Rachel: I bought the book for the medical stories but it was just as much about the author voicing his life's development. I got tired of hearing about the pilot's funeral and then long, drawn-out stories of surfing or other life experiences. So, it depends on what you're after!
Australia on Mar 05, 2023
mwendydunlap: I recommend this book to those who love a gripping read, impossible to put down. As a decades long hospital department manager, responsible for supply chain management, I learned from medical staff. My prior experience in law made me drawn to the ER. Its pace, its staff, were much like law enforcement. No prediction of what came in the door or over the radio but certainty those you worked with would hold you up to where you needed to be, as you would do for them. Thank you Dr. Sovndal for what felt to be like a series of long chats on rare, quiet nights in the ER. Dedicated to my friend Pat Baremore RN extroidinairre, Mayer's Memorial Hospital District, Fall River Mills, California. What a book she could have written about her experiences as ER Director in rural NE California.
United States on May 15, 2022
Amazon Customer: It is quirky and heartfelt and I liked it.
Canada on Jun 12, 2021
SJK-RN/KS: Pain never ended anyone. Untrue statement. He has never had chronic pain. As a nurse of 30 years, I completely understand where he is coming from, for cases to eat you alive. The beauty of being in healthcare is if one department is becoming overwhelming you can always change to another area which I have done several times throughout my career to save my sanity. God Bless all 1st responders and healthcare workers!
United States on May 16, 2021
seahorse: Starts off well straight into life in the ER then predictably, when the sample chapter finishes and you commit to purchasing the book it deviates into his life outside of medicine and everything else but the ER. Frustratingly, you need to read through half of the book before you get back to his experience as an ER physician. Which is a shame because when he writes about his experiences in the ER, he writes really really well but then it jumps all over the place leaving many lose ends and turned into this kind of soul searching self help book. At least it was cheap.
Australia on Mar 22, 2021
monikerlewinsky: This is not a book about various cases that stand out in a doctor's life. It's much deeper. The author takes you deep into his own personal struggles with the meaning of life, and it's as if you're getting to be inside his brain as he struggles with issues like being in control and letting go of needing to be in control in his personal life. He goes from needing to be a winner to realizing that life isn't about that at all. We watch as he evolves as a human being from one way of being to a completely different perspective on life and death. I found myself writing down several things he said because they were profound. Yet his style is very casual, like you're sitting with him shooting the breeze. What a great book! I'm so thankful that he wrote it!
The structure he used to tie it all together is excellent and unusual and keeps you in the moment. I read it straight through without stopping and it left me with a lot to think about.
United States on Feb 23, 2021
Deborah: I admit to skimming a bit of this that didn’t interest me. The sometimes odd life of this doctor makes for pretty good reading. He certainly proved people wrong about his choice of careers. Moving stories of a few patents he lost.
United States on Dec 01, 2020
Christopher Collins: Weaving tragedies, memories, and aspirations, Dr. Sovndal offers a small glimpse into the very human side of medicine. Immersing himself into a personal pandora's box, the author takes the reader on an ever-shifting search as he attempts to define his elusive emotions and thoughts, and capture the essence of his life as an emergency physician. An essence of which all responders of human tragedies can relate to.
Dr. Sovndal not only manages to create a meaningful book, but enriches the experience by including musical references for each chapter.
As a lifelong responder and healthcare provider, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a human story of insight and personal discovery. I enjoy books that offer multiple layers of thoughts and expression, which offers a fresh perception each time I picked it up. Although the book does include stories in a medical setting, including medical.discusions of care, the author does explain crucial developments in terms that non-medical readers can follow.
I intend to purchase a few more copies to share with my colleagues, their friends and families, in hopes they enjoy, and benefit from, the soul searching read of a...
United States on Jun 29, 2020
| Fragile: Finding Beauty in Chaos, Grace in Tragedy, and Hope in Between | A Physician's Journey Through Emergency Medicine: Tales from the Trenches | The Last Traverse: A Tale of Tragedy and Resilience in the Winter Wilderness | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
 |
 |
|
| B2B Rating |
94
|
98
|
97
|
| Sale off | |||
| Total Reviews | 81 reviews | 58 reviews | 56 reviews |
| Emergency Medical Services (Books) | Emergency Medical Services | ||
| ISBN-10 | 1734425105 | ||
| Dimensions | 5.25 x 0.64 x 8 inches | ||
| Item Weight | 10.4 ounces | ||
| ISBN-13 | 978-1734425109 | ||
| Publisher | Gyrfalcon Press; 1st edition | ||
| Religious Philosophy (Books) | Religious Philosophy | ||
| Language | English | ||
| Medical Professional Biographies | Medical Professional Biographies | Medical Professional Biographies | |
| Paperback | 254 pages | ||
| Customer Reviews | 4.0/5 stars of 753 ratings | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 886 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when.execute { if { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative { if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when.execute { A.declarative{ if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } }); }); | 4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 392 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when.execute { if { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative { if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when.execute { A.declarative{ if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } }); }); |
| Best Sellers Rank | #424 in Emergency Medical Services #2,534 in Religious Philosophy #2,681 in Medical Professional Biographies | #645 in Emergency Medicine #2,349 in Medical Professional Biographies | #66 in Emergency Medicine #73 in Mountain Climbing |
Canada on Jan 16, 2024