Book Description

White Coat is Dr. Ellen Lerner Rothman's vivid account of her four years at Harvard Medical School. Describing the grueling hours and emotional hurdles she underwent to earn the degree of M.D., Dr. Rothman tells the story of one woman's transformation from a terrified first-year medical studen into a confident, competent doctor.

Touching on the most relevant issues in medicine today--such as HMOs, aIDS, and assisted suicide--Dr. Rothman recounts her despair and exhilaration as a medical student, from the stress of exams to th hard-won rewards that came from treating patients.

The anecdotes in White Coat are funny, heartbreaking, and at times horrifying. Each chapter taes us deeper into Dr. Rothman's medical school experience, illuminating her struggle to walk the line between too much and not enough intimacy with her patients. For readers of Perri Klass and Richard Selzer, Dr. Rothman looks candidly at medicine and presents an unvarnished perspective on a subject that matters to us all. White Coat opens the infamously closed door between patient and doctor in a book that will change the way we look at our medical establishment.

With a thoughtful, candid voice, Rothman writes about a wide range of experiences -- from a dream about holding the hand of a cadaver she had dissected to the acute embarrassment she felt when asking patients about their sexual histories. She shares her horror at treating a patient with a flesh-eating skin infection, the anxiety of being "pimped" by doctors for information (when doctors quiz students on anatomy and medicine), as well as the ultimate reward of making the transformation and of earning a doctor's white coat.

For readers of Perri Klass, Richard Selzer, and the millions of fans of ER, White Coat is a fascinating account of one woman's journey through school and into the high-stakes drama of the medical world.

In White Coat, Ellen Rothman offers a vivid account of her four years at one of the best medical schools in the country, and opens the infamously closed door between patient and doctor. Touching on today's most important medical issues -- such as HMOs, AIDS, and assisted suicide -- the author navigates her way through despair, exhilaration, and a lot of exhaustion in Harvard's classrooms and Boston's hospitals to earn the indisputable title to which we entrust our lives.

With a thoughtful, candid voice, Rothman writes about a wide range of experiences -- from a dream about holding the hand of a cadaver she had dissected to the acute embarrassment she felt when asking patients about their sexual histories. She shares her horror at treating a patient with a flesh-eating skin infection, the anxiety of being "pimped" by doctors for information (when doctors quiz students on anatomy and medicine), as well as the ultimate reward of making the transformation and of earning a doctor's white coat.

For readers of Perri Klass, Richard Selzer, and the millions of fans of ER, White Coat is a fascinating account of one woman's journey through school and into the high-stakes drama of the medical world.

... Read more

Reviews (22)

Disjointed and Random
I hate to be harsh on the author, but this book was WAY too disjointed in its writing. First, I expected a detailed account of what it is like to be trained as a doctor at one of America's premier medical schools. Books such as this interest me, as I may never train to be a doctor (likewise, the book "Boot" is a great tome that goes through Marine Corp boot camp from beginning to end.) Instead, in "White Coat" there is basic and quick descriptions of what Harvard Medical School is like, followed suddenly by a random paragraph about dating a guy, or watching ER.

Her entire first year--what I would imagine would be an amazing experience of first-time medical learning and wonders-- covers less than 36 pages! This, in a book of 331 pages? Chapters are actually topics: AIDS, Difficult Patients, Pelvic Exams, etc. The problem is that the reader never quite feels that we are progressing with her from day to day, month to month, and year to year at Harvard. I never quite caught excatly when and how she was allowed to see patients. In one chapter, she was suddenly with her first patient. I want to read this book and really know what happens at the Harvard Medical School! It's her first book, and quite obviously she means well, but her book is really an amateur effort. She is probably a good doctor but her writing skills need much honing.

being a medical student
It starts good with feelings, expectations, experiences but towards the end it becomes more like ER show, personal feelings seems to disappear. I was more interested reading about actual thrill that was felt rather than how the patients felt, but still gave me an understanding of being in medical school and difficult life it brings.
I liked the way she described the obgyn experience but others was like textbook explaining the problems. First years experiences was very short, the process and procedures was not clear, I still do not get from the book when you start rotations, when you become resident, what is expected from you, what happenes if you do not perform.

An Honest Reflection...
Ellen Rothman displays honesty and grace in this fascinating look inside the medical school world. Not only does she carefully examine patients during her training, she also evaluates common beliefs about what it means to be a doctor, sometimes pessimistically so. The only drawback to the book was the lack of insight into the financing of tuition and living expenses during medical school. I got the impression from her three international trips during medical school that she did not have to worry about money, which is rare for medical students.

Very slow and not that interesting...yawn....
After reading numerous true-life medical stories this one has to be the most uninteresting of them all! Read something by another author of real-life medicine, this one is worth leaving on the shelf.

Delightful Journey
Doctor Ellen Lerner Rothman has written a good book. She takes you through her life while she's in medical school. Through her ups and downs, you learn what it would be like. I rate this a proud 5 stars. I gladly recommend this book to any person that is interested in medical school or medicine in general. ... Read more

Book Description

A raw, edgy, yet intimate new voice from the front lines in Iraq-the most authentic we have had yet from the war, heralding this generation's Catch-22.

Like many of his generation, Colby Buzzell was jumping from one dead-end job to another, a paycheck away from moving back home. He spent his time skateboarding and killing as many brain cells as humanly possible. Tired of the monotony, he found himself in front of an army recruiter. Within months he was in Iraq, a machine gunner in the controversial Stryker Brigade Combat Team, an army unit on the cutting edge of combat technology, and the first of its kind.

This is the startlingly honest story of a young man and a war. Trapped amid "guerilla warfare, urban-style" in Mosul, Iraq, Buzzell was struck by the bizarre, absurd, often frightening world surrounding him. He began writing an online web log describing the war-not as it was being reported by CNN or in briefings on Capitol Hill, but as he experienced it. The result is an extraordinary narrative, rich with unforgettable scenes: the fierce firefight in which the resistance came from "men in black"; chain-smoking in the guard tower, counting the tracer rounds fired over the city; the raid on an Iraqi home during which a woman couldn't stop screaming as her husband was being taken away; and the hesitation of a young soldier who had been passed around from platoon to platoon because he was too afraid to fight. As the popularity of his "blog" grew, Buzzell became the embedded reporter the army couldn't control despite its best-and often hilarious-efforts to do so.

