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The Uncommon Thread
The Uncommon Thread along with the column Una Voce have been two of the most popular features in the JOURNAL: of the Mississippi State Medical Association in recent years. At one time or the other Dr. Scott Anderson has written them both. His stories are published for the physicians but are loved by spouses, nurses, office workers and patients alike. They cover a gamut of subjects but each shines a light on some aspect of our uncommon lives. Out June 2012 from China Grove Press.
- GenresNonfiction
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 20, 2012
155 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 9, 2012
The Uncommon Thread is full of stories about everything from hunting, to Italy, to the family’s rescued pets. Not all the stories are funny. Some are poignant, such as when Dr. Anderson had to tell a patient on Christmas Day that she had cancer, and the lesson he learned on that day. Others are serious, like his opinions on healthcare and the economy. He tells a funny and sweet story about hunting with his kids. I’m quite sure none of his kids will forget that hunting trip. Ever. We have the pure silliness in “The Ghost and the Book Wright Expansions”, and in “Canine Behavior”, we learn how brilliant eight-year-olds are. I read this book in one sitting (mostly because I procrastinated, but also because it’s just that good), and in just a few hours, I smiled, laughed out loud, and cried.
My ten-year-old even enjoyed the book. Or what he read of it. He hasn’t finished it yet. I gave it to him when we were stuck in our tent one evening, trying to escape the bees. He had forgotten to bring a book on the camping trip, and I had two. One was a murder mystery with a side of romance and the other was The Uncommon Thread. I hadn’t started either book yet, and wasn’t sure just exactly how much romance was in the murder mystery. I didn’t think a book compiled from medical journal articles would be too far out there for him to read. I hoped. I did tell him that if he read anything he didn’t understand or that made him feel uncomfortable to stop reading. He brought me one “hell” and a “damn”, but he hears worse than that on PG movies, so I wasn’t worried about it. There is one use of the f-word, but he’s quoting someone else, and my son hasn’t gotten to that chapter yet. I did have to block off one chapter for him to not read, because it’s about Anderson’s daughter discovering the truth about the Tooth Fairy, and all her fictional friends, and as my son still believes in said friends, I don’t want him reading that just yet. But he did say the book is really funny and he likes it.
My favorite chapter is entitled Confabulation Nation and basically says that there are two sides to every story, none of us knows the whole of any story, and we should try a little harder to get along instead of making everything into an “us versus them” argument.
"What I’m trying to say, is that we should all try and be a little more understanding with each other, because we’re all suffering from the same disease, mortality. None of us has been here long enough to know the truth of hardly anything, so we should be more gentle with each other, because, we’re all doing the best we can, just making it up as we go along."
There are a few minor grammar and editing errors, but nothing more than in any other book and nothing that kept me from enjoying the stories. I really only mention it because one of the errors was that in two different places, “effected” was used instead of “affected”. I find this amusing and ironic, because in the last chapter, Anderson includes some advice that an editor friend gave him, and #6 is “The spell checker will not tell you if you use the wrong word.” However, #7 is, “Leave the reader wanting more,” and Dr. Anderson has certainly done that.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.
My ten-year-old even enjoyed the book. Or what he read of it. He hasn’t finished it yet. I gave it to him when we were stuck in our tent one evening, trying to escape the bees. He had forgotten to bring a book on the camping trip, and I had two. One was a murder mystery with a side of romance and the other was The Uncommon Thread. I hadn’t started either book yet, and wasn’t sure just exactly how much romance was in the murder mystery. I didn’t think a book compiled from medical journal articles would be too far out there for him to read. I hoped. I did tell him that if he read anything he didn’t understand or that made him feel uncomfortable to stop reading. He brought me one “hell” and a “damn”, but he hears worse than that on PG movies, so I wasn’t worried about it. There is one use of the f-word, but he’s quoting someone else, and my son hasn’t gotten to that chapter yet. I did have to block off one chapter for him to not read, because it’s about Anderson’s daughter discovering the truth about the Tooth Fairy, and all her fictional friends, and as my son still believes in said friends, I don’t want him reading that just yet. But he did say the book is really funny and he likes it.
My favorite chapter is entitled Confabulation Nation and basically says that there are two sides to every story, none of us knows the whole of any story, and we should try a little harder to get along instead of making everything into an “us versus them” argument.
"What I’m trying to say, is that we should all try and be a little more understanding with each other, because we’re all suffering from the same disease, mortality. None of us has been here long enough to know the truth of hardly anything, so we should be more gentle with each other, because, we’re all doing the best we can, just making it up as we go along."
There are a few minor grammar and editing errors, but nothing more than in any other book and nothing that kept me from enjoying the stories. I really only mention it because one of the errors was that in two different places, “effected” was used instead of “affected”. I find this amusing and ironic, because in the last chapter, Anderson includes some advice that an editor friend gave him, and #6 is “The spell checker will not tell you if you use the wrong word.” However, #7 is, “Leave the reader wanting more,” and Dr. Anderson has certainly done that.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2013
R. Scott Anderson’s The Uncommon Thread is a hilarious romp through the musings of a deep thinker. Albeit irreverent at times, there is something to be learned from Anderson.
The short essays are witty, full of quips and jabs, but not demeaning or degrading. They are fun, quick reads, all with a message to be taken from them. Several had me actually laughing out loud, some in thoughtful silence. Others brought me to near-tears. What you need to know going into these essays is that you will see life through the eyes of a very intelligent doctor, and reevaluate how you see your own life, how seriously or not you take it, how you will let what you read and learn change you.
