1 comments about No Boundaries: A Cancer Surgeon's Odyssey.

1. No Boundaries is the story of the author's rise from humble beginnings on the black side of a little town in the Florida Panhandle to the pinnacle of his profession as head of the American College of Surgeons, the American Cancer Society and the President's Cancer Panel. Dr. Leffall's story, honestly and often heart-wrenchingly told, recounts how he shattered racial barriers throughout his life simply by his determination to do every job well and learn from his own mistakes. It's a great read for anyone who wants to believe that hope and determination conquer narrow-mindedness and despair.

No comments about Caressing Madness—The Artistic, Bipolar Life: Creativity and Moods.

No comments about Patients, Power and the Poor in Eighteenth-Century Bristol (Cambridge Studies in the History of Medicine).

1 comments about To See with a Better Eye.

1. I read "To See with a Better Eye" while doing background research for my undergraduate history thesis. This is an excellent look at not only the venerable Laennec but also at the early 19th century French school of medicine (especially when read in conjunction with Russell Maulitz's Morbid Appearances). In addition to its historical worth, it is a good piece of scholarship, which even my cursory read could detect. Duffin has done well with the short and often tortuous life of this great Frenchman, who died too soon and with little personal record, who is simultaneously revered (too much?) and forgotten (too often!).

4 comments about Big Shot: Passion, Politics, and the Struggle for an AIDS Vaccine.

1. Patricia Thomas writes a phenomenal book of science, of politics, of a deadly disease, intertwined with business and the age-old struggle of societal good vs. personal/business gain. I was at first daunted by the size of the book alone, but the writing is so clear, so concise, so reader-friendly that it is an easy read. This is a must read for everyone interested in finding solutions to science-society issues such as AIDS. It is a must read for every health care professional and medical researcher, as well. As a science/health writer myself, I also highly recommend it as a teaching tool for how to write science for the lay person.



2. I think "Big Shot" is the first important nonfiction work of the 21st century. With a clarity and an exuberance not often found in books about hard science, Patricia Thomas explains how politics, human frailty and corporate greed have prevented us from finding a vaccine for AIDS. Comparisons with previous books about AIDS and public policy don't exactly do justice to "Big Shot." If books must be categorized, Thomas' scrupulous research sometimes places this book with top ranking medical journals; but the wonderful writing -- you can almost dance to Thomas' prose -- places it among the better mysteries. In the hands of a lesser writer, the workings of DNA, retroviruses, surface antigens and hard-working proteins would cause one's eyes to glaze over. Instead, I found myself turning pages with Evelynwoodesque speed to get to the next development and the next, wondering which young researcher would win the race to the vaccine goal. Thomas has raised the bar for future books about medical research.



3. Sept. 11 has had a galvanizing effect in reminding Americans that planet earth is really a small place where whatever affects one person ultimately affects us all. The emergence of AIDS in the early 1980s might also have united Americans to fight a common enemy. Might have. But the truth, so compellingly told by Ms. Thomas, is that personalities and politics (both personal and national), prejudice and posturing got in the way of mounting a cohesive campaign. As a result, we are still far from stopping AIDS. Sure, treatments are better, but most of the world cannot afford treatment.
   What makes "Big Shot" especially timely is that, as America prepares to fight the "new war," more military personnel will likely be exposed to the AIDS virus. When the GIs line up for vaccinations and grimace comically for the camera, as our fathers and grandfathers did for previous wars, protection against the AIDS virus won't be part of the cocktail. Because there is no vaccine against AIDS.

   It's a pretty depressing scenario, but Ms. Thomas retains a wonderfully upbeat message with the subtext "that was then, this is now, so let's move forward."
   Besides, she tells a helluva entertaining story.




4. It's been said that politics, like sausage, is best not seen in the making. But those who wonder why we don't yet have a vaccine or a cure for AIDS need to know why. Pat Thomas takes us behind the scenes and lives of the cast of characters deeply involved in the science, politics and business of one of the most hotly sought-after pharmaceutical products of all time.
   "Big Shot" gives us reason to despair that science can ever succeed, given the private and public agendas of so many involved in the AIDS epidemic.
   But it also gives us hope, as we see the many dedicated to finding a way to stop the spread of an epidemic that has already claimed 22 million lives. This is a masterful job by one of the best science writers working today -- wonderfully written and compelling.

