Admissions: Life as a Brain Surgeon

My father was a neurosurgeon...retired in the early 90's. This was a very interesting read. Marsh is a consummate writer. While I do not hold his world view and find it tragic that he feels death will be the solution for people who lack faith in the God of the Lord Jesus Christ, I still enjoyed his perspective on many moral issues. I know I would enjoy conversing with him over a cup of coffee. He reminded me somewhat of my father. It is rare in today's world to find a truly deep thinker who can articulate his thoughts in an understandable as well as winsome fashion. I gave the book to my son who is an anesthesiologist.

I heard Henry Marsh interviewed on the radio so decided to purchase his book. I was a little disappointed as it seems to be a platform to expose his disappointments and a career full of anger and frustration. While I enjoyed his descriptions of operating in third world countries I think this book would have been better if it included more patient stories and less self reflection.

I looked for books like Dr. Gawande's Better and Complications and randomly found this one on a bookshelf in downtown Denver. I started reading it and couldn't put it down. Dr. Marsh makes Admissions flow like a conversation; seamlessly moving from his own personal history, anecdotes about neurosurgery, his own opinions on politics and healthcare, to painting vivid imagery. If you are a medical professional or premedical student, there is much wisdom to be gained from reading this book. Even if you are non-medical, Dr. Marsh does not make it so wordy that it is difficult to follow and it can provide an excellent view into the real humanity of physicians, despite how detached and cold they might seem at times. 5/5, I'll be reading his other books soon!

Having finished this, I'm not sure if I'm glad I read it or not. The author comes across as exceedingly arrogant - in being "honest," he manages to put down others, whether it's bureaucrats in the British health system, other physicians or trainees who don't measure up to him, or patients' families whom he perceives have unrealistic expectations and demands. He tells us so many times he's retiring - well, do it already. There were parts I really enjoyed, such as his belated (too late) appreciation of his father, and his restoring a cabin on the water. But his griping about MDs in Nepal and Ukraine - well, if he's so uncomfortable about their qualifications, then why does he continue going? The neurosurgical descriptions themselves - definitely well-done. And ethical dilemmas about providing care that is futile - quite interesting. But overall, not someone I'd like to invite to dinner.

Brain surgeons in Marsh's time had to rely on early detection to operate successfully; technology has improved somewhat since then. Parkinson's patients have long been known to cease shaking when they concentrate on activity they love -- but it remains unclear how that happens. I've just read the brain has its own distinct drainage system that acts only during sleep. Marsh's pro bono work in the Ukraine was laudable. I was moved by his perspective on the end of life -- of which I've keenly become aware as longtime friends pass away.

This book records a career in medicine, some of the hardest and perhaps dismal specialities of neurosurgery. The surgery is often not left with happy endings but often too we see great successes. This is not a light weight happy story. I even suspect the writer may suffer from depression. Nevertheless the recording of his career, his various hospitals that he served at, and many of his surgical accounts are fascinating. He shares his thoughts on socialized medicine, end of life choices, and how he sees his own aging and eventual demise. Very interesting book.

We are fascinated with the lives of physicians. This is a privileged role they play; one only a few can play. Henry Marsh provides us with two perspectives of his role as a neurosurgeon. His story is that of a soon to be retired neurosurgeon, full of realistic, tangible concerns about his current stage of life, and it’s place in his passionate profession. His acquired, accidental wisdom (do we ever know it is happening..this thing called wisdom) looks back at earlier, youthful times to find that he, like all of us, fumbled along making decisions and choices based on so little understanding of life and consequence. This story of the life of a man, and a neurosurgeon, is a rich one. Dr Marsh shares perspectives of the aging man, reflecting on life now, and life as lived in the past.

An extremely interesting book, which I very much enjoyed. I have never read a book by a brain surgeon before and found it to be extremely insightful and I'm others will as well. Henry is a very humble man which consistently shows through the book. In some sections his descriptions of scenes, particularly in the Ukraine and Nepal are very vivid and would do credit to an experienced professional author.b

book looked old, blackened at the edges of the cover and frayed at the edges of the spine.

Having enjoyed 'Do no harm' I was interested in reading his follow-up book which although not quite as compelling as the first book is very well worth reading.

Le riflessioni del grande chirurgo Henry Marsh a fine carriera. Ci sono gli aspetti personali: gli effetti del lavoro sulla vita familiare, le asperita del carattere, le illusioni e l'arroganza della gioventu, la tensione che lo ha sempre accompagnato. Ci sono di pari passo le rifessioni sui cambiamenti progressivi della professione del neurochirurgo in un sistema sanitario che cambia (in peggio) e che rischia di diventare sempre più simile a quello statunitense. L'intelligenza dell'autore rende il libro sempre interessante ma rispetto ad "admissions" sicuramente più malinconico e amaro

My self having undergone neurosurgery, this books gives great insights from doctors perspective. Must read (if they can) for people like me. Take care

Le livre est excellent