Discover new selections
Buy new:
-29% $10.66
FREE delivery Saturday, May 3 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$10.66 with 29 percent savings
List Price: $14.95
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Saturday, May 3 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE delivery Wednesday, April 30. Order within 21 mins.
Only 14 left in stock (more on the way).
$$10.66 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$10.66
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$6.31
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
This item shows wear including some highlighting or writing. This item shows wear including some highlighting or writing. See less
FREE delivery Saturday, May 3 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, May 2. Order within 21 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$10.66 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$10.66
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Arthur W. Frank
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

At the Will of the Body: Reflections on Illness Paperback – July 16, 2002

by Arthur W. Frank (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars 45 ratings
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$10.66","priceAmount":10.66,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"10","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"66","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"VQ2TdD4ka9k46QhkO96RRyphMFpoErhWSOpcbACEpfzoh4jXKBIH6qK6Dp9vZGb4luiyrC7IXWMOGSGTdrZnfqu1q1dphwDFzqObkrP5OmSzsOwYT8YwVIlO2ZoA1Jc5lajz2mozNZ0%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$6.31","priceAmount":6.31,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"6","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"31","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"VQ2TdD4ka9k46QhkO96RRyphMFpoErhWIlmnz3yUMZuxG7QXViSjcg2PnXj1Z3q0RLHugvWP5zAPipbsAhTO%2ByhLy5puUzRrhRw%2FgMmkRrpJNyY8wsVd3J7cNjw6AMJNWQAJJcoaOkm89X7vrAJvblbkKi5HK5lU3Nulz8vQPD0yYhAw5LW0JoPZ2Bu2jTvV","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

A medical sociologist who has been seriously ill twice (heart attack and cancer) explores his experiences and examines what they taught him about how to live. An important resource for caregivers and patients.

In this deeply affecting memoir, Arthur W. Frank explores the events of illness from within: the transformation from person to patient, the pain, the wonder, and the ceremony of recovery.

To illuminate what illness can teach us about life, Frank draws upon his own encounters with serious illness—a heart attack at age thirty-nine and, a year later, a diagnosis of cancer.

In poignant and clear prose, he offers brilliant insights into what happens when our bodies and emotions are pushed to extremes. Ultimately, he examines what it means to be human.
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    176 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    July 16, 2002
  4. Dimensions
    5.43 x 0.43 x 8.03 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0618219293
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0618219292
Next slide of product details
The%20Amazon%20Book%20Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

At the Will of the Body: Reflections on Illness
This item: At the Will of the Body: Reflections on Illness
$10.66
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 3
Only 14 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness, and Ethics, Second Edition
$19.67
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 3
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
One of these items ships sooner than the other.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The best account of serious illness to appear in decades. Frank shows us the value of going through illness, not around it." -- Larry Dossey, M.D —

About the Author

Arthur W. Frank received the Natalie Davis Spingarn Writer’s Award from the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship in 1996. He teaches at the University of Calgary.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harvest; Reprint edition (July 16, 2002)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0618219293
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0618219292
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.43 x 0.43 x 8.03 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 45 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Arthur W. Frank

Arthur W. Frank

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
45 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book insightful and must-read, with one mentioning it should be required reading for medical students. The writing style receives positive feedback, with customers describing it as both beautiful and clearly written.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

11 customers mention "Readability"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable and insightful, with one customer noting it is required reading for medical students, while another describes it as an elegant essay on illness.

"...The writing style is beautiful and insightful, and I cannot overstate how much I got out of this book for the purposes of pastoral care." Read more

"...The viewpoint of the author was most helpful in suggesting ways to approach a very difficult situation...." Read more

"...Excellent resource for those who are struggling with these issues, including the health/helping professions...." Read more

"...There are many concepts in this book that are common sense, but really help the person that is searching for answers." Read more

6 customers mention "Writing style"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as beautiful and clearly written.

