In this gripping exploration of the organs of the body and the myths associated with them, Sherwin B. Nuland M.D., the author of the award winning HOW WE DIE (Vintage), once again displays his ability to combine clarity, compassion, and knowledge to shed light on the working of our bodies from a surgeon's perspective. Dr. Nuland recounts legends about the functions and 'personalities' of the stomach, liver, heart, spleen, and uterus, and, in riveting vignettes of the surgery he has performed, describes the actual surgery and explains the connections between myth and reality. He reflects on humanity's impulse to invent explanations for things we don't understand and shows we have never abandoned long-held superstitions. Eloquent and informative, THE MYSTERIES WITHIN is an extraordinary synthesis of science and folklore, medicine and myth.

Dr. Sherwin Nuland, author of the National Book Award-winning How We Die, once again combines knowledge, compassion, and elegance of expression to shed light on the workings of our bodies from the perspective of a surgeon. Dr. Nuland recounts age-old legends about the functions and "personalities" of the body's organs and, in riveting vignettes of the surgery he has performed, he describes the connections between myth and reality. A brilliant blend of science and folklore, The Mysteries Within reveals the enigmas not only of the body but also of the human imagination.

Frank Huyler San Francisco Chronicle This is a book about more than medicine. It is also about the rise of Western thought, the ways in which the past inhabits us, and a powerful reminder that we do have a history....Nuland is a gifted and deeply intelligent writer.