On January 26, 2012, the lives of George and Susan White were suddenly turned upside when Susan awoke with horrifying stomach pain. After being rushed to the emergency room, Susan learned that gallstones had become trapped in her bile duct. In a matter of hours, George's wife had transformed from a perfectly healthy woman to a hospital patient struggling to survive.

In this memoir, George shares details from the roller-coaster journey he and his wife began that January morning. Susan contracted pancreatitis and began to suffer from serious complications that kept her in various hospitals for months to come. As George documents an experience that was both stressful and rewarding, he offers a glimpse into both the difficult times they faced during Susan's illness and the comforting moments fueled by love and generosity from friends and family. As Susan slowly began to recover, George chronicles how both he and his wife changed their outlooks on life and became more grateful for everything.

"Susan: The Story of a Miracle" is an inspirational personal story of hope, faith, family, and friends as a husband and wife bravely face a health scare together and discover that miracles really do happen.

Some people are born to lead and destined to teach by the example of living life to the fullest, and facing death with uncommon honesty and courage. Peter Barton was that kind of person.

Driven by the ideals that sparked a generation, he became an overachieving Everyman, a risk-taker who showed others what was possible. Then, in the prime of his life -- hugely successful, happily married, and the father of three children -- Peter faced the greatest of all challenges. Diagnosed with cancer, he began a journey that was not only frightening and appalling but also full of wonder and discovery.

With unflinching candor and even surprising humor, Not Fade Away finds meaning and solace in Peter's confrontation with mortality. Celebrating life as it dares to stare down death, Peter's story addresses universal hopes and fears, and redefines the quietly heroic tasks of seeking clarity in the midst of pain, of breaking through to personal faith, and of achieving peace after bold and sincere questioning.

Author Charles E. Willingham always said he would achieve millionaire status before he turns sixty years old. At the age of fifty-nine-one day before his sixtieth birthday-Willingham achieves his lofty goal. But it was a long, hard road.

Born in 1939, Willingham grows up in Texas picking cotton, feeding chickens, and graduating at the bottom of his high school class. But he soon catapults to the big time, becoming a U.S. Air Force Cold War spy, nearly getting shot down by Russian MIGs, and landing in the middle of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the building of the Berlin Wall.

After the Cold War, Willingham creates hardware at Cal-Tech to measure the cosmic microwave fields emitted from the theoretical Big Bang, and then helps develop the country's first weather satellites at Ford Aerospace. But it is when he enters the relatively new field of computer technology that he eventually makes his fortune working for computer software magnate Bill Gates.

With a host of laugh-out-loud escapades, "In My Time" is a classic rags-to-riches story and a vivid chronicle of one man's life in the twentieth century. A rollicking rollercoaster ride around the world and back, it is also a tale of Willingham's rugged individualism and hard-earned wisdom.

CASEY JONES- EPIC OF THE AMERICAN' RAILROAD by FRED J. LEE. Originally published in 1939. FOREWORD: FRED J, LEE has given a full and correct account of the life o my husband and his friend, and it has been my pleasure to give him my unreserved cooperation and direct assistance in the preparation of the book Casey Jones. I have received many curious inquiries from all over the world and have taken part in numerous ceremonies, radio programs and dedicatory exercises in honor of my beloved husband. My chief purpose in the latter years of my life is to tell the world in every way I can how wonderfully he deserved every honor bestowed upon him in life and every honor accorded his memory since his death, 1 do not know as well as some his superior qualifications as a locomotive engineer for which he became so celebrated, but I do know that in personality, character and disposition he had no superior. It is my belief that this volume and the monument at Cayce, Kentucky, sponsored by the Hickman, Kentucky Lions Club and dedicated by Senator Alben Barkley to his memory in 1938 will be, throughout the years to come, the true permanent memorials to Casey Jones. INTRODUCTION: THERE is a wide difference between the saturated steam locomotives of the late nineteenth century and the sleek aluminum, streamlined Diesel and electric engines of today capable of developing speeds up to two hundred miles per hour j but the technique, methods and personalities of the earlier romantic period com prise an essentially important and extremely interesting chapter in the history of the American railroad. From the vast army of workers who were responsible for the actual operation and maintenance of the railroad inthe nineties one name has arisen that will survive in memory as long as the railroad in any form exists. It radiates the spirit of romance and adventure inherent in the American railroad. That name is Casey Jones. There must be some fundamental vital element in any ballad that is accepted as a folk song* The element assumes additional weight and significance when the hero of the ballad was a real living human being. It was such a person who inspired the song that has been sung around the world. The author has gone to every known available source in order that historical accuracy might be pre servedj and has spared no pains to follow every clew that promised to throw light upon the life of Casey Jones, the man. Whenever possible, every story con - cerning him has been verified, and nothing of doubtful authenticity has been retained. An exact chronology has been followed, and although the story is told in fictional form care has been taken not to color the related incidents more than the known facts warranted. The purpose has been to recreate the scenes and make them live again. Most of the characters arc or were real persons, with whose names no liberties have been taken. It is only when names have been for gotten and no known record of them was to be found that fictitious names have been substituted. ...

In reflecting upon my life as a neurosurgeon, perhaps the most salient feature is that period of history involved. Trained by men who studied under Harvey Cushing, considered the father of neurological surgery, we, as early third-generation neurosurgeons, were held to those rigid standards of academic achievement and physical endurance typical of that time. The reader first identifies with the young child who dreams of becoming a doctor, and then sets out on that long path. He then re-lives the experiences of the student of medicine, and later the rigorous demands placed upon the surgeon-in-training. During the later descriptions of the private practice of brain and spinal surgery, the book transitions into an educational experience. It presents to the reader a multitude of neurological disorders requiring surgical treatment, the relevant surgical anatomy and the operative techniques involved. Often interjected are the intangibles of surgical judgment and philosophy when confronting those in pain or critically ill. Of equal importance were the major scientific advancements which occurred during that period of medical history. No longer did we have to bore a hole in the skull, or inject noxious materials into the head or spinal canal to verify a diagnosis. Rather, we had been privileged to enjoy the development of such remarkable machines as the ultrasound, CAT, and MRI. Descriptions of these devices, among others, and their impact on medical practice should prove interesting to the inquisitive reader. After 21 years in practice, and probably at the height of my career as a surgeon, I contracted hepatitis B subsequent to an accidental needle puncture in the operating room. Forced to lay down the scalpel, I turned to my second childhood dream, cattle ranching, as an alternative vocation. This then becomes a secondary focus of the book. A medical colleague, after learning of my book, expressed an interest in learning the common denominator driving a man to both neurosurgery and ranching. One can summarize with the word, "counterpoise." I had always strived to achieve a balance between the in-hospital, academic, precision-oriented work of the neurosurgeon and the outdoor, physically-demanding life of a rancher consummating the total American dream. Analogous to surgery I have always enjoyed using my hands in the shop. Throughout the book sections have been devoted to various aspects of woodworking, and an effort not only to share my enthusiasm but also to expose underlying problems and pitfalls; challenges I have encountered in striving to become an artisan of fine furniture. The practice of medicine has undergone significant change during my lifetime. Not only have I witnessed a burgeoning, unsustainable increase in the cost of healthcare, but also major changes in the way in which medicine is being practiced in the new millennium. Having been a proud product of the "Lucky Few" generation, born between the years 1929 and 1945, I am rightfully able to compare today's practice of medicine with those of the latter half of the 20th century.

He and his team are sent to Cairo in 1979 to plan the modernization of Egypt's phone service. Phone service at that point is bad. Most of the time there is no dial tone. They think their work can be accomplished in about nine months, but Willis Culpepper of USAID tells them "Schedules don't mean a thang here in Egypt." They learn that ARENTO wants technology transfer, plus system redesign, so the nine months will stretch to a year or two. Working with the Egyptians, they see the sorry state of the telephone system, first in Cairo, then in Alexandria. Underground cables failed because of water seeping into the insulation. In between they visit Cairo's Souk, Khan El Khalili, and El Alemein. He takes morning runs beside the Pyramids, sometimes enraging the rabid mongrel desert dogs. Bitten, he requires rabies injections. There are no good maps of the cities. His team consults with USAID, and gets the Air Force to do aerial photography of Cairo, and Alexandria. An accelerated course on ESS is given to six Egyptian engineers, and the planning stage is finished at last. Construction contractors are selected through a formal bidding process, and final construction of the upgrade is completed in 1983. Egypt gets the most modern telephone system at the time, but scam artists are still at work at cut-over.

