Life on a Knife’s Edge

Overview

A raw and unflinching account from leading neuroscientist and neurosurgeon of the valuable lessons we can learn from patients confronted with their own mortality.

As one of the world's leading brain surgeons, Dr Jandial is the last hope for many patients who have extreme forms of cancer - patients who can't be saved, but deserve more time.

Life on a Knife's Edge is his account of the resilience, courage and belief he has witnessed in his patients, and the lessons he has learned from them. Both an unflinching account of extreme surgeries and a profound, moving and introspective memoir, this book reveals the depths of a surgeon's psyche who is pushed to his limits, day in, day out.

From keeping a gun victim's heart pumping with his own hand, to saving a woman from paralysis and performing brain surgery while time is running out on a hemorrhaging patient, we see how making life and death decisions and facing unimaginable pressure has shaped one man's life.

In this breathtaking memoir, Dr Jandial shares what he's learned about human nature, from balancing the line between life and death everyday.

Reviews

"Is this a memoir or a science book? An exposé of the shortcoming of our healthcare system or a paean to the wonders of modern medicine? The answer is YES, to all those things and more. Jandial takes us deep into the day-to-day life of his profession as a brain surgeon while simultaneously taking us even deeper into the inner-workings of our own biology. It's an unconventional approach, and a bit disarming at first blush, but pays off in spades. I loved this book." —James Nestor, New York Times bestselling author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

"A reminder that what makes us stellar physicians and surgeons are not our skills with our hands and/our knowledge but rather our empathy and ability to connect with our patients." —Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, author, Becoming Dr. Q

"Most of us say 'it's not brain surgery' when we talk about our work. But Rahul Jandial's work - and life - is just that. And he loves both enough to fight for every moment of every life. A searingly honest, fascinating account of lives and minds entwined." —Stevie Spring CBE, Chairman of the British Council and the charity Mind

Author Biography

Dr Rahul Jandial, MD, PhD, is a dual-trained neurosurgeon and neurobiologist. He is known for undertaking complex cancer operations and overseeing groundbreaking science at the Jandial Lab in Los Angeles.

Through his non-profit International Neurosurgical Children's Association (INCA) he travels around the world performing and teaching brain surgery in under-served hospitals in Central and South America, south-east Asia and eastern Europe.

Many first came to know him from his columns in Vice and his appearances on American news shows and international channels, including Discovery and National Geographic, among others. His first book was Life Lessons from a Brain Surgeon.