The Scalpel and the Silver Bear: The First Navajo Woman Surgeon Combines Western Medicine and Traditional Healing [Paperback]

Lori Alvord (Author), Elizabeth Cohen Van Pelt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 6, 2000

The first Navajo woman surgeon combines western medicine and traditional healing.

A spellbinding journey between two worlds, this remarkable book describes surgeon Lori Arviso Alvord's struggles to bring modern medicine to the Navajo reservation in Gallup, New Mexico—and to bring the values of her people to a medical care system in danger of losing its heart.

Dr. Alvord left a dusty reservation in New Mexico for Stanford University Medical School, becoming the first Navajo woman surgeon. Rising above the odds presented by her own culture and the male-dominated world of surgeons, she returned to the reservation to find a new challenge. In dramatic encounters, Dr. Alvord witnessed the power of belief to influence health, for good or for ill. She came to merge the latest breakthroughs of medical science with the ancient tribal paths to recovery and wellness, following the Navajo philosophy of a balanced and harmonious life, called Walking in Beauty. And now, in bringing these principles to the world of medicine, The Scalpel and the Silver Bear joins those few rare works, such as Healing and the Mind, whose ideas have changed medical practices-and our understanding of the world.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Alvord, who is half Navajo, dissected her first cadaver, she broke an important rule in her culture: "Navajos do not touch the dead. Ever." In the process of becoming a "white man's doctor," Alvord discovered that among the indigenous customs her medical training forced her to ignore were valuable healing practices that are sorely needed in allopathic medicine. In this inspiring memoir, Alvord, assisted by Van Pelt, describes her endeavors to integrate a Navaho approach to healing with high-tech medical procedures. She left the pueblo at age 16 to attend Dartmouth on scholarship, survived the numbing vicissitudes of surgical training at Stanford and returned home jubilantly to work as a general surgeon at the local medical center, only to discover that her demeanor and her state-of-the-art skills frightened her patients. Working within her traditional culture, which strongly resists the removal of organs from the body, she soon realized that a trusting relationship with the patient and harmony in the operating room were as necessary as the correct procedure to the success of the operation and the recovery process. As an introduction to Navajo healing principles, this short book offers intriguing ideas about humane health care. While it is unlikely that many physicians will embrace the sacred bear spirit, which is a source of strength and courage for the author, Alvord's message about how to improve a patient's peace of mind is utterly credible.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

YA-Alvord takes readers on an absorbing journey straddling two worlds. Her book, written with journalist Van Pelt, describes her path to eventual success in combining highly technical, modern medicine with the traditional Navajo philosophy of balance and harmony known as "Walking in Beauty." Born to a white mother and Navajo father, Alvord spent her childhood in Crownpoint, NM, on the edge of the Navajo reservation. As a child, she was encouraged to read and dream. She went to Dartmouth University on a scholarship, and then medical school at Stanford University. When she returned to New Mexico to practice medicine at the Gallup Indian Medical Center, she soon realized that her patients were frightened of her manner and technical ability and that she needed to merge her state-of-the-art skills with her traditional culture. This inspiring memoir, filled with wit and intelligence, discusses issues and ideas relevant to all cultures. The result is a book that is provocative and deeply felt. Readers will gain insight into a remarkable world and a remarkable person.
Susanne Bardelson, Wheat Ridge Public Library, Jefferson County, CO
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (June 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553378007
• ISBN-13: 978-0553378009
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #19 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Ethnic & National > Native American

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Made me homesick!, July 25, 2000

By 

Karla Partee (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Scalpel and the Silver Bear: The First Navajo Woman Surgeon Combines Western Medicine and Traditional Healing (Paperback)

I can't tell you how helpful this book was to me in gaining insight to myself and my own heritage. I too grew up on the "rez", or the Navajo Nation, not far from where Ms. Alvord grew up. (In fact, I am related to her by clan!) I also grew up half Navajo and half white. This book helped me to understand many of the characteristics and traits that I have and the cultural significance underlying them, as I was raised non-traditionally. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially Native youth, because it shows that anyone can achieve their dream. I am very proud of Lori Alvord for being willing to share her story and show the Western medical world the importance of Native/Indigenous healing practices.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two Worlds of Lori Arviso Alvord, Native American Surgeon, February 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Scalpel and the Silver Bear (Hardcover)

This book was marvelous! All who work in the Medical Field, no matter what their position, should read this book. It not only tells about the differences in Lori Arviso Alvord's cultures but how they believe and how medical doctors/surgeons have the ability to keep their patients calm during emergencies or surgeries. I think that anyone who is planning on going into the medical field in the Native American area should definitely read this book, so that they can get an inside of how the Native American cultures believe and what to expect. The language of the book was down to earth without confusing medical terms and was easy to understand. All the stories that were presented brought back memories of my grandmother who died at the age of 96. A very good book!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The scalpel and the silver bear, January 26, 2000

By 

Geetha Sridharan (Chennai, India.(Till May 2000 at Davidson College, NC)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Scalpel and the Silver Bear (Hardcover)

The test of a good book lies in its readability, more so in the case of a non fiction.The author's narrative style is simple and interesting and hence very readable. As I read through the book I felt as if I was travelling with the author through this life journey of hers. What makes the book acceptable is the fact that the author does not make any judgement about the cultures that she has to be in. Her attempt to combine the best of both the worlds is the main attraction in the book. I agree with her totally that the need of the hour is holistic approach to any medical intervention. Coming from India I do understand the gap in the modern approach to 'cure', namely the 'healing'. I wish many non native Indians would read this book and benefit from its facts.I wish the doctor all the very best in her present endevour of popularising the holistic approach among the modern medical world.