My War is the debut of a fresh and remarkable voice, and it is already being compared to the classics of youth and combat Herr's Dispatches and Heller's Catch-22. But My War is much more than a war story; it is the story of a generation caught between the hyper-reality of a technological age and an ever more complicated and dangerous world. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1971 she was the most promising woman golfer in the world, before alcohol took control, almost killing her. Now on the road to recovery, Baugh speaks candidly about her lifetime of pain, pressure, and perseverance. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A VERY DRAMATIC STORY
THIS IS THE STORY OF LAURA BAUGH, RECOVERING ALCOHOLIC, PRO GOLFER, AND MOTHER. SHE DOES A GREAT JOB DESCRIBING HER LIFE AND CAREER. HER STRUGGLE WITH INNER DEMONS, BROKEN MARRIAGES, AND PRESSURES IS VERY INTERESTING. HER STORY IS A MIRACLE. AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THE 12 STEP PROGRAM OF AA AT WORK. LAURA HAS BEEN BLESSED BY GOD AND THIS IS A GREAT READ FOR ALL RECOVERING AND PRACTICING ADDICTED PEOPLE. I REMEMBER WHEN LAURA FIRST CAME ON THE PRO TOUR IN THE EARLY 70'S, SHE WAS THE HOTTEST HOTTIE IN SPORTS. GLAD TO SEE SHE HAS CONFRONTED HER ADDICTION AND DEALS WITH IT ONE DAY A TIME. SHE IS STILL HOT AND CERTAINLY PROVEN TO BE A BABY MACHINE. MUST READ.

Who's In Control?
Isn't that the question since we were chldren?Who's in control here?Some figure it out quicker than others and learn the lesson better.For others, like Laura, it takes time and pain. But in the end, gain.

Her pain and gain, here exposed for all the world to see, is for the comfort and strength she gives through this book to those who find themselves or loved ones in -- out of control.

Frightening and shocking is the realization that such substances take over and dominate such intelligent, talented people.The fight will always be there.Close by though, more powerful than those unrelenting enemies are Laura's strengths she's learned to rely upon and live for, God and children.May both bless her.

She's a winner in more important events than just LPGA championships.

Thoughtful, insightful, and educational
Laura Baugh's openness and candor makes her story a must-read for anyone in recovery, or anyone who knows someone in recovery.

Growing Up is So Painful!
If you are alcoholic or know someone who is, this is an insightful read.If you know anything about golf (which I don't), it would make the book an even more intimate experience.Sharing Laura's journey is worth the timeto see how thoughtlessly one's life can become completely out of control,if not life-threatening as well.'Good luck, Laura: every day is likeclimbing a mountain, and drunk or sober, having 7 kids is more than ajuggling act.'

THE MYSTERY SOLVED
As a contempory of Ms. Baugh, I often wondered why this extremely gifted golfer would fail to win not only the BIG ONE, but ANY golf match as a pro.Ms. Baugh, in an honest approach, explains how alcohol became her bestfriend and a god to her.She tells of her early misses in golf tournamentsand the later matches where alcohol caused her hands to shake.She fooledno one but herself and admits she is an alcoholic.An excellent book. Recomended to anyone who faces this problem or knows someone who faces thisproblem.A GREAT BOOK!! ... Read more

Book Description

The first full biography of Nicholas Culpeper, the English seventeenth-century pioneer of herbal medicine whose actions and beliefs revolutionized medicine and medical practice

In the mid-seventeenth century, England was visited by the four horsemen of the apocalypse: a civil war that saw levels of slaughter not matched until the Somme; famine in a succession of failed harvests that reduced peasants to "anatomies"; epidemics to rival the Black Death; and infant mortality rates that emptied crowded households of their children. In the midst of these terrible times came Nicholas Culpeper's Herbal -- one of the most popular and enduring books ever published.

Culpeper was a virtual outcast from birth. Rebelling against a tyrannical grandfather and the prospect of a life in the Church, he abandoned his university education after a doomed attempt at elopement. Disinherited, he went to London, Milton's "city of refuge, the mansion house of liberty." There he was to find his vocation as an herbalist -- and as a revolutionary.

London's medical regime was then in the grip of the College of Physicians, a powerful body personified in the "immortal" William Harvey, anatomist, royal physician and discoverer of the circulation of the blood. Working in the underground world of religious sects, secret printing presses and unlicensed apothecary shops, Culpeper challenged this stronghold at the time it was reaching the very pinnacle of its power -- and in the process became part of the revolution that toppled a monarchy.

In a spellbinding narrative of impulse, romance and heroism, Benjamin Woolley vividly re-creates these momentous struggles and the roots of today's hopes and fears about the power of medical science, professional institutions and government. Heal Thyself tells the story of a medical rebel who took on the authorities and paid the price.

Book Description

The product of six years of collaborative research, this fine biography offers new interpretations of a pioneering figure in anesthesiology, epidemiology, medical cartography, and public health.It modifies the conventional rags to riches portrait of John Snow by synthesizing fresh information about his early life from archival research and recent studies.It explores the intellectual roots of his commitments to vegetarianism, temperance, and pure drinking water, first developed when he was a medical apprentice and assistant in the north of England.The authors argue that all of Snow's later contributions are traceable to the medical paradigm he imbibed as a medical student in London and put into practice early in his career as a clinician: that medicine as a science required the incorporation of recent developments in its collateral sciences--chiefly anatomy, chemistry, and physiology--in order to understand the causes of disease.Snow's theoretical breakthroughs in anesthesia were extensions of his experimental research in respiratory physiology and the properties of inhaled gases.Shortly thereafter, his understanding of gas laws led him to reject miasmatic explanations for the spread of cholera, and to develop an alternative theory in consonance with what was then known about chemistry and the physiology of digestion.Using all of Snow's writings, the authors follow him when working in his home laboratory, visiting patients throughout London, attending medical society meetings, and conducting studies during the cholera epidemics of 1849 and 1854.The result is a book that demythologizes some overly heroic views of Snow by providing a fairer measure of his actual contributions.It will have an impact not only on the understanding of the man but also on the history of epidemiology and medical science. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

correction on price
I am not reviewing this book,but I believe you have an error in the price. Oxford's price is $49.95 not $59.95. The correction categories do not permit me to enter this information. ... Read more

Book Description

I was told I had cancer and that I must expect to die soon. Almost eight years later I still do my job and enjoy life. I have not had conventional treatment. Did my cancer simply disappear? Did I do nothing? Far from it. A number of things happened, some by accident, most by design.

Michael Gearin-Tosh is diagnosed with cancer at the age of fifty-four. The doctors urge immediate treatment. He refuses. Intuitively, not on the basis of reason. But as the days pass, Gearin-Tosh falls back on his habits as a scholar of literature. He begins to probe the experts' words and the meaning behind medical phrases. He tries to relate what each doctor says -- and does not say -- to the doctor's own temperament. And the more questions he asks, the more adamant his refusal to be hurried to treatment.

