Medicus

Cole Family Trilogy #1

by Noah Gordon, Ewa Życieńska (Translator)

Anglia, XI wiek. Rob J. Cole, syn cieśli i hafciarki, po śmierci rodziców zostaje pomocnikiem wędrownego balwierza parającego się również leczeniem.

Wykazuje nie tylko zapał do nauki, ale też ową szczególną wrażliwość, która pozwala "czytać" w chorym organizmie, dostrzegać w nim wolę walki lub chęć poddania się. Punktem zwrotnym w jego życiu staje się spotkanie z żydowskim lekarzem, którego kunszt odbiega od szalbierskich sztuczek średniowiecznych medyków. Odtąd każdym krokiem Roba kieruje jedno tylko pragnienie: dotrzeć do Isfahanu i zostać uczniem sławnego perskiego lekarza, Ibn Siny, w świecie zachodnim zwanego Awicenną.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Medieval, Adventure, Classics, Medicine

548 pages, Paperback

First published August 7, 1986

About the author

Noah Gordon was an American novelist.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Reviews

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most satisfying novels I've read in a long time. One of my rare six-star selections. There's a consistency of quality from cover to cover, owing to the perfect marriage of fine writing and graceful editing.

Rob J. Cole is a man who feels called to be a healer. He stays true to that calling, even when surrounded by other physicians who are motivated by greed and glory. He risks and sacrifices all for the chance to study in Persia with Ibn Sina, the greatest physician of the 11th century.

The story is especially fulfilling because it comes full circle. Rob returns to London after many years in foreign lands. Through comparison with those who have never left home, he realizes how he has grown in compassion, tolerance, and critical thinking. He's so far ahead of the doctors around him that he doesn't fit in, but he does finally find a place where he can put down roots and be surrounded by a loving family and community. This is a sweet relief for him after having been an orphan and an outsider since the age of nine.

I read the final paragraph of the book three times in a row with tears in my eyes. There are no spoilers in it, so here is that paragraph:

"As the seasons slipped by, only one thing was constant. The extra sense, the healer's sensitivity, never abandoned him. Whether he was called lonely in the night to a bedside or hurried of a morning into the crowded dispensary, he could always feel their pain. Hastening to struggle with it, he never failed to know--as he had known from the first day in the maristan--a rush of wondering gratitude that he was chosen, that it was he whom God's hand had reached out and touched, and that such an opportunity to minister and serve should have been given to Barber's boy."

That sense of duty, of being one chosen to ease suffering, has completely disappeared from the practice of modern medicine. That is a tragedy beyond reckoning.

[TXGAL1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated: 4🌟s

When I saw THE PHYSICIAN, I was drawn to it not only for its ebook price, but by its cover. The number of pages didn’t dissuade me and I looked forward to the story.

WOW, what a story. I refuse to share spoilers and the fact that this book is part of a saga of the Cole family, that makes it very difficult (for me).

I absolutely devoured all of the new historical data and knowledge that was contained within; however, to me the first part of the book dragged with, at times, mind-numbing daily life of the main character in order to develop the background. I was tempted to give up, but the last three-quarters of the book made me so glad that I had persevered until the end.

Unbelievably, I find myself so intrigued, that I’ve added SHAMAN - book 2 in the trilogy to my TBR. 😉

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5* It took several chapters for the captivating and superb story to emerge within these 768 pages. Although the beginning of the book had some interesting events, it tended to drag on with the same theme. Approximately half way into the book it came alive and so begins the arduous adventure of the physician barber Rob J. Cole. Set in the 11th century, Cole is left an orphan at 9 years of age, while his siblings are taken in by other families from British villages not far from his own home. With a difficult and demanding road to travel once he reaches manhood his one true desire takes hold; to become the best physician he could possibly be. Travelling far from his homeland Cole meets several individuals who help him as he struggles to achieve his quest. As the story continues to unfold, his new acquaintances begin to form a strong bond of real and lasting friendship enhancing the storyline significantly. If the book had 200 pages trimmed from the first half, and some 100 pages from the remaining half it would be a true masterpiece. Having managed to carry on through the first half of this substantial book through to the end, it was well worth the journey.

[Luffy Sempai · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll never come to grips with the decision of the writer, Noah Gordon, to extend the chapters, to outstay his welcome. I freely admit to skipping a couple of chapters. That was a thing I didn't want to do, but the relevant chapters were too abysmal.

I'll never read another book by said author. I ought to be thankful that someone can infuse some life, urgency, pathos, and interest in such a big book, but I think the decision to end the book the way it did was treacherous. I happen to think that the author and the reader don't owe each other anything, but instinctively I find it logically incorrect.

The writer owes us something. What that something is, is not clear. Gordon made me hate the entire book by proxy of him exhausting his goodwill with boring and suicidal writing. The one good thing the book did was awaken me to the possibility of reading non fiction by writers like Karen Armstrong. That is the only tangible thing left to me. The rest of my reading experience has been wasted. I won't return to this storyteller, ever.

[Em Lost In Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

Long but beautifully written. It was time well spent.

[Chrissie · Rating 2 out of 5]

TEST 2
I thought perhaps the easiest way to synthesize my feelings towards this book was to answer the following 5 questions:

When did the story take place: The first half of the eleventh century.

Who were the central characters: Rob J Cole, his friends and employers and later his wife (Mary Cullen).

Where did it take place: England, Scotland, a trip across Europe to Isfahan, Perisa and even a short episode in India!

What was the point of the book: I believe the book was written to inform readers in an engaging manner about the time period and how it really would have felt to live then and in these specific places. The book does this well. You do learn what all aspects of life were like. You get the details concerning food, clothing, hardships and joys, both pagan and religious(Christian, Jewish and Muslim) beliefs and how medical problems were viewed, treated and looked upon by various groups.

