Product Description

Dr. Dennis Hurwitz's chase for beauty hasn't merely been in the operating room. It has been in the plastic surgeon's own backyard. As a father, he was confronted with unimaginable ugliness when, on October 27, 1989, he stepped out his backdoor and into what is every loving parent's most horrific nightmare. Heroically, he somehow found beauty again. But a decade later, after he tried to achieve one of his miraculous surgical outcomes for a young deformed patient, he was drawn into another abyss of ugliness. The "Chase for Beauty" is about much more than Dennis Hurwitz, the plastic surgeon. It's about a man who never gave up his personal or professional chase for beauty in a world that could be so ugly.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1355404 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 220 pages

Review
A rewarding read. -- Kirkus Discoveries

Read the incredible story of renowned plastic surgeon, Dr. Dennis Hurwitz. -- HealthNewsDigest.com

Review
Biographer Mendelson offers an intimate look into the tumultuous personal life of a man whose profession is usually equated with superficiality, and effectively presents multiple perspectives on the doctor's character, career and life. A rewarding read.

From the Publisher
The Chase for Beauty is not some public relations generated concept. Nor is it a chronological, paint-by-numbers biography. Chase is a compelling, narrative-nonfiction drama about faith, about perseverance, about achievements, about relationships, and--above all--about one's man's triumph over a devastating fate. The life of Dr. Hurwitz is the kind of inspiring, mystical, astonishing story that will resonate with readers everywhere.

Customer Reviews

Compassion
I have had 20 years of contact with Dr. Hurwitz, as a grandparent of a child with a cleft lip and palate and also as a patient who had a tumor removed from my nasal cavity. Dennis has always given his all to treating my granddaughter. She had many surgeries in her 18 years as his patient and his innovative work made her look wonderful. The book reflects all of the long hours he put in caring for these children as well as his dedication to his family. He has been knocked down many, many times and gets back up and that to me is amazing. I would have had a hard time dealing with the murder of my child, and he and Linda did, but to go each day and take care of others children so they can live a normal life is truly giving. God, did give this man a special gift, he has always and I mean always, used that to benefit others. He would never knowingly hurt a child, and that is why the portion of the book that deals with his malpractice suit is so upsetting to read. He never experiemented, he did what he felt would be the best for the child, period.

A Movie Should Be Made About This Story
The book reads like a movie, and I found myself creating mental images of each situation, and visualizing a movie around it.

I'm a big fan of the movie, Clockwork Orange, and the daughter's best friend, Mick apparently was too. This book made me go out and rent the movie again, and it reminded me how sick in the head people are. It definitely had an influence on the murderer, and I beleive the murder was definitely not premeditated as the detective suggested. Some people are just sick in the head, troubled, and can snap at any given moment, especially when their chips are down.

This true life story has inspired me to write a report on all of the real life murders that were influenced by the Clockwork Orange.

My heart and prayers go out to the family of this young woman.

This book sent shivers down my spine
This book is a true story.

I read it because it was recommended to me by a good friend who knows Dr. Hurwitz, the plastic surgeon. I'm not much of a reader, but I was told to read the book because it is a true story about a man who's daughter was brutally murdered in his own backyard. Nearly 20 years later, he and his family have the courage to speak about it.

At first, I found myself reading the book to actually get to the murder scene chapter. I was anxious to read about the actual incident, the reaction, and how on earth the family dealt with such a tragedy. But upon really getting into the book, it made me realize that there was so much more to the story and life of Dr. Hurwitz than just the murder of his daughter. All of his hardships brought me even closer to his pain and chase for Beauty.

The falling out with his brother, the struggles with his wife, the multi- million dollar law suit against him, the mystique of the actual predictions of future tragic events, centered around the brutal murder of his daughter. How could a man overcome all of this? Dr. Hurwitz shows us how.

I read the book in 2 nights. I've never done that before with any book.

The Chase for Beauty made me realize that even though life can bring you extreme hardships, there still is a way to cope, be succesful, and move on with dignity and respect.

This book makes the perfect gift for a loved one whose goal in life is to advance, no matter the obstacle.

Joey Rahimi