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Dr. Kildare #6
Young Dr. Kildare
Vintage TV tie-in paperback
- GenresFiction
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1941
28 people want to read
About the author
Max Brand
1,858 books140 followersFrederick Schiller Faust (see also Frederick Faust), aka Frank Austin, George Owen Baxter, Walter C. Butler, George Challis, Evin Evan, Evan Evans, Frederick Faust, John Frederick, Frederick Frost, David Manning, Peter Henry Morland, Lee Bolt, Peter Dawson, Martin Dexter, Dennis Lawson, M.B., Hugh Owen, Nicholas Silver
Max Brand, one of America's most popular and prolific novelists and author of such enduring works as Destry Rides Again and the Doctor Kildare stories, died on the Italian front in 1944.
Max Brand, one of America's most popular and prolific novelists and author of such enduring works as Destry Rides Again and the Doctor Kildare stories, died on the Italian front in 1944.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 19, 2025
We start with a bit of personal history. Back when I was but a youngster, in the early '60s, there were, as I recall, two doctor shows. (at least on our TV). They were Dr. Kildare, starring Richard Chamberlain, and Ben Casey, starring Vince Edwards. I imagine my parents had a favorite. I was too young to know any better. But, more recently, TCM has shown some Doctor Kildare movies from the late 30's, starring Lew Ayres and Lionel Barrymore. (bored yet?). Anyway, I discovered that they were based on a series of books by Max Brand. Phew. Needless to say, I found one of the books, Young Dr. Kildare, which is listed as the 6th book in the series. Now onto the review.
In this story, Jimmy Kildare has just returned home to the small New England town where he was raised, having graduated from a small medical college. His parents are looking forward to him living at home, working at the local hospital, Dartford Hospital and eventually taking over his father's practice. His girl friend Beatrice Raymond is looking forward to marrying the young man.
Unfortunately, Jimmy has other plans. He is instead going to New York City to work as an interne at the prestigious Dupont General Hospital. And that's where he heads, knowing how much he is disappointing his aging parents.
It doesn't start off very well with poor Dr. Kildare. He immediately angers the great diagnostician, Dr. Gillespie and also puts off his room mates with is 'attitude'. Kildare is assigned to ambulance duty as his first work in the hospital. On his first outing, he and the ambulance attendents, treat 3 injuries. Realizing one of the victims might be having heart problems, he tasks the other attendent to ensure that the patient is on oxygen all the way to the hospital. James stays behind with the 3rd patient, a suicide attempt. The beautiful young lady is proclaimed dead but James manages to resuscitate her and has the ambulance take them back to the hospital.
He discovers that the 1st patient died of a heart attack upon arrival at the hospital. Kildare protects the ambulance attendant, accepting blame for a 'misdiagnosis', even though he was correct. His situation at the hospital continues to degenerate as he becomes more involved with the lady who had attempted suicide. He disagrees with the hospital's psychiatrist, saying he doesn't believe she is insane, just that he believes she is afraid. He develops a close relationship with the girl and refuses to tell his supervisors what she has told him.... because he promised not to.
Kildare must try to save his career and also the young lady as he investigates why she attempted to kill herself. It's an intersting story and well presented by Brand. Kildare is an interesting character trying to adjust to this new life. I have to say it's been nice to rekindle my limited memories of the TV series with this book. I may check out others. (3.0 stars)
In this story, Jimmy Kildare has just returned home to the small New England town where he was raised, having graduated from a small medical college. His parents are looking forward to him living at home, working at the local hospital, Dartford Hospital and eventually taking over his father's practice. His girl friend Beatrice Raymond is looking forward to marrying the young man.
Unfortunately, Jimmy has other plans. He is instead going to New York City to work as an interne at the prestigious Dupont General Hospital. And that's where he heads, knowing how much he is disappointing his aging parents.
It doesn't start off very well with poor Dr. Kildare. He immediately angers the great diagnostician, Dr. Gillespie and also puts off his room mates with is 'attitude'. Kildare is assigned to ambulance duty as his first work in the hospital. On his first outing, he and the ambulance attendents, treat 3 injuries. Realizing one of the victims might be having heart problems, he tasks the other attendent to ensure that the patient is on oxygen all the way to the hospital. James stays behind with the 3rd patient, a suicide attempt. The beautiful young lady is proclaimed dead but James manages to resuscitate her and has the ambulance take them back to the hospital.
