⋙ [PDF] The Physician Noah Gordon 9780751503890 Books

The Physician Noah Gordon 9780751503890 Books

Download As PDF : The Physician Noah Gordon 9780751503890 Books

The Physician Noah Gordon 9780751503890 Books

When you find a book this good, the opportunity to enjoy it is multiplied when it is also HUGE! This is the first book in a long, long time that told a story that kept my interest all the way through. Characters were perfectly developed and editing was superb. The subject was unique and the research which obviously had to have been done was unexpectedly fascinating and never left me feeling as if anything was unanswered or confusing. I think the book was phenomenal.


Tags : The Physician [Noah Gordon] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <div><div>In the 11th century, Rob Cole left poor, disease-ridden London to make his way across the land, hustling,Noah Gordon,The Physician,Little, Brown Book Group,0751503894,Historical - General,Fiction,Fiction - Historical,Fiction Historical,Modern fiction

The Physician Noah Gordon 9780751503890 Books Reviews

The Physician is an absolutely fascinating book taking place a 1000 years after Christ, showing the challenge of practicing medicine in England. The author skillfully ties in information about herbs, cooking, traveling, geography, history, languages, cultures, architecture, religions, and, of course, medicine. Weaving together a complicated plot, believable characters, and a variety of settings, the author draws the reader into the life of Robert J. Cole whose passion to learn medicine drove him to Persia and back to England. Really interesting book!
This is a very interesting story about the trials and tribulations of an obviously gifted English boy from the 11th century. The main character led an amazing life. He traveled from England to Persia a journey which took over a year. The descriptions of his trying to acclimate himself to each new culture was fascinating. Cole's determination to become a physician coupled with his genius allowed him to overcome a lack of education and language.

I was happy that the author didn't have him picking up every language he encountered with ease. Learning a new language is difficult and Cole's struggles were well depicted.

I did have a few issues with the book. It could have been shorter. There was a lot of description which I felt didn't enhance the story. Also, I'm picky about anachronisms. In the first page a woman pushes up the stays in her dress. Stays weren't introduced in woman's clothing until 400 years later. Also the caravan enters Turkey. Turkey did not exist in the 11th century. It was Anatolia. It is called Turkey several times so not a mistake. Finally marriages did not take place in churches until that 15th century. There was not even much of a ceremony. People just decided they were married. No Nuptial Mass existed for 500 years.

Other than that worth reading
The Physician is one of the best books I've read in a in quite a while. Set in the 11th century, the book begins in London where tragedy quickly overtakes Robert J. Cole. Rob, at age nine, is first saved by "Barber," a traveling man who attracts crowds in towns by using magic tricks, juggling, and storytelling. After the entertainment, Barber sees patients behind a screen, generally prescribing his elixir which is little more than alcohol. Barber has practical knowledge of healing, which he imparts to Rob. Years later, after Rob has learned of his own gift for healing, he decides to go to Persia to study medicine, a journey that takes almost two years. The plot becomes more complex after that, but the richness and deep development of various characters kept me fascinated till the end, in the year 1045. I would strongly recommend this book for your reading pleasure, especially if you are at all interested in the history of medicine.
A relatively interesting travelogue and discussion of medical knowledge in the 11th century. Rob Cole, the hero travels from England to Persia to gain better training than he could get in England. His dangerous travels through Europe to Persia are described in rich detail. Along the way he meets a sheep farmer and daughter. He considers marrying her and decides not to. (He will meet up with her later and marry her.) He cannot be admitted to the Persian schools as a Christian so he manages to disguises himself as a Jew. He makes 3 friends, one who is a Muslim, and they have many adventures including going to India for the Shah (who is a "friend" of sorts). He has improbably luck and experiences. The descriptions of medical knowledge in the Middle East was interesting especially compared to what was known in most of Europe. There is a very good section on battling the plague. The three main characters are fairly well developed and interesting. Some the conclusions are predictable/
My issues with the book are 1) tries to cover too much. It seemed that the author wanted to share all the research he had on the period of time from an advance method of making swords to various prayers. 2) Has several love making sections that are totally unnecessary in detail. It seemed that the author felt obligated to include them. 3) much of it is written in 3rd person ("he did so and so and then that happened") style which can be boring. I skipped or skimmed some sections because of this.
I read it for a book club. I would say it is a decent read but I have not readily read more of this series.
The journey of Cole from orphan to physician is an engaging story. More than the story, however, is description of place and history that is as carefully researched as the details of the practice of medicine in the 12th Century. From London to Persia, we see the young hero learn both the hardships of life and the gift with which he pursues his life's passion -- healing.

This is a novel of adventure and romance, intrigue and betrayal, culture and religion, politics and sex. Throughout are detailed descriptions of east and west, whose belief systems clash in both subtle and obvious ways. Maneuvering among them all, our hero learns to use the best of all he finds, including within himself.
When you find a book this good, the opportunity to enjoy it is multiplied when it is also HUGE! This is the first book in a long, long time that told a story that kept my interest all the way through. Characters were perfectly developed and editing was superb. The subject was unique and the research which obviously had to have been done was unexpectedly fascinating and never left me feeling as if anything was unanswered or confusing. I think the book was phenomenal.