The delay is a high-risk gamble. He listens to much advice, especially that of three women friends, each with a different point of view, one a doctor. They challenge him. They challenge medical advice. They challenge one another. On no occasion do they speak with one voice. He also turns to unexpected guides within his own memory and in the authors he loves, from Shakespeare and Chekhov to Jean Renoir, Arthur Miller, and Václav Havel.

In the end, he chooses not to have chemotherapy but to combat his cancer largely through nutrition, vitamin supplements, an ancient Chinese breathing exercise with imaginative visualizations, and acupuncture.

No how-to book or prescriptive health guide, Living Proof is a celebration of human existence and friendship, a story of how a man steers through conflicting advice, between depression and seemingly inescapable rationalism, between the medicine he rejects and the doctors he honors.

Clear-eyed and unflinching, Gearin-Tosh even includes his own medical history, "The Case of the .005% Survivor"; explores general questions about cancer; and examines the role of individual temperament on medical attitudes, the choice of treatments, and, of course, survival. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A Valuable Resource ! Thank You M. Gearin-Tosh.
It was by coincidence I happened upon this wonderful book, if you believe in coincidences. The style and method of presentation of this dreadful subject of cancer was superb. To gain the perspective in writing of a person with documented access and audience to the most well respected oncology experts in the world was wonderful.

I was diagnosed with the same disease as the author had and I had taken similar steps towards health. I experienced many of the same symptoms, many of the same dilibitating conversations on the rush to treatment put out by the traditional medical community. The author relied heavily on others to help him in his daily regime. In that he is fortunate. It was a stunning experience to me to find how many previous people in my life were suddenly unavailable. Suggestion: Do not ever be single and and diagnosed with cancer.

I congratulate and salute M. Gearin-Tosh for publishing an easily read book on a difficult subject. The book draws the reader to the next chapter, and on and on. His list of references is great. Check with the public library for a copy of the book (where I found mine). This is not an average book by any stretch, I am buying a copy even after having read it.

My large container of coffee is cooking on the stove Mr. Gearin-Tosh. Perhaps we can compare notes re oncology or better yet life in a few years over a cup of tea.

Ignorance is NOT bliss
As someone who's had cancer, I found this book particularly wonderful for a variety of reasons. Not only do I admire Gearin-Tosh's independence and courage but I applaud the fact that he actually THINKS. And he sure can write too!

For those of us who love language, Gearin-Tosh is a particular joy. How many cancer self-help books quote Chekhov and Shaw? And G-T also cites many cancer "memoirs" by folks who had conventional treatments (and died) like Liz Tilberis and John Diamond. The citations from these books are so very moving. (I was reminded of the late Gilda Radner's story many times, the suffering and the seemingly endless chemos she endured.)

I also did what G-T did when I got my diagnosis--I reached out to everyone I knew who'd had cancer (and asked my friends to find me people to talk to) to find out how they dealt with it. I was particularly interested to know if they pursued any alternative therapies and to find out which ones. I now take many "anti-cancer" supplements and follow nutritional therapies that hopefully will discourage a recurrence of cancer. So far, so good. G-T says the cancer specialist Dr. Barlogie wanrs that the most important thing is not to have "a recurrence." Amen to that but I know many folks with cancer who've had chemo and radiation and experienced recurrences. If the medical profession had all the answers, there wouldn't be such a demand for books like this!! Not only does Gearin-Tosh think, write in an accessible format that's both charming and amusing, but he's a role model in courage.

In the real world, many folks do both conventional protocols and alternative protocols for a variety of conditions including cancer. Often they don't tell their doctors because the doctors are hostile, indifferent or just plain ignorant. G-T's portraits of medical people are marvelous. In a few words, he sketches an entire person. I think this book would be very helpful for doctors too. A little humility is in order. I agree with Gearin-Tosh that medical exceptions should be studied, not dismissed as mere anomalies.

People get entrenched in positions. G-T never said he'd "never" go the chemo route. but he did say it was a last resort. He also says he'd be thrilled if the medical community came up with a real "cure." But given the death rates and horrific side effects of conventional therapies at the time he embarked on his journey, the choice was his to make.

The dirty secret of the medical profession is that cancer patients are guinea pigs for the most horrible therapies. And if we die from them, so what? We were going to do die anyway.

A cancer diagnosis is indeed terrifying; but there's a lot to be said for empowering yourself. Hurrah for Michael Gearin-Tosh.

What we read can save us
This is the book I have been waiting years for. Michael Gearin-Tosh describes a journey through the mazes of cancer therapies that is insighful, useful and a wonderful read. He calls the medical establishment to task and to their credit many of that community are paying attention.
Mr. Gearin-Tosh is fair, evenhanded in his warnings and praises for both allopathic and alternative modalities- again useful to someone weighing the options. And finally in the description of his case the whys and wherefores of specific foods and vitamins are outlined.
This is a great read that will save lives.

Questionable cure
I read Professor Gearin-Tosh's book, Living Proof with mixed feelings. After plowing through page after page of language parsings and philosophical arguments, My thoughts about the homeopathic treatments he writes about are still mostly negative. His talent is with language and literature, and it shows.

I simply can't rationalize that dietary supplements are cures! If that were the case, I reason, this terrible disease could readily be tamed. Unfortunately, in the real world, it is not; survival rates, no matter what courses are taken, are abysmal.

Compelling arguments throughout the book have been made supporting his juice diets, vitamin-mineral supplements and coffee enemas. Towards the end of the book, Dr. Carmen Wheatley writes an electrifying and insightful essay entitled: "The Case of the .005% Survivor". It is an excellent investigation and case study of Multiple Myeloma. I still tend to look more favorably to conventional treatments with COMPETENT oncologists.

