1 comments about Robert Koch: A Life in Medicine and Bacteriology (Scientific Revolutionaries : a Biographical Series).

1. Writing scientific historical biography that is readable is a difficult task, and Prof. Brock has suceeded in this.

   A great book about a great man, that in simple language communicates the excitement of a revolutionary time in medicine where a few people in the space of 20 years changed our world forever.

   I loved this book and couldn't put it down, and this is in part due to the author communicating his own enthusiasm for his subject. If you are looking for a gift for anyone working in bioscience or biomedicine then you couldn't do better than this book.

2 comments about The wedding goes on without us ;: Including Bury me naked.

1. In this book Dr. Downing invites us on his journey to provide medical care for those who need it first in Appalachia and then in Africa. He is a careful observer, and a skillful storyteller. Through the stories of memorable people he has encountered, he tells us his own story--how the people he serves, though poor, have much to offer him.



2. Dr Downing shows us his compasion and his willingness to be wrong when faced with questions without answers. This book should be required reading for anyone who practices medicine for more then just money.

3 comments about A Real Person: Life on the Outside.

1. One of the most eloquent first-hand accounts of growing up with an undiagnosed autistic spectrum condition, this book should be compulsory reading for anyone working with, teaching or parenting people on the spectrum.



2. This book is a brutally honest account of the childhood, adolescence and beginning of adult life of an intelligent and insightful woman who did not recieve a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome until adulthood. It shows a side of the "Aspergers experience" that one doesn't read about often, a family and school that were anything but supportive, and the lonely experience of knowing that one is different from other people, but not knowing why. If you didn't know that aspies (people with Asperger syndrome) are often treated really badly by "normal" people, have a read of this book, you will find it informative, but perhaps a bit depressing. I hope the author sent a copy of this book to the evil aunt when it was published!



3. If you are an adult with Asperger's Syndrome, which is the spectrum partner to autism, make this book your best friend. Believe me, you will be glad you did because Gerland takes readers through her odessy of ill treatment by people lacking understanding of her sensori-neurobiological condition.
   
   This book is an excellent insider's view of what it means to have Asperger's Syndrome and to cope with sensory issues and baffling behavior on the part of neurotypical (NT) counterparts. One of the most frustrating things people on the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum encounter and endure is not knowing when the Tacit Social Codes & Rules will change. These Rules change always at the behest of the NT population and seems always to suit the needs of the NT population. Gerland has done an admirable job of providing a voice for those with AS. At last people on the spectrum have had their turn at bat - knowing what undefined differences are can make all the difference in the world in helping people on the a/A spectrum cope. Once armed with such knowledge can one gain a better understanding of things that always seemed so nebulous.
   
   This book deserves a place of high honor. It will enrich and empower people and generate tolerance, understanding and ultimately acceptance among the NT population. We need this book!

4 comments about I'm Alive and the Doctor's Dead.

1. I prefer the original title: Love, Laughter and a High Disregard for Statistics. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer 5 years ago, friends and family (with the best intentions) felt compelled to send me books by survivors of the disease. Some of them were interesting, others downright depressing, but this one really lifted my spirits and helped me to cope. Well written -- a fun read -- I still have it and frequently share it with other women as they face the challenges of cancer. Sue Buchanan, you sure made a difference in this woman's life. Mahalo nui loa!



2. "She will be dead soon." Fifteen years after that awful pronouncement, Sue Buchanan is lecturing, running her successful corporation and reminding all breast cancer patients that we are NOT victims. Stand up for your rights, stand up and do the unexpected, stand up and laugh out loud. Her honest story of her battle with breast cancer and some of the doctors she met along the way is a quick, enjoyable read. Her continued joie de vie and encouragement for all women is delightful. A good book when you are down in the dumps - it's enough to shake you out of the doldrums and into some action!



3. I found the overt Christianity in this book a little difficult to get past. I do not believe in a god, and if I haad known about this slant before buying I probably would not have bought it.

   I also found Sue Buchanan's adversarial relationship to her doctors and indeed (except at the VERY back of the book) to the medical profession, a little disturbing. She is not required to use any doctor she meets, and if she is going to laugh at them in public and write all over all the tongue-depressors, she should find a new doctor. Yes, it is hard to be kept waiting or to be talked down to by surgeons, but a) the doctor you are waiting for may be coping with another distraught patient, and b) all surgeons I have ever met, while techically skilled, are poor at patient communication. They are skilled,arrogant, decisive, and opinionated -- and that's what I want when I'm in the operating room. But in the office they are abrupt and impatient.

   I found it interesting that she had her chemo treatments BEFORE the blood chemistry results came back. They would NEVER do that where my wife has chemo. Accurate reading of blood counts and differentials is key to proper chemo decision-making. Glad she survived.

   And by the way, they don't take blood to detect cancer -- cancer cannot be detected in the bloodstream even if it is there because of the very low density of cancer cells compared to blood cells. Detecting cancer in the blood is done by inference only.

   She is to be commended on her upbeat approach, but an optimistic attitude, solid family support, and a generous heart are more important than "dissing" the medical profession. Yes, statistics are sometimes grim, but you may always be the 1% who get the good results -- and you may not. Statistics DO help you evaluate procedures and treatments, however.

