There are many spiritual lessons to be learned from Kitchen Table Wisdom. Rachel Naomi Remen, an M.D. widely known for her pioneering work with cancer patients and the doctors who treat them, writes: "The things we cannot measure may be the things that ultimately sustain our lives."

Remen advises doctors to pay more attention to people's feelings and to make their own caring visible. Her probes on the healing process contain insights into suffering, expectations, loss, and meaning. Remen's own battle with a chronic progressive intestinal disease has given her a unique perspective on coping with pain. Perhaps the most affecting stories are those by individuals facing life-threatening diseases: they speak of the sacredness of every moment and the connections between all people. Kitchen Table Wisdom is a deeply profound book.