No-punches-pulled scrutiny of the flawed system that produces our nation's doctors. As the husband of an overstressed, overworked, and overtired resident in pediatrics, Duncan (Hernando de Sota, 1995, etc.) saw firsthand the impact our present residency system had on one doctor. Here he looks at the bigger picture: how it affects not just doctors but patients and society in general. For four years he followed hospital residents on call, keeping records of their actions, attitudes, hours, supervision, and patient outcomes; he also interviewed dozens of doctors, medical educators, patients, and nurses. The result is an anecdote-filled account of what's wrong with the system and how it came to be the way it is. Where statistics are available, he cites them, but one of the flaws of the present system is its failure to collect hard data on its own level of safety or effectiveness. Where reforms have been made— as in New York State, where the famous Libby Zion case led to legislation restricting the number of hours residents can work— he describes them, but these are few and far between. Duncan is persuasive in his argument that a system that once worked fairly well when medical knowledge was limited now drops inexperienced and minimally supervised young physicians into complex, difficult situations, that it overworks and underpays them, and that it too often fails to protect patients from the hazards of treatment by sleep-deprived and undersupervised residents. Concluding with a warning that the very survival of our nation's teaching hospitals is being threatened as managed care reshapes the medical marketplace, Duncan offers no solutions to that problem but has some practical suggestions for revamping residency programs. An up-close and sobering picture of medical education's imperfections. (Author tour)
Pub Date: June 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-684-19709-X
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Scribner
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1996
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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