This autobiography is of an elder statesman in the field of reconstructive surgery, Paul Brand. The son of missionary doctors in India, he became acquainted with leprosy and its appalling effects in his early life. He trained and qualified in London, and became one of the world's leading leprosy authorities. He was awarded a CBE for his pioneering work. Now retired and living in North America, he reflects on his career. The title refers to pain and the relentless efforts of people to avoid it - and yet, it is the one gift that would have transformed for the better the lives of Dr Brand's leprosy patients, preventing further damage to affected limbs. The book provides insights into the life-giving role that pain plays in people's lives. Paul Brand is the co-author of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. Philip Yancey is the author of Where is God When it Hurts.