3rd ed. 241 pp. Edited by Deborah Reece. BMJ Publishing Group, London. 1995. Distributed in Canada by the Canadian Medical Association, Ottawa. $40.95 (CMA members $33.95); $104.95 (set of three volumes) (CMA members $87.95). ISBN 0-7279-0896-0 (Vol. 3).
Strengths: So well written it should be classified as literature; a wide variety of topics covered by eminent physicians applicable to everyday practice
Weaknesses: Some topics and advice specific to British society and health care outdated quickly
Audience: General medical audience
I was skeptical when I first started reading, but I eventually found the book to be worth while, even engrossing.
There are 39 articles, each three or four pages long, and each written by a different, often prominent, British physician. The basic idea is sound; most of us can learn from the observations of others. Many chapters are just that: lifetime personal experiences in a subject, condensed and distilled in the form of advice or counsel. They are unique gifts, the secrets of success of the very successful, the wisdom of the very wise. The book is warm and informal. No attempt is made to divert the articles from the personalities of the authors, and herein lies much of the book's charm. The writing is excellent, pithy and filled with humour and honesty. When we read what Dr. B.T. Marsh says about being a patient, we believe it -- he's had a heart transplant! When Richard Smith tells us how to become a medical journalist or editor we listen because he is the editor of BMJ.
Unfortunately, some of the chapters deal with exclusively British phenomena, such as how to write a practice report for the National Health Service, and are completely irrelevant to Canadians. In addition, some of the advice is pompous and condescending, such as Dr. Capperauld's advice to take a large rubber ball with you when travelling, to act as an emergency stopper for the bathtub in your hotel room.
In general, however, I was won over by the power of the writing and the intimacy of the message. The use of language in many chapters is sheer delight. In addition, what eminent physicians have to say about the nonclinical side of their lives in medicine is certainly worthy of consideration.
This is not a book to be read under pressure in a busy office; it should be enjoyed in your living room beside the fire. You need a sense of reflection, almost whimsy, to appreciate the lessons it is trying to teach.
James P. Caldwell, MD, CCFPC
Cobourg, Ont.