How was the book written:: OK, here is the problem! It was didactic. There were so many details that you were swamped. A chapter was spent on how one can learn to juggle...... Yes, it was actually quite revealing, but only to a point. It went on too long. This can be said in relation to many, many points. You learn how to correctly place phylacteries according to the Jewish faith, how to prepare kosher food, how to make the the medicines then available...... Parts, for example how the school in Isfahan, Persia was organized, were very interesting. Probably different parts will appeal to different readers, but to no one will ALL of it be interesting. Let me repeat, it was very didactic, to a fault! The language was clear and informative, but that was it - no sparkle what so ever!!!! I guess that is my biggest complaint. It felt like you were reading YA literature, even though some of the episodes were quite rough.Always you felt like it was trying to teach the readers. The writing was simplistic. Only very, very rarely did it encourage the reader to pose philosophical questions. It just presented the facts. By the end of the book I was finally engaged in the characters and had to find out how things would end. However for the majority I was slugging through the pages. Rarely did I laugh. I cannot remember in fact if I ever laughed.... I will not be reading another book by this author. There are better books out there that BOTH inform and capture my imagination.

My head tells me the book deserves more stars, but I am sticking with my gut feelings. Most of the time was thinking this book is OK. That is how I felt, not how I was thinking. The point of this review is to try and figure out for myself and perhaps others why I felt the way I did.

[Xabi1990 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leído hace millón y medio de años (año arriba, año abajo)

Fue un best seller, cayó en mis jóvenes manos, lo leí y me encantó.
Todos sabéis de qué va. Si no lo sabéis, mejor, porque ya tenéis algo ligero para leer este verano.

Es el primero de la trilogía que se completa con Chamán y La doctora Cole. Leí los tres y me gustaron los tres.

(La review de esos sólo va a decir que leáis esta y sí tras leer el libro os engancha, pues eso)

[Steven Medina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lectura finalizada en Noviembre de 2023

Esperaba un libro diferente.

No ha estado mal, pero tampoco ha estado cerca de ser una de mis lecturas favoritas. El médico, de Noah Gordon, fue una lectura provechosa que me ha concientizado sobre las dificultades que se presentaban en la Edad Media con respecto a la medicina. Existieron muchos tabús, ignorancia y una tendencia al conformismo que impedía el progreso en esta área tan importante de una sociedad; un contexto excelente que alimenta la curiosidad del lector al hacernos teorizar sobre las formas como el protagonista —que tiene incorporada la chispa de la rebeldía— va a romper las reglas. Ese es un aspecto muy valioso del libro.

Sin embargo, y tristemente debo decirlo, pienso que la prosa del autor es el problema real de la obra. Su historia siembra la curiosidad, pero sus palabras erradican el interés. No me arrepiento de leer este libro, pero finalizo con la sensación de que me hubiera gustado conocer esta historia con las palabras de otro escritor.

Reseña completa más adelante.

[Aitor Castrillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un gran viaje, otro (interior) aún más grande, un largo aprendizaje, un sueño por cumplir y un don maravilloso.

Enfermedades, muertes, aventuras, amores y épica a raudales.

Millones de lectores satisfechos en todo el mundo y un libro que no te puedes perder.

[majo☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una palabra serena a un hombre sensato vale más que un año de súplicas a un tonto.

Noah Gordon nos narra la historia de Robert Cole, un barbero/cirujano inglés del siglo XI que queda huérfano. A partir de este suceso, descubre que posee el “don” de percibir si alguien está próximo a la muerte con solo tocarle.

Esto lo llevará a encaminarse a un viaje a Persia (actual Irán) para estudiar en la escuela de medicina más importante de su época, bajo la tutela del sabio doctor Ibn Sina (basado en la vida real).

Este libro de ficción histórica cuenta con una interesante perspectiva sobre la resiliencia, la persecución religiosa, la fuerza de la pasión y la vocación. Una historia que cautiva, absorbe y transporta, de tal forma que sin duda alguna está en la cumbre de las novelas de este género.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noah Gordon is my new favorite author. I read The Physician after I read The Last Jew. Both were phenomenal.

The Physician is long, but I read through it quickly. I could hardly put it down! The novel is set in the middle of the eleventh century. Gordon transports readers to another time, setting an ambience that feels authentic to the time period. The novel covers a wide span of geography, beginning in London, taking the reader throughout England and ultimately across Europe through Constantinople to Persia, then India, and back to London and ultimately to Scotland. The main character, Rob J. Cole, is orphaned in London and taken in by "Barber", a Barber surgeon, which is a doctor of sorts for the lowest classes. Rob J. also has a special gift, which he discovers just before his parents die - he can sense when people die. He struggles in his new role as a Barber surgeon (he has a hard time mastering juggling, which is vital to draw crowds) but eventually he becomes obsessed with the idea of healing people after he meets a Jewish Physician who can perform cataract surgery. After Barber dies, Rob J. decides to study in Ispahan, where the Jewish Physician studied, and learn from Abicenna, the premier physician of the time. The complication is that the Catholic Church prohibits Christians from studying in "heathen" institutions, so Rob J. must disguise himself as a Jew. Rob J. learned some Jewish ways during his travels and studies Persian and ends up passing as a Jew ignorant of the Jewish traditions. Eventually Rob J. becomes a physician only to discover that his skills are not wanted/respected in London, where he is suspected of possible witchcraft and he flees to Scotland where he can practice medicine in peace.

