| Synopsis
The struggle to perform well is universal: each of us faces fatigue,
limited resources, and imperfect abilities in whatever we do. But
nowhere is this drive to do better more important than in medicine,
where lives may be on the line with any decision.
Atul Gawande, the New York Times
bestselling author of Complications, examines, in riveting accounts of
medical failure and triumph, how success is achieved in this complex
and risk-filled profession. At once unflinching and compassionate, Better is an exhilarating journey, narrated by "arguably the best nonfiction doctor-writer around" (Salon.com).
Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly
Veteran character actor Lloyd does a
commendable job in narrating Gawande's arresting exposé of the
razor-thin margin that separates top doctors from the rest. While the
book has its share of sensational and bloodcurdling tales of virulent
infections and medicine gone wrong, Lloyd resists the urge to
sensationalize his reading. He rightly senses that these tales do not
constitute the heart of this book. Some parts are necessarily
slow-moving and methodical, including a lecture on the proper way to
scrub hands or a complex rundown of India's health care system. Lloyd's
quietly authoritative reading lends an unhurried air that is
appropriate for a book fundamentally about taking the time to care, and
care diligently, about the things that matter most. Gawande's writing
works well on audio as several chapters appeared as discrete essays in
the New Yorker and the New England Journal of Medicine,
and still bear the stamp of stand-alone material. It's perfect for
listeners who prefer thoughtful, short essays for a ride in the car or
a walk on the treadmill. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to the Audio CD
edition.
From Bookmarks Magazine
A surgeon at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and an
assistant professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Atul
Gawande succeeds in putting a human face on controversial topics like
malpractice and global disparities in medical care, while taking an
unflinching look at his own failings as a doctor. Critics appreciated
his candor, his sly sense of humor, and his skill in examining
difficult issues from many perspectives. He conveys his message—that
doctors are only human and therefore must always be diligent and
resourceful in fulfilling their duties—in clear, confident prose. Most
critics' only complaint was that half of the essays are reprints of
earlier articles. Gawande's arguments, by turns inspiring and
unsettling, may cause you to see your own doctor in a whole new light.
Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.
--This text refers to the Hardcover
edition.
From AudioFile
Gawande, a surgeon and writer, mixes facts and storytelling to describe
ways to better the medical profession. He opens with a question: "What
does it take to be good at something in which failure is so easy?" His
curiosity leads to thoughtful investigation, interviews, and
reflection. Gawande's scope is broad and candid. He covers health
changes related to hand-washing, changes in medicine in the Iraq War,
questions faced by doctors attending executions, his own awkwardness
with patients' undressing, and improvements made by honest evaluation
in treating cystic fibrosis. John Bedford Lloyd's deep, rich voice
delivers just the mix we look for in doctors--knowledgeable,
authoritarian tones mixed with the warm, comforting style that
characterizes a great bedside manner. S.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland,
Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
From Booklist
Quick. What mundane practice, regularly propagated by generations of
moms, could save the lives of thousands of hospital patients? To
Brigham & Women's Hospital general surgeon and New Yorker
staff writer Gawande, that question's answer is but one way to improve
a profession where a "C+" performance rating just isn't good enough.
The follow-up to Gawande's critically acclaimed Complications
(2002) is a sparkling collection of essays about medical professionals
and places where "better" either has or is becoming the norm, where
excellence is a journey rather than a destination. While acknowledging
that varying levels of achievement are inevitable in any human
endeavor, Gawande believes the medical profession must assume the
burden of constant diligence to do better because lives hang in the
balance. Rather than preaching about improving performance, Gawande
bears witness to the remarkable levels of care that can be achieved by
describing some incredibly innovative, adaptive, and even mundane
(e.g., conscientious hand washing) practices in hospitals from Boston
to the rural Indian village of Uti, from Pittsburgh to Iraqi
battlefields. Donna Chavez Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to the Hardcover
edition.
Boston Common Magazine
"Graceful insights... Consider it a way to come one step closer to a better understanding of what betterment is all about."
--This text refers to the Hardcover
edition.
Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink
"Better is a
masterpiece, a series of stories set inside the four walls of a
hospital that end up telling us something unforgettable about the world
outside."
Susan Salter Reynolds, Los Angeles Times
"Atul
Gawande's insightful book illuminates the challenging choices members
of the profession face every day."
The Economist
"Remarkably
honest and human accounts . . . describing professional moments of
fear, guilt, embarrassment, and humor . . . Rich in fascinating detail." Michael Lewis, author of The Blind Side
"It's
hard to think of a writer working today who makes such good use of
man's quest to avoid pain and death. Atul Gawande is not only adding to
the small shelf of books by doctors that every layman should read. He's
using medicine to help anyone who hopes to do anything
better." Pauline W. Chen, The New York Times Book Review
"Gawande
. . . manages to capture medicine in all of its complex and chaotic
glory, and to put it, still squirming with life, down on the page. . .
. With this book Gawande inspires all of us, doctor or not, to be
better."
Gail Caldwell, The Boston Globe
"Gawande
is unassuming in every way, and yet his prose is infused with steadfast
determination and hope. If society is the patient here, I can't think
of a better guy to have our back."
Jeremy Lawrence, The Independent (UK)
"This
is a book about failure: how it happens, how we learn from it, how we
can do better. Although its focus is medicine, its message is for
everybody. . . . It has already been described as a modern
masterpiece--and so it is."
John Carey, The Sunday Times (UK)
"I
found I had been gripping the book so hard that my fingers hurt. . . .
It calls to mind one of the great classics of medical literature,
Mikhail Bulgakov's A Country Doctor's Notebook. Few modern authors could stand that comparison, but Gawande can."
Entertainment Weekly
"Superbly written... Better is a wide-ranging and gripping read."
About the Authors
Atul Gawande, a 2006 MacArthur Fellow, is a general surgeon at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, a staff writer for The New Yorker, and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. His first book, Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science, was a New York Times
bestseller and a finalist for the 2002 National Book Award. Gawande
lives with his wife and three children in Newton, Massachusetts.
Product Details
Paperback: 273 pages
Carton Size: 36 books
Publisher: Picador; 1st Edition (January 22, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312427654
ISBN-13: 978-0312427658
Product Dimensions: 8.31 x 5.44 x 0.76 inches
Shipping Weight: 0.56 pounds
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