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Anonymous
Posted July 14, 2002
highly readable but uncritical
The best part of Folkman's war is in its description of the ethical challenges of contemporary academic medicine, e.g. the pitfalls of dealing with the press, the games scientists play to keep their lab out of the red, the relationship between science and industry, the slow transition of basic research to the clinic, and the unfortunate politics associated with drug trials. The discussion of these issues, if nothing else, make this a very worthwhile read. One minor downside is Cooke portrays Folkman as a demi-god and offers limited insight into the occasional mis-steps Judah has made. Judah's interactions with the press repeatedly reveal questionable judgements. If Folkman is so shy of the media then why did he agree to work with Cooke on a book that is directed to a lay audience? Cooke may have indeed repeatedly interviewed Folkman and his lab but this work would be substantially improved if Cooke could have spent much more time with others in the oncology/cell bio fields (both supporters and detractors of Folkman) and then provided a more balanced presentation of Judah's excellent work.
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Anonymous
Posted March 18, 2002
No one should miss this book
This story is exciting. The future treatments for cancer and many other diseases may be controllable or cured from the results of his research. Dr. Folkman's life and work will be long remembered and he will be hailed as a hero for his efforts. Considering I am a person with no medical background the author delivered a masterpiece - a book with detailed medical intricacies that anyone can read and understand.
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Anonymous
Posted October 13, 2001
the truth behind the headlines
Often we think scientific research is black or white, but this book about the life of Judah Folkman gives us a backstage pass to how scientific discoveries are painfully made. Reminds me of William Harvey's observation in the 17th century that blood circulates in the body...no one believed him either.
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Anonymous
Posted June 12, 2001
Avoiding the cancer treatment maze.
Dr Folkmans War is an inside look at 1)the tight compartmentalization of medical knowledge and practice; 2)the thrill and pain of conducting unconventional research; 3) why Nobel prizes are awarded so belatedly; 4) why the past fifty years of cancer treatment encountered so many dead-ends; and 5) how cancers are really being cured now. Somewhat redundant in presentation, but that's my only criticism.
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Anonymous
Posted April 9, 2001
A great book about a very courageous man
The story highlights the closed mindedness of the medical profession. One must wonder how many people have died because Dr. Folkman lacked support in the early years of his study causing years of delay in his research. What a shame and disgrace. Dr. Folkman should now be recognized by his profession and given the highest rewards for his work. The book illustrates that hard work does indeed pay off in the long run and that one should never give up on their dreams. An excellent story about true courage and conviction.
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Anonymous
Posted February 20, 2001
Insight and persistence in the fight to cure cancer
Robert Cooke does an amazing job of rendering what could have been a dense scientific discussion of anti-angiogenesis and its role in treating cancer, into an engaging and meaningful discussion that someone without a medical background can easily understand. Cooke aptly chronicles Folkman's career ups and downs, and ably captures the doctor's frustration of being a scientist two decades ahead of his time.
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The real message in this book, however, is one of triumph in the face of scorn and ridicule. That Folkman's peers - be they colleagues at Boston's Children's Hospital who sought to have him ousted from his position as Chief of Surgery or to have his laboratory closed, or anonymous reviewers at the medical journals who refused to publish his work finding it too implausible, or conference attendees who would simply walk out of one of his scientific lectures thinking he was a crackpot - could subject him to so much difficulty in pursuing his scientific vision speaks volumes about how we have trouble dealing with a visionary. Most of us, in Folkman's shoes, would have moved on to something else.
Now that Folkman's ideas have come of age - science finally possesses the tools to validate his work and we are seeing the fruits in clinical trials around the country - I truly hope that his early critics will have the courage to acknowledge their error. As Cooke reminds us, genius can be very hard to recognize. Now that it is upon us, however, shame on those who continue to diminish it.
