Life on a Knife’s Edge

A Brain Surgeon’s Reflections on Life, Loss and Survival

By: Dr Rahul Jandial

Narrated by: Rahul Jandial

Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

As one of the world's leading brain surgeons, Dr Jandial is the last hope for many patients who have extreme forms of cancer - patients who can't be saved, but deserve more time. 

Life on a Knife's Edge is his account of the resilience, courage and belief he has witnessed in his patients, and the lessons he has learned from them. 

Both an unflinching account of extreme surgeries and a profound, moving and introspective memoir, this book reveals the depths of a surgeon's psyche who is pushed to his limits, day in, day out. 

From keeping a gun victim's heart pumping with his own hand to saving a woman from paralysis and performing brain surgery while time is running out on a haemorrhaging patient, we see how making life and death decisions and facing unimaginable pressure has shaped one man's life. Now, he shares the many truths about human nature that he has learned along the way: from how we deal with trauma, loss and threat to our innate belief and sense of self. 

From a life spent balancing on the line between life and death, above all else, he reveals what it really means to survive.

©2021 Rahul Jandial (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Amazing

One of the best audible books I have heard.
I highly recommend this to anyone!

Don’t miss this!!!

This is the most profound book I gave read in the past few years. If you have ever wondered about the meaning of life and death, this is the book for you. Thank you Dr Jandial for opening your heart to us all.

A Unique Way of Teaching

Dr. Rahul Jandial,
Thank you for taking us into your mind & behind the curtains, on your every day journey! Enjoyed listening to the stories very much! I was stressed. I cried. Thank you for the unique way of teaching us, about the brain.

Downer

I love medical perspectives. But from the start this doctor's deep monotone voice, laced with hopeless atheism, was so hard to listen to. I finished it but wouldn't listen to it again. He was so steeped in evolution and even though he was respectful of people's faith, he really just accepted a Godless view of life. He had no answers and never even mentioned a person's soul, he was so dark and hopeless, it was depressing. Faith is just something in people's brain that we don't understand. Too bad. I feel sorry for him. He's missing something very real and very important about life.

great learning

awesome read. alot to learn. alot to grow from as a person. super human story.

A bit slow

I very much enjoy reading and listening to surgeons' memoirs. These books fracture the stereotype that surgeons are arrogant and uncaring. This book is not about patients, but about Dr. Jandial and how their illnesses affected and molded his life through trauma, stress and loss.

The only downside was the narrator. His voice is very flat and has little inflection. i would have preferred a different narrator.

Meaningful

I listened to this book a couple of times. It’s so beautiful. The rawness of his honesty was transforming for my own life. The sound of his voice is also easy to listen to. Amazing journey! Thank you for sharing your story.

Riveting

I listened to this book for information. I’m a professional Hypnotist, helping people relieve anxiety, let go of emotional pain and tap into inner strength. My focus was to have a greater understanding of the brain so I could create more clarity in my teachings. Dr. Jandial, in this book you delivered far beyond what I was hoping to receive. The poetic details made even the most gruesome stories palatable and moving. Your perspective on the fragility of life, and the great responsibility we have has validated my beliefs to go beyond skills and into the heart and soul of why I am here. From breathing technique to the mind versus the brain, I loved it all.

Loved This Book

I loved this book and the story line behind it. I believe I would've appreciated more if the narrator would've been more enthusiastic with the reading of it. He sounded so monotone, but getting beyond that it was great. I follow this doctor on you tube and I love his videos and knowledge as well as love for what he does.

Heartstring pulling, inspirational, informative

Not quite what I expected but an amazing book that I'm blessed to have listened to

captivating!

listened in just over 3 days, in the car, walking, doing chores, any opportunity! Dr Jandial has a unique, detailed, compassionate view of people and our world, I loved how he linked his experiences with anatomy and psychological theories, moving stories told in such a way I was either in tears or in suspense, I am totally in awe, captivated...

Unexpected

Nothing like what I would normally read but what a fascinating book. Very unexpected. Very interesting and though provoking. LOCE that it was read by the writer!

You don't have to be a rocket scientist

Doctor Rahul Jandial is a former US college drop out whose determination and commitment resulted in him entering medical school and becoming a brain surgeon. He describes his job as "cutting cancer out of people" and has now operated on over 4,000 people where he has investigated the wonders of the human mind. Dr Jandial melodramatically narrates this book himself and admits that he finds the responsibility of his job exhilarating and he get highs from undertaking surgery on the margins of life and death that has never been attempted before. For Dr Jandial this is about the glory and the danger and not the money and that he thrives off the stress of his job stating the "if we do not have stress we become brittle". He describes some of the ground breaking surgery he has undertaken in the "brain's bony aquarium" including one where he used primitive instruments during an operation in Bolivia which is certainly not for the feint hearted. Apparently brains do not have nerves so they do not feel pain. You do, however, have to be a very brave person to even consider the type of surgery described in this book.

I loved this

I spent most of the day listening to Life on a knife edge by Dr Rahaul Jandial. I’ve loved this book. He is so eloquent and his voice is gorgeous. I’ve watched him on YouTube and I’m enamoured with him. He is the same age as me I believe and he is so articulate and it’s incredible how I’m able to understand him describing really complex medical procedures and the complex mechanisms of the brain and body. I wish I was able to explain to others what I’ve listened to in the audio book. Honestly one of the best books I’ve ever read.

Eye opening

This book was beautiful to listen to I just wish it was longer, couldn’t put it away every story within was gripping I would recommend to anyone in healthcare to gain perspective and anyone going through stress.

Fascinating

Great to hear first hand how Dr Rahul Jandial operates under life and death conditions. We learn about his life, how he copes under pressure and how his decisions are life changing for him and his patients. I found this man very interesting to listen to and it made me reflect on my own practises.

Riveting

I found the case stories fascinating. I liked the humanity and humility of Rahul Jandial. I heard him interviewed and was under the spell of his voice, so was thrilled that he did the reading.