This novel is not only entertaining, but also makes the reader think. It raises many issues of religion and science and the relationship between the two. The reader also develops a strong sense of the fragility of life in this time period, of the difficulty of travel, of how much our world has progressed in 1000 years. Also, unlike most novels of this period, it gives a sense of the role of Jews in the Middle Ages. The Jewish system of travel is fascinating.

[Salma · Rating 3 out of 5]

تحديث: إضافة الحديث عن الفيلم المقتبس من الرواية

رواية... بل هي حيوات مفعمة بالألوان و الأحداث و التشويق و المعلومات... هي قصة الفتى روب.ج البريطاني الذي نشأ يتيما في بيئة القرن الحادي عشر حيث تدرب ليصير حلاقا-جراحا... و لكن حلمه كان أن يسافر لأصفهان ليدرس الطب على يد ابن سينا، و لأن ذلك كان أمرا بدعا و مستنكرا و جرما يستوجب الموت _على زمن حرق الهراطقة_ يتنكر على شكل يهودي حتى يستطيع أن يتدبر أمره...0

العادات اليهودية حاضرة في الرواية بقوة... الإسلام ببعض تعاليمه من خلال عيني مسيحي غربي مشمئز... الهمجية الغربية و التوحش الشرقي... الجهل المطبق و الكراهية للآخر أيا كان على اختلاف المكان... التلون بالأزياء و الأطعمة على اختلاف المناطق... الجغرافيا... الطب و أدواته و أدويته و أعشابه على اختلاف بين الشرق و الغرب... أساليب التسلية و أدوات الحرب... كل هذا في الرواية...0

كل شيء في الرواية يجعلك تعيشه معه لأول مرة... كل شيء يبدو صعبا و غريبا... مخيفا و قاسيا... فجا و مقززا... فاتنا و مدهشا...0

و كالعادة و بما أن الشرق هو أحد عناصر الرواية المهمة، فلا تخلو من تلك النبرة الفوقية الاستشراقية... في شرق يخيل إليك أن قوامه المخصيون و الديوثون و الشاذون و المتوحشون و الفاحشون و المؤمنون بالخرافات و اللاهون بمتع خبايا عالم الحريم، يخطر في بالك تساؤل إن كان هناك من شخص سوي أو محترم... فلا تعثر في الرواية إلا على شخصية اليهودي المحب لأسرته و الخلوق المتنور المسالم... في مقابل ذاك المسلم الداعر المتوحش... قد كانوا ثلاثة من الأصدقاء، روب ج. المسيحي، و مردين اليهودي و كريم المسلم. كنت أظن أن روب ج. سيصير أكثر فهما لكلا الديانتين بسبب هذه الصداقة. و لكنه لم يتفهم سوى اليهودية، لأن كريم كان شخصا مشغولا بملذاته منغمسا بها و لم يعلمه شيئا سوى الاستهتار، بينما مردين قد علم روب ج. الاحترام و الأسرة بالإضافة إلى تعاليم دينه.
حتى أنك لتتساءل كيف لمثل هؤلاء القوم أن يصنعوا حضارة و طبا و ماريستنا؟ روب.ج يكتشف أنه بعد انفتاح اليونانيين الطبي و ما قدموه للدنيا، وقع العالم في الظلمة. ص(504)0
إذن أين ذهبت انجازات المسلمين بل حتى ابن سينا الذي قاتل الدنيا ليصل إليه؟
كل ذلك لم يبد له أكثر من تكرار لليونانيين...0
و في النهاية روب.ج الأوربي يثبت لنا أنه كان الأكثر انفتاحا و تطورا من الجميع...0

طبعا من المستحيل أن تخلو رواية تتطرق للشرق أو المسلمين من تلك النظرة الفوقية، لكن ما يجعلها لامنطقية في هذه الرواية أنها أقرب لتكون نظرة شخص في القرن العشرين _الذي هو المؤلف_ و ليس روب.ج الذي أتى من غياهب القرون الوسطى من بيئة جهل و فقر مدقع...0
و لذلك حرمتها من نجمتين مع أنها ممتعة فعلا، بسبب تلك النغمة الفوقية الاستشراقية التي أتت في غير محلها

و بغض النظر عن تلك الصورة النمطية المزعجة... الرواية غرائبية تحبس الأنفاس و مليئة بالمغامرة و من الواضح أن مؤلفها قد أمضى ردحا من الزمن و هو يدرس تفاصيلها بعناية... و هو يملك نفسا روائيا يشدك لإتمام 712 من الصفحات... 0
إن حصل و تحولت إلى مسلسل بريطاني... سيكون مشوقا...0

أود أن أضيف معلومة، و هو أن النقطة التي ركزت عليها الرواية و دارت حولها كثيرا من حيث كون التشريح محرما في الثقافة الإسلامية و كانت ممارسته جرما، و الأطباء المسلمون لم يعرفوا تشريح الجسد البشري و إنما اكتفوا بنقل معلوماتهم فيما يتعلق بهذا المجال ممن سبقوهم من الإغريق و الرومان، و لكن هذا الكلام كله غير صحيح بناء على جواب الدكتور سهيل زكار (المؤرخ السوري) حين سألته عن الأمر...0
و ذكر لي كمثال موفق الدين البغدادي الذي كشف الخطأ التشريحي الذي وقع فيه جالينوس. و قال أن الفك الأسفل يتكون من عظمة واحدة وليس من عظمتين كما ظن جالينوس.0
كما تذكرت أيضا ابن النفيس الذي كان له إسهام كبير في التشريح حيث كشف عن الدورة الدموية الصغرى أو الرئوية... و له رسوم حول هذا الأمر... و غيرهم من العلماء...
أعلم أن الروايات ليس مصدرا موثوقا لاستقاء المعلومات منها، و لكنها محفز للبحث عن حقيقة ما ورد فيها... و هذا ما حصل معي...0

