The Medical Science of House, M.D. (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The facts behind the addictive medical drama starring Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie.

Week after week, House, M.D. has held viewers' attention with brilliant cast performances and intriguing diagnostic mysteries often solved with daring treatments. But how much of the medical detail is real and how much is fabricated? In The Medical Science of House, M.D., Andrew Holtz, a well-known medical journalist, reveals how medical detectives work-how they follow symptoms to their source. He examines each case in detail and provides answers to such questions as:

- How can a teenager adopted at birth nearly die because his biological mother didn't get a vaccine?
- How can a husband's faith in his wife's fidelity determine whether radical treatment will cure her or kill her?
- How can a missed eye-doctor appointment reveal a genetic disease?
- How can doctors choose the right course for a pregnant woman when one may kill her and the other would abort her fetus

About the Author

Andrew Holtz, MPH, is a health journalist. A former CNN medical correspondent-and co-anchor for the Your Health program-he now works as a freelancer covering health and medicine. He is a board member and past president of the Association of Health Care Journalists.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; 1 edition (October 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425212300
• ISBN-13: 978-0425212301
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #143,285 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

81 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Basically an opportunistic effort. Didn't do much for me at all., November 27, 2006

By	Jazz Hermit (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

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With no malice towards the efforts of Mr. Holtz I didn't really think that this book was all that interesting. It's an explanation of some of what goes on in the modern practice of medicine explained with referrences to "House M.D." At the end of it all I felt that it made the show less enjoyable and while it was mildly informative about the practice of medicine it was nothing special.

Holtz draws the conclusion that in the real world House would quickly be out of a job. Of course he would, but if TV dramas restricted themselves to reality no one would watch. I don't watch House to learn about medicine, I watch it to see an ongoing story about a brilliant man with an unconventional way of looking at things.

My recommendations are as follows, if you want a book about modern medicine look for one that is not tied to a work of fiction and if you like "House M.D." continue to suspend disbelief and enjoy the show the same as always. My final comment is that I suspect that someone wanted to write a very broad, general book about medicine and used "House M.D." as an opportunity to gain attention and market for the book.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A mouse about House, January 18, 2007

By	Tally Ho "Mare" (Oregon) - See all my reviews

This book was a good start if you're interested in the science behind the popular TV series, "House."
My teenage son absolutely loved the book, and read it cover to cover before playing his new X-Box games at Christmas, which gives you an idea how much it appealed to him.
As an R.N. myself, I found the medical aspects of this book to be understandable, without talking over the head, or talking down to the casual reader. Where it falls down for me, is that Andrew Holtz is not a very charasmatic writer.
If only the book had the delivery of the series, this would have been a definite five-star read.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars House has Left the House, January 23, 2007

By	Anne deFuria "Blogging Librarian" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

... and entered a book...
calling all Dr. Gregory House fans, read The Medical Science of House by Andrew Holtz. Holtz, a medical journalist, clarifies the mysteries and diagnoses in the television show House, which follows an irascible, but brilliant, diagnostician named, you guessed it, House.
If you watch the show and it goes so fast that you need a review of medical terms and conditions or a clarification of the lightening fast thinking and and Jersey-esque verbal speed and brusqueness of the doctors, go to the show's website which recaps each episode in detail. For a broader view of the medicine on the show, Holtz's book not only explains several of the TV show's episodes and cases, it serves as an introduction to health care and medicine today. Holtz clearly and methodically explains the process of differential diagnosis for example. He covers the different kinds of vaccinations against diseases, briefly describes epidemics and other public health disasters, summarizes the various medical imaging techniques from x-rays to CAT scans and PET scans and generally covers a lot of ground in an entertaining style. This book was a quick read. I recommend it to any non-medical professional with an interest in the field, teens who like medical thrillers and possibly book clubs looking for a break from novels.