Book excerpt: Journey to the Center of the Mind, a best selling book of interviews published in Romania a few years ago, is now available to English-speaking readers. The interviews with world-renowned neurosurgeon, university professor, and inventor of a drain system for the brain Alexandru Vlad Ciurea are a window into a life lived with humility, always in the best interest of the patient and of the fellow man. Despite adverse historical conditions, which include a world war and the tough communist regime, Professor Ciurea's life story is one filled with joy, optimism, and life lessons for all of us. In this series of interviews with writer and journalist Tudor Artenie, the professor talks about what constitutes a good childhood and education; about good habits and health issues; about the benefits of a glass of red wine and of a good book. His honest take on what and how people can get the most out of their lives comes at a critical moment, when competing discourses are drowning us in noise and we do not know where to look for guidance anymore. Take the journey with him and learn from a neurosurgeon who has operated on over twenty-three thousand patients and has never lost one.