Reading resources for people dealing with cancer

Compiled by cancer survivors Beth Dotson Brown and Kristin Johannsen (Listen to my interview with Beth here)

There’s No Place Like Hope: A Guide to Beating Cancer in Mind-Sized Bites, by Vickie Girard (Compendium, 2004)
A REALLY wonderful little book of very short essays about hope, with helpful ways to look at things when you’re feeling down, scared, or discouraged. This would be my #1 choice for anybody with any kind of diagnosis. The author survived metastatic breast cancer for 16 years before she died last year. KJ

How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine, by Dr. Michael Murray (Riverhead Trade, 2003)
This comprehensive book considers the many sides of cancer and offers advice for specific types of cancer. The authors discuss use of supplements and nutrition, dealing with side effects of chemotherapy and promoting relaxation. It’s the kind of handbook readers will refer back to repeatedly. BDB

One Bite at a Time, by Rebecca Katz (Celestial Arts, 2004)
This chef designed recipes with the compromised taste buds and nutrition needs of cancer patients in mind. One of the most interesting facets of the book is her suggestions of nutritious ingredients that can substitute for what we typically use. BDB

Surviving Cancer, by Margie Levine (Broadway, 2001)
The author talks about 31 different things that she did, from eating tons of vegetables to “seeking more joy.” She survived mesothelioma at a time when hardly anybody did. It’s a very uplifting but practical book. KJ

Live Longer, Live Larger: A Holistic Approach for Cancer Patients and Families, by Bill and Susie Buchholz (O’Reilly, 2001)
A GREAT book that helps all kinds of people with cancer make decisions that are right for THEM. It’s the only book I’ve seen that acknowledges not everyone can be cured. Their whole point is that our lives have three dimensions—length, breadth, and depth of experience, and that even if some patients can’t live longer, they can ALWAYS live a richer life. This book has been tremendously helpful to me since my cancer became incurable, though women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer might not find it helpful to read about people’s end-of-life decisions. KJ

Beating Cancer With Nutrition, by Patrick Quillen (Nutrition Times Press, 2005)
I think this is the best book about nutrition for people with cancer. He’s not a fanatic, there’s tons of good information, and it includes a whole-foods cookbook. There’s even a summary section called “If you are too sick to read much, read this.” KJ

Remarkable Recovery: What extraordinay healings tell us about getting well and staying well, by Caryle Hirshberg and Marc Ian Barasch (Riverhead, 1995) An investigation of scientifically validated cases of spontaneous remission in people with cancer. A fascinating read, and it proves that there’s SO much we don’t know about cancer. KJ


Beth Dotson Brown www.bethdotsonbrown.net writerbeth@windstream.net