In the Life in the Balance Mickey Eisenberg traces attempts, from Biblical times to the present, to revive those whose hearts have faltered and breath has stopped. He writes about the blessings and the dilemmas accompanying modern life-saving technology.

The book is supplemented by a guide to bystander CPR and a Community Survival Checklist; the book continues Eisenberg's efforts to give the public practical rescue skills, along with a better understanding of emergency response and medical care.