Response to William of Ohio
With reference to the review from William of Cincinatti, Ohio that appears elsewhere on this site.
It is heartening to hear from someone who has benefitted from a conventional medical approach to the disease of Myeloma. However, his warnings and comments about Living Proof are not only misinformed (the writer cheerfully admits that he has no intention of reading the book), they are also quite harmful. To call a book dangerous is a serious allegation. Readers of the book, however, will find that Living Proof is a memoir of a highly intelligent man who merely asked questions about the nature of his illness and the treatment his own body was to receive. His questions led him to construct a highly personalised regime that has so far proved effective in managing his disease. He is not prescriptive and he is not trying to sell anything. He shares his experiences with the reader with candor and humour. Moreover, the book itself concludes with a well researched and sourced essay from a doctor that addresses the very issues which trouble this writer. That essay was endorsed by a qualified and reputable expert in the field of Myeloma - Dr. Robert Kyle. On the website of the Myeloma Foundation can be found another sympathetic endorsement of the book from Dr. Robert Durie. These experts do not conclude that Mr. Gearin Tosh has found a cure for myeloma but they do say that he is well worth listening to. Living Proof can offer hope and insight to anyone has an open mind. And Mr. Gearin Tosh has proved with his book that an open mind is the one thing you need when diagnosed with a serious illness. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Serving as doctor to the Americans "wintering over" at the South Pole in 1999, Jerri Nielsen made headlines when she discovered a lump in her breast that a self-administered biopsy revealed to be an aggressive, fast-growing cancer. No flights in or out of Antarctica are possible during the continent's long winter, and Nielsen's account of giving herself chemotherapy while she and her fellow "Polies" waited for the weather to break is even more gripping than the news reports at the time. She's candid about her pain and fear; the media battle waged by her embittered ex-husband makes her ordeal even more challenging. Interestingly enough, however, this high drama does not overshadow Nielsen's deeper narrative of a woman who came "to the Ice" seeking new meaning in a life shattered by divorce and estrangement from her children. In the back-to-basics world of Antarctic medicine, with outdated equipment, few supplies, and no assistants, she rediscovered her vocation as a doctor, free from the imperatives of corporate-directed medicine. More importantly, Nielsen found spiritual solace in the world's most extreme environment, where she was "introduced slowly to the notion of giving more than you have and using less than you need ... of knowing that all you really own are your own thoughts." She makes the glories of the Pole so palpable that, by the end, readers will not even be surprised when she signs an e-mail to her family, "from the wonderful Ice." --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (125)

A Modern Chapter in the Antarctic "Heroic Age"
"Great God, this is an awful place."So said Capt. Robert Scott of the South Pole, at the climax of the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration.In the harshest conditions on earth, he and his fellow explorers faced the grim reality that they were doomed, fated to die one by one.

"IceBound" is an account of modern heroes living in the very spot where Capt. Scott spoke those bleak words.It is a triumph of ingenuity, resourcefulness, endurance, courage and technology that today people not only survive at the Pole but live, work, and prosper.

I have read such classics as "Endurance" and "The Worst Journey in the World" that tell of the days of Shackleton, Amundsen, and Scott.This book takes its place along with such classics, giving us a rare inside look at life on "The Ice" today, wintering over at the Pole.I was surprised to learn that it is so cold in their quarters, and that the crew suffer from effects of altitude sickness, low blood oxygen, and hypothermia (I assumed that the South Pole Station would be fully climate-controlled.)It was revealing to learn that the crew face continuous equipment failures and see all the strange side effects of such extreme cold (band aids not sticking, fuel turned to gelatin, dust-like frost on interior surfaces, etc.)

Dr. Nielsen brings us along as she decides to go to The Ice, and all the things going on in her life which were part of that decision.We get to experience the day-by-day tension and fear as she discovers a lump in her breast and realizes that it is growing.Emails between her and her doctors and family make it seem as though these events are happening in "real time" as we read.Through her words, we experience the special camraderie of the "Polies" as they pull together in so many ways to assist with her diagnosis, treatment, and emotional support.Her extraction flight by the military is a miracle that Capt. Scott could never have imagined.The "awful place" has been tamed a little in 90 years, but it is still "The Ice."

Hopefully other "Polies" (and those at other stations such as Vostok, etc.) will someday chronicle their experiences at the bottom of the world for the rest of us back in civilization who will never get to go.

Interesting read for the extreme traveler
I loved the book, but hated how the author seems to be so selfish.Grow up, take care of your kids, and quit trying to fill the void with everything else.Life is way too precious and short to have such familial discord.

An incredible story evryone will like
When I was assigned this book for summer reading I didn't think anything more about it than any other book on the list, but once I found out what it was about I was hooked. the story is truly inspirational and intriguing. I was surprised to find my own grandfather had worked at the south pole station, though not the same one and knew a bit about what the boook described. It is struly a book that will grab your attention and make you desire to know how Jerrie is doing today.
~ an enthusiastic fan~

Buy the book not the tape!
I spend a great deal of time in my car so finding a good book that is 8 cassettes is usually a bonus.Doc Holidays' story is good; however, she should have never read her book.She frequently stumbles over simple words and is pretty much monotone during the entire tape.As you listen to each tape her reading becomes worse and worse.I truly believe a 5th grader could have read her story with more clarity and enthusiasm.Sorry Doc, good story annoying acoustics!

Doctor, diagnose thyself.
The book cover proclaims "A doctor's incredible battle for survival at the South Pole." Indeed, the battle for survival is incredible and heartwarming.

The life Dr. Nielsen and her companions lived and others continue to live at the South Pole is described in fascinating detail.

The book is worth your time. However, I recommend skimming through any section of the book that seems to drag or you find annoying.

In my reading, I found the author's description of her circumstances and reasoning for her need to escape traditional civilization a bit annoying. In addition, some of the reprinted email exchanges added little if anything to the story. ... Read more

Book Description

Jim Watson is one of the world's most famous scientists.A principal architect and visionary of modern biology, a Nobel Prize winner at 34, and best selling author at 40 (The Double Helix), he has been a fearless commentator on the march of DNA science and its impact on society for over twenty years. This sparkling collection was a bestseller in hardcover, and, for the paperback edition, the author has added three newly written essays containing his reflections on the survival value of pursuing happiness, advice for new college graduates, and his thoughts on the completion of a draft of the human genome, a project he initiated over ten years ago. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Whoa, this book has been ignored!
With the release of "Genes, Girls, and Gamow", this earlier book has suddenly been ignored, overlooked, and forgotten. Nobody, of course, forgets "The Double Helix", and now we have this sensation called "Genes Girls and Gamow". With a bad choice of title and an equally bad choice for a cover---a large close-up picture of a geeky young biologist---making such a mockery and preposterous idea of what appeals to girls in general, I can only salute Rosalind Franklin for her exquisite determination not to be lured by this sly personage. If one wants to examine the life and perspective of the codiscoverer of the structure of the double helix from a more venerable perspective, "A Passion for DNA: Genes Genomes and Society" will earn the reader's respect. From the cover alone of this book, it is almost galling that, by comparison, "Genes Girls and Gamow" gets more brouhaha, hoopla, and hoolabaloo.

A Passion for Bible Pounding
It is understandable that right to life advocates are desperate to find soap boxes for their religious and political views. However we think it inappropriate to abuse this forum intended for the evaluation of literary works. The expression of political and religious opinions should be reserved for those venues intended for those puposes. Dr. Watson's book is a scientifically insightful and humanistically compassionate work deserving of serious attention.

Ethics and DNA
James D. Watson's "A Passion For DNA, Genes, Genomes, and Society," Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2000, is an interesting historical and non-technical read of 25 essays on a variety of topics dear to his interests. His keen assessment of various individuals and groups that impacted the progress of DNA research can be appreciated by all readers both technical and non-technical.