He discovers that the 1st patient died of a heart attack upon arrival at the hospital. Kildare protects the ambulance attendant, accepting blame for a 'misdiagnosis', even though he was correct. His situation at the hospital continues to degenerate as he becomes more involved with the lady who had attempted suicide. He disagrees with the hospital's psychiatrist, saying he doesn't believe she is insane, just that he believes she is afraid. He develops a close relationship with the girl and refuses to tell his supervisors what she has told him.... because he promised not to.
Kildare must try to save his career and also the young lady as he investigates why she attempted to kill herself. It's an intersting story and well presented by Brand. Kildare is an interesting character trying to adjust to this new life. I have to say it's been nice to rekindle my limited memories of the TV series with this book. I may check out others. (3.0 stars)
March 14, 2022
I had read the first two Dr. Kildare stories and liked them but Max Brand's "Young Dr. Kildare" was more like the Kildare of the movies, yet I didn't see Lew Ayres as Jimmy. It seemed to me that Jimmy was more of a tough indivual. I look forward to reading more of this series.
Story in short-26 year old Dr. Jimmy Kildare goes home after medical school and must decide what and where his future will be, should he stay home or go to the city?
“You’d think some of the folks might have turned out to welcome Jimmy.” “He never made many friends–but always fast ones,” said the mother. “Well,” chuckled the doctor, “it’s true that he always hewed to the line and let his fists fall where they might. But maybe they’ve knocked some of the fight out of him back there in Hillsdale–What’s the matter, mother?”
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert ❌❌❌❌❌❌
It was interesting seeing Carew, Gillespie and hearing about Kildare's family and the way he thinks. I had thought he was quite unfeeling towards Beatrice, his childhood friend who has loved him for a long time. I was starting to understand he cared only for medicine, so Beatrice was better off that he told her he would never love the way she needed to be loved but then he tells her he will marry her in a couple years. I sure hope he doesn't disappoint and lead her on. The whole mystery about patient Barbara was good and especially liked his determination to help and his principles.
"Then Phil Watson and Jigger Loring and Steve Barney joined the doctor’s group, smiling, talking cheerfully about how fine it would be to have Jimmy back, and all the while their self-conscious eyes avoided the prettiest girl in town. If only Jimmy had not grown too big for the town!"
"Then his mother got to him. She was sixty years old, for Jimmy was a late-born child. She had a high-blood- pressure look, reddish purple high up the cheeks. She was too fat. Between elbow and shoulder the flesh bagged down against the sleeve. Age puckered her eyelids and the weariness of woman was in the eyes. He held her close a moment then turned to grip his father’s hand. The old man was standing too straight. A blow would break him now, for he could not bend. His old-fashioned, professional mask of sharp-trimmed moustaches and pointed beard seemed detached from the face like a wig that barely adhered."
“I have to send a wire. Maybe I’ve got it! Maybe I’ve nailed it down!” “What, my lad?” asked the doctor. “Oh, an old fellow in the hospital back there in Hillsdale. He’s sick a month with recurring fever and nobody’s been able to spot it.” Then they could hear his voice at the telephone in the hall, giving an address and adding for a message: “Suggest Bed Eight has relapsing fever please advise what results.”
"Old Dr. Kildare said: “What have you fixed on? You’ve never said what it’s to be–medicine, surgery, research, obstetrics–” “I don’t know,” answered Kildare. “Ah, but you have a preference by this time!” “No, I haven’t. I’m not so keen on any of them,” said Kildare. “Not so keen–” breathed the old man. “Ah, well,” he went on, relaxing, “it simply means that you’re ideally suited to the life of the country practitioner–a well-rounded business that keeps your hand in everything. Lots of good minds are looking favourably on general practice instead of this eternal, infernal specialising...”
"He stood up, treading water, and called: “Hi–Beatrice?” “Hi,” said the girl. He swam to the shore and sat down on his heels, the water from his body pattering down. “What’s the idea?” he asked. “I thought I’d cool off,” said Beatrice. She was in perfect repose, leaning against a rock with her hands clasped around one knee."
"Her bare legs meant that she had a swimming suit under her dress, no doubt. “Girls never come here,” he pointed out. “This girl does,” she answered, and let it go at that, making one of those familiar pauses in which she was always so at home, and he so ill at ease. He drew a little closer. “Don’t drip on me, Jimmy,” she cautioned in that calm voice of hers."
