A case manager shares stories of patients’ and families’ journeys and “deftly conveys the frustrations and inequities of traumatic brain injury” (Mary Roach, The New York Times Book Review). Head Cases takes us into the dark side of the brain in an astonishing sequence of stories, at once true and strange, about the effects of brain damage. Michael Paul Mason is one of an elite group of experts who coordinate care in the complicated aftermath of tragic injuries that can last a lifetime. On the road with Mason, we encounter survivors of brain injuries as they struggle to map and make sense of the new worlds they inhabit. Underlying each of these survivors’ stories is an exploration of the brain and its mysteries. When injured—by a bad fall, a viral infection, or some other misfortune—the brain must figure out how to heal itself, reorganizing its physiology in order to do the job. Mason gives us a series of vivid glimpses into brain science, the last frontier of medicine, and we come away in awe of the miracles of the brain’s workings and astonished at the fragility of the brain and the sense of self, life, and order that resides there. Head Cases “[achieves] through sympathy and curiosity insight like that which pulses through genuine literature” (The New York Sun); it is at once illuminating and deeply affecting. “Vivid, heartbreaking [and] movingly written.” —The Seattle Times “Tells stories of tremendous courage and perseverance as survivors and their families work to re-establish the everyday skills they had before their injury. The strange effects of neurological damage will draw fans of Oliver Sacks, but Mason’s poignant and caring accounts of his clients’ lives are sure to touch the hearts of a wide range of readers.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Mason gives a series of vivid glimpses into brain science, the last frontier of medicine, and explores fragility of the brain and the sense of self, life, and order that resides there.

While philosophy and psychoanalysis privilege language and conceptual distinctions and mistrust the image, the philosopher and psychoanalyst Julia Kristeva recognizes the power of art and the imagination to unblock important sources of meaning. She also appreciates the process through which creative acts counteract and transform feelings of violence and depression. Reviewing Kristeva's corpus, Elaine P. Miller considers the intellectual's "aesthetic idea" and "thought specular" in their capacity to reshape depressive thought on both the individual and cultural level. She revisits Kristeva's reading of Walter Benjamin with reference to melancholic art and the imagination's allegorical structure; her analysis of Byzantine iconoclasm in relation to Freud's psychoanalytic theory of negation and Hegel's dialectical negativity; her understanding of Proust as an exemplary practitioner of sublimation; her rereading of Kant and Arendt in terms of art as an intentional lingering with foreignness; and her argument that forgiveness is both a philosophical and psychoanalytic method of transcending a "stuck" existence. Focusing on specific artworks that illustrate Kristeva's ideas, from ancient Greek tragedy to early photography, contemporary installation art, and film, Miller positions creative acts as a form of "spiritual inoculation" against the violence of our society and its discouragement of thought and reflection.

A case-focused Otolaryngology primer for trainees and practicing clinicians alike As disorders of the head and neck continue to become more prevalent, otolaryngologic head and neck surgeons are in greater demand than ever before. Many schools of medicine are integrating Problem-Based Learning (PBL) to help students develop the skills necessary for surgical management of head and neck conditions, yet the selection of guidebooks available to trainee otolaryngologic surgeons is limited. Essential Cases in Head and Neck Oncology uses real-life clinical cases to present clear and up-to-date explanations of treatment strategies for a wide range of cutaneous, salivary gland, and upper aerodigestive tract conditions, including benign and malignant tumors. Written and edited by renowned leaders in the field, and endorsed by the American Head & Neck Society, this essential resource contains full-color photographs, illustrations, and diagrams to better support readers in acquiring, synthesizing, and applying essential skills and knowledge in a clinical context. Its chapters provide detailed coverage of the oral cavity, skull base, trachea, thyroid, larynx, paragangliomas, salivary glands, and more. This textbook also includes: Covers the full spectrum of head and neck surgeries, including reconstructive procedures Discusses ethics related to cancer treatments, medical research, and other care issues Promotes multidisciplinary critical thinking, clinical problem-solving, communication, and collaboration Helps medical students and trainees evaluate their learning and contextualize their knowledge Features high-quality images and succinct explanatory text throughout Essential Cases in Head and Neck Oncology is an indispensable study aid for trainee clinicians, residents, and fellows, and an excellent reference guide for oncologists, otolaryngologists, surgeons, and other practitioners working in medical oncology, radiation oncology, and oromaxillofacial surgery.

“Stories of human behavior at its most extreme….With humor, compassion, empathy, and insight, Small searches for and finds the humanity that lies hidden under even the most bizarre symptoms.” —Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind A psychiatrist’s stories of his most bizarre cases, The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head by Gary Small, M.D., and Gigi Vorgan—co-authors of The Memory Bible—offers a fascinating and highly entertaining look into the peculiarities of the human mind. In the vein of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Awakenings, and the other bestselling works of Oliver Sacks, The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head surprises, enthralls, and illuminates as it focuses on medical mysteries that would stump and amaze the brilliant brains on House, M.D.