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anfendy's review against another edition
4.0
Tad bit disappointing but learned a lot. Love his recollections of Nepal and Kathmandu.
ginnygriggs's review against another edition
3.0
"But neither the sun nor death can be looked at steadily..."
I've been fascinated by neuroscience since I was in high school, so I couldn't pass this by. It ended up as more memoir and less medicine than I anticipated, which was somewhat disappointing (but in itself, the book wasn't bad). Marsh thoughtfully weaves together professional recollection, social commentary, and personal history as he contemplates his retirement from neurosurgery, the realities of bodily suffering, and the end of life.
I've been fascinated by neuroscience since I was in high school, so I couldn't pass this by. It ended up as more memoir and less medicine than I anticipated, which was somewhat disappointing (but in itself, the book wasn't bad). Marsh thoughtfully weaves together professional recollection, social commentary, and personal history as he contemplates his retirement from neurosurgery, the realities of bodily suffering, and the end of life.
enidsorko's review against another edition
4.0
This is a 3.5 for me, so rounding up. At first, I found the author a bit annoying and superior, and I almost returned the book to Audible, but he grew on me as time went on. I realized that he is often tackling the really big issues, and that some things he says in passing are actually really worth considering. He admits that he has a lot of self-confidence, but he also openly discusses mistakes he has made and regrets he has over the way some cases turned out. I got a bit tired of hearing about the clean-up of the lock-keeper's cottage, but his stories about Nepal were fascinating. I discovered that I have his first book, Do No Harm, in my Audible library already, so I will tackle that soon.
sophronisba's review against another edition
4.0
A novelistic memoir by an author who is not afraid to come across as a bit cold and unlikable (early in the book he describes a physical altercation with a male nurse who makes a mistake). Less about brain surgery than about himself; I really struggle with my dislike for him in the first half but as the book continued I found him complex but thoughtful.
robmerrylees's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
bibliokris's review against another edition
4.0
Memoir might be my favorite kind of book, and I especially enjoy memoirs in which the author lives a life very different from my own, so that I can vicariously be a chef, or in this case, a British brain surgeon, operating in London, the Ukraine and Nepal. I also love to accompany the author on his flight of thought, skimming the present, the past, and the future, and reflecting on how the pieces of his life fit together.
jaydoingstuff's review against another edition
5.0
not quite so impactful as his first book and i'm not sure how well it would work if you hadn't read the first one but still a brilliant brilliant book. the descriptions of nature are really beautiful.
sbutler94's review against another edition
3.0
This was, in ways, a four-star read. The end, in fact, is excellent. I suppose it is my dislike for the younger Marsh, the one that was a scoundrel in his private life and not just a bit of a jerk that makes it hard for me to really love this book. I guess I wish he had more humility or even insight into his younger years, or at least more he shared with the reader. This is, however, honest, and that matters a good deal.
lauraareads's review
3.0
A fascinating read, particularly the segments surrounding the patients and his surgery, however often found the parts about his personal life/past/his renovations less interesting.
Still a brilliant insight and very informative
Still a brilliant insight and very informative