However, with all respect, I must point out that Dr. Watson departs from his scientific principals when he promotes his positions in the "...ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of the new resulting genetic knowledge." [Genes and Politics, p.202]. Especially when he concludes "Thus I do not see genetic diseases in any way as an expression of the complex will of any supernatural authority, but rather as random tragedies that we should do everything in our power to prevent. There is, of course nothing pleasant about terminating the existence of a genetically disabled fetus. But doing so is incomparably more compassionate than allowing an infant to come into the world tragically impaired." [Good Gene, Bad Gene, p. 225]. Jim Watson then takes the position that since "terminating the existence of a genetically disabled fetus" is a "good," only "...the potential mother should have this authority.," never the government, ibid. p. 225.

I see no evidence that Dr. Watson has ever studied "ethics" and/or other philosophical positions that utilize principals and methodologies that "scientifically" examine questions concerning the possibility of the existence of "human souls," the possibility of their immortality, and the nature of their origin, i.e., the possibility of their Divine creation. By restricting himself exclusively to the possibility that all there is to human life is "physical" reality studied in his career as "biological reality," it is inevitable that Dr. Watson's ethical positions concerning the "good" for individuals, families and society be measured and evaluated exclusively in terms of the consequences of physical "evils" and other "random tragedies" generated by the "horrors of genetic disease." Ibid. pp. 224-225.

With no demonstrated knowledge of the existence, or proof of the lack of existence, of human souls, their origin and destinies, Dr. Watson is on very shaky ground "scientifically" to be suggesting this type of solution, i.e., termination of the existence of genetically disabled fetuses, for "victims of unlucky throws of the genetic dice." Ibid. p. 224-225.

For those of us who have established "scientifically" and thus have validly established that the human soul is immaterial and what is more, is immortal, and whose existence as an immortal soul is due to the efficient causality of an uncaused cause, i.e., God, our ethical principals support the "compassionate" caring for the genetically deformed by not only the individuals who they are born to but, also as an obligation of society since this care most often exceeds the resources of any one or two individuals. This position can only be understood by those who either have the knowledge of these truths arrived at by the use of reason and logic (philosophy) or by the tenets of a revealed "faith" (scripture and theology). Yes, Dr. Watson, you believe that the "evolutionary process operating under the Darwinian principles of natural selection" is the only explanation for the existence of "human as well as all other forms of life" Ethical Implications, p. 175, precisely because your scientific method is restricted strictly to the material, physical and hence measurable aspects of existence. But have you examined the arguments (including the starting points and methods) of those of us who do see "evidence for the sanctity (holiness) of life."? You certainly don't present and evidence in your essays of this book that you have, you only present a biased assertion.

I agree with Dr. Watson's principal on page 225, Good Gene, Bad Gene, "Working intelligently and wisely to see that good genes - not bad ones - dominate as many lives as possible is the truly moral way for us to proceed." But this principal does not support "terminating the existence of a genetically disabled fetus" but rather more humanly and Divinely supports the hard work of intelligent research and development of technologies that reduces the possibilities of future "unlucky throws of the genetic dice" happening or occurring before conception or that supports life supportive therapies during fetal growth and after birth resulting in the elimination of or the reduction of genetic disease. As Dr. Watson has said in another place, "Good luck with hard work." I second that!

Watson's passion
Chris, I've been reading Watson's new book "a passion forDNA". Autobiographical writings on the thought process and earlyDNA players of the 40s 50s and 60s, as well as some more recent musings on recombinant DNA, cancer and the genome.

Very well done! Gives an appreciation for how the obvious can be overlooked, and how difficult it is to break out of old ways of thinking. And the man writes very well... and he shares my politics... hes obviously a genius.

Many insights about who did what, who succeded, who fell short. Good short pieces on Luria, Pauling and Hershey. Points out Caltech's shabby treatment of Pauling on his retirement... they didnt like HIS politics!

I hadn't realized that Alex Rich played an important role in studying the structure of DNA and RNA right at the beginning (the 50s) looking for DNA like structure in RNA, (with Watson at caltech) - they didnt find much and were stumped - though Alex later showed that copolymers of RNA can have double helical structure. And did you know that Francis Crick, in 1968, argued that RNA must have been the original genetic molecule... and that it might act as an enzyme catalyzing its own replication! How right he was. Shades of Ribozyme!

So am I making myself clear... buy this book...

Michael Jordan of Biology
The man is a genius - Nudge, Nudge say no more. To say the J. Watson has insight is an understatement. Plus he writes in a very understandable way. ... Read more

Book Description

The author tells what it's been like to be one-legged for over ten years. After having had chemotherapy, radiation, and amputation, he chose not to have a prosthesis, but to use a wheelchair at home, and crutches there and wherever else he goes. His adaptations to the condition were remarkably easy. They involved many ways to simplify living for the one-legged, some of which would have been useful when he still had two legs. He debunks the common wisdom that "You have to grieve for a leg", and tells about living with Sharlie, his phantom leg. In addition to the disadvantages of having only one leg, he points out a few real advantages of the condition, like no longer having to sort socks into pairs. He has in general enjoyed the "interesting experience" of the title. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Interesting, but...
This book was interesting in that it provided a good insight as to how a 'one-legged' person adapted after the amputation. Unfortunately, this book was in serious need of an editor, or at the very least, a copyeditor. Though the material overall is interesting and useful, you have to wade through quite a bit of rambling and repetition to get to it. The 'poems' are nothing more than restatements of the previous paragraphs in fragment form. I did like the drawings; they helped me imagine the positions and assistive devices the author used. And I very much admire the author for what he has gone through! I hate mentioning anything negative about this book, because I do appreciate that the author took the time to share his experience. I just wish he had someone edit the book for errors and conciseness.

As a 23 year old hemipelvectomy survivor (had bone cancer in the pelvis, my right leg and hip were amputated), I did find much of the book to be encouraging. My surgery was four months ago, and yet my physical therapist won't let me try crutches, as he believes a one-legged person should not use them. This book has given me the courage to at the very least try them--as the author shows, you never know what will help you best unless you try. I too have opted not to use a prostetic leg, and I found it refreshing to note that I am not the only one who has chosen that path.

I am very glad the author wrote this book, and I do recommend it to anyone who is one-legged, will soon be one-legged, or knows/cares for someone one-legged. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Touching, Open-Minded and Eloquently Written
Dr. Judith Orloff's Second Sight is an incredibly helpful book for those of us trying to get in touch with our most spiritual selves. I found this book enlightening and very helpful in following my spiritual path. It is so refreshing to read a book by someone so educated, yet has continued to keep their mind open to all aspects of living. Her ability to express her views without saying one should live life a certain way is inspiring. Thank you Dr. Orloff for writing this book and I look forward to reading more from you in the future.

