No comments about The NHS: Beginning, Middle and End?: The Autobiography of Dr John Marks.

No comments about "For the Love of Matthew" Growing Up With Down Syndrome.

No comments about Dictionary of Medical Biography [Five Volumes].

3 comments about Undertaker of the Mind: John Monro and Mad-Doctoring in Eighteenth-Century England (Medicine and Society).

1. See the review of this book in the Wall Street Journal, Thursday, January 30, 2003.



2. Monro's life and career have been satisfactorily documented, however this book attempts to bring forward more detail and evermore facts, and as such is a worthy treatise. In our day of analysts and a theory for everything, it is almost impossible to understand that in the eighteenth century one might be forever locked away for such diagnoses as truculance and intractability. Besides the awful Bedlam most associated with this era, there were also private, rather more poshy institutes that catered to the rich and the famous, to which Monro also applied his 'mad-doctoring' skills. By means of his profession, Monro was privvy to the social world, and made acquaintance with the aristocracy and assorted politicians, would-bes, also-rans, and dignitaries. The authors utilise a huge base of extant materials to draw this portrait of a fascinating time in medical history. Especially noteworthy are the exceptional mentioned drawings, which alone are worth the price of the book.



3. Though it starts off slow, by Chapter 2 the enthralling story of John Monroe, one of several Monroes to be primary physician at Bethlem hospital in London, England, begins to unfold. This man spent four decades in his position at "Bedlam" which is likely why he is the one to be featured - as opposed to his father James, who held the position before him and his son Thomas, who came afterwards.
   
   Though I was aware that John Monroe has somewhat of a bad reputation in our day and age, largely because of his work in mad-doctoring and that Bethlem hospital is associated with great horror and scandal.. I didn't reach that conclusion from this book. There was evidence of mistreatment and false confinement and a lack of much help beyond custodial-type care - it seemed more a symptom of the ages rather then an intentional practice.
   
   It was obvious, however, that a motivating factor for people to become engaged in the business of lunacy by owning and operating madhouses (often without any credentials or experience) and catering to those pronounced mad was the profit to made from such. Though mad-doctors, it is said, were not well respected in the 17-18-19th centuries, John Monroe and others seemed to have reached quite a great height in their social status.
   
   What I found most fascinating was the many stories of those deemed mad - most especially the story of "Mad Meg" near the end of the book. Along with these stories there is a great deal of pictures in the book with excellent descriptions by the authors. It is very clear from reading that the two authors know their subject well and have done a great deal of research. I was familiar with Skull's work prior to this reading but had not had the pleasure of reading Andrews. Both authors have several other titles on the subject that I have since picked up and look forward to reading.
   
   The book ends abruptly with the death of John Monroe. I would have liked to hear about what happened with Thomas Monroe when he took over "the business" much like we were able to read about James Monroe's work. But, the book is about John Monroe so I suppose it makes sense to concentrate largely on his work and I believe the others are likely written about in greater detail in the other books available by these authors.
   
   The book was a joy to read, I think you will enjoy it!

No comments about Birth in a Chicken House: A Collection of Stories.

3 comments about Memoirs Of Childhood And Youth.

1. This superbe little book is a simple and engaging introduction to Schweitzer's life and thoughts. He has a knack for describing, with directness and humor, the thoughts and feelings of himself as a child learning some of life's tough lessons. For anyone interested in Albert Schweitzer, what a perfect place to start!



2. In order to fully understand the philosophy of Reverence For Life to its full meaning one must understand the man behind the legend that is Albert Schweitzer. This book gives us a glimpse of a youthful Schweitzer from his humble beginnings in Gunsbach. As this Nobel laureate reminisces about his childhood days he reveals the poignant moments that forever shaped one of the most brilliant minds of the last century. Delightful and readable, Memoirs is a treasured classic among those who study the great philosophers. I highly recommend this book for all ages but particularly for youth as a starting place for Schweitzer study- you won't be disappointed!



3. Eloquently written, this small book is packed with stories and wisdoms that shaped this great man's life. One particular chapter on gratitude struck a chord in my own life as he wrote of remorse of not being able to thank those teachers and mentors that had passed on. Schweitzer's life was an example of supreme service to mankind, and he coined the words "Reverence for Life" which spearheaded a movement to remember that all life is sacred. This book will burn a desire in the reader's heart to live life with greater awareness and gratitude for all people with whom we come in contact.

2 comments about Someone Stole Yesterday.

1. The book was a moving example of what humanity & family should be. Makes me believe that real life heros are still out there



2. This a moving account of a family's struggle to deal with a grown son's head injury, but it suffers from a lack of judicious editing. There is a bit too much repetition and inclusion of unimportant details that detract from the central, compelling story of their son's recovery. I found myself frustrated by descriptions of homes and meals that had little or no bearing on this central story and its powerful message. I think people read these books to learn more about brain injury or to be inspired by the courage and perseverance of the brain injured person. This book accomplishes those goals, but I have read other memoirs that do a better job and make for more focused accounts of the pitfalls and triumphs of the brain injured and their loved ones.

