Health and Happiness

by Diane Johnson

Ivy Tarro comes to San Francisco's great Alta Buena Hospital with a minor medical problem, but suddenly her life is endangered while around her swirl the exploding, and sometimes scandalous, dramas of hospital life

Genres: Fiction

259 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Diane Johnson is an American novelist and essayist whose satirical novels often feature American heroines living in contemporary France. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Persian Nights in 1988.
In addition to her literary works, she is also known for writing the screenplay of the 1980 film The Shining together with its director and producer Stanley Kubrick.

Reviews

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure quite how to rate this. Slightly a step above fluffy chick lit. I was reminded of Armistead Maupin in some ways - gossipy and following many characters. I was a bit upset, though, with the medical malpractice. Not the way it was handled by the author, but the fact of it. I found the ending to be a bit rough - she didn't rush to tie up loose ends, she just didn't tie them up at all. It was as though she was telling a number of stories about a number of people, and just stopped telling the stories.

So, maybe two and a half stars?

[Paulah · Rating 5 out of 5]

not new, but this could be my favorite Diane Johnson novel, and that's saying a lot. written in 1990, H&H might have inspired the first screen play of ER, only this book is better than entire year of ER episodes. Same idea---life, death, love, hate, lust, back biting, lost souls among the white coats and open-back gowns in a big city hospital. It's terrific!

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As another reviewer stated, this book is sort of like an ER (Television series) story. I really enjoy medical mysteries and stories surrounding the medical profession.
Health & Happiness was truly just sort of a soap opera. We are given an inside look at the workings of a hospital (whether true or not), from a patient's viewpoint and a Dr.'s viewpoint. I enjoyed the self-searching and the questioning of the point of one's life and the frailness of life for all.
If you are offended by life's wrongdoings, you may not want to read this book. There is motherhood via a one night stand, there is malpractice not spoken of in the open or acknowledged by the Dr., there is an extramarital affair, Dr. misconduct. All makes for a good "soap opera".
I was disappointed that she did not end the story. The story "ends" with characters still questioning, what is right and wrong and not dealing with decisions to be made.

[Diane C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cast of characters, doctors, nurses, volunteers, patients and relatives, at a bay area private hospital. A real insiders look (and still timely, even though written in early 90's) at what goes on. The ultra confident doc who isn't actually such a great one. The good doc not good at promoting himself and prevailing over the bad ones. The patient caught between them, checked in with a minor ailment that balloons unnecessarily, all juggled masterfully and engrossingly by Diane Johnson.

Recommended!

[Kit · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a former health care provider, I remember hospital life as described in this novel. Despite the systemic problems, misdiagnoses and mishaps that occurred in the late 1980’s, reading Health and Happiness made me long for the good old days before health care became big business. Thirty years later, the novel feels a bit dated, but Johnson’s hallmark ability to observe and describe human behavior in a gentle, humorous fashion saves the day.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is set in a hospital and contains the drama one would expect from such a setting. But Johnson avoids the soap opera approach of a lot of dialog and drama, instead spending a lot of time developing the interior lives of the characters.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was great. The movie had lots of cute clothes and was kind of charming, but was a horrible take off the book.

[Marni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a great book at all, but absorbing, and scary--someone is misdiagnosed, sent to the hospital, and nearly killed--a warning to avoid doctors!

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, but wish I'd stopped about 50 pages sooner: It was like someone told Ms. Johnson that it was time to end the book, so she did.

[Steve Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming novel about life, love, and death in a San Francisco hospital.

[kwesi 章英狮 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Challenges:
Book #175 for 2011
Book #94 for Off the Shelf!

[Stevie Holcomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh