One goal of this book is to take complex issues and present them in simple terms and to that end we have included editorial cartoons. Nothing seems to simplify life in a few strokes of a pen and one succinct line as they do. Every discussion needs humor and we hope you enjoy them. We certainly enjoyed choosing them. The clinical tales of interactions are slices from our professional lives and are important illustrations of the core beliefs of the book, the absolute necessity for patients and families to have meaningful, knowledgeable interactions with those who care for them. Our fifteen readers acted as a first semester class in Hospitalization 101 and their questions, criticisms, and suggestions served to keep us on target. This is our personal view of hospital health care with its strengths and weaknesses.