A Parkinson's Primer: An Indispensable Guide to Parkinson's Disease for Patients and Their Families

John Vine says he wrote this book for people who have been newly diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. Well, I was diagnosed 24 years ago, and I still learned something new on every page.Michael Kinsley, Vanity Fair columnist and author of Old Age: A Beginners Guide Here is the book that John Vine and his wife, Joanne, wish they could have consulted when John was first diagnosed with Parkinsons diseasea nontechnical, personal guide written from the patients perspective. Relying on his experiences over the past 12 years, John writes knowledgeably about all aspects of the disease. John also interviewed other Parkinsons patients and their partners, whose stories and advice he includes throughout the book. I wish wed had John Vines book when my brother-in-law was diagnosed. The book is highly informative, unflinchingly honest, and reassuringly optimistic. Its just what the doctor should have ordered.Cokie Roberts, best-selling author and political commentator on ABC News and NPR John Vine details, in a compelling and accessible way, his experience with Parkinsons disease. His book is an extraordinary guide to living successfully with Parkinsons, and a must read for all who want to better understand the condition. Although diagnosed with Parkinsons, my father lived an active and productive life until his death at age 94. As the book makes clear, while each patients journey is unique, common approaches are indispensable in treating the symptoms of the disease.Eric H. Holder, Jr. served as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States from 2009 to 2015 John Vine has written the best primer Ive ever read for newly diagnosed Parkinsons patients and their families. It helps them cope with the shock of diagnosis, gives them (jargon-free) the scientific basics they need to know, describes the symptoms they may experience (making clear that every case is different) and catalogs the resources available to navigate living with Parkinsons. John humanizes the book by describing his own experience and that of 22 other patients and their partners. Id urge every neurologist to have copies of Vines primer on hand to help new PD on their journey forward.Morton Kondracke, author of Saving Milly: Love, Politics and Parkinsons Disease and a member of the Founders' Council of the Michael J. Fox Foundation My husband has PD, and I devoured this book. Its wise, wonderfully readable, and, above all, helpful. Since John Vine has PD, he speaks with great authority about the challenges, both physical and psychological. If you have Parkinsons, live with someone who has it, or just know someone battling the disease, A Parkinsons Primer is for you.Lesley Stahl, award-winning television journalist on the CBS News program 60 Minutes This is a remarkable book describing the personal experiences of many individuals, including the author, living with Parkinsons disease. It captures the fact that although there are many possible symptoms in this disease, each person experiences different symptoms and copes with them in various ways. The thoughtful and insightful comments and coping strategies should be helpful for persons with PD, and their partners, regardless of the stage of the disease.Stephen Grill, MD, PhD, Director of the Parkinsons & Movement Disorders Center of Maryland John M. Vine is a lawyer at Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, DC, where he is the senior member and former head of the firms employee benefits group. He was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 2004.