أيار 2010
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إضافة جديدة: 0

و الآن بعد مرور أربعة أعوام على قراءة الرواية أحب أن أضيف أمرين: 0

- الأول أني اقتنيت كتابا قيما باسم: التشريح و الجراحة و دورهما في الحضارة الإسلامية لـ محمد كامل جاد، و من طباعة مركز جمعة الماجد للثقافة و التراث...0
في أحد فصول الكتاب يعرض مسألة التشريح و حكمها و هل كانت موجودة في الحضارة الإسلامية حقا أم كانت ممتنعة... و من الواضح أنه كان هناك خلاف من الناحية النظرية بين أقوال الأطباء أنفسهم الذين تضاربت أقوالهم في أكثر من موضع، مثل ابن النفيس الذي ذكر في مقدمة كتابه "و قد صدنا عن مباشرة التشريح وازع الشريعة و ما في أخلاقنا من الرحمة" ثم في كتابه نفسه ذكر في مواضع كثيرة مزاولته للتشريح: "التشريح يكذب ما قالوه... فإن المرارة شاهدناها مرارا... فكثيرا ما رأيت الأمر على خلاف ما ادعوه أنه صادفوه بالتشريح الذي يدعون أنه تكرر لهم جميعا..."
و أما المستشرقون فقد اختار معظمهم أنه كان أمرا ممنوعا في الحضارة الإسلامية، بينما لم يتفق بعض المستشرقين و كثير من الباحثين العرب مع هذا، و اعتبروا أنه كان أمرا متاحا و موجودا ... و الباحث يرجح أنه لم يكن ممتنعا، فليس هناك من فتوى دينية صريحة بالمنع و التحريم و لا ورد عن العلماء الكبار شيء من هذا، بل كان ينظر للتشريح نظر موعظة و إجلال وذكر اقتباسات لبعض العلماء كالغزالي و الفخر الرازي الذي له كتاب التشريح من الرأس إلى الحلق و حديثهم عن عظمة الخلق في تشريح الإنسان، و بالتالي فليس هناك ما يخشاه الطبيب من مواجهة مع الشريعة في هذا السياق، فضلا عن أن الأطباء أنفسهم في تلك الفترة كانوا علماء بالشريعة و بالتالي هم يفتون لأنفسهم بأنفسهم... و إنما سبب تضارب أقوال الأطباء كما يحلل الباحث أن جزءا من الامتناع كان تقليدا متبعا لأطباء اليونان الذين يحرمونه و استمر التقليد لكل من أتى بعدهم، و الآخر هو خوف من سوقة الناس و العامة... بمعنى أنه كان علما عمليا يمارسونه كجزء من المهنة و يوردونه في كتب الاختصاص، و لكنه ليس شيئا يتبسطون به أمام العامة... 0
و ها هو نص صريح بالتشريح من موفق الدين البغدادي:
"و من عجيب ما شاهدنا أن جماعة ممن ينتابني في الطب وصلوا إلى كتاب التشريح، فكان يعسر على أفهامهم، فأخبرنا أن بالمقس _اسم مكان بالقاهرة_ تلا فيه رمم كثيرة، فخرجنا إليه فرأينا تلا من رمم له مسافة طويلة يكاد يكون ترابه أقل من الموتى، به نحدس ما يظهر منهم للعيان بعشرين ألفا فصاعدا، و هم على طبقات في قرب العهد و بعده." 0
الثاني: أني شاهدت الفيلم المقتبس من الرواية الذي أنتج عام 2013


و هو فيلم ممتع، و الصورة فيه قوية بحيث تضعك في جو تلك الأزمنة حقا... و لكن الرواية كانت ممتعة أكثر بكثير، كما أنه يختلف في كثير من أحداثه عنها، و ليس له منها إلا الخطوط العامة، و كأنه إعادة كتابة للحبكة... و لكنه مع الاختلاف في تفاصيل الأحداث، يتشابه مع روايته بذلك النفس الاستشراقي العنصري المسفه الاستعلائي، و نفس الصورة النمطية عن الشرق و الشرقيين... حتى ليبدو و كأن ابن سينا و المدرسة و العلم و كل تلك الانجازات التي قدمها المسلمون ما هي إلا طفرة ظهرت في وسط متشدد و جاهل و فاسق... و الشاه المستبد بدا محقا في قسوته و دمويته بسحق أولئك المتدينين، لأنهم إن تولوا الأمر فسيحرقون كل تلك الحضارة و سيهدمون كل تلك العلوم، فما هذا إلا دين تخلف و عنف و أتباعه يقتلون الحياة أينما تولوا، و الشاه الدموي هو وحده من يحمي الحضارة من عنفهم... هؤلاء هم الشرقيون و هذا هو ديدنهم و دينهم، و لا يفترض إلا أن يعاملوا هكذا... و ما ظهر من نبذة و إشراقات و أفذاذ فيهم ذات مرة، ما هو إلا طفرة بسبب تأثير اليونان عليهم... و هذه النظرة تجدها عند كثير من "مثقفينا" العرب، الذين تجدهم متشرقنين أكثر من شرقنة المستشرقين لهم في كثير من الأحيان...0
علما بأنه منطقيا لا يمكن أن يظهر علماء و أفذاذ في جو ما و لفترة طويلة، إن لم تكن البيئة هي التي هيئت لهذا الظهور بأفكارها العامة و دينها العام... فهؤلاء العلماء لم يأتوا من المريخ، و إنما هم من وسط أولئك الذين يزدرونهم... و ازدهار العلوم و على مدى قرون هو نتيجة لنظرة معينة تجاه الحياة و ليس طفرة كوردة نبتت فجأة في صحراء جرداء قاحلة... 0