I liked the honest voice in which each essay was written. It was relatable and genuine, like going to coffee with a dear friend and discussing the latest adventure and lessons learned. There was a bit of comfort and nostalgia, mixed in with just enough excitement to keep you drawn into the story. Several short stories were included as well. Some were humorous, others verging on unusual or weird.
One of the great things about reading a compilation of short stories or essays is that it is full of variety. I never got bored reading Anderson’s writings! They were captivating. I tended to enjoy most reading his retelling of something that happened within his family, stories about his children especially.
This is a fun, easy read that will open your mind, give your funny bone a workout, and most of all, entertain you.
The short essays are witty, full of quips and jabs, but not demeaning or degrading. They are fun, quick reads, all with a message to be taken from them. Several had me actually laughing out loud, some in thoughtful silence. Others brought me to near-tears. What you need to know going into these essays is that you will see life through the eyes of a very intelligent doctor, and reevaluate how you see your own life, how seriously or not you take it, how you will let what you read and learn change you.
I liked the honest voice in which each essay was written. It was relatable and genuine, like going to coffee with a dear friend and discussing the latest adventure and lessons learned. There was a bit of comfort and nostalgia, mixed in with just enough excitement to keep you drawn into the story. Several short stories were included as well. Some were humorous, others verging on unusual or weird.
One of the great things about reading a compilation of short stories or essays is that it is full of variety. I never got bored reading Anderson’s writings! They were captivating. I tended to enjoy most reading his retelling of something that happened within his family, stories about his children especially.
This is a fun, easy read that will open your mind, give your funny bone a workout, and most of all, entertain you.
June 29, 2012
A collection of essays, a series of curious insights, a lively, laugh-out-loud tapestry of those uncommon threads that make a real person… Biting humor, lions with biting teeth, bright satire, odd musing’s on the naming of Tom… Yes, these essays do all hang together, somehow, like a family, bound by that glorious thread of sincere humanity.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I was offered the chance to review R. Scott Anderson's book of essays. The author’s an oncologist, so I’m curious. He’s a writer from Mississippi, so he carries that Southern literary outlook. He’s worked in the Middle East, Central America, with the NYPD, the SEALS, the Navy’s EOD community and more, so he knows his acronyms and the ways of the world. And he’s got lots of kids.
So what does he write about in his column for Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association? Well, he writes essays. Sometimes there’s something medical about them. Sometimes they’re set in Africa and the lions are drawing close. Sometimes there are squirrels. There's an old school bus as well, the odd car accident...
The Uncommon Thread feels like conversations with a curious friend where you quickly find yourself hoping he’ll keep in touch. Laughing over his exploits and disasters, listening as he turns serious, plotting as the threads run wild and wondering how they’ll come back together... Okay, I didn’t love every piece, but I certainly loved the book. I even laughed out loud during the soccer on TV—what heresy!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I was offered the chance to review R. Scott Anderson's book of essays. The author’s an oncologist, so I’m curious. He’s a writer from Mississippi, so he carries that Southern literary outlook. He’s worked in the Middle East, Central America, with the NYPD, the SEALS, the Navy’s EOD community and more, so he knows his acronyms and the ways of the world. And he’s got lots of kids.
So what does he write about in his column for Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association? Well, he writes essays. Sometimes there’s something medical about them. Sometimes they’re set in Africa and the lions are drawing close. Sometimes there are squirrels. There's an old school bus as well, the odd car accident...
The Uncommon Thread feels like conversations with a curious friend where you quickly find yourself hoping he’ll keep in touch. Laughing over his exploits and disasters, listening as he turns serious, plotting as the threads run wild and wondering how they’ll come back together... Okay, I didn’t love every piece, but I certainly loved the book. I even laughed out loud during the soccer on TV—what heresy!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
February 9, 2013
I won this book on a blog giveaway; part of a "mystery" package of books. The book contains short stories/essays written by the author for a column in a medical journal.
The stories vary from cute family occurances, to sad stories of cancer, to some of hunting in Africa, which may be disturbing to some readers.
The author, is a radiation oncologist, who wrote features for a medical journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association for 3 years, so one would expect to read many essays that pertain to the medical field.
There are 43 short stories in this book. Most are easy enough to read. But a few I did skip over, such as, the hunting stories. A couple of my favorites are, the "Squirrel Story" and the "Anderson Family Driving School".
So if you're looking for an easy read, one that you can pick up for a bit or put down, this can be a pleasant distraction, but if you are sensitive to animal stories, cancer, death, you may want to skip those chapters. You can come to your own conclusions.
May 22, 2012
Dr. Anderson dispenses a good dose of humor, common sense and heart-warming anecdotes in this collection essays first published in a medical journal in Mississippi. I understand why doctors then their medical staffs and eventually their patients wanted to read more.
I want to sit down and have a cup of coffee with Dr. Anderson when it's over. It's warm and thoughtful and just what the doctor ordered when you're looking for a book you can pick up, put down, or just keep reading throughout the whole day and into the evening.
I want to sit down and have a cup of coffee with Dr. Anderson when it's over. It's warm and thoughtful and just what the doctor ordered when you're looking for a book you can pick up, put down, or just keep reading throughout the whole day and into the evening.
May 24, 2012
Well I've read each of these stories so many times I almost have them memorized. They represent five years of writing something that I love, The Uncommon Thread, that most uncommon of things you see today a column dedicated to literary exploration as a regular part of a monthly scientific medical journal. Thanks to a most perceptive editor Dr. Luke Lampton for taking a chance on it.
May 22, 2012
LOVE this book! The author has a great style, and humor in dealing with every day life. Good gift book for family and friends.
October 1, 2012
I tried to like this book, I really did. I like the concept of it - but just could not get past the author's over-use of the comma.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews