The Chase for Beauty
Robert Mendelson
Reviewed by Charity R. Bartley Howard
Losing the love of his life, his daughter is brutally murdered,
he and his wife continue to deal with the difficult thought of not
having anymore children, experiencing the legal process through two
murder trials while facing their daughter’s killer and years later
losing millions of dollars along with his respected reputation that
could damage his medical practice – may sound like intriguing story
events and that’s true! But, the first thought a reader may have is
reading a true story dealing with such personal loss and sadness is not
a top choice. Yet, “The Chase for Beauty” is not a book focused on
negative, instead it focuses on overcoming these devastating
experiences. It brings readers a feeling that they too can overcome
whatever befalls them by finding strength within themselves, as well as
God, just as the Dennis Hurwitz family did.
Any of these life-altering events could leave someone wondering how to
deal with it all and continue through life. The catastrophic loss of
the Hurwitzes’ only daughter, Karen, could have destroyed every aspect
of their lives together and personally. It did, of course, turn their
lives upside down and bring them to their knees in pure devastation.
Through Dr. Dennis and Linda Hurwitzes’ words readers hear their love
for one another and find how this family continues their lives. Dennis
feels, “To survive, to be a great doctor, to be a loving husband, to be
a wonderful father, he knows he has to be a man who moves forward.”
Writer Robert Mendelson interviewed Dr. Hurwitz, his family, friends,
colleagues, his daughter’s killer and those closest involved in the
malpractice suit, among others, ending up with over 100 interviews for
this 218-page chapter book. This book is written using these voices. It
is not just a biographical or autobiographical story, it is written as
an intriguing novel.
This is a very detailed novel with the author leaving no stone unturned
to provide a complete true story. His explanation allows the reader to
step into these lives and almost feel as if they lived the events as
well. Formatted for an easy read, each detail gives a clearer picture
of how Dr. Hurwitz becomes the man he is today and how he and his wife
worked together to get through tragedy.
The book’s title “The Chase for Beauty” gives many levels of meaning
which makes it perfect for this multi-level story. Readers travel with
Dennis and Linda Hurwitz from courtship through today explaining their
story as they lived through health issues leading to being unable to
give birth to another child, suffering a miscarriage and then the
details surrounding their daughter’s murder. Writers often add
foreshadowing to novels for suspense and interest. Even though this
book details true incidents there are still elements of foreshadowing.
For instance, their 17-year-old daughter seemed to have an eerie
foresight, “It was as if she was scared of some unknown evil. She even
told her mother around this time about a dreadful, recurring
premonition; she kept thinking someone was going to kill her on their
home’s back patio.” Providing foreshadow anymore direct than that would
be difficult considering this is exactly what happens to this young
woman.
The explanation of that deadly day does not come until the eighth
chapter. But, a day like that needs background elements before it is
presented. That day, “Friday, October 27, 1989, is not an easy day to
explain. Not to the Hurwitzes. Not to their family, not to their
friends, not to their community. Perhaps the best explanation of the
day is to describe what it was not. Friday, October 27, 1989, was not a
day of beauty.” No words can express such heartache but this book gives
readers the closest idea possible.
Coming to terms that they were no longer a mom and a dad they found
strength in one another, in God, and decided they still wanted to be
parents. Even though they had trouble having more children perhaps they
could become parents again through adoption, “After a flurry of phone
calls and some work by attorneys, it was decided the Hurwitzes would be
a mom and dad again.” Some couldn’t understand how they could replace
their first born just months after her death. Yet, the Hurwitzes felt
they had love to give and these children needed them.
Other elements of this multi-level story were finding their daughter’s
killer, sitting through two trials to convict the killer and having to
be near the killer. The doctor had also returned to work with many
feeling he didn’t need to come back so soon, “it appeared that he had
recovered, as least professionally, from Karen’s death. But, he hadn’t.
His world of beauty that fueled his surgical art had changed on October
27. Since then, the chase for beauty didn’t seem to have the same
relevance anymore.”
The Hurwitzes were determined to begin their new life with their new
children, but often shed tears for their beloved daughter, Karen. They
felt things would get back on track and they were a right. Well, for a
while until another setback was before them. This time Dr. Hurwitz was
devastated in his professional life – plastic surgery. His career is
another important element in his life, “I like to put together things
of beauty, and I believe the pursuit serves a great purpose, equivalent
to that of trying to cure cancer or making a bad heart work better.
It’s not a life or death business, but you need plastic surgery after
accidents or trauma or birth defects for people’s well-being.” Just
when they were in a routine again he had to pay millions and nearly
lost his career following a malpractice suit. Again, he overcame this
setback and became known for an innovative plastic surgery procedure
helping patients following excessive weight loss. His procedure is not
only explained in Robert Mendelson’s “The Chase for Beauty”; but Dr.
Dennis Hurwitzes' book “Total Body Lift,” is also dedicated to the
procedure.
Finally, as readers finish, “The Chase for Beauty” they may remember
the words Dr. Hurwitz expresses to an employee, “no matter what happens
to you, life has to go on, that’s what we’re here for.”