Doc Susie: The True Story of a Country Physician in the Colorado Rockies

by Virginia Cornell

The bestselling true story of a woman doctor at the turn of the century and her triumph over prejudice, poverty, and even her own illness. When she arrived in Colorado in 1907, Dr. Susan Anderson had a broken heart and a bad case of tuberculosis. But she stayed to heal the sick, tend to the dying, fight the exploitative railway management, and live a colorful, rewarding life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Historical, Medical, Memoir, American

225 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because I’m always interested in Colorado history. The author does a really good job creating the time and place with vivid detail. Doc Suzie was one determined woman. It wasn’t easy being a woman mountain doctor. I found her life fascinating.

[Chana · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent recounting of the the life of Doc Susie, a country doctor in rural Fraser Colorado from 1907 - 1958. Her story is fascinating and I enjoyed reading it very much. A lot of history as well about the railroad, the trains, the men who worked them; the Swedish lumberjacks, the lumber camps; the medicine of the day, and the people of Fraser.
Recommended.

[Tarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since I watched "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman", I have wanted so badly to read a good story about a lady doctor in past history. If she lived in Colorado, all the better. So Doc Susie's story is close enough to what I wanted. It's real and raw though. This woman lived a hard lifestyle, but she led a good life.

This book is partly a biography, and partly a story. The author explains that she has pieced together how conversations might have happened, and created a setting that resembles the feel of a novel -- all while restricting herself to the boundaries of accurate information (or fairly close) as presented in a biography. It's not strictly textbook reading -- instead it has an extra flair of rugged adventure and makes the reader feel real emotion for these mountain people whose lives crossed paths with Doc Susie's.

Language level: Mild language. (1 instance in particular, I would rate as a level 4 out of 5 for foul language -- just for the one word.)

Content level: 4 out of 5. Contains some sensitive topics such as childbirth and purity, but isn't very detailed. However, there is 1 lewd act in particular, taking place close to the end.

Minimum age to read: 16 and up.

Intrepid and complex, Susan Anderson is a woman I can glean many lessons from. She was a hard worker, knew how to wield wit (not a virtue per se, but certainly enjoyable to me as a reader), and didn't take "no" for an answer... She persevered and somehow prospered, even if never monetarily wealthy. Now that's a wonderful type of lady.

COYER (Read a book that has been on your TBR the longest): 3

[Kathy Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author, Virginia Cornell, offers not only a fascinating biography of Susan Anderson M.D. (1870—1960), but a well-researched history of life in Fraser, Colorado, a high-altitude community now a skiing destination. Doc Susie, as Doctor Anderson came to be known, was the doctor there in the early 19th century, when immigrant Swedes in the lumber business and dedicated railroad workers risked their lives to keep the lines running. Dr. Susan Anderson suffered from tuberculosis, and in her late 30s left the Midwest for Colorado, one of many who sought a cold dry climate in hopes of a cure. Cured she was, and thereafter she decided to stay, seeing the acute need for medical care there. Writing in 1991, Cornell was able to draw on extensive diaries and interviews with those who knew Doc Susie. These resources enable her to give a detailed and personal account of Doc and her patients. The book ends with the construction of the Moffat Tunnel, a dangerous enterprise made even more so by corporate greed and opportunistic politicians. I’ve read this book twice, enjoying it each time. Highly recommended as a fascinating biography and cultural and medical history.

[Kate Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in Fraser, Colorado, at the beginning of the 20th century as that rare species, a female physician, was not easy, but Susan Anderson pulled it off with verve and style. By encouraging prevention as well as treatment, she single-handedly improved the health of the whole community while saving her own life in the bargain. She had been so ill with tuberculosis in her thirties when she first set out for Fraser that she had to be lifted aboard the train, but ultimately lived to be 90! Her life there coincided with the building of the Moffat Tunnel, so there is much about that in the book. Her doctoring was greatly needed at that time, because so many workers on the tunnel became ill or injured in the process. She also served as county coroner.
Doc Susie provides a fascinating glimpse into a highly unusual life.

[Maryclaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book while on vacation in Colorado. It is so real. The descriptions of the mountains, mines, and shelters are perfect. You feel like you are right there with Doc Susie as she visits the lumber camps, rides the range and makes a place for herself in the women's world of medicine. If you love history you will love this book.

[Suzanne Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this years ago with my kids while vacationing in Colorado. Was a good reread during this pandemic. What a woman she must have been!

[Madalene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holds up fairly well - a dramatization of the life of a doctor in Fraser, Colorado - roughtly the mountains west of Boulder, in the early 1900s. I don't know how much of the opinions of the real Susan Anderson are reflected in the writing, but it's an interesting look at the lives of the lumberjacks and miners in the Colorado mountains and bits about railroad barons and standing up for oneself as a rare woman doctor in this setting. A nicely told tale.

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cornell says in her author's note that she tried to stay on the side of biography rather than biographical novel, and the book is the better for it, since this keeps her from imposing any sentimental cliches or stereotypes of the pioneering woman, gifted spinster, or lady doctor on her enormously intriguing subject, Susan Anderson, M.D. (1870-1960), who lived in a small mountain town of Colorado for much of her life.

The emphasis on biography keeps Cornell faithful to what she was able to learn about Doc Susie's life and to portray her accurately, though sympathetically, as a woman of determination, talent, grit, and humor. Doc Susie's life would make a great story even if the book were badly written, but this is a terrific read; aside from some copy-editing issues that made me itch for my red pen, the prose is lively and full of vibrant images, and the characters feel real, heartfelt, and engaging.

The story begins with the tiny lady doctor, disappointed in love and exhausted from her previous job, moving to Fraser, Colorado, to quietly die of tuberculosis. But Doc Susie recovers and grows to love the town in the high mountains, nourished by the lumber mills and dependent on the railroad to connect them to the rest of the world. Cornell describes how Susie, at first keeping her medical training under her hat, is "outed" as a trained doctor, and slowly becomes a key and beloved figure in her community. Much of the early action revolves around Susie's medical calls, and the descriptions of her patients' ailments are often gripping as well as educative about medical practices of the time. The chapter where she takes a boy with appendicitis over the Continental Divide in the depths of a brutal mountain winter had me biting my nails--drama just doesn't get better than this.

Cornell also takes care to show the landscape in which Doc Susie lived. Buildings, the railroad industry, high-altitude cooking, clothing, and entertainments like a country dance are all described in detail, which helps the reader understand this by-gone time, but without making the reading seem like a history lesson. A book like this performs the essential task of preserving and illuminating the life of its central figure while keeping her firmly in context of the time and place in which she lived. It's informative as well as entertaining, engaging and heartfelt, and often very funny. While Cornell's book might not hold up next to truly literary biographies about more famous or better-documented people, this is an essential act of historical preservation that breathes life into a time and place. I wish there were more books like this.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Interesting account of a woman physician, who came to the Colorado Fraser Valley to treat her tuberculosis at the age of 36 and stayed until she was almost 90. Her story is intertwined with the story of the building of the Moffatt Tunnel for the railroads and the accounts of loggers and ranchers in the area. The author has done her research on life ( a hard one) in the Rockies in the early 1900's.
The only drawback is that the author tends to try to build a romance into Doc Susie's life, and she gets carried away with what she thinks Doc Susie is thinking about men occasionally.
However, in spite of the "romanticizing," I found myself wanting to finish this book to see what happened to Doc Susie and all of the people she was treating for those many years in the valley. She was a very intelligent and determined woman, and her approach to medicine in that country was to not use any form of pain killers or narcotic, so that she wouldn't be attacked or robbed for them. That meant her patients had to truly "endure," while being cleaned or sewn up.
Having read the book while I was in Fraser gave it even more meaning, but I think the story stands on its own. A good read, for those who are interested in history and women of the early 20th century.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is listed as a biography, I think Historical Fiction is a little more accurate. I enjoyed the book, it is an interesting glimpse into early Colorado history, seen through the eyes of a very unusual country doctor. I think when the author imagined what Susie was thinking, it does add some " drama" but it is unnecessary, as Susie's life had plenty of drama without knowing what she may or may not have been thinking.

