Nonfiction Health Book Blitz: The Philosopher's Guide to Life, Suffering and Kidney Stones by Carmin M. Kalorin M.D.

If you’ve ever tried to bargain with your own body (“Just let this pass, and I swear I’ll drink more water!”), you already know that suffering has a way of cutting through all the philosophical fluff and forcing us to get real.

Dr. Carmin M. Kalorin’s The Philosopher’s Guide to Life, Suffering, and Kidney Stones doesn’t just meet you in that moment—it laughs with you, teaches you, and dares you to find meaning in the mess. Equal parts medical insight and existential wit, it’s a guide for anyone who’s ever questioned why life hurts so much—and how to come out wiser (and maybe slightly more hydrated) on the other side. Check out this book and learn about the author!

Nonfiction / Health

Date Published: June 5, 2025

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About the Book

Let’s face it—life throws rocks at all of us. Sometimes metaphorical, sometimes literal, and occasionally they hit you directly in the kidneys.

Welcome to the survival guide you didn’t know you needed—for pain, philosophy, and the Dirty Rotten Bastards known as kidney stones.

Written by Dr. Carmin Kalorin, a board-certified Urologist and Navy Veteran with a sharp sense of humor and a well-loved copy of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, this book is equal parts medical manual, philosophical deep-dive, and brutally honest pep talk. From ancient Greek tragedy to Zen detachment, from Schopenhauer’s existential gloom to modern pain meds that actually work, Dr. Kalorin arms you with science, insight, and just the right amount of sarcasm to help you endure the worst pain imaginable—and maybe even grow from it.

Inside, you’ll discover:

● Why kidney stones hurt so damn much (hint: it’s not just the jagged edges)
● How to suffer like a philosopher—or just survive like a human
● What Stoics, Buddhists, and Navy SEALs can teach us about pain
● How to stop these unholy invaders from ever coming back

Whether you’re mid-attack, recovering, or just preparing for the day your body decides to throw a mutiny, The Philosopher’s Guide to Life, Suffering, and Kidney Stones offers clarity, catharsis, and some much-needed laughs—because if suffering is inevitable, we might as well face it with wisdom and a plan.

Grab some water (seriously, hydrate), settle in (writhing optional), and turn the page. You’re not alone!

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About the Author

Carmin M. Kalorin, M.D. is a board-certified urologist and founder of the Kidney Stone Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, one of the highest-volume kidney stone treatment centers in the nation. Over the past decade, his team’s dedication to patient-centered care has placed the center in the top 1.5% nationally for stone treatment volume.

With over 20 years of experience specializing in minimally invasive surgery and kidney stone management, Dr. Kalorin has seen firsthand how painful and life-disruptive kidney stones can be. His mission goes beyond treatment—he is passionate about empowering patients through education. By helping people understand why kidney stones form, how pain develops, and what prevention truly looks like, he believes patients can reclaim control over their health.

That philosophy led to his book, The Philosopher’s Guide to Life, Suffering, and Kidney Stones (but Mostly Kidney Stones)—a blend of practical medical insights and timeless philosophical wisdom. Drawing from thousands of patient conversations, Dr. Kalorin translates complex medical science into approachable, often humorous lessons about resilience, suffering, and the human condition.

Equal parts clinician, teacher, and philosopher, Dr. Kalorin writes with the conviction that knowledge is the most powerful tool in medicine—and that even life’s sharpest pains can reveal deeper meaning.

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