The Gift of Pain

The Gift of Pain

by Dr. Paul Brand

This book has the rare distinction of being the only book (besides the scriptures) that my brother Neil has ever voluntarily read multiple times. Now if that isn't a great recommendation, I don't know what is!

It is the memoir of a doctor who worked with lepers in India for several decades. He was a pioneer in the disease and the first person to recognize and demonstrate that leprosy is purely a neurological disease that causes the loss of sensation throughout the body. He found that the most commonly recognized signs of leprosy like like sores, missing fingers, facial abnormalities, etc. are actually a result of injuries caused by painlessness, not the disease itself. The book tells the story of his work and also gives a new and different perspective on pain: gratitude. It's a great story and gave me a lot to think about. I enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book much more than the last section. Lepers in India are just a lot more interesting than diabetics in Louisiana. The last section could be skipped, but the first portion of the book is wonderful!