Listen to the Patient

In Listen to the Patient Ciric weaves together the story of his life, which brought him from a continent and ocean away to the US, with the meaning, secrets, and ethical aspects of neurosurgery, including the unique privilege and daunting responsibility of navigating through the hidden nooks and crannies of the human brain. Through a series of select patients' stories and operations, Ciric describes the cascading steps leading up to a neurosurgical procedure for a variety of brain and spinal cord maladies, and he shares the intricate details and majestic beauty of brain and spinal cord surgeries. Blending technical information with personal stories and humor, this memoir reminisces about a life well lived. "This is an extremely pleasant walk through reminiscences in the life of a true neurosurgical giant. Colleagues and laity will gather much from his life-well-lived and hard-worked-and the sage lessons derived from the collisions of past and present, success and failure, hope and despair, are eloquently described in this story of dedication and devotion from the humble humanity of this remarkable man. I highly recommend the read." -John L. D. Atkinson MD, FACS, Professor of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota "This book is an inspiring odyssey. Its elegant prose describes the character and accomplishments of a premier neurosurgeon. His intellect and surgical prowess are responsible for important technical and conceptual advances in the challenging field of neurological surgery. This is a chronicle of a true 'surgeon's surgeon,' a valued educator, and a role model for many of his peers." -Edward R. Laws, MD, FACS, Professor of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School