To the abdominal surgeon a first successful Whipple procedure is what a first combat mission is to the fighter pilot: a symbol of competence -- the fruits of prolonged training. Not many surgeons managed to incorporate their names into a commonly used eponym; Allen Whipple did and so became immortalised as a household name to surgeons world-wide. Yet, little has been known and written about Whipple, the great American surgeon -- the person and his other interests. This is what this book is about: an edited version of Whipple's previously unpublished memories, which until now -- for more than forty years -- has collected dust. In these pages the retired Whipple describes the journey of his life from the very beginning in Persia, where he was born, to the very end in New Jersey where he died. He provides snap shots of himself, his family and friends, his colleagues, and the changing times in which he lived. The editors have abbreviated the original manuscript by a third and have added footnotes and illustrations. An introduction and 'end page' adds perspective to the memoirs. It has been said "God put the pancreas in the back because he did not want surgeons messing with it". Allen Whipple had the courage to mess with the pancreas and to show us how to mess with it successfully. But what kind of man was he and how did he arrive at his achievements? Find out in this book.

Never before has the human race needed the power of the mind and much more clarity about what is taking place on the world's stage today than this present time. With so many biases leading to extreme polarization, one finds him or herself enticed to enter the boxing ring without due diligence. Social media and globalization, instead of providing a level playing field, added more fuel to the fire. Even "learned" individuals have adopted a defensive and reactive approach instead of a conducive and proactive approach. In this collection, the readers will find no specific themes. The pieces were written in real time as events were unfolding, thus being listed in a chronological order by date. While most of these reflections were written in the last couple of years, the thought process encompassed prior experiences that were triggered by recent events.

This book is a short journey into the history of the musical instruments where they were first born in Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization. It is written in a simple language to make it an easy and enjoyable read.

This is the true story of a man who rose from the depth of poverty to become a pioneer in modern medicine. Born in a small village in Iraq, and raised by a poor family, he met and conquered many adversities in his pursuit of a better living and his goal of becoming a physician. His chosen path was briefly derailed when he was granted a full scholarship to study engineering in United Kingdom, but he eventually came back to a successful career in medicine, becoming a leader in organ transplantation, one of the most innovative fields in modern medicine. Unfortunately, he became the victim of his own success when his achievements created animosity in his colleagues, who waged a political war and booted him to another country thousands of miles away. In his voluntary exile, he refused to be defeated and ultimately emerged stronger than ever. When forced to relocate yet again, his fame preceded him to the United States of America, where he has continued his mission to the present day. This book is a snapshot of the professional and personal life of a surgical innovator and pioneer. It is set in the background of a previous era in British, North American and international surgery. But what was his life like? How did he reach the pinnacle of success? Find out in this book.