“Four years ago we used to sit and talk like this.” “What of it?” “But I was a grown man and you were only a baby. Great Scott, that would have made you only sixteen, or something. I never knew you were that young.” “I never was,” she told him. “What do you mean you never were?” “I was born old,” she said. “How old were you born?” “About your age, I suppose,” said Beatrice."
“Four years ago,” he said, “I was out of college and all that–and you seemed eighteen or twenty even then.” “I put on long skirts when I was fourteen,” she explained, “and made father get me a horse.” “Why?” “You were back from your sophomore year and you liked riding. I put a mean bit on that poor horse. I used to make him dance and then talk big to him."
"You noticed me quite a lot that summer.” “Are you trying to tell me that six years ago you’d made up your mind–” he began. “Ten years ago,” she corrected. “Some people are clever and do things fast. Some of us just find out what we want and keep pegging.”
“If you weren’t making me quite so happy, you’d be putting me to sleep,” he told her. “These are all new–these long lines across the forehead,” she went on. “They say: ‘What is it I want and when will the answer come?’ But down here between the eyes, getting darker and darker–these are the hours as deep as wells where nobody can go but Jimmy by himself.” He caught a quick breath which would not go out of him for a moment in speech. Then he was able to say: “I love you for that, Beatrice.” “How much do you love me?” “As high as the sky,” said Kildare. “I see,” murmured the girl. “What do you see?” he asked. “It’s only boy and girl stuff to you, still. And Dartford isn’t big enough to give you room for growing.”
“If you have all of New York and ten thousand cocktail parties, and your name in the big papers, what does it matter when you get to your father’s age? And isn’t his life good enough? If you’ve gone to your patients in a Rolls-Royce with a chauffeur or driven yourself in a Ford, in the wind-up, it’s just the sick people you’ve helped that matters.” “It’s not that–” he began to answer. “What makes you think that I’m not going to stay here?” “Listen, Jimmy. I know you so well that I could even pick out your neckties."
“You want to explain that women are great stuff and all that, but you have something else in your mind. One of these days you’re going to wake up, Jimmy, and the girl who fills your eyes when you step out of your trance is going to get the sort of love that only comes once in a century. When that day arrives, I want to be there.”
"He put out his hand. She placed hers in it, palm up, watching him closely. “No,” she said. “It’s no good. Not even with the moon helping. You simply don’t want this girl.” “I do, Beatrice,” exclaimed Kildare. “I think you’re–” “Hush!” murmured Beatrice. “There’s only one last thing to say. That’s about your father. He’s worked hard for you. If you go away–remember that he’s an old man. He’s brittle with age. He can’t stand up to shocks. And he counts on leaning on you from now on.”
Story in short-26 year old Dr. Jimmy Kildare goes home after medical school and must decide what and where his future will be, should he stay home or go to the city?
“You’d think some of the folks might have turned out to welcome Jimmy.” “He never made many friends–but always fast ones,” said the mother. “Well,” chuckled the doctor, “it’s true that he always hewed to the line and let his fists fall where they might. But maybe they’ve knocked some of the fight out of him back there in Hillsdale–What’s the matter, mother?”
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert ❌❌❌❌❌❌
It was interesting seeing Carew, Gillespie and hearing about Kildare's family and the way he thinks. I had thought he was quite unfeeling towards Beatrice, his childhood friend who has loved him for a long time. I was starting to understand he cared only for medicine, so Beatrice was better off that he told her he would never love the way she needed to be loved but then he tells her he will marry her in a couple years. I sure hope he doesn't disappoint and lead her on. The whole mystery about patient Barbara was good and especially liked his determination to help and his principles.
"Then Phil Watson and Jigger Loring and Steve Barney joined the doctor’s group, smiling, talking cheerfully about how fine it would be to have Jimmy back, and all the while their self-conscious eyes avoided the prettiest girl in town. If only Jimmy had not grown too big for the town!"
"Then his mother got to him. She was sixty years old, for Jimmy was a late-born child. She had a high-blood- pressure look, reddish purple high up the cheeks. She was too fat. Between elbow and shoulder the flesh bagged down against the sleeve. Age puckered her eyelids and the weariness of woman was in the eyes. He held her close a moment then turned to grip his father’s hand. The old man was standing too straight. A blow would break him now, for he could not bend. His old-fashioned, professional mask of sharp-trimmed moustaches and pointed beard seemed detached from the face like a wig that barely adhered."