No comments about Medical Encyclopedia of Moses Maimonides.

2 comments about Dust Between My Toes: An Amish Boy's Journey.

1. This book is not about Amish beliefs. Its simply a story about a man who was born to an Amish family and the circumstances that lead him to become a doctor. I found the details of his life very interesting. It was amazing that he attended eight years of school and then went on to be a medical doctor. In fact, my entire family liked it.



2. I was disappointed in this book, which is full of detail about THINGS but short on information about Amish beliefs and the author's inner life. We learn how many quarts of strawberries were picked on the family farm, but there's nothing about the history and beliefs of the Amish community, or about the author's own spiritual life. I had hoped to read a rich exploration of his values and beliefs, and the inner conflicts and challenges he must have faced when he went "out into the world" to go to college and medical school. There is a lot of genealogical detail about the people who were important in the author's life, but they are only thinly characterized. The writing style is very plain.

1 comments about House of Miracles.

1. I wrote this book as a huge thank-you to the professional people at the Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo, New York. This is a story about healthcare professionals who work day in and day out to do the best they possibly can to ensure that the women and children in the community receive the best healthcare possible. I have also included a number of patient stories that will certainly tug at your heart strings. From the foreword, written by Jill Kelly (wife of Hall of Fame Quarterback Jim Kelly) to the patient stories about Anthony Stinson, Alexis Grace Kilroy, and Olivia Stockmeyer - I believe that this book will find a true place in your heart. Thank you for reading along, and I appreciate the help I received in getting these important stories out there.

3 comments about A Last Stand: An American Tragedy.

1. I purchased the book while considering treatment at the clinic. The book was well written and a very fast read. I couldn't put it down! It was a fascinating account of a real tragedy. The good news is the clinic still operates and cancer patients have a successful alternative in treatment that has been meeting with success for over 30 years! Anyone seeking cancer treatment must read this book! I read the book and made the decision to seek treatment at the clinic. I recently returned from my first 8 weeks, and I feel great. I met so many survivors that feel great and live full quality lives without chemo, radiation, and many without the invasive surgeries often offered as the last resort. A must read for cancer patients, their friends and families.



2. This gripping, emotional and true story flows more like tightly interwoven scenes from a movie, than a chronicle or narrative. It is an especially well-researched, passionate account of the modern American Medical establishment. The characters are a colorful collection of the brilliant and small-minded, heros and villians, victims and passive victimizers. James' book is a "must read" about a situation which is a "must know".



3. A wonderful book about a tragedy that all Americans should know about, be aware of and fight to change. Every American who has family and friends will be affected by these events at one point in his life. This book will alter the course of how we accept answers and change those answers. Once you read this book you will feel morally obligated to share this book over and over again with those it may help.

2 comments about A Family of Doctors.

1. In general I am a mystery and true crime buff. However, a friend of mine whose taste in books I have always admired, strongly suggested I read this book, and I promptly did. It was difficult for me to put down as I found it to be utterly fascinating. Dr. Hellerstein with his literary prowess gives an extraordinary picture of the history of medicine in America (1864 to present) by utilizing his own family background. And furthermore, on a personal level, it includes the author's struggle as he prepares to continue the tradition of healing set by his ancestors. It illustrates the theory that what we truly and earnestly aspire to be, that in some ways we are. A MUST READ for everyone!



2. In general I am a mystery and true crime buff. However, a friend of mine whose taste in books I have always admired, strongly suggested I read this book, and I promptly did. It was difficult for me to put down as I found it to be utterly fascinating. Dr. Hellerstein with his literary prowess gives an extraordinary picture of the history of medicine in America (1864 to present) by utilizing his own family background. And furthermore, on a personal level, it includes the author's struggle as he prepares to continue the tradition of healing set by his ancestors. It illustrates the theory that what we truly and earnestly aspire to be, that in some ways we are. A MUST READ for everyone!