Integrating Psychic and Analytical Abilities
In Second Sight, Judith Orloff, using her own experience, describes so well what it's like to come to terms with innate psychic abilities when we live in a predominately analytical, scientific world. The relief and freedom that comes with acceptance of a hidden part of our nature, and finding that this part of us is useful, opens up a new world in which we feel so much more alive. Even though I've written my own book on this topic, I still feel relief and comfort when I read about others who are healing this left-brain, right-brain split and integrating the capacities of each into their lives. If you are struggling with this issue, you'll find Dr. Orloff's book inspiring.

Positive Energy, Second Sight
To all of us, wondering about intuition, healing, energy and not fully touched by the "Academia" yet....A gifted elocuent, intelligent, honest, whimsical, clear to the senses, tender and loving. A light, guiding us away from the cavernous darkness of ignorance, iluminating joyously our own gifts, the uniqueness of our spirit. "Second Sight Positive Energy" a must to all of us wishing to enjoy fully our potential! Judith Orloff MD what a courageous and elegant soul.
Tip toeing through the doors that she opened for us.
Lili Guefen, H.B.V.

Review of Second Sight
The openness and truth of Dr. Judith Orloff's deeply personal account of her intuitive growth and development moves me and touches my soul. Second Sight is written with love, grace, and generosity of spirit. In Second Sight Dr. Orloff shares herself with the reader, thus elevating the reader spiritually and energetically. It is a fun read! Dr. Orloff shares her gifts in a humble manner, yet her experiences are profound. Read it and read it again!

Evolving Medicine
There are many reasons to read "Second Sight". First of all, it's delightful! It's informative, heartfelt, and honest. By the end I had fallen in love with Judith Orloff. Prepare to do the same. She is wonderfully sensuous and incredibly open. Her writing is revealing and vulnerable. I feel as if I know her.

There are at least two even more important reasons to read this book; First, if you are currently in, or about to enter the field of health care, and the second, if you've ever wondered how intuition might fit more into your career, relationships and life. Both reasons are true for me.

After spending over 20 years in the technical arena, and then a short but non-satisfying jaunt to a graduate degree in management, I am now in school pursuing my dream to become a Physical Therapist. "Second Sight" has been very encouraging. It has helped inspire me to combine both my interests and my new-found abilities in these areas. I want my future patients to have the benefit of all I have to offer, including my education AND my intuition. Judith is totally in alignment with that idea, and for validating and supporting that vision I will remain eternally grateful.

The medical profession is evolving, albeit slowly. Judith's writing and seminars are helping health care providers become more "human" and less mechanical, a long needed improvement. "Second Sight" and "Intuitive Healing" (her second book) are powerful personal and professional tools to aid this revolution. I highly recommend them! ... Read more

Book Description

When North Korean forces invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, Otto Apel was a surgical resident living in Cleveland, Ohio, with his wife and three young children. A year later he was chief surgeon of the 8076th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital constantly near the front lines in Korea.

Immediately upon arriving in camp, Apel performed 80 hours of surgery. His feet swelled so badly that he had to cut his boots off, and he saw more surgical cases in those three and a half days than he would have in a year back in Cleveland.

In addition to his own story, Apel answers the questions anyone interested in a MASH unit would ask: What were the operating conditions like? What was a typical work load? What level of care did patients get? How did the doctors, nurses, and enlisted personnel get along? And, perhaps most obviously, how realistic was the TV series?

Along the way, he tells the history of the MASH and the appalling lack of training received by the newly drafted doctors staffing those units. He also reveals many significant medical innovations in emergency medical care, from advances in arterial repair to the use of blood plasma in the treatment of hemorrhagic shock. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An Excellent Tribute to the M. A. S. H. Units in Korea.
Dr. Appell's book "M. A. S. H.: An Army Surgeon in Korea" is an excellent tribute to the men and women of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals by a veteran surgeon of the 8076TH M . A. S. H. unit. My only complaint is that the book was not a little longer. For any fan of the movie or t. v. series this book is a must-read. Dr. Appell (who was a consultant for the series), tells us what life was really like in a M. A. S. H. unit. The series took some liberties with actual events, but its overall portrayal was fairly accurate-though the series lasted 10 years compared to the three years of the Korean War itself, and the average length of stay for surgeons in a M. A. S. H. was about 8 months. Dr. Appell has written a very interesting book.

Good Read
This book is not about the T.V. show M*A*S*H. But the tv show did get many of its episodes from this book. From arterial transplants to make shift clamps these Doctors opened many new doors to the medical world. Chapter 6 "In the O.R." is pretty gruesome. Details of intestinal wounds abdominal wounds and pretty much everything a war could destroy on a body.

But its not all blood and guts. D.R. Apel talks of the korean's who helped around the camp. The use of the white rocks in the compund. Plus his first day at the MASH was spent on his feet for 72 hrs. operating. Amazing.

I would have ggave the book a five star rating but there was a section on a paper the D.R. wrote on arteral repair which IMO took away from the book. It might have worked better at the end of the book.

Nice pictures of procedures and Korea. This book is a must for people who like the TV show and would really like to see what went on in a real MASH outfit during the real Korean war.

Well I didn't like it
Just because I'm a housewife it doesn't mean that I don't read. I buy three magazines every week and I don't just look at the pictures either. I may not have read MASH right through, but that's because by page 200 I could tell that Hawkeye wasn't going to be in the story. I think that's misleading and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks so. No-one likes the episodes without Hawkeye and that's just a fact. The author must think we're all dummies if he thinks this book is going to be a success. I've told all my friends not to buy it and I'm going to tell everyone at Tuesday night Housie too. People don't watch MASH because it's about a Mobile Army Soldiers Hospital, they watch it because Alan Alder is the best actor in the world. As for this so-called "MASH" book, I happen to know that the author's research is wrong. In the second chapter, one of the surgeons couldn't get hold of razor blades for at least four weeks. This is obviously wrong because all the surgeon would have to do is talk to Radar and Radar would pull a favour to get the razor blades in by chopper. This book is a complete waste of time and I recommend you read "Hawkeye, the man behind the MASH" instead.

No, that's not correct
This book did NOT inspire the movie and TV series of the same name. Those are based on the _novel_ M*A*S*H, written by Richard Hooker. This is a true-life account of a real M*A*S*H army surgeon; the famous film and TV show were not based on it in any way. It has NOTHING to do with Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce and "Trapper John" Macintyre.

"A Hit among hits!"
All i can say is at the end of this book you will be speachless, this a a timless classic that inspired a spawing fox tv series that is still shown today. I Don't want to give any of the book away so i wont tell you alot, but this book is a very highly recomennded book for those who loved the series and loved the movie (also found on amazon.com). "One of my favorites ever! " ... Read more

Book Description

Joseph Carey Merrick, born in Leicester on August 5th, 1852, is better known as The Elephant Man.

