Author: Atul Gawande
Atul Gawande has been in the news a lot recently, whether it is for his bestselling books, incisive articles in New Yorker and Slate Magazine or his involvement in Public Policy in the US. His most recent book "Checklist Manifesto" didn't seem an interesting enough topic to fill a whole book with, and so I picked an earlier book of his "Complications" to get a peek into what Atul is all about.
I expected a technical book about surgery, written in clinical prose and was happy that it was only around 200 pages of well spaced large font type. But boy, was I in for a surprise. Atul's command over the English language is phenomenal and his descriptions of medical conditions and surgical procedures is so realistic that I could visualize them happening right in front of me. What was even more amazing was his humility and honesty in describing his own capabilities as a resident surgeon and engaging in an open discussion on how fallible doctors are in general. Given the litigious society that we live in, especially in the medical profession, it was a breath of fresh air to read and learn from Atul. He takes on some of the often neglected medical challenges like pain, nausea, blushing, etc. and is able to bring out a well researched topic in a highly readable format.
He is precise in his description and is able to express his thoughts and ideas in a few sentences. Here's an excellent example of how he describes humankind's challenge with obesity: "We are a species that has evolved to survive starvation, not to resist abundance". Overall, I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who is curious about the medical profession.
Atul Gawande has been in the news a lot recently, whether it is for his bestselling books, incisive articles in New Yorker and Slate Magazine or his involvement in Public Policy in the US. His most recent book "Checklist Manifesto" didn't seem an interesting enough topic to fill a whole book with, and so I picked an earlier book of his "Complications" to get a peek into what Atul is all about.
I expected a technical book about surgery, written in clinical prose and was happy that it was only around 200 pages of well spaced large font type. But boy, was I in for a surprise. Atul's command over the English language is phenomenal and his descriptions of medical conditions and surgical procedures is so realistic that I could visualize them happening right in front of me. What was even more amazing was his humility and honesty in describing his own capabilities as a resident surgeon and engaging in an open discussion on how fallible doctors are in general. Given the litigious society that we live in, especially in the medical profession, it was a breath of fresh air to read and learn from Atul. He takes on some of the often neglected medical challenges like pain, nausea, blushing, etc. and is able to bring out a well researched topic in a highly readable format.
He is precise in his description and is able to express his thoughts and ideas in a few sentences. Here's an excellent example of how he describes humankind's challenge with obesity: "We are a species that has evolved to survive starvation, not to resist abundance". Overall, I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who is curious about the medical profession.
No comments:
Post a Comment