This book is ideal for anyone possessing a fascination with science or medicine, anyone who appreciates stories of personal triumph, or anyone who is interested in how insight can be mistaken for heresy. Furthermore, as someone whose family has been touched by cancer, I found the book to be incredibly insightful in understanding the disease. Cooke's writing is clear and concise, and the Folkman story is incredibly engaging. -
Anonymous
Posted February 18, 2001
Inspiring for boys and girls as well as adults
Robert Cooke's biography of man dedicated to improve life on earth is exceptional in its grasp of the science, the milieu in which scientific revolution takes place in the U.S., and the response from those who hold the conventional wisdom as immune to change. This is like reading of Madam Curie's struggle with radium, but in a modern setting. Very exciting, wonderful insights by Robert Cooke. A fine gift for young readers who may decide to take Judah Folkman as a role model. Easy for the non-scientist to follow, and to learn from.
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Anonymous
Posted March 31, 2001
A Modern Odyssey of Medical Innovation
This book clearly deserves many more than five stars. Dr. Folkman's War contains many valuable insights including how to: Raise children to be outstanding people; be an astute observer about nature to unlock new lessons; pioneer in a new field of science; and be persistent about something important. When the history of medicine in the twentieth century is written, Dr. Judah Folkman will be considered one of the most important figures. This book is the most accessible and complete source of information about his remarkable life and accomplishments. Dr. Folkman's research to date 'has found applications in twenty-six diseases as varied as cancer, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, psoriasis, arthritis, and endometriosis.' 'Ordinarily, researchers working in any of these fields do not communicate with each other.' Angiogenesis looks at the way that capillaries are formed in response to the body's biochemistry to help and harm health. Tumors depend on this action to get the blood supply they need to grow. Wounds also rely on a similar mechanism to grow scar tissue. I have been following Dr. Folkman's career for over twenty-five years, and heard him speak about angiogenesis just a little over two years ago. Because I felt I was well-informed, I almost skipped this book. That would have been a major mistake on my part. Dr. Folkman's War contained much new and interesting information that helped me to better understand the lessons of Dr. Folkman's life, as well as the future implications of angiogenesis. Unknown to me, Dr. Folkman had also played a role as an innovator in implantable pacemakers, time-released drug implants, and specialized types of heart surgery before he began his serious assault on angiogenesis. The discoveries had their beginning in 1961 when he was a draftee in a Navy lab in Bethesda, Maryland. He noticed that tumors could not grow unless they first recruited their own capillaries to bring an increased blood supply. 'Over time, he convinced himself that there had to be some way to block the growth of those blood vessels.' He was right, but it took a long time before he knew any of the answers. In brief opening comments about the book, former surgeon general C. Everett Koop, M.D. and Sc.D. observed how this new science evolved. 'In the 1970s, laboratory scientists didn't believe any of it.' ' . . . [T]he critics' objections were hushed for good in 1989.' 'In the 1990s, the criticisms came chiefly from the clinical side, and the pharmaceutical companies didn't want anything to do with angiogenesis.' The story is a very heart-warming one. Dr. Folkman's father was a rabbi who asked each member of the family each night what she or he had learned that day. He also constantly implored his son to 'Be a credit to your people.' His father clearly thought that Dr. Folkman would also become a rabbi. Having announced his attention to become a physician, his father told him, 'You can be a rabbi-like doctor.' This injunction was one he took to heart, often seeking out his father's counsel on how to console the families of his patients. His first taste of how close mortality is to all of us was when his first two children inherited cystic fibrosis. The younger of the two died, and the older one needed lots of special care to deal with infections. This probably made him a better doctor, by helping him see things more from the patients' points of view. Space constraints keep me from discussing the book's description of how angiogenesis developed, but if you like stories about trail-blazing research, you will be amply rewarded. The key hurdles are described, along with the blind alleys that were followed. Anyone reading this will see how important it is to add new skills to the study of any new subject. I was particularly interested in the way that press reports tended to harm the progress of angiogenesis, either by annoying other scientists, attracting hucksters, or delaying key d
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Anonymous
Posted February 19, 2001
A true role model
Robert Cook does a marvelous job presenting the life of Judah Folkman. I felt as though I have known him all along. If you have not read this book, you must. The world needs more people like Judah Folkman to look up to.
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