From Voodoo to Viagra: The Magic of Medicine: 37 Uplifting Essays from a Doctor's Bag of Tricks (Paperback)

~ Oscar London (Author) "OH, IF ONLY STANLEY KUBRICK HAD LIVED to direct my life in medicine!..." (more)
Key Phrases: San Francisco, Krispy Kremes, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Although it'¬?s tough imagining there is anything funny about the practice of medicine anymore, a physician with empathy, writing skills and a sense of humor shows us otherwise. . . .FROM VOODOO TO VIAGRA brings both wit and empathy to a variety of delicate topics." -Chicago Tribune"Cohn'¬?s comedy seems to be a suitable remedy for any ailment." - Diablo Magazine"The perfect book for what ails you, because here are 37 mostly hilarious essays . . . on subjects from ill celebrities to diets, surgeons and obnoxious patients to topics you'd best read in the privacy of your own home." -Dallas Morning News"If Dr. London was as prolific as he is funny, he'¬?d write an essay every day-I need another NOW." -Maya Angelou"Oscar London is not just extremely funny, but very wise. Yes, he will keep you laughing but you will also marvel at the insights into human behavior that only a physician'¬?s viewpoint can bring. FROM VOODOO TO VIAGRA draws upon the wit of a great American humorist who has spent a lifetime caring for human beings at their best and worst." -Dr. Dean Edell, radio and TV host, and author of Eat, Drink, and Be Merry"Just call him Dr. funny bone." - Contra Costa Times "The writing in FROM VOODOO TO VIAGRA is witty and tart, informative on an array of issues and surprisingly fun." -Berkeley Daily Planet

Product Description

The doctor who dispensed the invaluable advice KILL AS FEW PATIENTS AS POSSIBLE is at it again with a collection of waggish musings on everything from Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut to voodoo, ballerinas, and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Dr. Oscar London's FROM VOODOO TO VIAGRA pokes fun at the serious and sometimes outrageous world of medicine, from the ability of doctors to work in the face of disagreeable smells, to the surgeon who uses a scalpel to excise fat from the "B" in his BLT. No one in the medical community is safe from Dr. London's fine-tuned wit. Whether you're a 27-year veteran of County General, a newly graduated resident, or a patient of any age-these 37 keenly wrought essays are the perfect cure for a gloomy mood, and storytelling at its finest.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press; 1 edition (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580082874
• ISBN-13: 978-1580082877
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #779,466 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Medicine Man Does it Again, January 9, 2002

By	D. Walton "fortunepr" (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This collection of vignettes is timely, and as always with Dr. London, hysterically funny. You definitely don't have to be in the medical profession to find his anecdotes simply delicious antidotes to daily life. Readers will recognize characters and symptons they've either known or experienced themselves and get a good dose of the laughing cure along with the story. But what's best about Dr. London's humor is its humanity. It's clear that he cares about his patients even when they try his, well, patience. Plus, he is a delightfully clever writer. Best to read his books in a group for the full effect - each funnier than the next.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply wonderful, just like the author, June 28, 2001

By	C.M. (Irving, TX) - See all my reviews

As one of Dr. London's patients (that's not his real name), I feel honored every time I talk to him on the phone or have an appointment with him. But that's not what this review is about. It's about a tremendously smart, superbly funny and surprisingly insightful series of essays about doctor-patient relationships. Dr. London has his patients -- and readers -- pegged. Now that I've read this one, I'm getting the rest of his books.