The anatomy of hope chronicles the gradual opening of his mind an education that was both professional and personal it wasnt always easy using medical case studies from his own career groopman illustrates how doctors can rely too heavily on optimism or harsh reality in the face of a grave prognosis. Summary this book contains six medical case studies in which hope or lack of it played a role in the outcome five stories are of groopmans cancer patients the sixth the story of his own recovery from severe chronic lower back pain. The anatomy of hope groopman summary writing this book contains six medical situation studies by which hope or insufficient it performed a job within the outcome five tales have groopmans cancer patients the sixth the storyline of their own recovery from severe chronic back discomfort. The anatomy of hope how people prevail in the face of illness is a 2003 book by jerome groopman the book was first published in hardback on december 23 2003 through random house and deals with the subject of hope and its effect on illnesses