Now I know I have the cancer...
That strange chest pain (which I've been complaining about but doing nothing about for a week)? Yeah, turns out I probably have the cancer ... or atleast the costochondritis. My friend bought me this book because, quote, she "couldn't help it-you have issues." But at least now I have the fancy names to back up my claims ... I just wanted to shout out to others who need a vocab of scientific sounding names, to legitimize their claims of waning mortality of course, that this is the book for you. Way easier than the inter-web!

Greatest coffee table book EVER
I had this book out when family was over and everyone was checking it out. Basically, you look up your symptom (headache, whatever) and the book tells you what terrible disease you're dying from. I don't understand the reviewer complaining about the medical advice -- um, hello, it's a HUMOR BOOK! And my two sisters are nurses and they thought everything was hilarious. It looks legit to me! (And I watch Grey's Anatomy and House, so I am clearly an expert.) Seriously, this book is probably used by the writers of those TV shows because just like on the show, the most innocent symptoms indicate the most horrible killer disease ever. Just don't give it to your hypochondriac elderly aunt or anything. Also beware: My kids use it as a way to get out of school..hey, maybe I should try it for work..."Oh, my ribs hurt, I have costochondritis!"

This book is funny.
That being said, it may require a dry wit, and first-hand experience with a hypochondriac to appreciate the book to its fullest. The individual entries themselves are written straight. The humor is in that the only diseases that go with a runny nose are Hodgkin's Disease and Relapsing Polychondritis (for example) as well as the silly facts and quotes. My favorite part of the book is at the end, where there are many medical terms, including prefixes and suffixes so that you can make up your own diseases. At a time when there are so many web sites devoted to self-diagnosis, it is nice to see that someone out there is not taking it all too seriously!

Extremely funny... makes a great gift for health professionals
You have to admit with the state of the medical industry as it is today, a good laugh is sorely needed. This book is hilarious and it would make an especially good gift for health professionals. The reviewer below me is obviously not amused with this book but I have to say that this is the funniest medical-themed books I've ever seen. No, don't go treating your medical issues with it. It's comedy for pete's sake.

Great entertainment!
Great coffee table book! I had a party and my guests couldn't keep their hands off it!