“I have to send a wire. Maybe I’ve got it! Maybe I’ve nailed it down!” “What, my lad?” asked the doctor. “Oh, an old fellow in the hospital back there in Hillsdale. He’s sick a month with recurring fever and nobody’s been able to spot it.” Then they could hear his voice at the telephone in the hall, giving an address and adding for a message: “Suggest Bed Eight has relapsing fever please advise what results.”
"Old Dr. Kildare said: “What have you fixed on? You’ve never said what it’s to be–medicine, surgery, research, obstetrics–” “I don’t know,” answered Kildare. “Ah, but you have a preference by this time!” “No, I haven’t. I’m not so keen on any of them,” said Kildare. “Not so keen–” breathed the old man. “Ah, well,” he went on, relaxing, “it simply means that you’re ideally suited to the life of the country practitioner–a well-rounded business that keeps your hand in everything. Lots of good minds are looking favourably on general practice instead of this eternal, infernal specialising...”
"He stood up, treading water, and called: “Hi–Beatrice?” “Hi,” said the girl. He swam to the shore and sat down on his heels, the water from his body pattering down. “What’s the idea?” he asked. “I thought I’d cool off,” said Beatrice. She was in perfect repose, leaning against a rock with her hands clasped around one knee."
"Her bare legs meant that she had a swimming suit under her dress, no doubt. “Girls never come here,” he pointed out. “This girl does,” she answered, and let it go at that, making one of those familiar pauses in which she was always so at home, and he so ill at ease. He drew a little closer. “Don’t drip on me, Jimmy,” she cautioned in that calm voice of hers."
“Four years ago we used to sit and talk like this.” “What of it?” “But I was a grown man and you were only a baby. Great Scott, that would have made you only sixteen, or something. I never knew you were that young.” “I never was,” she told him. “What do you mean you never were?” “I was born old,” she said. “How old were you born?” “About your age, I suppose,” said Beatrice."
“Four years ago,” he said, “I was out of college and all that–and you seemed eighteen or twenty even then.” “I put on long skirts when I was fourteen,” she explained, “and made father get me a horse.” “Why?” “You were back from your sophomore year and you liked riding. I put a mean bit on that poor horse. I used to make him dance and then talk big to him."
"You noticed me quite a lot that summer.” “Are you trying to tell me that six years ago you’d made up your mind–” he began. “Ten years ago,” she corrected. “Some people are clever and do things fast. Some of us just find out what we want and keep pegging.”
“If you weren’t making me quite so happy, you’d be putting me to sleep,” he told her. “These are all new–these long lines across the forehead,” she went on. “They say: ‘What is it I want and when will the answer come?’ But down here between the eyes, getting darker and darker–these are the hours as deep as wells where nobody can go but Jimmy by himself.” He caught a quick breath which would not go out of him for a moment in speech. Then he was able to say: “I love you for that, Beatrice.” “How much do you love me?” “As high as the sky,” said Kildare. “I see,” murmured the girl. “What do you see?” he asked. “It’s only boy and girl stuff to you, still. And Dartford isn’t big enough to give you room for growing.”
“If you have all of New York and ten thousand cocktail parties, and your name in the big papers, what does it matter when you get to your father’s age? And isn’t his life good enough? If you’ve gone to your patients in a Rolls-Royce with a chauffeur or driven yourself in a Ford, in the wind-up, it’s just the sick people you’ve helped that matters.” “It’s not that–” he began to answer. “What makes you think that I’m not going to stay here?” “Listen, Jimmy. I know you so well that I could even pick out your neckties."
“You want to explain that women are great stuff and all that, but you have something else in your mind. One of these days you’re going to wake up, Jimmy, and the girl who fills your eyes when you step out of your trance is going to get the sort of love that only comes once in a century. When that day arrives, I want to be there.”
"He put out his hand. She placed hers in it, palm up, watching him closely. “No,” she said. “It’s no good. Not even with the moon helping. You simply don’t want this girl.” “I do, Beatrice,” exclaimed Kildare. “I think you’re–” “Hush!” murmured Beatrice. “There’s only one last thing to say. That’s about your father. He’s worked hard for you. If you go away–remember that he’s an old man. He’s brittle with age. He can’t stand up to shocks. And he counts on leaning on you from now on.”