"...The writing style is beautiful and insightful, and I cannot overstate how much I got out of this book for the purposes of pastoral care." Read more

"...My hardcover book was beautifully typeset; I appreciated the size of print, and the space on the page, which provided, literally and figuratively,..." Read more

"...Frank is a great writer with an ease for sharing information that is both personal and academic." Read more

"...is very thin and delicate, with a small closing fixture--but it looks lovely." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Taylor
    5.0 out of 5 stars Life-chaning book
    Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    If you are going into ministry, are in ministry, or work with people in hospital or hospice settings - this book is a MUST READ. It completely opened my eyes to the experiences of those who are ill, how they see the world, how each experience is different, and how best to care for them. The writing style is beautiful and insightful, and I cannot overstate how much I got out of this book for the purposes of pastoral care.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Barbara Pflum Gobrail
    5.0 out of 5 stars Education and Hope
    Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2006
    Verified Purchase
    I have helped train family practice physicians and I have used the play "W;T" to try and sensitize young physicians to the viewpoint of the patient. I was asked to read this book for a graduate course in spirituality and healing called: Suffering and Hope. I found it even better than "W;T" for training purposes. I think it should be required reading for all medical students and residents. Physicians are much more than just technicians trained to "fix" bodies. The viewpoint of the author was most helpful in suggesting ways to approach a very difficult situation. I have ordered copies for friends who are suffering from cancer that it may help them on their journey!
    11 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • solstice
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource for those who are struggling with these issues
    Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    An elegant essay on illness, and the ways we struggle with experiences of frailty and mortality. Excellent resource for those who are struggling with these issues, including the health/helping professions. My hardcover book was beautifully typeset; I appreciated the size of print, and the space on the page, which provided, literally and figuratively, space to reflect on what I was reading.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • jojolima
    4.0 out of 5 stars This is a book that requires several readings to full ...
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This is a book that requires several readings to full grasp the content. There are many concepts in this book that are common sense, but really help the person that is searching for answers.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • LB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is or has gone through health challenges, either directly or by way of a family member, close friend, etc. Frank is a great writer with an ease for sharing information that is both personal and academic.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Jane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really helped me.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Even though Dr. Frank's focus was primarily on cancer, his insight's about his experiences and observations of others helped me greatly with my chronic neurological illness. I found that I experienced almost all of the things he did, even though our illnesses are very different. What was the same were (some) doctors', friends', and famiiy's reactions to my illness--and my own difficulty in letting go to "the will of my body." I am more accepting now of what has happened to me. More compassionate toward those who misunderstood, criticized, or abandoned me. More willing to follow my body's lead, rather than feel I need to keep up with the world's pace. Thank you, Dr. Frank, for helping me in these ways.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Tinker
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well Written
    Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Arthur Frank gives a compelling account of the multiple dimensions of being ill. This book is beneficial both to those who need to understand what ill loved ones are experiencing and support them, and to those who are ill themselves.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • M. F. Soto-Schwartz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading
    Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Since being diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2012 I have read many illness memoirs, and this one is in the top tier. It should be required reading for all professional and lay caregivers, as well as everyone diagnosed with a serious illness. Frank's reflections go beyond his personal experience to astute observations about the practice of medicine and the social experience of illness.
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Victoria Field
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Totally absorbing book that I read whilst ill in hospital - every paragraph food for thought.
    Report
  • Aurèle Boisvert
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very profound and revealing
    Reviewed in Canada on July 20, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Fantastic book, not only for the ill but for everyone with a loving heart. My Frank has expressed what many go through during illness but find it very hard to put it in words.
    Report
  • Phil
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Good book. Thank you
    Report
  • Mariefay
    5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book that I have shared with many who are ...
    Reviewed in Canada on July 23, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A wonderful book that I have shared with many who are experiencing illness themselves or with a loved one,
    Easy to read and helpful++
    Report
  • Isabelle
    4.0 out of 5 stars How it feels to be a patient with cancer
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 20, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Arthur Frank offers his readers a candid account of his experience of a serious testicular cancer diagnosed in Canada in the 1980s. He coped with the emotional turmoil of his cancer journey in the context of a society which feared and stigmatised cancer and a medical profession which focused on 'managing the disease' rather than listening to the voice of the sufferer.
    Frank realised the importance of being open about his illness experience and sharing it in talk and text. His book is written for 'those who are now ill' that they do not travel alone. It is also written for the caregivers, 'the other halves of illness experience' whose stresses may be even greater than those of the sufferer. Finally he writes for all of society that cancer may be made visible, the public educated and the stigmatisation overcome.
    In 21st century UK there is some evidence of the success of this and other testimonies. Cancer has been brought into the open and a more empathetic care is becoming the norm.
    This is an inspiring book for those who are critically ill and their careres.
    Report