for allowing me to read an ARC of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Opinions expressed here are my own.
He is also a Christian who believes in the supreme power of God and of His faithfulness to His children. Dr. Warren arises early each day to pray and study scriptures, prays often with his wife and children, and always prays for and sometimes with his patients and their families.
In this memoir, open, raw, gritty, heartwarming and heartbreaking, we are privy to Dr. Warren's struggles with trying to reconcile what he believes through his faith and what he knows as a scientist. God is good all the time vs GBM kills all the time. We see his pain, his doubts, his longing to believe unquestionably, unwaveringly. His desire to give his patients hope when, scientifically, he knows there is none. What a tough, tough job!
In the course of the book, the reader comes to know several of Warren's GBM patients, and hears and sees the interactions Dr. Warren has with his patients and their families. We learn that patients who believe in a power greater than themselves tend to do better medically during the course of their disease than those who don't, even though the outcome might be the same. We see how different people and families deal with this horrible diagnosis and the disease; one which can give hope through brief respites at times, and then come back, bigger, bolder, deadlier than ever. We see how God can use this circumstance to change people, and how seeming coincidences uncovered the GBM, so that surgery could buy a patient and family a bit more time together.
I admire Dr. Warren, as a good and decent man, and as a neurologist. His job is not an easy one. He could easily wall himself off to protect himself from the pain that dealing with GBM on a routine basis must cause, but he doesn't. He is there for his patients with his skills, and with his human warmth. At times when things must be said and understood and plans made, at times when there are no words.
My older brother died of a GBM. I only wish, we had had someone like Dr. Warren with us during his fight against, and ultimate loss to this disease. It would have been such a comfort!
I highly recommend this book for several reasons - first, so people understand that God accepts doubt and pain; that God doesn't lie; that He is with us always in whatever the circumstance, comforting us, perhaps even helping us to grow. Second, because it shows the true impact on the doctors of dealing with not only with using their skills and knowledge against the diseases they fight, but with trying to provide to us all the other things we look to them for - hope, understanding, comfort, help.
Many thanks to Dr. Warren for writing this book, and to NetGalley and Waterbrook for allowing me to read an ARC of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Opinions expressed here are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2019
Few books have touched me in the way that Dr. W. Lee Warren's powerful memoir, I've Seen the End of You has. His accounts of his journey as a neurosurgeon, treating various forms of cancer, head injuries and other health problems illustrated just how tenuous life is and how important it is to appreciate each day.
I received Dr. Warren's book from Waterbrook & Multnomah as part of the launch team for an honest review.
Warren shares many of his patients' stories throughout his book. Each one touches the heart in a special way. Some face their diagnosis with anger and denial. Others with dignity as they teach a lesson in how to die well with faith and grace. Warren explores his own journey as a physician and a man of God. Through most of his memoir, he stands as an outsider, looking in as he treats his patients. Deciding with each one how he will approach the relationship as a doctor. Some he remains aloof, with a just the facts demeanor, yet others he is caring and personal. He lets his years of practice and intuition guide him. One commonality is his habit of praying before each surgery, asking for God's guidance and care to truly see what the patient needs and not allow himself to feel he knows. A lesson he was taught as a resident intern and one he never forgot.
I think the part of the book that moved me most was when personal tragedy hit his family. When he became part of a club no parent ever wants to be included in, a child's death. This struck me because as a doctor Warren was always the one delivering bad news, sad prognosis and complicated reports. He was always the one with the information, not the one on the receiving end. It reminded me that each of us is the one outside a trauma until something happens to us or our family. We live in a fantasy of this won't happen to us, until our world comes crashing down and it does. Warren shows us that no one is outside of tragedy and helps the reader feel his pain as well as his healing. I strongly recommend Warren's book, I've Seen the End of You. His story is timeless and placeless and one every reader can relate to through their own life experiences.
#W.LeeWarren,MD
#I'veSeentheEndofYou
#Waterbrook&Multnomah
I received Dr. Warren's book from Waterbrook & Multnomah as part of the launch team for an honest review.
Warren shares many of his patients' stories throughout his book. Each one touches the heart in a special way. Some face their diagnosis with anger and denial. Others with dignity as they teach a lesson in how to die well with faith and grace. Warren explores his own journey as a physician and a man of God. Through most of his memoir, he stands as an outsider, looking in as he treats his patients. Deciding with each one how he will approach the relationship as a doctor. Some he remains aloof, with a just the facts demeanor, yet others he is caring and personal. He lets his years of practice and intuition guide him. One commonality is his habit of praying before each surgery, asking for God's guidance and care to truly see what the patient needs and not allow himself to feel he knows. A lesson he was taught as a resident intern and one he never forgot.
I think the part of the book that moved me most was when personal tragedy hit his family. When he became part of a club no parent ever wants to be included in, a child's death. This struck me because as a doctor Warren was always the one delivering bad news, sad prognosis and complicated reports. He was always the one with the information, not the one on the receiving end. It reminded me that each of us is the one outside a trauma until something happens to us or our family. We live in a fantasy of this won't happen to us, until our world comes crashing down and it does. Warren shows us that no one is outside of tragedy and helps the reader feel his pain as well as his healing. I strongly recommend Warren's book, I've Seen the End of You. His story is timeless and placeless and one every reader can relate to through their own life experiences.