Through horrible physical deformities which were almost impossible to describe, he spent much of his life exhibited as a fairground freak until even nineteenth-century sensibilities could take no more.

Hounded, persecuted, and starving, he ended up one dy at Liverpool Street Station, where he was rescued, housed, and fed by the distinguished surgeon Frederick Treves.To Treve's surprise, he discovered during thecourse of their friendship that lurking beneath the mass of Merrick's corrupting flesh lived a spirit that was as courageous as it had been tortured and a nature as gentle and dignified as it had been deprived and tormented.

The subject of several books, a Broadway hit, and film, Joseph Merrick has become part of popular mythology.Here, in this fully revised edition conatining much fresh information, are the true and unromanticized facts of his life.An extraordinary and moving story, set amongst the brutal realities of the Victorian world, telling of a tragic individual and his survival against overwhelming odds. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Joseph Carey Merrick - the Man, the Soul
'Tis true my form is something odd
but blaming me is blaming God,
Could I create myself anew
I would not fail in pleasing you.

If I could reach from pole to pole
or grasp the ocean with a span,
I would be measured by the soul -
the mind's the standard of the man.

I bought this book many years ago, unfortunately I made the mistake of lending it to someone and I never got it back. This is a remarkable book. I was touched by Joseph Merrick years ago. For the past nine years, I have been running the Joseph Carey Merrick Tribute Website. It is a site dedicated to Joseph, the person - not Joseph, the disability. I'm presently heading a London and Leicester (UK) campaign to have a commemorative plaque erected in his honour. He deserves to have a permanent tribute. He has done a great deal to advance medical science, through his skeleton, and thanks to him, there will one day be a cure for Proteus Syndrome. It's time the world said 'thank you'. Please give your moral support by visiting the site. I'm not sure if web addresses can be mentioned here, so simply type the following in your web browser: Joseph Carey Merrick Tribute Website

Soul stirring and heart warming account of a young man
I inherited this book from a deceased family member. I had heard about David Lynch's movie about The Elephant Man, but I never saw it. Reading this book made me cry and empathize with Joseph Carey Merrick for his condition and the ostractize he received from the world based on his looks and not his soul.

Joseph Carey Merrick was the real Elephant Man not a fictional character. Joseph had a loving mother that died when he was a child and his father moved and remarried. His step-mother didn't like him and scorned him for his looks and his inability to find work due to his lameness, telling him that what she fed him was more than he earned. Eventually he refused to return home for meals because he didn't want to listen to step-mother barate him anymore. His father stopped looking for him, but did get him a hawker's license to hawk wares on the street. But people were afraid of him and would not buy his wares, and he acquired a gathering of curious people around him. His uncle gave him shelter for a while, but Joseph left there too. He worked in the workhouse a place of refuge and work for the poor and destitute for 3 years, but hated it and left. He ended up being exhibited as a sideshow freak under the name of "The Elephant Man" because his congenital deformity made it so that he resemble that of an elephant (or so the posters showed him to resemble). When he was at Whitechapel Road, across the street from the London Hospital Dr. Treves saw him for the first time and brought him to the hospital to examine him. Over the next few years Joseph was exhibited, his managers robbed him of his life savings and left. Joseph went back to Whitechapel Road and to the care of the only friend he knew . . . Dr. Treves. He spent his remaining years under the friendship and care of the staff at the London Hospital.

I loved this story. Michael Howell and Peter Ford told a true and compassionate account of Joseph Merrick's life. A man who was like any other human being with hopes and dreams with one setback.. His congenital deformity that prohibited his ability to be like, and experience and sleep lying down on his back like other people. Through all of years and hardships, Joseph was scared, but kind and kept a calm serenity inside himself about his condition. He had so much gratitude for the staff and his new friends who helped him, he made cardboard models and sent these things to those people who saw to his care in his appreciation for their help. The book also includes pictures how Merrick looked when he was admitted to the London Hospital, and a display of his skeleton after death.

The True History of the Elephant Man
I first read the original article on the elephant man Joseph Merrick by Dr Treves in a magazine in the mid 1970s. I then saw the movie in 1980. The movie peaked my interest for further info so I bought the book. The book not only goes into extensive detail of the disease but goes also extensively into Joseph Merrick's life as well as life in the Victorian era as it effected the common man. The imagery of the period was brought out by the writers: the London Hospital, the surrounding area, the showmen and their lives, etc. The research was very detailed, although later after the book's publication we learned of the possibility that Merrick suffered from Proteus and not pneumofibromatosis. This book should be read by anybody interested in these diseases as well as anybody interested in this time period.

Undeniably human, Unquestioningly Heroic
Joseph Merrick is a personal hero of mine. I picked up this book around ten years ago when I was diagnosed with what was thought to be an inoperable spinal tumour and I was told I had Neurofibromatosis, what was then thought to be the disease attributed to Joseph Merrick's. Not only was it an inspirational story that helped me in my struggle to learn to walk again but I found it (and still do) an intensly readable account of surely one of Britain's most unfortuante son's and one of popular culture's most enduring figure. The story of The Elephant Man is familiar to many from the 1980 Brooksfilms production starring Anthony Hopkins as Sir Frederick Treves and John Hurt as the enigmatic Joseph Merrick. Michael Howell and Peter Ford tell Merrick's story with a rich blend of history giving the reader an insight into late nineteenth century England and the fairground attraction that gripped the European community as well as exploring the medical insight into Neurofibromatosis the disease which, at the time of it's orignal printing, it was widely regarded Merrick did indeed have. This insight proves fascinating without alienating the reader with complicated medical jargon. Whilst Frederick Treves figures prominently, perhaps too much so as other reviewers have suggested, one can't deny that it was this passionate surgeon that was Joseph's salvation in the last years of his life providing a quality of life he surely would never had if there lives had not intertwined.

As with the 1980 film The Elephant Man Howell and Ford's book does question Treves motives for rescuing Merrick only to make him a curiosity all over again within the Victorian medical fraternity leaving the reader to ponder those motives, but when one reads the Appendix written by Treves himself shortly before his death in 1923 included in this book one can only admire the special frienship that was forged between these two men. Joseph was a hero on so many levels something that a clear theme throughout the book and it leaves little doubt in my mind why his memory is so enduring even today. There simply hasn't been a human being quite like Joseph Merrick since his death at 27 years in 1890. Howell and Ford's The True History Of The Elephant Man is a compelling account that is as relevant now as it was on it's original release in 1980. And like the film I can only describe as a luminous experience...