   Despite my defense of the medical profession, I am not a medical person nor are any of my relatives except one nephew who is a vet. We met the medical profession when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago.

   So while this was a OK read, I found it much less interesting than Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book, 3rd edition, which (in its earlier edition) was recommended to my wife at the time of her diagnosis by her surgeon and is very readable and well-organized, and quite upbeat too. I also liked Dr. David Spiegel's Living Beyond Limits. Both were far more valuable and thought-provoking than this book.




4. This book is written from a Christian perspective -- scripture is referenced in context but not thrown in your face -- and is humorous and encouraging to boot! Buchanan makes the point that cancer is as individual as a thumbprint -- everyone has a thumbprint, but each person's is unique in some way. Cancer may "look" the same in different people, but we all have different body chemistires, faith, genes etc. that make it act differently. The reality for a cancer patient is that no one really knows the outcome that any of us will have. I found Buchanan to be wonderful -- she has a sense of humor, faith in God and a dose of good old fashioned common sense. I would highly recommend this book to anyone trying to deal with or understand some of the emotions related to breast cancer. If nothing else, it is a quick, fun read!

1 comments about Norman Bethune: The Incredible Life and Tragic Death of a Revered Canadian Doctor (Amazing Stories) (Amazing Stories).

1. Dr. Norman Bethune was born a Canadian during the era of the First World War. He took part in the fascist war in Spain. Despite his eccentricity, the Chinese people's liberation army tolerated him and the soldiers who were fighting the Jap invaders needed his surgical expertise badly. He was personally interviewed by Chairman Mao Tze Dong who later wrote a book about this Canadian buddy which he grew to like for his sense of dedication. Bethune had several narrow escapes, while taking care of the sick soldiers and villagers in the temple of Wu Tai Shan or the famed Five Crested Mountain of Central China.
   Bethune was assigned a youthful Chinese soldiers to look after his personal needs and wants. Bethune was quite jovial and introduced the young soldier to the classical music of Beethoven, which was often played on an ancient gramophone player - His Master's Voice. Bethune also personally trained some young Chinese doctors how to perform basic surgery in the midst of bombing and shooting by the atrocious Jap invaders. Unfortunately, before the Japs were defeated in 1945, Dr. Norman Betune died of septicima, which he received while performing an operation without proper antibiotics those days in rural China. He will always be remembered by both officials and the People's Liberation Army for his excellent medical service and dedication. Two films were made of his life and even a 20-hour TV series were made in China. Today, in China, Dr. Norman Bethuen is remembered as a legend and war hero. Bethune: The making of a hero is my favourite film about his life and time spent among the sick and wounded soldiers in China before and during the Second World War (1937-1945). Please read the book as it is available at amazon.com. Thanks.

2 comments about The Right to Be Human: A Biography of Abraham Maslow.

1. One of the greatest biographies written this century!! While Freud and his followers convinced the world that we all repressed our inherent wickedness and immorality, Maslow sought out the good in people--"the best of humanity". Dr. Hoffman has written one of the most accessible and fascinating biographies of the century. Shown here with warts and all, Hoffman delivers a full and rich account of one of Psychology's greatest thinkers. As brilliant as he was compassionate, Maslow radically changed both psychology and the corporate world. However, Kudos need to go to Hoffman, who skillfully and eloquently brought Maslow to the masses. Anyone interested in psychology, business, or simply the trials and triumphs of a fellow human being will take away more from this book than any other text available. Highly Recomended!!



2. Why have almost all of today's most celebrated marketing wizards made it their business to know about this man and examine his ideas? Why does virtually every serious management book recognize, document, and praise his insights? How do his life and his legacy continue to inspire and inform the visions of today's most alert and innovative entrepreneurs? Why is global interest now mounting in his multifaceted work?

   Fascinating and visionary, Abraham Harold Maslow (1908-1970) pioneered revolutionary ideas that helped form modern psychology and laid the foundation of the human side of management and marketing. His lifetime of discoveries in motivation and personality transcended academic psychology, and extended into the major business fields of management and marketing. Maslow also loved to explore nascent, barely perceptible social trends and speculate boldly about their long-term consequences. He was the originator of such important concepts as the hierarchy of human needs, self-actualization, higher motivation, team decision-making and business synergy.

   All business students-not just of management development and organizational behaviour-should read this seminal biography. Critically acclaimed in its first edition and now revised and updated for this paperback edition, The Right to Be Human is a fascinating portrait of one of the seminal thinkers of the twentieth century-at once a vivid biography of a truly original personality and an intellectual journey to the very source of how we think about and manage our businesses today.

   Edward Hoffman, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in New York with degrees from Cornell University and the University of Michigan. He has authored several books including Future Visions: The Unpublished Papers of Abraham Maslow, The Drive for Self: Alfred Adler and the Founding of Individual Psychology and The Book of Fathers' Wisdom.

3 comments about A Pediatrician's Journal: Caring for Children in a Broken Medical System.

