Why Me? A Doctor Looks At the Book of Job

What does a young doctor do when she comes face to face with the death of children? Sometimes she loses her faith. And what does the same doctor do in middle age when she finally learns to listen to her patients? If you're Dr. Diane Komp, you find a relationship with through the witness of the same innocent sufferers.

In her new book "Why Me?: A Doctor Looks at the Book of Job," the Yale medical professor tackles the painful questions of suffering by weaving the stories of modern-day Jobs. To Komp, the biblical story of Job is neither a tall nor ancient tale. She finds Job not only in her patients--children with cancer-- but in her friends, neighbors, family and colleagues. Not only Job's story, but his question is a universal one. “‘Why Me?’ becomes our question when we suffer,” says the doctor. “Once we ask the question, we don’t’ want to rest until we have an answer.” Such questions are born out of persistent struggle with uncertainty.

In this book, written both for those facing suffering and those who would help them, Komp uses concrete examples to illustrate Job's story. We follow the doctor on a day she lived through four different disasters. She introduces us to Kurt who struggles to maintain his integrity while his wife tries to bring him down to earth. We agonize with Evelyn who wishes she had never been born. We empathize with bereaved parents who are subjected to their friends theories on why God took their children. We search for a worthwhile physician with the family of a drug overdose victim. We grope for the right words to say to a suicidal woman. We marvel that a dying child can see himself as part of a grand creation plan. And we hope with Markus that his journey with multiple sclerosis will include a long life and many grandchildren. Job is Everyperson who has ever been born.

Dr. Diane Komp is a medical scientist and author who speaks extensively to student, professional and community groups. Her popular books, based on her experiences as a specialist for children with cancer, have inspired people from all walks of life. Her previous books include—"A Window to Heaven: When Children See Life in Death," "Images of Grace: A Pediatrician's Trilogy of Faith, Hope and Love," "Anatomy of a Lie: The Truth About Lies and Why Good People Tell Them," and others.