Melody B. (5ducksfans) reviewed on 4/15/2009 + 92 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 16

I really don't know what to say about this book, but I'll try:

First, the medical stories were really only enough to fill a few articles.

Second, I never really felt like I was *there* and getting in on the inside scoop.

Third, I found her very judgemental. She actually has the gall to speak ill of a patient who wasn't wearing a seatbelt. Stupid, yes. Worthy of snide remarks from a "professional"? NO. It's not even like she was using it as a cautionary tale. She was just plain mean and unprofessional.

Also, along those lines, she talks about how she "tolerates" religious people. In fact there's a whole section on her beliefs and how she is clearly correct. Whether I agree with her or not, what does this have to do with brain surgery? And really, her tone was incredibly insulting.

Fourth, she is incredibly shallow - complaining about how everything she does is so important and the burden it places on her. She muses about what it would be like to have a normal desk job or something that is not "important" so she wouldn't have this kind of stress. This makes me think a) she clearly has no clue what the rest of the world deals with; b) she is a complete egomaniac; and c) if it's so bad, why are you in it????????

Fifth, and related to my last question, is that she seems like she really doesn't give a hoot about any of her patients. They're just another thing to squeeze in to her already totally overloaded days. Well, gee, I'm sure they're all very sorry for the imposition.

If you want to read some REALLY good medical memoirs, start with Atul Gawande. Also check out Jerome Groopman (sp?). These are NOT more difficult reading - just light years superior. Seriously, after you read these, Frontal Lobe will look like an amateur "everybody's writing a book" book.

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