It was okay but needed to give Merrick more credit
Well I love anything that has to do with Joseph Merrick and this is actually the first book I found about him, but the authors seemed to be giving more attention to Sir Fredrick Treves than to Joseph himself, regarding him as a conquering hero and Merrick a pathetic freak.Ofcourse this just my opinion, and i'll give it 3stars for all the information it gives and the pictures that I truley needed to see. ... Read more

Book Description

"I'm flat on my back on a couch that's too short in a windowless room in the bureau. I can't even sit at a computer, much less make a keyboard work. My arms and legs are shaking uncontrollably. Although I am only 53 years old, I have already been struggling with Parkinson's disease for seven years. And right now the disease is winning." So begins Joel Havemann's account of the insidious disease that is Parkinson's. Into his own story, Havemann weaves accessible explanations of how Parkinson's disrupts the brain's circuitry, how symptoms are managed through drugs and surgery, and how people cope with the disease's psychological challenges. The paperback edition brings the discussion of treatment options and research thoroughly up to date. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Parkinson's by deadline
Joel Havemann brings the journalist's practiced eye for detail, detachment and clarity of expression to the task of understanding, describing and coping with Parkinson's. He also allows his heart to speak and the result is a work that should be especially valuable to those who have themselves have recently received a Parkinson's diagnosis or who have a close relative or friend thus stationed.
The book offers clear and interestingly presented facts about the various drugs, treatments and hopeful research that become an integral part of having Parkinson's, as well as the historical and public policy context in which those elements have evolved in the centuries since the disease was first identified. There is just the right mix of facts, opinion and sometimes barely concealed disgust in Havemann's treatment of these matters.
As valuable as those chapters are, I think many will find Havemann's account of his personal odyssey and that of his family to be the more valuable aspect of his book. He is unstinting in his descriptions of the physical and mental effects of the disease and frank about his occasional failures to deal with those effects as effectively as he would like. He also spares little in telling of his fears about the disease's potential progress and what it could mean for him and his family.
I can't think of a better preparation for confronting the many challenges and crises that accompany the arrival of Parkinson's in the life of an individual and family. A Life Shaken is strongly recommended.

An intelligent look at PD
Other books about PD scared the heck out of me, but Havemann's sense of humor and indomitable spirit have changed my perspective. I'm not afraid anymore. Thank you Joel. The book is honest and straightforward. He describes what happens to a brain with PD so clearly that I finally understand it!

A story of Parkinson's that teaches along the way
Author Joel Havemann weaves his own story of living with this progressive neurological disease with a clear and carefully researched explanation that ranges from symptoms and drugs to challenges and the outlook for a cure. "For an adventure it is - not one that I would have chosen, but an adventure all the same." Mr. Havemann, an editor with the Washington bureau of the Los Angeles Times, helps us look at the human brain and its intricate yet magnificent operation, and the disastrous consequences of even the simplest misfire. He has created an excellent reference guide for caregiver, family member and patient alike that affirms the paradox of our own frustrations and hopes for the future. We feel Mr. Havemann's determination to keep going for his family, anger at the debilitating symptoms, and belief that the scientific and medical communities will deliver an answer.

Wonderfully touching, Expertly written
Mr. Havemann provides us with an incredibly personal view into Parkinson's disease. His wit, candor, and superb writing style draws the reader into his story to such a degree that it is difficult to disengage. While telling his story he concurrently entertains and educates the reader as to where medicine stands with regard to research and current treatment, and how individuals cope. I'm looking forward to his next work.

Not just a story of disease, but a story of humanity
One of the best examples of medical and personal journalism, combining the author's riveting personal story of encountering Parkinson's with an interesting explanation of the disease itself -- its mechanisms and treatments -- that achieves the distinction of being rigorous and very accessible at the same time. Unlike many scientific-themed books of this sort, it provided sufficient detail and rigor to engage the intellect while remaining interesting, accessible, and easy to read. I could not put it down once I started it. I recommend it not just to those who might have a personal interest in the condition known as Parkinson's disease, but also those who have an interest in the human condition -- that is, everyone. ... Read more

Book Description

Dan Evans arrived in Vietnam on October 7, 1968, a 21- year-old Army medic who couldnÂ’t stand the sight of blood. Thrust into the cauldron of combat, he soon became a seasoned veteran of emergency medicine and the brutal realties of war. Before his time was up, he would master the skills of a surgeon, acquire the patience of a saint, and demonstrate the courage of a lion.....

Here, in his own words, is the gripping true story of Dan Evans, the highly decorated soldier whom the men of First Platoon, Bravo Company, called the “fighting medic.” Whether skimming the treetops in a MEDEVAC chopper or slogging through the mangrove swamps with an M-16 in one hand and an aid kit in the other, Evans went too work when things went bad. His mission: treat the wounded amid the mud, blood and bullets, or die trying. Experience the rage, the sorrowand the remarkable spirit of Dan Evans - the PLATOONMEDIC who became a true American hero. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Doc Evans still bandages the wounds of his brothers
Have you ever just known something you can't explain knowing? I have. I knew this book was going to be special before I even opened it. It has a vibe that I don't expect you to believe, but it does. Maybe it is because I share a sort of kinship with Mr. Evans. He was a corpsman who served in the Vietnam War. I was a medic myself for several years and though I have never felt a bullet whiz over my head or feared for my life, I have known the shame of not saving the life I had tried so hard to save. I have stood at a sink and kept scrubbing at the blood on my hands that had long since been scrubbed away and I can remember the screams of a father begging me to not let his child die. I have seen some things in my dreams that I do not need to share, but suffice to say Mr. Evans might understand. Sometimes only someone who has seen what you have seen can understand. I guess that is how I knew this book was for me.
This is a very good book. As it turns out, it was way better than "just" a good book. To say that implies that it is merely flat and plain and words on paper, as if it is something to pick up or put down at your leisure. In fact, it is none of those things. Mr. Evans' recollections have a life of their own; they pull you in to his thoughts and feelings, take you back to a place where you can feel the mud, imagine the leeches and sense the suffering. The young soldier's story is so real you will feel it brush across your face like a cobweb in the darkest corner of the attic. You will be leery to look into the attic for all the forgotten memories, lost souls and pain packed away in boxes. You would prefer to walk away or pretend you don't care. But that won't work. It is time to unpack. And you do care, or you would not be at this website, or looking at this book. It isn't going to be John Grisham or Danielle Steele. It is about a war that still divides opinion in this country and touched the lives of generations before and after those who served in it. Even though you may know the history of the war in Vietnam, you will find yourself wanting a second chance to do the right thing and to stand up to honor those who served our country - not just for Mr. Evans and the men he served with, but for America itself.

The author weaves his story the way a spider weaves its web: first one thread and then another, somehow tying each end together, forming a piece of art that is different than any other