إنما هذا كتاب و فيلم نمطي و تطبيقي لـ ما قصده إدوارد سعيد في كتابه الاستشراق... و يبدو أمرا مضحكا ما قرأته أن يعتبر فيلم كهذا مصحح و مقرب للعلاقات بين الثقافات المختلفة... 0

و رغم كل الكتابات و الانتقادات و التصحيحيات التي ظهرت في الدراسات الاستشراقية... و ظهور كثير من الأبحاث التي تنتقد الاستشراق الكلاسيكي و تعيد دراسة التراث الإسلامي بطريقة أكثر موضوعية و حيادية من قبل كثير من العلماء الغربيين... و من هذه الدراسات حقا ما هو رائع... إلا أن الأفلام و الروايات ما زالت تتحدث بنفس النغمة الاستشراقية السابقة، و كأن شيئا لم يتغير... 0
أحيانا صار يخطر لي شبح سؤال يائس، أحاول جاهدة إبعاده عن ذهني... أن ما جدوى الدراسات الرصينة و الأبحاث و الأفلام الوثائقية إن كانت تخيلات الروايات و حبكات الأفلام و فبركات الإعلام هي ما يؤثر في النهاية و يحرك الناس... 0
على كل لا أحب التشاؤم حاليا... من يبحث يجد و يتعلم... و ربما تكون مثل هذه الأفلام بابا للبحث و الاستزادة من المعرفة، كما حصل معي...0


أيار 2014


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التعليق السابق

A novel… rather lives full of colors, events, suspense and information. It is the story of the British orphan Rob. J from the 11th century who became a barber-surgeon, who dreamt to study medicine under Avicenna supervision. This was a condemned matter and a crime punished by death, at times when heretics were burnt. He disguised as a Jew to manage the matter.

He made you live everything in the novel with him for the first time… Everything seemed bizarre and different, frightening and severe, rough and disgusting, charming and astonishing…

The novel presents variety: Jewish traditions in a vivid way, some of Islamic instructions through the eyes of a disgusted western Christian, the occidental barbarity and the oriental savageness, the total ignorance and loathing the other _regardless who or where_, the colorful clothes and places, geography, medicine and its instruments, drugs and herbs between East and West, and tools of entertainment and war… All those contained by the novel…

Since Orient is one of the important themes, the familiar orientalistic superior tone is exist in the novel… In an orient built on eunuchs, cuckolds, gays, savages, obscene figures, believers in superstitions, sunk in the hidden pleaser of harem, a question emerge in your mind; is there any one who is decent or respectful?
It seemed nobody like that but the Jew; the Jew was the only one who seemed loving to his family, enlightened, peaceful, high-minded, while the Muslim was the lewd and wild. You wonder how such people made a civilization, medicine and maristan? Rob J. realized that after the Greeks brilliance illuminated all of medicine, the world fell into darkness. P.504. You ask yourself what about Muslims achievements such maristan, or even Ibn Sina whom Rob J. fought the world to reach? Well, it seemed to Rob that it was not more than imitating the Greeks.
Eventually, of course as usual, the European Rob J. proved that he was the most open-minded and developed among all.

I know it is almost impossible to read a book or novel about Orient or Muslims without this arrogant tone. However, in this novel it seemed extra dissonance, because it was the tone of a 20th century man, i.e, the writer, not Rob j. who came from the darkness of medieval; an environment of total ignorance and miserable poverty

And because of this snobby orientalistic tone I deprive the novel of two stars.

Regardless what mentioned before, it is an exotic breathtaking novel, soaked with adventures. The writer is a real storyteller.

I want to add a piece of information I've discovered recently, that it is not true what the novel said about that there was no anatomy of the human body in medieval Islamic society, and it was considered as a crime, because for examples there were the contribution of Ibn al-Nafis who described the movement of blood through the pulmonary transit, and made illustrations, Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi who described the bones of the lower jaw and sacrum, and others. Well I know that novels are not authentic sources of information, because they are imagined, however they make you want to know more about the subject. And that what happened in my caseز

[Coco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mi querido padre, que es muy amante de la novela histórica, me recomendó hace muchísimo tiempo que leyera este libro, pero viendo las casi 800 páginas que lo componen, me daba "pereza-miedo-vaguería"
Pensaba que iba a ser un aburrimiento en mayúsculas por el tiempo en que Noah lo escribió, mucho drama, mucho sufrimiento y tal.
Pero terminado, sólo puedo decir:

Este libro es una oda a la superación, a la lucha constante de un hombre para conseguir cumplir su sueño, que es dedicarse a la medicina.
Y es que, pese a todos los obstáculos, las diferencias éticas, religiosas y culturales que Rob se encuentra en su camino, no hacen otra cosa, que alentarlo para cumplir su objetivo.

[Garden Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Magnífica novela de principio a fin! ¡Mi favorita de todos los tiempos!

"El médico" es una novela de ficción-histórica ambientada en el siglo XI que cuenta la historia de Robert J. Cole, un barbero cirujano inglés, que se queda huérfano tras la muerte de sus padres por una extraña enfermedad, lo que lo hace descubrir su don de percibir si alguien está próximo a la muerte con solo tocarlo, lo que lo llevará a realizar una épica travesía por la Europa medieval hasta Persia (hoy Irán), en pos de estudiar en la escuela de medicina más importante de la epoca.