[Christi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a fairly interesting book written about the first female Doctor in Colorado who lived in Fraser. It had a good story but I wish it had been more autobiographically based and less like a weird soap opera harlequin hybrid where the author was just trying to speculate on the details of her personal life.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

i have great respect for this woman who defied all definitions of women and doctors of her time. i really enjoyed how hard she worked, how compassionate she was toward others and how she remained happy through it all.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend gave me this book when I moved to Fraser, Colorado. I knew nothing of this little town high in the mountains, but learned so much about Colorado, and this wonderful woman. It was a really captivating story and ended up loving this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many local history books sensationalize, or are poorly written or edited. This one is an exception. I really enjoyed reading about Doc Susie's life, and also the history of the railroad. We live not too far from Fraser and it's always fascinating to read about what the Colorado pioneers faced.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely well written and researched, this true story vividly brings to life the immense contributions Susan Anderson, M.D. made to the Fraser Valley area in Colorado, representing countless lives saved. An engaging read that reels you in along her entire journey.

[Michelle Schulten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book about the history of women in medicine, women in early 1900 Colorado, Winter Park/Fraser/Grand County Colorado, and the rail road. I read it with the Conifer Historical Society and Museum's book club. This is the 4th time I've read it over the past 15 or so years.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend this historical story of an amazing lady. I was equally interested in the Colorado history that Doc Susie lived and influenced.

[Diane Stultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I vacation often in Winter Park, Colorado and stay in Fraser where this story takes place. So this book called to me. This true story took place in the early 1900's. Doc Susan Anderson (Doc Susie) picked up and moved to Fraser, Colorado to cure herself of Tuberculosis. The dry air and cold climate was just what she needed. As a certified doctor with great credentials, she was, at first, hard pressed to gain respect. There were very few women doctors and folks were leery. The current country doctor treated most ailments with whisky. Doc Susie did not believe alcohol was a cure. She soon began to be called on when the other local doctor was busy. She mended injuries and cured diseases for many miners, farmers, loggers and even a horse! Soon people came to respect and depend on her. She lived a very rugged life and rarely was paid for her services with actual money.

A side story that coincided with many of the people who lived in Fraser and Tabernash, was the building of the Moffat Railroad Tunnel. This tunnel prevented the train from making dangerous crossings over the highest mountains. The Moffat tunnel, completed in 1929, is at the current base of Winter Park Ski resort. It was indicated in the book that dirt that was dug out to complete the tunnel became the base of WinterPark. The tunnel was controversial due to the long hours and low wages paid to the workers. There was corruption and sadly, the tunnel did not really benefit the people who toiled to make it happen.

I enjoyed this true account of people that lived a long time ago in a place that have grown to love.

Doc Susie lived to be 90! She was an amazing woman who was very much loved by the people of Fraser. She had a very interesting life!

[Rrshively · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a woman physician in the very early 20th Century who goes to one of the coldest towns in America, Fraser, Colorado in hopes that the dry rarified air will cure her tuberculosis. As she becomes stronger she is drawn in to the community and to serving it as a doctor even though her first patient there is a horse. Strong young Swedes, ranchers, and slick supervisors are some of the men whom she encounters in this lumber town. This book also tells the story of the rail route over the highest pass an American train track ever crossed and the building of the Moffat Tunnel to alleviate the dangers of that trip. Susie's ministrations to lumberjacks, railroad men, and tunnel diggers help form her opinions. When the Moffat Tunnel finally opens, Doc Susie has a surprise for the bigwigs. Doc Susie served Fraser until she was 86. Although I gave this book 3 instead of 4 stars, I think it is well worth reading. Since I lived in Colorado for many years and have even traveled through the Moffat Tunnel, I was especially pleased to find this book about a woman whose name was unfamiliar to me. One warning, this book has been out of print since 1991, so you will have to go to your favorite new or used book store or Amazon to locate this book in some used book store that has it in its inventory. My local book store was great in tracking this down.

