Customer Reviews

El médico (Extraordinaria Aventura) (Spanish Edition)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Muy interesante, ya que yo soy medico en Inglaterra y conozco los lugares hablados, describe a la perfeccion la figura de cirujano-barbero (Mister), caso unico ingles, diferente del medico (Doctor), de aqui la diferencia actualmente entre los "misteres" y los "doctors" ingleses. Y como ambos reconocen que uno no esta completo sin el otro, por ello "Mr" Cole decide hacerse tambien un "Doctor" a un precio tremendo, mas o menos lo que he vivido yo 1,000 anhos despues. Cole tenia la oportunidad de estudiar medicina en Espanha (Salamanca, Alcala y otras), Salerno (Italia) o Bagdad, ya que las universidades de medicina eran Arabes, prefirio irse a Bagdad y estudiar con Avicena. Yo personalmente tambien cruze el mundo para estudiar medicina en Alcala de Henares. A leer este libro que es de lo mejor que he leido.

My good friend Mario strongly recommended me this book, even if he knew a physician's life wasn't my cup of tea.
I'm grateful he convinced me to read this book; it is a very good one to be sure!
The curious story about this novel is that it was first a success in Germany and Spain before booming at the USA.
"El Medico" is the Spanish translation of "The Physician" published by prestigious editorial house Martinez Roca.

First I'll point out the less successful aspect of the opus: the historical period reconstruction doesn't sound fully accurate. I'm not sure why this happens, may be due to very modern view point of the main character, to some characters name and/or some doubtful historical issues.

That said, nevertheless, "The Physician" is a valuable and gripping read and once you start with it you can't stop!
The story, situated around year 1050, follows Robert J. Cole's life from boyhood until he is around 40 years old.
Rob & his brothers are orphaned while they were very young. Carpenter's Guild helps them finding new homes. Rob is left in charge of Barber, a barber-surgeon, as his apprentice and joins his new master in his wandering life.
In a way that makes me remember Gelsomina in Fellini's movie "La Strada", Rob learn how to perform as entertainer, medicine seller & surgeon.
He also discovers he possess a strange Gift, he is capable to sense when a person, apparently ill or not, is nearing death.
Some experiences in this nomadic life, awake Rob's desire to become a physician in order to help suffering people better.
He learns that in Ispahan (Persia) exists a great teaching place with Avicenna as its most conspicuous doctor.
There is only on big obstacle: Persians are Muslims and confronting Byzantine Christians, son no Christian will be admitted. What to do? Rob decides to go there and pass as a Jew, as Jews are tolerated.
After Barber's death he starts a two year journey traversing all Europe and learning how to pass as a Jew. He will soon discover that is not so easy to be a Jew.

Here starts the most fascinating part of the story with a gripping cavalcade thru an exotic world!

A recommended read for those interested in historical subject and more specifically in medieval life and medicine.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Buen libro. A pesar de los obvios agujeros históricos, el autor ha escrito un libro entretenido y de fácil digestión. En las 900 páginas del libro se encuentran descripciones detalladas del medio oriente y rasgos del mítico Avicena. Ampliamente recomendable para personas amantes de la lectura.

El Médico es sin duda uno de los libros para todo aquél que se inicia en ese largo viaje de la carrera médica. Nos relata la historia de Robert Cole, un inglés en la edad media, quien descubre un enorme don, y ese don le impulsa a la vocación poderosa de luchar contra la enfermedad, encontrando las respuestas que necesita en ese fiero y arduo combate. La búsqueda de las respuestas lo lleva en un fascinante viaje hasta el medio Oriente en donde se encuentra con el "principe" de la medicina y uno de sus padres: Avicena. Una obra bella no solo por la enorme cantidad de mensajes que tocan la conciencia de todo sanador, si no también por su ambientación temporal y geográfica, las cuales Noah Gordon ha tenido el tino de cuidar hasta en sus más pequeños detalles. Es un libro que definitivamente está destinado a influir mucho en quien lo lee.

Un libro excelente. La segunda parte me ha gustado menos je la primera, pero aun así, muy recomendable.
Lo leí hace mucho, y lo acabo de releer. Y aun me ha encantado... No muchos libros mantienn así el interés!

This was the first book that I read from Mr. Gordon. Just excellent, I been reading the hole Cole's saga, after this book, Mr. Gordon is one of my favorite writer.

My good friend Mario strongly recommended me this book, even if he knew a physician's life wasn't my cup of tea.
I'm grateful he convinced me to read this book; it is a very good one to be sure!
The curious story about this novel is that it was first a success in Germany and Spain before booming at the USA.

First I'll point out the less successful aspect of the opus: the historical period reconstruction doesn't sound fully accurate. I'm not sure why this happens, may be due to very modern view point of the main character, to some characters name and/or some doubtful historical issues.

That said, nevertheless, "The Physician" is a valuable and gripping read and once you start with it you can't stop!
The story, situated around year 1050, follows Robert J. Cole's life from boyhood until he is around 40 years old.
Rob & his brothers are orphaned while they were very young. Carpenter's Guild helps them finding new homes. Rob is left in charge of Barber, a barber-surgeon, as his apprentice and joins his new master in his wandering life.
In a way that makes me remember Gelsomina in Fellini's movie "La Strada", Rob learn how to perform as entertainer, medicine seller & surgeon.
He also discovers he possess a strange Gift, he is capable to sense when a person, apparently ill or not, is nearing death.
Some experiences in this nomadic life, awake Rob's desire to become a physician in order to help suffering people better.
He learns that in Ispahan (Persia) exists a great teaching place with Avicenna as its most conspicuous doctor.
There is only on big obstacle: Persians are Muslims and confronting Byzantine Christians, son no Christian will be admitted. What to do? Rob decides to go there and pass as a Jew, as Jews are tolerated.
After Barber's death he starts a two year journey traversing all Europe and learning how to pass as a Jew. He will soon discover that is not so easy to be a Jew.

Here starts the most fascinating part of the story with a gripping cavalcade thru an exotic world!

A recommended read for those interested in historical subject and more specifically in medieval life and medicine.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Noah Gordon has done a superb job of drawing the reader into this 11th century story. Historical facts and practices of the time are carefully interwoven into the main story. The book spans quite a long period of time, but at no point does the reader get bored with the pace of events. I read the book in Spanish and was delighted with the colourfulness of the language used and how the story developed throughout. I would highly recommend this book to anybody interested in novels of the time, as well as all those simply interested in a good story.

The Physican is probably the best historical novel I've read. Noah Gordon is a superb writer. In fact, I've reread it and even enjoyed it more the second time. I've read everything that Noah Gordon has written. The same accolades go for all his novels! Read and enjoy!

I couldn't put the book down. Noah Gordon is one of my favorite authors.