Amazon Product Description:
"Why do some people with a life-threatening illness miraculously heal? Callie Morrow wants to know. Unwilling to undergo traditional medical treatment for cancer, she bets her life on finding another way. Within her eclectic group of friends, three come to her aid and point to possibilities: Dr. Josie Walker, a disenchanted internist; Mary Chang, a restaurateur and longtime student of Taoism; and Joe Kuptana, a world-class Intuit artist. Ancient philosophies mingle with new world science to create a unique vision around health, healing and well-being, one that a struggling, frightened yet determined Callie engages in her attempt to save her life."
Recently, I was privileged to read what I believe is a book of enormous import to the world of readers and seekers...oh, hell...to all of us. As I came to the end of Christina Carson's "Dying to Know", I sat in stunned silence for quite some time, mulling it over. Then I gleefully shouted to the empty house, "Well butter my ass and call me a biscuit!" The light was blinding.
Now I'm dying to know how I will ever get "Dying To Know" out of my head. Between this book and a wonderful experience recently of Oscar Sparrow's poetry, I can feel my mind expanding, changing, healing... It is very clear to me that loving emissaries from the Universe itself have been wondrously placed in my path...and I shall never be the same.
It's been a long while since I read a book so thought-provoking and relevant to my own life. Ms. Carson is a story-teller of unequaled talent; I've read other writings of hers and always come away taller, more peaceful and imbued with a greater sense of dignity than before. Having grown up in the Southwest, I hail from a beautiful tri-culture that allows me to see her writing in any format as being deeply infused with what I call "coyote wisdom" (about soul and mind), as she brings us along on a journey filled with insights and images that break us out of our frozen-heart places and fully transform our awareness. Hers is truly a deep and profound intelligence.
"Dying to Know" provides insights into a person's hidden fears and hurts that often underlie and contribute to or even cause the development of many physical and psychological problems, and also suggests a variety of ancient and timeless solutions which inspire hope that change is possible. Her characters are richly believable and worm their way into your heart with total ease. The author guides us like a life compass, showing us what's good and lasting about our own selves as well as about humanity. In reading the book it reaffirmed my belief that we are all interconnected...and that brought me comfort. You will probably find yourself highlighting every other paragraph as I did. She is a soft-spoken sage, and in the undercurrent of the story, the careful reader will see the struggle with the paradoxical world and the taffy-pull of the scientist with the philosopher.
I leave you with a quote from the book which spoke deeply to me: "I must believe we can survive our parents and the bizarre tangle of needs they sought us out to meet, little children at the mercy of adults’ deep hungers and fears." Indeed. And another: "It is difficult to recognize the error of something we have always done wrong."
Christina Carson has gifted us a very beautiful, touching and life-altering book. I have hope we humans will make the choice made in the book and grow meaningfully into love. Her words are indeed a lamp unto our feet.
--Jo VonBargen 2012
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