Esta novela la he leido dos veces en mi vida, la primera vez cuándo adolescente y luego cuando adulto, y aún a la fecha me parece una obra maestra insuperable. La prosa de Gordon es sencilla, instructiva y sus capítulos tienen el balance perfecto entre descripción y desarrollo, transmitiendote de manera perfecta todo el amor a la medicina que siente su protagonista, cómo su enorme resiliencia al verse enfrentado a un mundo, que en lo que en cuanto a medicina se trataba, vivía sumido en la ignorancia y superstición. Es un libro que a pesar de su extensión recomiendo al mil porcien leer ya que en ningún momento se hace pesado o aburrido, la cantidad de retos y vivencias que enfrenta nuestro protagonista son tales que siempre hay algo que logra mantener nuestro interés.

Por otra parte, sé que tambien se hizo una pelicula de ésta novela, aunque de ella no puedo hablar mucho debido a que nunca la he visto. Siempre he sentido temor de que me termine manchando la gran estima que le tengo a esta novela.

¡Para mí una obra maestra en toda regla!

¡Recomendadísima!

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generously give 3.5 stars despite the often farcical historical howlers this tale is flooded by because the storytelling is very good. DO NOT READ THIS BOOK and expect to be informed about the era allegedly covered.

I had read it many years ago, around age 10 I think and it was this book that generated my lifelong interest in the history of medecine. To be fair to the author I believe the parts covering Judaism and Arabic medicine of the period are broadly accurate but probably no more than that, despite NG's apparent research. Ibn Sina did exist but died in 1037.

I do note the date of publication and historical fiction at that time was apt to have less expected of it, to my mind.

So, a few of the errors I encountered:

Rob J Cole - the main character has a name that would never have been used in England at that time. Even Robert was rare, middle names did not exist for the masses and even today I have never met anyone using their name as a shortened first name plus middle initial in Britian - that is an Americanism. Finally, humble people also did not have surnames but were known by what they (or their father) did. Rob J's father was a carpenter so where did Cole come from? This absolutely basic set of errors sets the tone for the whole book!

Witch pricking and the whole set of beliefs about witches sounds straight out of the Salem witch trials! There is little record of witchcraft in historical record and most of them were wise women, not barber-surgeons, which was an actual profession, albeit ineffective. I think the fear that he and Barber would be thought witches was overstated and the incident from Barber's past was unlikely. The whole issue belonged more in the 16th century or later. An accusation of heresy was a more likely threat if their practice stepped outside the accepted domain.

The language Rob J studies so diligently is no Parsi but Farsi. A Parsi is actually from India and is a Zoroastrian.

Travelling barber-surgeons did exist in England, being first recorded at exactly the time of the novel. However Barber carried out the job more like a travelling quack in the US in a much later era.

The basic premise of the story was impossible - there is no way Rob J could have impersonated a Jew at that time and for that long and without really knowing how to be a Jew! Rob J thought like a modern man not a man of the 11th century. To have even conceived of doing what he did was beyond unlikely. NG also imputed an impossible freedom to women and Mary's father would never have considered a marriage between them as she was socially above Rob J.

Finally (but far from exhaustively!) he would not have been able to practice back in England/Scotland BECAUSE HE WAS A CHRISTIAN and the reason medicine back then was so basic in Christian countries was that vivisection was considered heresy (which was true for many more centuries). The merest hint that he had looked inside a body would have probably ended in him being killed as a heretic.

Here endeth my narrative!

[Dov Glazer]

I’m a modern military history buff, and until I read this book I hadn’t had the slightest intrest in medieval social portraits. Well, Noah Gordon opened my eyes. I travelled through medieval Europe with Rob J. Cole (as I would later do with his descendant Shaman in America) all the way to Persia. How people dressed, ate, how they lived, the relationship with the Jewish community. The remarkable writing style ensured that the length of the book merely made it more appealing. The longer I spent reading it, the more I enjoyed it. So much so that I was saddened when the book was drew to its end. Gordon’s ability to bring his characters and era to life has been a source of wonder and inspiration for me. It definitely ranks among my favorite books of all time

[Negin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is simply beautiful historical fiction and I was hooked right from the get-go. The plot was exciting throughout. The protagonist was one that I rooted for – something that I seem to need in books and movies. I have to root for somebody!

It’s the story of an English orphan and the trials and difficulties that he had to endure to become a physician in 11th century. I hardly knew anything about the book before reading it and was pleasantly surprised to read all that about the early Persian Empire – my place of birth. My dad spent some of his happiest childhood years in in some of the places mentioned.



One of the characters, Avicenna (Ibn Sina – 980-1037), is someone that Persians revere. He was an absolute genius, a polymath, the father of early modern medicine, and one of the most significant astronomers, thinkers, and writers of the Islamic Golden Age.



This woodcut from an early 15th Century Latin language medical shows the three great ancient teachers of medicine: Galen (Roman), Avicenna (Persian), and Hippocrates (Greek).



The book has been made into a movie, which I have yet to see.



I felt that at times it was a bit too wordy and it seemed to stagnate somewhat in the middle, but it picked up wonderfully later. I won’t be reading the rest of the books in this trilogy, since I have read the reviews and it seems that they’re quite disappointing, or at least the third one is. If you like historical epics and sagas, the sort of books like “Pillars of the Earth” and “Gone with the Wind”, you may enjoy this one also.

Some of my favorite quotes:
“Mankind is close to savagery and must live by rules. If not, we would sink into our own animal nature and perish.”

“Even for a child, he felt, involving oneself with the world’s suffering had to be a voluntary act.”