1. This book is a sobering account of the healthcare system today and should serve as a reminder that there is a great deal of work to be done to fix this system. Dr. Orr writes in a manner that is frank, lacks arrogance and is accessible. For anyone who has left a doctor's visit (whether it be a pediatrician or an orthopedist)feeling unheard, rushed and wondering what just happened in the ten minutes the doctor spent with you, read this book to have your questions answered. Then ask yourself what we can do to fix this broken medical system.



2. A very easy-to-read autobiographical narrative that presents some poignant stories from the field of medicine, and a set of semi-organized thoughts on healthcare system in the US. That's essentially the summary of the book. The specific patient stories does convey some of the greatest intangible benefits of being a physician, and some of the real challenges associated with it. While the sub-text of the title caught my attention, the author doesnt really exploit his experiences to provide a more coherent, well-organized critique of the healthcare system as the sub-title implied. Familiar criticisms of pharma's advertisment methods, "bribing", lawyers and malpractise insurance, and a health care system focusing on profits are all mentioned with familiar arguments, but with a personal touch. A good read. The sub-text flattered to decieve.



3. My children have the great fortune to be patients of Dr. Orr, and the fact that he's written an inviting, informative, heartfelt book simply mirrors the way he treats his patients and their families!
   
   I loved the book and have bought several for my friends to read. Dr. Orr takes us on journey, not only professionally but personally. His allowing us to see how he interacts with his own children and wife, and others in need, is an inspiration.
   
   His candid views of the failing health care system gives me hope that it CAN improve with caring doctors, like Dr. Orr, at the helm. Buy this book! Tell all your friends about it! A great gift for friends and family. You, and they, will not be disappointed!
   
   --A mother of four in New England

1 comments about No Man Alone: A Surgeons Life.

1. You don't have to learn a little bit about neuroscience to understand why Wilder Penfield, M.D., was so important. You don't have to appreciate the contrast between the ridiculous 19th-century field of phrenology and the eloquent experimental data summarized in Penfield and Jasper's landmark _Functional Anatomy of the Human Brain_ to understand what the name Penfield means in neuroscience today.

   In fact, even a casual reading of Rudy Rucker reveals jacked-in cybernauts, their neurosurgeons doubtless Penfield's spiritual descendants.

   The work stands on its own, and this autobiography will barely touch on it, or the turbulent relationship between Penfield and Jasper (the latter is barely mentioned.) But if your question is, "Who was that man," this book provides the answer.

   If you're not interested in an out-of-print book, there's a book called "Something Hidden," by Penfield's grandson, that covers much the same ground; in fact, whole chapters are practically lifted word-for-word with only the person changed from first to third.

No comments about Daktari (Softcover).

5 comments about A Kernel in the Pod: The Adventures of a "Midlevel" Clinician in a Top-level World.

1. This book brought me to tears. Not because of anything related to being a P.A. Actually, about half of this book is about being part of a large, international mission. Having served with a large mission for 18 years (in some of the same locations Mike visited, actually) and gone through some of the same heartaches he and his family went through, I could really relate to the pain he experienced. It was wonderful to see that someone else had gone through it, too, and could do a good job describing what it was like. A good book for missions administrators.



2. I laughed myself silly and then cryed with the Jones family. I think that life is sometimes stranger than fiction. I found it spellbinding. I think that Mike's ability to land on his feet at times when it seemed impossible to do so was remarkable. I would recommend for anyone (not just those in the medical field) to read as a comment how one person can overcome discouraging circumstances.



3. I found this book to keep my interest and to be very enjoyable to read. As a future PA I found the book sort of upsetting and could possibly turn many people off to the PA career path. I also found many of the author's actions to be very odd and did not agree with most of his religous/family/career choices. Even so, I really liked the book and would highly recommend it.



4. After reading the review by the person who said there's only 30-50 pages about the PA profession in the first 260, I decided I would reluctantly purchase this book as those 50 pages were some of the few offered on Amazon about PA autobiography. In fact, that reviewer was wrong, and most of the book is about practicing as a PA. However, the author's choices about what to include seem odd. The book comes across as mostly venting about his mistreatment at the hands of various people, while he mentions only in passing attending conferences and his expertise in headache treatments. In the Acknowledgements, he mentions that he started publishing almost immediately out of PA school. Including more information about these aspects of his life would have made for a fuller picture of him as a person, a balanced view of the PA profession, and a more interesting story-line.
   
   That said, the venting seems totally justified. In fact, the book is out-right depressing. If this book were the only information I had about the PA profession, I would probably avoid being a PA like the plague.
   
   Also of note is the fact that the author seems to be a devout Christian, which may turn off some readers and attract others.
   
   The writing is casual and the book is a fast read. It is easy to skim large sections and then jump back in without too much loss.
   
   Overall, I would not recommend this book to those interested in becoming PAs. The professional experiences are a horror, and the section about the author's training is probably outdated as far as the application and decision-making process are concerned.



5. I've been a physician assistant for 13 years and was excited to read what turned out to be a well written, but very depressing account of my profession. I disagree with reviewers who think that the author's experiences are typical of physician assistants. If I would've had as many bad experiences in medicine as this guy did, I would've found another line of work.