Whoever said "Physician, heal thyself" seemed to know what he was talking about, if we are to believe the latest reports on the connection between health and consciousness. One such report, Dr. Paul Martin"s The Healing Mind, is a lovely overview of the field that is neither too credulous nor too skeptical in its search for the truth. With a strongly humanistic style, quoting Shakespeare, Milton, and even Ian Fleming, Martin writes circles around most of his colleagues. Whether the topic is as heavy as cancer or as light as keeping pets, he grants the reader a deeper, more compassionate view than is usually seen in scientific writing. Of course, this is no mushy New Age tract, either; the book is well documented with a lengthy bibliography, and some of the facts may surprise you. (For example, those who get too much exercise are prone to respiratory problems.) Whether you"re a doubter or a believer, The Healing Mind will give much food for thought, and respectfully challenge your point of view. --Rob Lightner