ORTHOPAEDIC & MEDICAL COMPLEX

5 Responses to “War Hospital: A True Story Of Surgery And Survival”

1. Anonymous
   December 11th, 2009 at 09:58

   I bought this book because the blurb talked about “moral quandries of practicing medicine in a war zone”. I wanted to explore how physicians and hospitals make decisions and provide treatment/care during war. Instead, much of the book focuses on Bosnian history and the recent war. While the book was interesting and well-written, it was not exactly what I sought.
   Rating: 2 / 5

2. Anonymous
   December 11th, 2009 at 12:28

   War Hospital follows the lives of a group of doctors and aid workers in the embattled town of Srebrenica during the Bosnian War from ‘92 to `95. The moving personal account of the protagonists is framed by the political machinations that were part of the Balkan tragedy, giving an emotional context to the horrors of the war and the genocide it spawned. The book is objective, thoroughly researched and very well written. It is an important read for those interested in the ethics of medicine in wartime, not only as it relates to the Balkans but also Iraq, Afganistan and other regions of conflict.
   Rating: 5 / 5

3. bookworm111
   December 11th, 2009 at 14:38

   Fascinating book. It is an amazing story and very well written. I recommend it highly.
   Rating: 5 / 5

4. Jacob
   December 11th, 2009 at 14:54

   There are so many good things to say about this wondeful book that it’s hard to know where to begin. Sheri Fink’s account of the heroic services of a handful of doctors in Srebrenica is an amazing and skillful blend of personal narrative, medical practice, ethical dilemma, and humanitarian concern. It is a rich story that kept me riveted long into the night more than once. I was deeply drawn into the lives of the doctors portrayed here. I rejoiced in their triumphs, and suffered in their pain. I remain humbled and inspired by their courage, the sacrifices they made, and the risks they took for no personal gain. I was also fascinated by the glimpse given into organizations such as Doctors Without Borders / Medecins Sans Frontieres that so courageously operate on the edge of tragedy and terror, and who face choices of life and death every single day. I was entranced by the fascinating story of caring for tens of thousands of people in an isolated war zone, of doctors who went beyond their limits, beyond their lack of equipment, to save countless lives and be islands of care in a dark, tragic, turbulent time. And I was reminded of our human frailty when the burdens became too much for them. I was just as deeply drawn into the account of the tragedy in Bosnia as a whole, and I will never think about this war in the same way. Until now it was a confusing, remote war that I felt sorrow for, but in a distant abstract way. Now, I am touched deeply, and, in a small sense feel that I lived through it myself. It will always be a part of me. I could go on, but I won’t Go get the book; Sherri Fink has done a much better job than I could do here. This book is as rich as any novel I have read, and it is also completely true. I am amazed by this. Great job, and my thanks to the author for a wonderful read.
   Rating: 5 / 5

5. Squiggles
   December 11th, 2009 at 17:02

   I am only half way through the book. It is very well written. Sheri Fink has the abilityto use just the right words to convey the tension, anxiety, chaos and trajedy in thesedismal circumstances. The attention to detail, psychological insight,and reserved language, leaves a deep andsorrowful impression of true heroism in a man-made hell. The story of the life and death of these medical heroesand their war patients surpasses journalism andenters biblical tones. Very impressive!Squiggles
   Rating: 5 / 5