September 24, 2018
Every Max Brand book I have read is about a gifted young man making his way in the world despite tremendous odds against him, and this book is no exception. It was a four star book until the last 30 pages when it went into unexpected, improbable, and lurid places, which killed my interest. Too bad.
December 31, 2021
Not as bad as I thought it would be, not as good as I hoped. The most distinctive thing about the book was the weird character of Dr. Kildare. His personality was abrasive and cold one minute and kind and almost caring the next. Very strange. I will probably read more in the series.
December 23, 2023
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Young Dr. Kildare is the first in a popular series of eight novels by writer Max Brand, beginning in 1940 and finishing in 1943. One of the most prolific writers of all time, he wrote more than 500 novels. Alongside Zane Grey, the western section of any bookstore is usually packed with Max Brand titles.
Young Dr. Kildare introduces us to Jimmy Kildare, as his parents and friends prepare to welcome him back to his hometown. Having just graduated a Doctor, his father is anxious to share a medical practice with him in the family home. Not to be, as Jimmy is already so engrossed in his practicum duties that he can't relax - even calling the hospital with newly inspired treatment methods while off duty. The thing about Kildare is he is usually right, diagnosing and discovering treatments no one had thought of that indeed save patients lives. The head of the hospital, Dr. Gillespie, is a brilliant man but a crusty old coot, and although he clashes with Kildare, he also sees him as the worthy successor to his position.
The central drama in Young Dr. Kildare concerns a probable overdose patient no one can reach. When she is lucid she rejects her wealthy 'society' family, feeling the secret which led her to this hospital would ruin them all. It turns out that while she was bored with her fiancé, she went to a party and was offered 'reefer'. After four cigarettes, she was out of her mind and woke up in a seedy room above the bar frequented by addicts and girls of ill repute. She thought the worst. Kildare has an ingenious way of bringing her out of darkness, and with a little detective work, uncovering exactly what happened.
Written in 1938, it has a light breezy style on the surface, with engrossing characters and a real sense of the social mores of the 1930's underneath. Dr. Kildare was such a popular series, it was made into a long running MGM movie series, radio programs, comics, and the TV series that ran for 5 seasons in the early 1960's that made Richard Chamberlain a star.
I sometimes wonder why I read a book at a certain time, and look for a common thread. The last book I read was The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, about a possessed house in Hillsdale.
Kildare went to medical school in Hillsdale.
Young Dr. Kildare is the first in a popular series of eight novels by writer Max Brand, beginning in 1940 and finishing in 1943. One of the most prolific writers of all time, he wrote more than 500 novels. Alongside Zane Grey, the western section of any bookstore is usually packed with Max Brand titles.
Young Dr. Kildare introduces us to Jimmy Kildare, as his parents and friends prepare to welcome him back to his hometown. Having just graduated a Doctor, his father is anxious to share a medical practice with him in the family home. Not to be, as Jimmy is already so engrossed in his practicum duties that he can't relax - even calling the hospital with newly inspired treatment methods while off duty. The thing about Kildare is he is usually right, diagnosing and discovering treatments no one had thought of that indeed save patients lives. The head of the hospital, Dr. Gillespie, is a brilliant man but a crusty old coot, and although he clashes with Kildare, he also sees him as the worthy successor to his position.
The central drama in Young Dr. Kildare concerns a probable overdose patient no one can reach. When she is lucid she rejects her wealthy 'society' family, feeling the secret which led her to this hospital would ruin them all. It turns out that while she was bored with her fiancé, she went to a party and was offered 'reefer'. After four cigarettes, she was out of her mind and woke up in a seedy room above the bar frequented by addicts and girls of ill repute. She thought the worst. Kildare has an ingenious way of bringing her out of darkness, and with a little detective work, uncovering exactly what happened.
Written in 1938, it has a light breezy style on the surface, with engrossing characters and a real sense of the social mores of the 1930's underneath. Dr. Kildare was such a popular series, it was made into a long running MGM movie series, radio programs, comics, and the TV series that ran for 5 seasons in the early 1960's that made Richard Chamberlain a star.
I sometimes wonder why I read a book at a certain time, and look for a common thread. The last book I read was The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, about a possessed house in Hillsdale.
Kildare went to medical school in Hillsdale.
March 28, 2017
Terrific little novel about an idealistic young doctor that begins the whole Kildare saga...
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