#W.LeeWarren,MD
#I'veSeentheEndofYou
#Waterbrook&Multnomah
January 7, 2020
It isn’t brain surgery is a famous saying. In the case of I’ve Seen the End of You, it is. Dr. W. Lee Warren has penned an excellent, thought-provoking book centered around brain cancer. Though not my first choice of topic, the author grapples with not only life and death issues within the brain but eternal.
Writing from a unique position, this surgeon shares the real-life struggles of patients dying and finding real-life even in the midst of tragedy. Even beyond the brain tumor stories, we are given insight into the realities of an honest believer trying to understand how and why God does what He does through this sin-stained world.
The life of a brain surgeon, who also suffered the loss of a dearly loved child, produces profound issues and challenges to a walk of faith. Many of these battles are expressed through the author’s pen. Here are a few to consider:
• I know now you can have faith and it doesn’t always mean everything will be okay.
• The ICU is a place where, in every room, desperation and hope slug it out to see who’ll be the
champ.
• Moments like these illuminate so clearly the things we should have done that we often speak
them out loud, then wonder why they eluded us when we could have done something about
them.
• And what you learn is the fine art of finding calm during chaos.
• Problems unseen are still problems
• Her life, in her mind, was uniformly malignant, and she diagnosed herself as terminally
hopeless.
• I have discovered a profound truth in my journey through treating cancer patients and trauma
victims, thorough becoming a traumatized war veteran, and through losing my son; my
happiness cannot depend on my life being pain-free.
This excellent book is well worth the read and will encourage anyone seeking reality and truth in the midst of trials. It is written honestly and clearly and I would highly recommend it.
The book was given to me by Waterbrook publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Dr. Jeff Klick
Writing from a unique position, this surgeon shares the real-life struggles of patients dying and finding real-life even in the midst of tragedy. Even beyond the brain tumor stories, we are given insight into the realities of an honest believer trying to understand how and why God does what He does through this sin-stained world.
The life of a brain surgeon, who also suffered the loss of a dearly loved child, produces profound issues and challenges to a walk of faith. Many of these battles are expressed through the author’s pen. Here are a few to consider:
• I know now you can have faith and it doesn’t always mean everything will be okay.
• The ICU is a place where, in every room, desperation and hope slug it out to see who’ll be the
champ.
• Moments like these illuminate so clearly the things we should have done that we often speak
them out loud, then wonder why they eluded us when we could have done something about
them.
• And what you learn is the fine art of finding calm during chaos.
• Problems unseen are still problems
• Her life, in her mind, was uniformly malignant, and she diagnosed herself as terminally
hopeless.
• I have discovered a profound truth in my journey through treating cancer patients and trauma
victims, thorough becoming a traumatized war veteran, and through losing my son; my
happiness cannot depend on my life being pain-free.
This excellent book is well worth the read and will encourage anyone seeking reality and truth in the midst of trials. It is written honestly and clearly and I would highly recommend it.
The book was given to me by Waterbrook publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Dr. Jeff Klick
February 24, 2020
Excellent book about difficult situations, human tragedies, and triumphs and how each play a profound part in shaping our faith. Dr. Warren felt like a fake when he would tell the family or patient with a glioblastoma diagnosis that he would pray for them when he knew that all his patients had passed from it. It’s a very real account of how he wrestled with his faith during tragic times, something I believe believers struggle with at different times in their lives. I loved reading about or actually getting to know him and observing his heart through his actions. This speaks to me so much more (observing people’s actions, getting to know them, and their hearts). It opens the door to later hear them better when quoting bible verses or sharing bible stories. I believe God-fearing people can make a bigger impact on people in the midst of difficult times, or even triumphant times, when they become the hands and feet of Christ (a hug, a meal, a listening ear), opening the door to much later share their personal testimonies, and subsequently allowing for them to LATER share biblical truths, if at all. While the book was sad in parts, it strengthened my faith and offered up tangible, compassionate suggestions to help others, combined with pointing them to Christ and their faith when they are struggling, as opposed to flippantly saying, “He’s in a better place now,” “God must have needed him more than you did,” “All things work together for the good,” or “Everything happens for a reason.” Things I would NOT say but have witnessed Christians saying. (My mom died of cancer at 54) Dr. Warren’s struggles reminded me of biblical figures who similarly struggled with their faith such as Jacob, Paul, David, Moses, and Mary. Lastly, my favorite quote in the book was from a 12 week pregnant patient dying from metastatic melanoma forced to choose to save her life or the baby’s life. Dr. Warren asks her, “How are you so strong?” She replies, “The Bible never promised us an easy life, just an eternal one if we keep the faith. That’s what’s keeping me going.”
