Piece of Mind: A Novel of Medicine and Philosophy

by Robert H. Bartlett

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 193391601X
• ISBN13: 9781933916019
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Nelson Publishing & Marketing
• Length: 301 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Bob knows

Bob Bartlett has hit the mark with this inquiry/study...He captures the old school 4H club of Harvard Undergrad,Med School, Residency and Fellowship and the traditions of the place. He weaves this into excellent characters that the tv shows try to capture and can't...One of the best medical drama / novels I've read in a long while.

A Surgeon's View of Mind/Body Problem

Most of us cringe on hearing the terms, "brain tumor," "broken neck" or "skull fracture" and then ask, "Will he (or she) be ok? If this is you, read Piece of Mind. It renders the mysterious, intimidating world of neurosurgery comprehendible, and reassures us without disguising the unavoidable possibilities. Most of us can confront surgery on a limb or internal organ calmly, but we blanch at the mention of our brains - after all, that's where we live, isn't it? There's something tantalizing as well as dangerous involved with neurosurgery and Bartlett explores these themes with us in this absorbing new medical novel. On one level it educates us about the practical world of neurosurgery through the experiences of four individuals in a prestigious Boston medical facility. Two are young people admitted because of incidents notable for their ordinariness; a routine traffic accident and a freak football injury. Two others are prominent men with brain tumors. Our eagerness to learn the outcome of each case pulls us forward, and we become engaged with the characters as facts are revealed. On another level we're led to confront the philosophical questions of mind and body. Is there a soul? Where is it found? What happens to it when the body expires? Descartes, who we learn was a physician as well as a preeminent philosopher, has a crucial supporting role in the book and it's clear that Dr. Bartlett himself is as intrigued with these questions as with surgical procedures, ancient and modern. (He dedicates his book to, "friends and colleagues in medicine who live the mind-body problem every day.") Bartlett's protagonist, Don Ingram MD, is the surgeon most of us would select if facing dangerous and complex surgery - a broadly educated individual fascinated by the history and philosophical background of his profession as much as skilled with the scalpel. This is only technically a novel. Bartlett's vocabulary (keep a dictionary at hand unless you're in the medical biz!) and his descriptions of how the profession functions couldn't be manufactured. As an Emeritus Professor of Surgery at University of Michigan he must know his business, and a few Google clicks will eliminate any doubt as to his professional stature. http://www.med.umich.edu/medschool/faculty/facultyawards/2003/bartlett.htm But don't be intimidated by his rep. He writes for lay readers, and is very good at it as I discovered when encountering his first novel, The Salem Syndrome. I hope to see more from Dr. Bartlett in the years ahead.

alan b. gazzaniga MD

Once again the author has created a well written masterpiece based on his own extensive clinical experience. Here is an attempt to focus on the meaning of the mind and the soul versus the anatomical brain. Don Ingram is a busy, impeccable, Boston, neurosurgeon who has four interesting patients on his service. Each patient has a different problem that involves either their brain or spinal cord. Dr. Ingram is 46 years old and trained in the 60's when biochemistry and physiology collided with the old time surgeons bringing the advances we have today. However, the old timers knew that the secret of care of the patient is caring for the patient. This lesson was not lost on Dr. Ingram who with his minions work feverishly with compassion to help these patients and at the same time keep the families and loved ones informed. Many ethical, moral, and downright basic human questions are addressed. The time of this novel is 1986 before Ted Kennedy gave us the "HMO" patient. Patients then were just patients with names that wern't modified by their type of insurance coverage. Residents worked tirelessly and loved what they were doing. Unlike now, thanks to 60 Minutes, they punch a time card and work limited hours. Dr. Ingram gets involved with a former lover who is the wife of one of the four patients. This raises many interesting conflict of interest questions. Dr. Ingram despite his personal discipline and reputation has his flaws (even a "perfectly" made crystal has defects if one looks hard enough). The author leaves it up to us to decide how serious are these flaws. This book will make you laugh, cry, and ponder. It is a serious piece of work and should be read by. It will linger for some time after the last words are read.