The Neglected and Abused: A Physician's Year in Haiti [Paperback]

Joseph Francis Bentivegna (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0962600105 | ISBN-13: 978-0962600104 | Publication Date: April 1991

A stirring account of a year spent as a physician in a third-World country, Haiti. Excerpts from this book were published in The New York Times Week in Review January 16th, 2010 as part of a feature entitled Haiti in Ink and Tears.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Doctor Bentivegna is an ophthalmologist living in Connecticut. He has written numerous op-ed pieces for The Hartford Courant and The New York Times regarding health care, tort reform, and the political situation in Haiti. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 171 pages
• Publisher: Michelle Pub Co (April 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962600105
• ISBN-13: 978-0962600104
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,118,768 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > Travel > Caribbean > Haiti

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An accurate, gripping depiction of life in Haiti, May 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Neglected and Abused: A Physician's Year in Haiti (Paperback)

Bentevegna, in his simple and straightforward writing style, is sure to gain the attention and interest of readers. As a predecessor to a first trip to Haiti, I found this book extremely useful in an understanding of the people and the poor state of medical care in Haiti. An excellent choice for both those recently becoming familiar with this fascinating country and experts alike.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A personal, on the ground memoir on Haiti's forgotten poor, December 26, 1996

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Neglected and Abused: A Physician's Year in Haiti (Paperback)

While so much of what we read and hear about Haiti centers around changes in government, U.S. intervention, United Nations involvement, and government repression and corruption, this book offers a glimpse into the lives of the silent majority in Haiti: the poorest of the poor. Having just returned from Haiti, I can attest to the truth in Dr. Bentivegna's observations, and I was struck by how his words matched the memories I have of what I observed. In his Introduction, he makes the point that when the "biological dice" were rolled, he (and by extension, most of us lucky enough to be born in America) "got double sixes." Most of us have never had to beg for food or scramble for a place to sleep. Our biggest concerns about health care relate to its cost, not its quality or availability. Few of us resort to selling our prescribed medications in order to obtain food. We are so fortunate in ways that are so basic we can't help but taking them for granted. By an accident of birth, any of us, no matter how wealthy or important, could have been born in that environment.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A most interesting - yet disturbing review of life in Haiti., June 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Neglected and Abused: A Physician's Year in Haiti (Paperback)

I found the book to be most interesting and yet almost unbelieveable at the same time. To think that in our age of advancement and technology, there are still some that live in such abject poverty is unfathomable. The Haitian people, dispite their unfortunate living and health conditions, still seem to remain accepting and almost positive in their outlook on life. They surely deserve our admiration and most definitely our help.