November 25, 2019
Thank you to WaterBrook & Multnomah, and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very personal look at life - and the end of life - by a neurosurgeon. Many of the patients he deals with, and whose stories he tells, are afflicted with a particularly virulent type of brain cancer and the title refers to the almost foregone conclusion he reaches when he is confronted with evidence of the disease when setting his diagnosis.
The descriptions of testing, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease are fascinating. The author's struggle with faith, not so much. Although I can understand and accept that the author is grappling with questions that are existential for him, and his personal belief in God, I found the constant references to his faith too preachy. I also felt it could have done with a bit more stringent editing, in parts the author kept circling and repeating himself, rather than getting to the point.
However, regardless of where we stand spiritually, this book reminds us that no one is immortal, and that the end is sometimes much sooner than we would like.
This is a very personal look at life - and the end of life - by a neurosurgeon. Many of the patients he deals with, and whose stories he tells, are afflicted with a particularly virulent type of brain cancer and the title refers to the almost foregone conclusion he reaches when he is confronted with evidence of the disease when setting his diagnosis.
The descriptions of testing, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease are fascinating. The author's struggle with faith, not so much. Although I can understand and accept that the author is grappling with questions that are existential for him, and his personal belief in God, I found the constant references to his faith too preachy. I also felt it could have done with a bit more stringent editing, in parts the author kept circling and repeating himself, rather than getting to the point.
However, regardless of where we stand spiritually, this book reminds us that no one is immortal, and that the end is sometimes much sooner than we would like.
February 7, 2020
Thank you Dr. Warren, for your book and your willingness to share your story—knowing that you are more than one story! Your insight and your vulnerability are what makes your book stand out. As a student of loss and grief I found your journey instructive, and will be recommending your book to others who have or are dealing with doubt—which is a natural part of faith. Your book brought to mind Viktor Frankl’s , Man’s Search for Meaning, another book detailing human doubt in the midst of unimaginable adversity. Certainly from a different perspective in many ways but similar in its author’s searching for faith and hope. So glad you and your family have been willing to share and my deepest condolences on your loss. Finding meaning and helping others is such a crucial part of your story as well! Thank you!
October 5, 2020
Some books get a higher rating just because you read them at the right time. I won this book in a Goodread's contest in February. Due to COVID delays, it didn't show up until September. For me, that was exactly the right timing.
One of the primary questions in this book is how can you sincerely pray for something when you are pretty certain the answer is no (someone with a terminal illness, for example). It is not that you doubt that God CAN do what you ask, but you doubt that God WILL do what you ask. Working through that with the author was a very good journey for me.
One of my favorite quotes from the book, which I think he attributes to John Ortberg is "Hope is faith waiting for tomorrow."
One of the primary questions in this book is how can you sincerely pray for something when you are pretty certain the answer is no (someone with a terminal illness, for example). It is not that you doubt that God CAN do what you ask, but you doubt that God WILL do what you ask. Working through that with the author was a very good journey for me.
One of my favorite quotes from the book, which I think he attributes to John Ortberg is "Hope is faith waiting for tomorrow."
December 20, 2020
Lee Warren, a neurosurgeon and a Christian, struggled with the sense of praying for his patients who had received the terrible diagnosis of glioblastoma, a very malignant brain tumour which is almost always fatal. As he prays for them, he has the feeling that God has already said "No" and yet we are told to pray. As he writes, he works through his doubts and questions. And then he is faced with a terrible personal tragedy.
Although most of the patients he follows die, this book is not depressing. Yes, I did tear up once or twice but in the midst of tragedy, great hope and optimism are expressed. I think I will read this book again before I return it to the library.
Although most of the patients he follows die, this book is not depressing. Yes, I did tear up once or twice but in the midst of tragedy, great hope and optimism are expressed. I think I will read this book again before I return it to the library.
December 24, 2019
I read this book in two days, the week before Christmas, so you can tell I was captivated by it. It's both easy to read (engaging and well-written) and hard to read (have kleenex handy!). Neurosurgeon W. Lee Warren lets us into his practice, his patients' cases, his mind and soul. What is the point of prayer for recovery when a patient has a brain tumor which is 100% fatal? He walks us through his honest wrestling with this question. I loved this book, and if you're willing to confront hard questions and our own mortality, I think you will, too. A very worthwhile read.
April 25, 2025
Between the compelling book description and the raving reviews… I thought this book would be a home run, and maybe it’s because I listened to the audio version, but I wouldn’t call it a page turner. This book was sad and depressing and genuinely gave me major anxiety about the really bad migraines I frequently have. This book won a majority vote as our next book club read and I can already tell those who have read it feel the same way about this book sounding better than it actually was. If anything, it brought awareness to the symptoms of brain cancer so that’s something, I guess?
April 22, 2020
I read this book on my tiny phone screen in 2.5 days! It was compelling from the very beginning and you’ll find yourself attached to each person introduced into the story. This book is also very encouraging if you’ve ever found or currently find yourself in a place of doubt while still desperately needing your faith. READ THIS BOOK.
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