A Life Shaken

Reviews / Votes

The beauty of Havemann's narrative stance is that it not only transcends the illness but surprises and captivates the reader . . .
-Abraham Verghese, Los Angeles Times Book Review [Havemann] takes us on his journey from a physically robust, high achiever to his new world of medication dependence, compromise, and, eventually, an almost spiritual epiphany of acceptance and appreciation. This is not a typical treatise on an individual's life with disease. It is filled with useful facts about PD, including diagrams, and a glossary that will be a useful resource for patients . . . Although this book would seem of primary interest to patients and families affected by PD, physicians will find the book engaging, easy to read, and valuable. We learn much from our patients, and Havemann's book is no exception.
-Matthew B. Stern, Neurology Brutally honest. Havemann intertwines his personal story with scientific and medical information. He brings a journalistic style to the tale and explains PD and its treatments in easy-to-understand language. His description of the progressive nature of the disease is poetic and haunting.
-Robert A. Hauser, Journal of the American Medical Association Havemann has written a challenging mixture of dispassionate appraisal of the facts and vivid portrayal of his personal experiences adapting to living with the disorder.
-Stephen B. Dunnett, Nature Medicine