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A review by catmar19
My Own Country: A Doctor's Story by Abraham Verghese
4.0
I ordered this book on a whim from Amazon.com. I really enjoy finding good nonfiction books.
I couldn't help but inhale this book. Verghese writes so well. He seemlessly trasitions from paragraphs of informative medical background to heart wrenching narrative. He connected himself and the reader to each person in the book, each patient, doctor, nurse, and family member. I was vivid and touching. I found myself saying, "I never knew." I was a child during much of the setting of the book. I am enamored, truly.
And I wouldn't be me if I didn't point out the things that kept me from making this a 5-star book. I realize that medical knowledge changes and this book was published in the early '90s, but there were a couple of things, notably the "patient zero" references that are known to not be true now. Also, there were a few points when the personal connection usurped the narrative and sounded a bit whiney or melodramatic. I want to call it Krakauer-esque. But only a a couple of times.
I'm seriously considering reading Cutting for Stone. And this book has definitely caused me to buy a couple of AIDS memoirs.
I couldn't help but inhale this book. Verghese writes so well. He seemlessly trasitions from paragraphs of informative medical background to heart wrenching narrative. He connected himself and the reader to each person in the book, each patient, doctor, nurse, and family member. I was vivid and touching. I found myself saying, "I never knew." I was a child during much of the setting of the book. I am enamored, truly.
And I wouldn't be me if I didn't point out the things that kept me from making this a 5-star book. I realize that medical knowledge changes and this book was published in the early '90s, but there were a couple of things, notably the "patient zero" references that are known to not be true now. Also, there were a few points when the personal connection usurped the narrative and sounded a bit whiney or melodramatic. I want to call it Krakauer-esque. But only a a couple of times.
I'm seriously considering reading Cutting for Stone. And this book has definitely caused me to buy a couple of AIDS memoirs.