The Wall Street Journal named Back to Life After a Heart Crisis to its top five Wellness Books of 2010.

Dr. Denton A. Cooley, Texas Heart Institute

"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book, Back to Life After a Heart Crisis. I have perused it and found many parts which were meaningful to me...
...I do think this book has a place in graduate medical education and education of medical students and surgery residents."
Read the full letter >

Huffington Post
"Power Couple, Power Recovery"
www.huffingtonpost.com
By Arthur Rosenfeld, Novelist, philosopher, martial arts teacher.

Back To Life after a Heart Crisis is chock-full of useful information, including explanations of medical terms, tests and procedures from the proverbial "horse's mouth." There are good notes at the back of the book, a useful index, and a chapter full of "Back-To-Life resources worth the price of admission. These include ways to assess a hospital or physician's track record, inspiring books and audio series, support groups, charity events, even funny movies.

Readers are unlikely to find another book quite like this one. It's unique and important for those who need it, and a clarion call to those who need to turn their health around, but are avoiding the tough decisions required to do so.

Fox News' Jamie Colby and Husband Pen Inspirational Memoir
By Lauren Le Vine - www.tonic.com

The journalist and her husband have written an emotional memoir about his recent surgery — and the will to survive.

Heart disease doesn't just prey on the weak and unhealthy — that's the hard lesson that Dr. Mark Wallack learned when he was forced to undergo quadruple bypass surgery. Wallack was a well-known oncologist, the Chief of Surgery at Metropolitan Hospital, and Vice-Chair of the Department of Surgery at New York Medical College. He was an avid runner and a healthy eater. One day while running in Central Park, Wallack began to suffer from angina-like symptoms.

Two days later, after learning from doctors — his own colleagues — that his arteries were 95 percent blocked, Dr. Wallack underwent quadruple bypass surgery. He found that he was entirely unprepared for both the physical and emotional repercussions of this life-altering news and surgery. Now, Mark Wallack has written an inspirational memoir with his wife, Fox News anchor Jamie Colby, called Back to Life After a Heart Crisis: A Doctor and His Wife Share Their 8-Step Cardiac Comeback Plan.

In the book, Wallack and Colby present their 8-step plan to getting their lives back on track after this major setback that they never thought they would encounter. According to BasilandSpice.com, they present their advice in an "sports/military fashion," and provide an "honest, detailed account of the surgical, rehabilitative and emotional dimensions of coming close to death, putting your life in the hands of people you don't know, and then attempting to rebuild that (active, accomplished, stressed, and full) life once out of the hospital."

Colby and Wallack's voices are both interwoven throughout the book. She presents advice on getting recovering patients, who are often depressed and finding it hard to go on, out of the house for something as simple as taking a walk. Wallack speaks frankly about how much a serious illness changes a person and is candid about his anxiety and feeling that he was losing control.

Even if you aren't a Fox News viewer, or you don't know anyone going through a serious surgery, this memoir teaches us that it really can happen to anyone. It's truly inspiring to see how Colby and Wallack worked together to make it through the good doctor's ordeal. Screengrab courtesy of FoxNews.com

Review:
BlogCritics
blogcritics.org
By Christy Corp-Minamiji

Back to Life After a Heart Crisis is like having a purse-sized personal physician — you know, the fantasy doctor seen on TV, the trusted, wise, supportive family friend. Through exposure of his own weaknesses, Dr. Wallack avoids the common medical bullying, and instead writes with compassion for and acceptance of human frailty.

Book Reviews From Real People

Nobody can think clearly in times of health related stress, I wish I had this book as my guide when my family experienced a recent medical disaster. This is a how to, step by step guide. In this very tough subject I found the book very easy to read. That alone is very impressive. The resilience shown in the healing process, the stamina to face the situation head on and the courage to make their life normal again are awe inspiring. I was blown away.
Shaun Orcinolo (Miami, Florida)

The perspective of surgeon-patient that it brings is an extraordinary one, and while its audience is rightfully intended to be the patient I think that the Society of Thoracic Surgeons would do quite well to urge each of its surgeon members to read and refer to it. The husband-wife team are to be congratulated for letting down their shield of privacy to allow the world to see what they have gone through together. This is a must-read not only for the patients it is intended for who have also gone through cardiac surgery. It is something that medical students, residents in training, and perhaps most of all the attending physician-surgeons that care for heart surgery patients MUST read.
T. Whalen MD (Voorhees, NJ)

I am overweight and a candidate for a major crisis due to this problem. I realized that if someone in the shape that Dr. Wallack was in could succumb to a major crisis like this who am I to think I couldn't. I realized that this would not be fair to my family, friends and most of all myself. I figured that the courage that Dr. Wallack and Jamie have shown while dealing with this crisis why couldn't I have this same courage to deal with my issues. I have decided THANKS to this book to be proactive and not reactive. Since reading this book I have taken both Dr, Wallack's and Jamie's advice and set goals for myself. I have been following a better eating plan and since have lost 40 pounds and I am planning on running a 5K.
Michael C. Blasberg (North Miami Beach, Florida, US)

As a person with heart issues I am particularly interested in Dr. Wallack's ideas on the process of choosing the best doctor, procedure and hospital. This book will help you be a better advocate for the best care and provides you with valuable information for a better recovery and healthier lifestyle. Buy this book, we all will deal with serious medical issues in our lives and this book will help you and your loved ones make each day better.
Ralph H. Barger (Arkansas)

The book's title could not be more appropriate: Back To Life…through their words and candid testimonials, those who suffer a heart crisis will find their way back from the abyss of prolonged illness and death toward the simple grace of life in its truest essence..not back to wealth, not back to business-as-usual, not back to an unexamined or robotic life, but instead to a richer LIFE with its ever present opportunities to live and learn. Cheers to Dr. Wallack and Ms. Colby!
Roy Barquet (Miami, Fl.)

Hands down Jamie and Marc have the best chicken soup recipe!
Bart Ziegler (San Diego, CA)

I have gained valuable insight that I can utilize in my own life, especially the value never giving up the idea of beating an illness and getting your life back to the way it was and possible even better. Jamie's caregiver tips are incredible. I hope that this remarkable couple are blessed to live a long healthy life and to continue to help society in issues as to how to cope with serious health issues. If Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld endorses a book - I trust him implicitly that the book is medically sound...and it is!
Reva Hanzman (Miami, Florida)