No comments about Genius Talk: Conversations With Nobel Scientists and Other Luminaries.

4 comments about Dr. America: The Lives of Thomas A. Dooley, 1927-1961 (Culture, Politics, and the Cold War).

1. Certainly a provocative and interesting story, however, little context is given to set the time regarding Asia, and the Cold War. Organization is deplorable, reflecting both huge gaps and many redundancies. Three notable nonsentences make me wonder why these guys publish without an editor.



2. The tale of Dr. Dooley is indeed worth telling but, sadly, this book misses the boat. The author is mired in arcane (and not terribly interesting) tales of intrigue among Catholic factions and almost lost me many times. And although this book is a biography, the author seems strangely ambivalent towards the good jungle doctor. You never get close to Dooley. Few evocative anecdotes. You get no feel for Laos. Reading it is liking eating dry toast.

   Why does The Talented Mr. Ripley come to mind? I hope that someone will take another stab at writing about this remarkable man.




3. I agree 100% with Mr. Steven Epstein's review (February 7, 2000), about Dr America: The Lives of Thomas A Dooley 1927-1961 by James Fisher



4. I remember the laudatory Reader's Digest articles, the coincidental Kingston Trio song, and mention of Dr. Dooley by my high school English teacher. And, of course, I remember the disaster of Vietnam in the years following Dooley's death. "Who was this guy Tom Dooley?", I wondered. I know he didn't cause Vietnam, but he was emblematic of the drift that got us there. We had "victory disease" hubris from World War II, and Dr. Dooley was part of it. His vigorous self-promotion and the homosexuality revelations were surprising to me. It was the 1950's, of course, and his homosexuality was certainly kept under wraps when he was being hyped all over the place. I don't feel qualified to say this is a well written or poorly written book, but I at least know more about the influential Dr. Tom Dooley and, as follows, more about America.

5 comments about Imagining Robert: My Brother, Madness and Survival : A Memoir.

1. First, the good things: it must have taken courage to write the book, because of the possibility of betraying the privacy of the family. At the same time, the writing process must have been immensely satisfying. I imagine Jay finishing it, sitting back, smiling, and saying "If God takes me tomorrow, that's ok; the story has been told." In fact, Jay came to visit my college English class, and he told us that's exactly what he was thinking. I know how difficult it is to tell a true story about oneself in such remarkable detail, which is why the book earns three stars. But based on its execution, I'd rather only give it two. Here's why...

   Is this book really about Robert? How many times does Jay congratulate himself on rising above a background that was out to get him? He went to Columbia, you know. And did he mention he's a writer? He throws that in so many times, you just KNOW he views being a writer as the noblest and most enviable profession in the world. The phrase "my accomplishments" crops up an awful lot, especially in a book supposedly dedicated to a mentally ill brother. Also, did Jay mention he's a writer?

   And yes, the sentence structure was maddening (pun intended). A sentence can go on for an entire page, sometimes to such ridiculous lengths that I'd walk down the hall and read it aloud to my friends, just to show them with what I was dealing. I understand this problem a bit, though. I imagine Jay sitting at his desk with so much to say, afraid that if he doesn't put as much down as possible, as soon as it comes into his head, he'll lose it. So he erects a quick parenthetical fence and sends it down.

   Basically, when I'd finished reading the book for my English class, I wished that Robert could come to visit instead of Jay. Much as Jay tries to overshadow him, Robert is the star of this book and a truly fascinating character. I realize that I only know about Robert through Jay's writing, so I respect Jay for that. But the book irritated me to no end. I guess I'm just not sensitive enough.




2. As someone who has made a career of helping the mentally ill, This book broke my heart. Yet I believed the problems existed as stated.

   As the parent of a child who, as a teen, developed the need for the safety of psychiatric hospitals, I cried for Jay and his family.

   As someone who became clinically depressed after my child's serious suicide attempt, I easily understood the need for what sometimes seemed like unrealistic optimism.

   This book offers something for anyone involved with people who are mentally ill. Read it. Keep it. Learn from it.




3. This book was terrible, it was an expolitation of his brother, and a shameless way to promote his other books. No matter the situation, the author found a way to make a reference to another book he had wrote. It was poorly written, and jumps around quite a bit. Don't waste your time or money on this book, or any book of this author's.



4. I absolutely loved this book. Reviewers here have complained that it's not just about Robert, but about the author and his life. I loved that fact. I too have a brother w/ a mental illness, and I too am a teacher and I like to write. I found all of these stories -- the story of Robert, Jay's connection to him, Jay's struggle to tell Robert's story, and Jay's life as a father -- all equally compelling. I finished the book in 2 days and sent an effusive email to the author, who sent me a kind email back that very same day. This book moved me deeply, made me think and want to write.



5. I learned alot about the life of someone with a non-trivial emothional problem(s) and how society (and families) treats them. I also experienced an absorbing personal story that made it hard for me to put the book down. Well written, highly absorbing, educational, and highly recommeneded.