Doctor Smith, Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, had a busy life leaving early every morning to go to the hospital where he performed heart surgery. His life seemed much the same. Then came the Covid epidemic and surgery was stopped cold. He was relegated to his office. This is when he started to write.
The book discusses the early life experiences that pushed him in the direction of medicine, and gives a glimpse of some exciting surgeries like the quadruple bypass performed on Ex President Bill Clinton. I found both of these threads interesting, but perhaps his most intense thoughts came when he talked about how the pandemic affected the hospital and it’s employees. Some of it was very difficult such as the suicides of two doctors at the hospital.
I found the book interesting. It’s not a cohesive account of the life of a busy surgeon. It wanders a bit and contains philosophical musings that are more or less interesting depending on your perspective. If you enjoy learning more about how a surgeon approaches his experience, this book may be perfect for you. However, it is a bit fragmented covering diverse topics.
Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.
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