[DeWayne Neel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book written in the early 1990s and it is a timeless story about a "country doctor" in Grand County, Colorado who just happened to be performing her service near my early Colorado residence. The author describes very accurately the streams and mountains where I later hiked and fished. It has grown from a small mountain community with a questionable railway to a high-dollar mountain playground for the Denver community. Just the history that Virginia presents is worthy of the read, but the doctor's personal story is an exciting adventure in the Colorado frontier. Cattlemen, loggers, miners, and railroaders are all struggling to survive in the mountains, near Denver, but just west of the mountains and a different weather pattern. A common thread among these early settlers was they were all poor in the world's goods, but rich in the breathing good fresh air.
Doctor Susie came to the fresh air to heal her lungs and hoped to find a man, she was 50% successful. She became an active member of the community well beyond her medical skills.
A delightful read.

[Jennifer Hallock · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was an engaging story of a sensible and talented woman doctor among the Nordic immigrant loggers of Colorado's peaks. Through documents and many detailed interviews, the author managed to source all the personal details of her cases, friendships, and love-life (incomplete as it was). It is all well told and an engrossing read. Personally, I was not as engaged in the Gilded Age railroad politics at the end of the book, partly because it required the introduction of many names, dates, and places that confused me. However, if you are interested in the Moffat Tunnel and the enormous human cost exacted to build it, then the end of the book will be an important source for you. Overall, I learned more from this book than I had even hoped.

[Marieta Grissom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the author's research and diligence for sharing Susan Anderson's story in this interesting, page-turner format.

While Doc Susie never found the romance and family she sought, her health was restored, and she found so much more. Being a woman doctor on the west side of the Rocky Mountains, she encountered typical prejudice for the era, but Doc Susie was more than a doctor; she loved the people who came to her for care and earned respect from the entire community as well as the greater Colorado medical community.

Now I want to read more about the Moffat Tunnel; I had no idea that building the tunnel was so controversial. My great-uncle (now long deceased) worked on the tunnel one winter.

[Patrice M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doc Susie was a real woman doctor at the turn of the 19th century in the wilds of Colorado. While the items of a factual nature about her interested me, the story was mostly a cobbling of facts about the lumber industry, and the railroad development in that area. The author in her intro reveals that she as a girl had a chance meeting with Doc Susie but much of the story is fictional. I enjoyed it as that, fiction, but found the historical detail about the railroad and other aspects a little more tedious reading.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent true story of a woman doctor practicing in harsh, western areas. Her story, harsh conditions, her toughness, how she had to practice medicine (ex. taking sick child by train many hours to hospital) and info about trains crossing snow covered mountains all very interesting.
Highly recommend!

[Dorry Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great story about a young girl, a doctor that came to Colorado in hopes of getting cured from TB. She had not planned to practice Medicine but as soon as the people in the town of Fraser realized she was a doctor she was in great demand. She spent her entire life doctoring people in Fraser and surrounding areas. Lot of sacrifices made.

[David Grissom · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s December 1907, and a young woman and all she owned is boarding a train to Fraser, Colorado with the hope of curing her tuberculosis. Her name is Dr Susan Anderson, yet for know she wishes to hide her profession so she can work on her cure. She will be drawn out as a doctor and will help the people of Fraser. How she accomplishes that is the rest of the story…

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful tribute to a woman truly ahead of her time. The local history was very interesting. My only complaint is the number of errors in the text. I wish it had been edited more thoroughly.

[Kathi Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good biography about a woman doctor in the mountains of Colorado around the beginning of the 20th century. She had to do everything for everybody without the benefit of good supplies (compared to today) or sterile fields. Well worth reading

[Mary Cochrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well done! This was one of those stories that could have been a captivating tale or a boring one. This author laid it out very nicely, embellishing just enough to bring out the character, but not enough to ruin all historical accuracy. I highly recommend this interesting tale.