[Lucia Nieto Navarro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me cuesta mucho hacer una reseña de este gran libro, decidí releerlo porque quiero seguir con la trilogia, y hace tiempo que lo lei.
La historia nos cuenta la vida de un joven, Robert Jeremy Cole, desde la primera pagina el libro te engancha por como empieza, la muerte de sus dos padres en un corto periodo de tiempo y la adopción por parte de otras personas de sus hermanos, hacen que se quede solo, y que gracias a ello inicie un viaje para luchar por lo que mas quiere, y mas desea, ayudar a las personas, curandolas y sanandolas.
El libro esta dividido en siete partes, en las que cada una contara una parte de la vida de Jeremy, iremos creciendo con el según avanzamos en la historia. Comenzará con nueve años, siendo un cirujano-barbero, con un tutor que le enseñara de todo y que aprenderá de el a vivir, viajando por pueblos para ganarse la comida, haciendo espectáculos, y sanando…
Pero cuando su maestro muere, decide que el quiere seguir creciendo y que su sueño es ser médico, el mejor y aprender del mejor, lo que emprenderá un viaje a Persia, donde estará el mejor médico y la mejor escuela. Un viaje peligroso, lleno de aventuras, lleno de aprendizaje…
Lo mejor del libro es la gran ambientación, pues Rob comienza su viaje en Londres, y para llegar a Persia tendrá que viajar por infinidad de países, los cuales están super bien descritos, contados con hechos históricos y religiosos, lo que hará que aprendas y te empapes de muchos datos super interesantes.
Algo mas a destacar son los personajes, es cierto que hay muchísimos personajes, pero los principales son los que se te quedan, con los que empatizas, con una gran variedad cultural, viviendo con ellos lo que era el racismo por ser lo que eras, y las diferencias entre ser un cristiano, un musulmán o un judío en aquella época.
Me quedo con la moraleja de este gran libro, y es que si quieres algo luches por ello, cueste lo que cueste y el tiempo que se necesite porque todo tiene su recompensa. Asique recomiendo este libro, a todos, te guste o no la literatura histórica, un gran libro para aprender y para disfrutar.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love historical fiction. I love to learn about religion in historical fiction. I loved this book!
This book takes place during the 11th century in Europe. It is about a Christian man who disguises himself as a Jew in order to go to a Muslim school of Medicine in the Middle East. It was so interesting to learn how these three major religions interacted with each other during that time in history.

There is one problem with the book though: there is a lot of sexually explicit content. Since this book talks about most of the details if Robert Cole's life,it throws that in there as well.

[Lee Imagina Sueña · Rating 5 out of 5]

El Médico
Noah Gordon
Trilogçia Cole 1
RocaEditorial

En este libro Noah Gordon nos presnta la historia de Rob J. Cole en el siglo XI, un niño que pierde a sus padres en la ciudad de Londres y que el gremio de carpinteros ( al que pertenecía su padre) separa a sus hermanos y el estregado a un Barbero; este lo lleva por todo Inglaterra, enseñandole los trucos de su espectaculo al inicio y al darse cuenta de que Rob al tocar las manos de las personas siente cuanto tiempo de vida les queda, tambien le ensaña a hacer las curaciones que en ese tiempo hacían los Barberos.

Me encanta la parte histórica de la novela, dónde muestra como en la edad media en Europa los médicos y Barberos tenian conocimientos muy limitados para poder curar a la gente, creyendo que las sangrías eran la gran solución. Tambien muestra lo dificil que era viajar de occidente a oriente, con los peligros que existian y sobre todo nos muestra mucho sobre las costumbres cristianas, judías e islámicas que había en ese momento.

Este libro nos habla de lo dificil que era en esa epoca poder llegar a estudiar y lograr ser médico, cuando las religiones impedian que los médicos pudieran realmente conocer más y ayudar a las personas frente a ciertas enfermedades.

Quedo con muchas ganas de seguir leyendo la trilogía

[Stjepan Cobets · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating 4.7

The historical novel “The Physician (Cole Family Trilogy # 1) by Noah Gordon is a well-written novel set in the 11th century that draws you to read it to the very end. The writer, with his distinctive writing, leads us with ease to the world of the Dark Ages, where people are dying from diseases that are curable today. Doctors were quite ignorant at the time because knowledge of medicine was at a very low level. All faith that time did not allow the study of human anatomy, and whoever would only think to do that was finished on a bonfire as a witch or would be most cruelly killed. Every doctor, barber-surgeon had to be careful about how they treated their patients. After all, their lives depended on little things, because they could be called witches for the slightest mistake.

The story follows little boy Rob Cole, who, in early childhood, during the deaths of his mother and father, discovers his gift to sense when someone is going to die. The gift itself is very dangerous, and if anyone knew about it, they could declare it a witch. That is why he is silent and does not tell anyone about it. After the death of his parents, his siblings are sent for adoption, and he is a barber-surgeon who takes him as his apprentice. During his apprenticeship, he learns some basic things, but when he meets a Jewish doctor who says he can cure cataracts in his eye, it intrigues him. When he learned that a Jewish doctor was teaching at the Persian College of Medicine run by Ibn Sina. But the only problem is that they don't admit Christians to that college, but if that prevents Rob, who wants to become a real doctor, you will have to find out in the book.

I would recommend the book to all lovers of historical novels.

[Merfrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nos “obligaron” a leerlo en la Universidad (estudié Farmacia) y me alucinaba que mis compañeros leyeran taaaaan poca literatura porque yo me lancé a por él y lo recuerdo con tantísimo cariño, que el profe se convirtió en mi favorito siempre.

Y fuera de los recuerdos moña, es que es buenísimo cómo describe los inicios de la medicina forense y lo prohibidísimos que estaban los avances y el miedo quedaba lo diferente por estar todo bajo las supersticiones y religiones.

[Alba Turunen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Estrellazas ¡Qué novelón! Me ha encantado. Hacía años que no leía una novela histórica, a secas. Gracias a un reto literario me animé a leer éste libro, una de las novelas históricas más sonadas del mundo y me ha fascinado entera.

