What do You think about Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures (2006)?
A great first plus Giller prize for Dr. Lam,, it gives one a good insight as to how to go about getting into medical school, never be satisfied with just 80% 100% is a mustA great insight into different cultures, Ming who is Chinese, is driven through her family to reach her highest potential, along the way she shacks up with Fitzgerald, who turns out to have problems, Ming is so organized and sets a schedule for Fitzgerald which does not allow him any free time, not wanting to give the whole story away, the book consists of several stories, which are interconnected, it follows the lives of the students, interns who then become Dr.s off course Dr Lam being a surgeon himself has had an insight into the workings of hospitals, he deals with the SARS outbreak, he mentions patients who come into the emergency department, and really are not clear why they are there, what their problem is, how long they have had it, all in all a great read, with great insights into human beings, and a health care system.I am amazed at times that there are people in this world as is in Dr Lam.s ( who by the way is from Vietnamese origing) is a brilliant surgeon and a author as wellIn our bookclub we talked as we have on previous ocassions about Giller prize winners, although not in this case, some winners seem to have had connections with members of the Canadian Authors Establishment, there were some comments about Dr Lam meeting Margaret Atwood, whose praising comments are listed on the book
—Neil Mudde
I didn't expect to like this book, once I had begun. I was thrown immediately into a drawn out chapter about the love lives of two young medical students and I had to fight off my eye rolling as I prepared for a literary Grey's Anatomy. Luckily, we moved into a swiftly paced collection of intriguing medical stories, of the doctors and patients alike, struggling under the weight of illness and ailment. Many of the characters are quite endearing and easy to connect with, though I admit the two characters featured in the opening sequence, Ming and Fitz, turned me off the most. I did eventually come to have some interest in Fitz, but I wouldn't say I ever found him highly likeable. This was a very quick read for me, I breezed through it in two days, which is something I haven't done in ages. Perhaps this is largely due to the short story style presentation. this may say more about my current attention span than it does truly in favor of the book itself. I admit I read it for the story and drama, not for the medical knowledge, and that being said, I didn't feel compelled to scour the attached medical glossary at the novel's end. The stories are simple and often gripping, though the writing is fairly forgettable, it didn't impact me much beyond a tool to propel the stories forward.It's not an amazing novel, but it was effective in holding my attention and keeping me entertained over the course of a weekend.
—Carolyn Gerk
I read this book on a whim and without any expectations and was drawn in very quickly. I thought it was one of the best books I've read in a long time but I am biased because I am:a) a Canadian who enjoys stories set in Ontario's big cities.b) a person who struggles with attention and benefits from short stories that weave together to create a bigger meaning.c) someone who respects the medical field very much.d) not someone who reads only for escapism or fantasy.Vincent Lam is similar to Lisa Genova and other physician-turned-authors because there is education and experience behind each word. As a reader it was easy to believe in these stories. I choose less fiction than an average reader because I am more often craving knowledge. This book allowed me to be engrossed in the lives of the characters while gaining an inside view of med school and the professional side of hospitals. I do regret not realizing that there was a glossary of terms at the back of the book until I had finished.I will absolutely read Vincent Lam again because I now trust that this author will not waste my time with boring and meaningless fiction.
—Lauren Hartwick
