Doctors and Discoveries: Lives That Created Today’s Medicine
by John Galbraith Simmons

I’m continuing my lunch-time second reading of hardcover and paperback books (AKA non-e-books) and this time it is survey of the lives who created today’s medicine.

Rather than constructing the book in a linear order, the author decided to group the narratives into sections, each in chronological order. Each individual story begins with general overview of the specialty the subject is involved in then the author imparts a short biography of the scientist with special emphasis on their notable accomplishment. It ends with the subjects later years until his or her death, otherwise, what they are currently (as of 2002) doing.

The author focuses on both the notable and obscure. He doesn’t waste time and tends to get to the point. Even the biographies give the reader just enough to understand the person behind the situation of the discovery. There were times that I simply wasn’t all that interested in the subject of the piece, but because the chapters are so short, I could power through them.

I wouldn’t call this exactly an ‘easy’ read, but it is a well-written book and it belongs on the shelf of any serious medical history buff. Unlike other books I’m reading for a second time, I didn’t actually read the book from cover to cover the first time, instead, skipping to read those subjects of interest. I don’t see myself re-reading the book in its entirety, instead, I can easily see myself re-reading those bits of interest.

I’d give this book a solid 4/5 stars.

Next up, four books by Dr. Harold Klawans.

(Reviewed 02 January, 2015)