Waking the Spirit

A Musician's Journey Healing Body, Mind, and Soul

By: Andrew Schulman

People Magazine Pick, Oliver Sacks Foundation, Books for a Better Life Award

The astounding story of a critically ill musician who is saved by music and returns to the same hospital to help heal others

Andrew Schulman, a fifty-seven-year-old professional guitarist, had a close brush with death on the night of July 16, 2009. Against the odds—and with the help of music—he survived: a medical miracle.

Once fully recovered, Andrew resolved to use his musical gifts to help critically ill patients at Mount Sinai Beth Israel’s intensive care unit. In Waking the Spirit, you’ll learn the astonishing stories of the people he has met along the way—both patients and doctors—and see the incredible role music can play in a modern hospital setting.

Schulman expertly weaves cutting-edge research on neuroscience and medicine, as well as what he has learned as a professional musician, to explore the power of music to heal the body and awaken the spirit.

©2025 Andrew Schulman (P)2025 Blackstone Publishing