The House of God: The Classic Novel of Life and Death in an American Hospital by Samuel Shem Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The House of God: The Classic Novel of Life and Death in an American Hospital
Book Review: Worthless
Summary: 1 Stars
This is an out-of-date, highly fictionalized account of one person's residency. While it may be titillating for some people to read, if you believe these stories, you'll believe anything.Book Review: In my day, blah, blah....etc.
Summary: 4 Stars
I've often heard comments by medical students and non-medics who found this book a little too cynical and unrealistic. I read the book after I finished my House Jobs in the UK (internship) and although there is a degree of artistic licence, I recognized almost every character and situation described on its pages.
The book gives a truely accurate description of that first year on the job after university and is at the same time both hillarious and deeply depressing. If you are a medical student it's certainly worth a read but perhaps not in the summer holiday before you start working - I doubt you'd ever want to turn up. If you already work in a hospital read it and see if you can spot any of your colleagues in it.
I can't speak for the States but the training over here has changed alot now and interns are no longer subjected horrors of 3 days without sleep or having to make life and death decisions at 2am with absolutely no hope of senior support. Mind you, at times it was also an aweful lot of fun.
I'm sure that any junior doctor today will be sick of hearing their seniors harp on about how bad it was in their day and so it's worth you lot reading this book if for no other reason than to realise just how good you've got it now and stop your bloody moaning.
Book Review: A lot of work for the good parts
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought this book because I had heard many mixed reviews about it from people in the medical profession. I myself have found that there are a few nuggets of insightful commentary hidden amongst the sexist, racist, mindless, lewd and all together poorly written drivel which makes up most of the book. This being said, the book can be pretty funny at times, and might be worth a read for a laugh or two if you can stand all the pointlessly captalized words. Book Review: Ups/downs, downs, downs...
Summary: 3 Stars
As a medical student this book was recommended on several accounts by both patients, residents and fellows and held in high acclaim.
To be honest, upon reading, I found the lead character rather unlikable. He is transparent as he projects those he holds in favor in a bright light (which is understandable given it's his book) and those he dislikes as people who can do no right-Joan and her casserole is a case in point. In this sense, he does what psychologists would refer to as splitting, and I found it shallow. Beyond this, I personally felt him to be rather self-righteous, whiny, and complaining while holding those he held in favor in high esteem. I gave up around page 163 out of lack of interest for his character. He could have jumped off a ledge as Joan's father for all I cared!
That said, he seems to have amassed many fans among the layman and is recommended reading by the general public- I can't endorse this, however. Happy hunting, should you so choose. I am in the minority of negative reviews, so it seems...
Book Review: in response to Jessica Tate's review
Summary: 4 Stars
It seems you expected the author to share his thoughts. Perhaps interns don't think any more? I know I didn't. My brother maintains I became a zombie during internship. We were so swamped with mundane tasks that we'd get through them as well as we could and drop into bed, thankfully. I never dreamed during that time, except on vacation, when I had nightmares about the hospital every night. I found the book true to life, except for the sexual escapades, which fell victim to the Zeitgeist, and I remain grateful to Shem for daring to write it. (Disclaimer: Though I did take antidepressants briefly during internship, I am now reasonably happy in private practice and have enough time to pursue all the hobbies I had as a medical student and before that. A study published in the British Medical Journal found one-half of female interns and one-third of their male colleagues had a major depression at some time during their first year. So I'm normal, and Shem didn't make it up. And he did keep his day job - didn't you know?)