Could I Have This Dance? By Harry Kraus, MD * A Review

ABOUT COULD I HAVE THIS DANCE?
You can’t dance this dance unless it’s in your blood. Claire McCall is praying it’s not in hers. Claire McCall is used to fighting back against the odds. Hard work, aptitude, and sheer determination have helped her rise from adverse circumstances to an internship in one of the nation’s most competitive surgical residencies. But talent and tenacity mean nothing in the face of the discovery that is about to rock her world. It’s called the "Stoney Creek Curse" by folks in the small mountain town where Claire grew up. Behind the superstition lies a reality that could destroy her career. But getting to the truth is far from easy in a community with secrets to hide. As a web of relationships becomes increasingly tangled, two things become apparent. One is that more than one person doesn’t want Claire to probe too deeply into the "Stoney Creek Curse." The other is that someone has reasons other than the curse for wanting Claire out of the picture permanently. Somewhere in the course of pursuing her career as a surgeon, Claire lost touch with the God who called her to it. Now she realizes how desperately she needs him. But can she reclaim a faith strong enough to see her through this deadly dance of circumstances?

Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (March 1, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310240891
ISBN-13: 978-0310240891
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces

ABOUT HARRY KRAUS, MD
Harry Lee Kraus, MD, (www.cuttingedgefiction.com) is the bestselling author of ten books, including Could I Have This Dance? For the Rest of My Life, and All I’ll Ever Need. He draws from his career as a board-certified general surgeon to flavor his writing with exceptional authenticity and technical knowledge. He and his wife, Kris, are missionaries serving in East Africa.

MY REVIEW
  Another first for me. I hadn’t heard of Harry Kraus before reading this book. He is now one of my new favorite authors.
   There are two kind of books I love and they are medical and police dramas. This is a mix of medical and suspense which I really love.
  This book is in a series so it didn’t really answer the main question if the main character has an inherited disease so I have to read book number two.
  The cover is beautiful and title of this book Could I have this Dance?, is a great play on words. It makes you think of a dating relationship, but actually has to do with the inherited disease.
  The characters are very well developed and it is a very exciting book. It is a long book, but kept me interested throughout and I look forward to book two.
  Claire has gone to church most of her life, but doesn’t want to hand over the full control to God. She wants to have the control in her hands. I love all of the medical drama and medical terms, which is very well explained. It also shows that mistakes can be made in hospitals, because we are all human. She goes through relationship problems, family problems, faith problems, work problems, you get the picture, it’s a very tangled web.
  I really thought it was neat how the author wove together the prologue and epilogue, it was the same, but very different. It gets the story going and ends the story with one of the main questions answered.
  I really love this book and will be keeping it. It is a story that is well written with plenty of interesting characters, plots and suspense. Highly recommended to everyone.

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Thank you to Zondervan for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Gray Matter by David Levy, MD & Joel Kilpatrick*A review

ABOUT GRAY MATTER

A perfect blend of medical drama and spiritual insight, Gray Matter is a fascinating account of Dr. David Levy’s decision to begin asking his patients if he could pray for them before surgery. Some are thrilled. Some are skeptical. Some are hostile, and some are quite literally transformed by the request.
Each chapter focuses on a specific case, opening with a detailed description of the patient’s diagnosis and the procedure that will need to be performed, followed by the prayer “request.” From there, readers get to look over Dr. Levy’s shoulder as he performs the operation, and then we wait—right alongside Dr. Levy, the patients, and their families—to see the final results.
Dr. Levy’s musings on what successful and unsuccessful surgical results imply about God, faith, and the power of prayer are honest and insightful. As we watch him come to his ultimate conclusion that no matter what the results of the procedure are, “God is good,” we cannot help but be truly moved and inspired.


List Price: 14.99
ISBN: 978-1-4143-3975-7
Trim Size: 5 1/2 x 8 1/4
Binding: Softcover
Release: March 2011

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

David Levy, MD practices neurosurgery in San Diego, California. His articles have been published in a variety of neurosurgical journals, and he is an accomplished and engaging speaker and presenter. In his off time, David enjoys helping those less fortunate who live in California and in other parts of the world.

Joel Kilpatrick
His latest book is The Art of Being You (Zondervan, 2010), written with his father, singer/songwriter Bob Kilpatrick. Due out in 2011 is Gray Matter (Tyndale House), co-authored with brain surgeon David Levy, and Redemption (Thomas Nelson), co-authored with Olympic gold medalist Bryan Clay.
Kilpatrick earned an MS degree in journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York in 1995. There he studied under the current administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes. Kilpatrick lives in southern California with his wife and five children.



MY REVIEW
Gray Matter by David Levy and Joel Kilpatrick is a true story of David Levy. He is a famous brain surgeon who prays with patients before and after surgery. I really found this interesting and will be keeping it for my own personal library. Dr. Levy isn’t perfect as he admits many times, but he loves the Lord and isn’t ashamed to pray and talk to others. At first it was hard for Dr. Levy to ask to pray for others as any time we witness to others, the first time is difficult.
After prayer the patients, their families and the surgeon and team all feel more calm, peaceful and ready to do the work and heal. When prayer is offered God is always there and willing to help and give us peace. Praying doesn’t mean every surgery will turn out perfect or all will be healed, but that peace and love are good to have.
I really like all of the true life drama of being a brain surgeon and keeping God at the head of it all. You will hear about the good and bad of the surgeon’s life. The many marvelous things surgeons can do these days. Gray Matter isn’t hard or complicated to read. Besides all of the success’ you will also read some of the failures and sad situations.
Here is a passage from the book that Dr. Levy feels he communicates to his patients when he asks to pray for them. “You may be looking to me for your outcome because of my skills, my confidence, and hopefully a glowing recommendation from other doctors, but I am willing to admit before you and your family that I am not God. I am good at what I do, but ultimately I cannot control the outcome of your surgery. We need God’s help, and I am not ashamed to ask for it.”
Besides praying for the patients, Dr. Levy also would talk to them asking them if they needed to forgive someone or themselves. He believes that holding bitterness or grudges in for years is horrible for your health and you won’t heal properly. He helped many people by just talking to them and praying with them.
This is a book you don’t want to miss. If you haven’t read any other book this year, this book should not be missed. I will recommend Gray Matter to each and everyone who talks to me. No better book will be found about the truth of prayer and praise. A must read.


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Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255