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Do No Harm

Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery
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( 41,866 ratings, 3,398 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Do No Harm by Henry Marsh offers a profound insight into the life and work of a neurosurgeon. Marsh shares his experiences, both triumphant and challenging, with a focus on the delicate balance required in surgical practice and the ethical dilemmas faced. The book provides a deeply personal and humane perspective on the medical profession.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are intrigued by the intricate world of neurosurgery and enjoy insightful memoirs that delve into the emotional and ethical challenges faced by doctors. Henry Marsh offers a candid, moving perspective on the delicate balance between success and failure in medical practice.

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The SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING, award-winning and candid insight into the life and work of a modern neurosurgeon - its triumphs and disasters.
'An astonishing glimpse into this stressful career' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

An astonishingly candid insight into the life and work of a modern neurosurgeon - its triumphs and disasters. A SUNDAY TIMES bestseller, and shortlisted for the GUARDIAN FIRST BOOK AWARD and the COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD, as well as longlisted for the SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
Do No Harm by Henry Marsh is a riveting exploration into the world of brain surgery, written by one of Britain's top neurosurgeons. This gripping memoir delves into the delicate and often fraught realm of the human brain, as Marsh recounts his experiences in the operating theatre with remarkable honesty and humility.

What is it like to hold someone's life in your hands? To cut through the very matter that makes us who we are? Marsh lays bare the exultations and the devastating disappointments that come with his profession. The book offers an intricate look at the day-to-day realities of a neurosurgeon, punctuated by the triumphs and the inevitable tragedies that define a medical career at this high level.

With unflinching candour, Marsh recounts the profoundly human experiences of joy and sorrow, success and failure. He shares stories of his patients with deep empathy, revealing the human side of medicine that often remains hidden behind professional detachment. Readers are drawn into the operating room, feeling the tension and the stakes involved as if they were the surgeon themselves.

Marsh's writing is beautifully clear and compelling, filled with rich descriptions and a profound awareness of the fragility of life. His narrative brings to light the organised chaos of a busy hospital and the mental and emotional fortitude required to make life-altering decisions under immense pressure. Yet, despite the challenges, it is hope and the drive to help others that anchor his journey.

This book has not only garnered significant acclaim for its literary merit but has also captivated readers and critics alike. It has won the PEN Ackerley Prize and the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Literature. It has been shortlisted for several prestigious awards including the Costa Biography Award, the Duff Cooper Prize, the Wellcome Book Prize, the Guardian First Book Award, and the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize. Moreover, it has been longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction.

โ€˜Enthrallingโ€™ - GUARDIAN

โ€˜Incredibly absorbing ... astonishingly candidโ€™ - Bill Bryson

For anyone fascinated by the mind or intrigued by the profession of neurosurgery, Do No Harm offers an unforgettable journey into the mind of a surgeon and the convoluted pathways of the brain. It is a book that stays with you, making you ponder the intricacies of life and the human spirit.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Do No Harm by Henry Marsh is widely praised for its insightful meditations on the wisdom and experience of a neurosurgeon. The Daily Telegraph highlights its elegance rooted in Matt's wisdom, while The Guardian notes its clear and precise style, showcasing the daily challenges of neurosurgical life. The Daily Mail appreciates Marsh's candour and how it intensely engages readers in the lives of his patients. The New Statesman points out its deeply personal exploration of the emotional and psychological impact of medical failures.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781780225920

Publisher: Orion Publishing Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 09 October 2014

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 199.0mm

Height: 131.0mm

Weight: 270g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Henry Marsh read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University before studying medicine at the Royal Free Hospital in London. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1984 and was appointed Consultant Neurosurgeon at Atkinson Morley's/St George's Hospital in London in 1987, where he still works full time. He has been the subject of two major documentary films, YOUR LIFE IN THEIR HANDS, which won the ROYAL TELEVISION SOCIETY GOLD MEDAL, and THE ENGLISH SURGEON, featuring his work in the Ukraine, which won an EMMY. He was made a CBE in 2010. He is married to the anthropologist and writer Kate Fox. Visit his website at http://www.theenglishsurgeon.com/

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