"I Think I Need to Talk to a Doctor" tells author Jason Ventre's life story-so far anyway. He shares his history for many reasons, but chief among them is the need to explain his life experiences so that others may try to avoid having them. Diagnosed with bipolar syndrome, he talks honestly about the repercussions of his decisions-mostly bad ones, when considered on a scale from moderate to devastating. He still deals with repercussions from those choices on a daily basis.

From describing the funny challenges of childhood and trying to figure out what mattered and what didn't to recalling his failed relationships, Ventre paints an honest picture of a boy who was just different. Rather than trying to change who he was, he just went with whatever he felt-with unforgettable results. Now he takes those results and unapologetically turns them into lessons. Ventre reminds us that we all have pasts full of mistakes; although it might be a great thought to say that we can learn from our past, history has shown us that we're more likely to just "think" that we've learned from our mistakes as we continue to make them.

"I Think I Need to Talk to a Doctor" shows that sometimes laughing at our irrational decisions might be the only way to grow from them and hopefully teach others not to travel down the same road of lost maturity.

A Leonaur original---First time in print
The life of a nurse in the last days of the Raj
Irene Green's book is a Leonaur first edition-never before in print. Irene was born in Agra, India the child of a European father (born in India to English parents) and a Eurasian (Portuguese/Indian) mother. Although she was of mixed race, unlike her sister who was darker complexioned, she had fair skin and hair. Born in 1906, Irene quickly realised that although she considered herself part of the British Raj and was European in appearance, as an Anglo-Indian she lived between two societies and cultures-she felt she was alienated from one society and was never quite unconditionally accepted by the other. The title of Irene's book takes its inspiration from this abiding fact and within its pages she explains how this impacted on her everyday life as she negotiated the racial prejudices of India in the first decades of the twentieth century. Her fascinating story, of course, has another aspect, for Irene grew to maturity and decided upon a career in nursing. While the issues surrounding her background remained ever present, she has left posterity an essential account, from a unique perspective, of British India at its zenith. A contract to nurse in Peshawar on the North-West Frontier brought her the 1930-31 Frontier Medal and her account of this part of her life makes gripping reading. Irene Green's story is a highly entertaining and compelling one that will be appreciated by all those interested in the last days of the Raj and the difficulties of the mixed race families of India. It is also a delightful story of a young woman's life, full of incident, anecdote, adventure and romance. Highly recommended.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

Brent admired the chimpanzee he sketched at the zoo. He regarded the animal as contemplative. He was unaware that similar animals in the wilds of Africa were the source of a virus that would lead to his death from AIDS. Brent became infected with HIV from the medicine he infused to treat his hemophilia. At six months of age, his parents were alarmed when they discovered bruises on his chest which led to the discovery of hemophilia. From that moment forward, he received frequent intravenous infusions of concentrate to treat recurrent bleeding episodes. Infusions of the medicine relieved pain and suffering from bleeding. His life seemed normal. Unexpectedly, Brent's life changed after the discovery of HIV contamination of the medicine. The medicine was manufactured from the plasma of paid blood donors. Unbeknownst to Brent, the plasma was polluted with HIV. The SIV in chimpanzees changed to become HIV in humans. But the chimpanzees were not the cause of the transfer of SIV in animals to HIV in humans. The change from SIV in animals to HIV in humans was the result of human activity. The change came about with the production of the hepatitis B vaccine. Who was responsible for the pollution of the hemophilia medicine with HIV and hepatitis viruses? Was Brent's death preventable?

Thomas Addison, a physician from the North of England, was acutely ill, and he knew it. The profession of medicine had been his life. Students and patients flocked to Guy's Hospital in London because he taught and worked there. He had no rival in Britain during the early Victorian era.

Addison taught his students that most people resisted new ideas even when society benefitted from them and that people were unwilling to admit the merits of a great discovery. This would prove to be true particularly in the case of his own discoveries. Addison weathered five years of scorching criticism from his peers when he discovered that the adrenal glands were essential to life and that diseased adrenal glands could darken a white person's skin to mulatto hues. In the end, he experienced an unshakable depression that ultimately led to suicide.

Medical science subsequently validated Addison's ingenious discoveries, which led other investigators to isolate and identify epinephrine, the adrenocortical steroids, and even vitamin B12.

In this biography, author Margaret R. O'Leary, MD, presents Addison's life story, considering his reception during his lifetime and recognizing his profound contributions to modern medicine.