Supongo que el haberla tenido relegada durante tanto tiempo han sido las 900 páginas que tiene, un tocho enorme para haberla leído en formato de bolsillo. Y pese al poco tiempo que tengo para leer, he hecho el esfuerzo de continuar capítulo a capítulo y sin desanimarme porque cuanto más leía, más me gustaba.

A su vez también es lo primero que leo de Noah Gordon, y su prosa, tan directa e impersonal me ha gustado bastante para el desarrollo de la trama. Hace muchos años, vi la película en el cine, pero no me pareció gran cosa y aún así mi madre me animaba a leerlo por eso de que el libro es mejor. ¡Y vaya si es mejor!

Noah Gordon nos lleva a la Inglaterra del siglo XI, antes de la conquista normanda. Rob J. Cole es un niño de Londres, hijo de un carpintero, pero en él mora un poderoso don: es capaz con el tacto de saber cuánto le queda de vida a una persona, y éste don entra en él cuando su madre muere de parto. Posteriormente muere su padre, y en ésa época tan convulsa y cruel para los huérfanos, Robert es separado de sus hermanos cuando estos son adoptados por otros vecinos.

Para no acabar como esclavo o algo mucho peor, con 9 años, Robert conoce a Barber un cirujano barbero, más de charlatán y chantajista que de médico, que lo adopta para tenerlo como ayudante y aprendiz.

En sus primeros años junto a Barber, Rob no está realmente decidido a ser médico, se conforma con ir de pueblo en pueblo junto a su mentor, vender sus pócimas curativas, sacar dientes y reparar pequeños cortes. Pero poco a poco Robert se irá interesando más por la sanación, sobre todo cuando conoce a un judío capaz de obrar milagros, y le habla de su mentor, un famoso médico de Asia llamado Ibn Sina, o Avicena.

Con dieciocho años, Rob emprenderá de nuevo un viaje épico que lo llevará a atravesar medio mundo, desde Inglatera y toda Europa hasta Constantinopla y de allí a adentrarse en tierras de los musulmanes para llegar hasta Isfahan, y conocer a Ibn Sina, el Príncipe de los Médicos.

Pero el camino no será fácil. Casi dos años para llegar a destino, muchos apuros y sacrificios, pues en ésa época un cristiano tenía prohibido estudiar medicina musulmana, harán que Rob se haga pasar por judío para ser admitido en la madrassa de Isfahan y poder estudiar medicina.

Son muchas las cosas que pasan en éste libro y no puedo contarlas todas, pues creo que es de esas novelas que hay que leer al menos una vez en la vida. Y creedme, la película no le hace justicia, de hecho, ni siquiera se parece la historia, pues está todo inventado.

Y sí, el libro es muy largo, pero para nada se hace denso o pesado, pues los capítulos son cortos y siempre están pasando cosas. Tanto la historia como los personajes me han encantado, sobre todo el grato recuerdo que deja Ibn Sina en su erudición y su ayuda y afecto hacia Rob.

En general he quedado encantada con el libro y animo a todo el que tenga interés en leerlo que lo haga. Por otro lado, estoy segurísima de que continuaré con los Cole y su saga médica y no tardaré en leer "Chamán".

[Josiemaus85 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schöner Re-read gewesen.

[Mehdir · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Physician can easily be ranked as one of the most racist, prejudicial, erroneous, and contradictory novels, yet to be written on the East (the Others).

Islam and Persia are grotesquely sexualized. Domes on the mosques are described as body parts. Inappropriate sexuality is described as acceptable, desirable, “very sensible,” to the Persians, when the king recalls a childhood memory with a tone, frighteningly close to fondness (380). One would question the author’s motives in making the King so promiscuous and such a devil. The answer seems to be that the author is trying to create another “mysterious” East (the Others).

The majority of the jargons, transliterations, simple Persian vocabulary, locations, historical figures, historical events, and Islamic terms are wrong throughout the novel! One would expect a historical novel, even if imaginative, to have a bit of research, editorial review, and educational preparedness. The author’s goal has justified “any and every” misinformation and exaggeration.
Read the following statements on how Persians and Islam are described throughout the book. All are racist, prejudicial, stereotypical, and clearly untrue. These are just a few examples:

“Zaki’s skin had been dark, an advantage under a hot sun. Karim’s skin needed the yellow slave; it was the color of light leather, the result, Zaki always said, of a female ancestor being f… [the author uses the full word] by one of Alexander’s fair Greeks. Karim thought something like that probably was true. There had been a number of Greek invasion and he knew light-skinned Persian men, and women with snowy breasts” (403).

The climax of hatred and animosity toward the Persian land (Persia) is grotesquely depicted when Rob enters Persia and reaches a lake (Urmiya). The land, the air and everything in Persia is “salty”:

- ““Take a pinch of salt [of the lake] and place it on your tongue.” He did, gingerly, and made a face. Lonzano grinned. “you are tasting Persia”…”We still have long days to ride.” But first Rob pi… into Lake Urmiya, adding his English Special Batch to Persia’s saltiness”” (266-267).

- “Freckles were Allah’s just punishment on someone so shameless she didn’t wear the veil” (493)

This book is planned to become a major motion picture in Hollywood and hit the movie theaters in 2013. One should only hope that this will not result in another biased, false, and shallow movie, one that only increases the distance between Us and Them, and pushes love and compassion further away.

[Auntie Terror · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read it, over ten years ago, I was quite taken with it. Though not taken enough to persue the series further. I also remember ranting about the movie which I've seen a shorter while ago for being lacking in many departments, putting too much emphasis on a love story that didn't exist in the book in that way, and being a lot more "eurocentrist" in who is the hero than the book was.

[Literarischunterwegs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damals fand ich das Buch genial. Ich mochte die Story, die Hintergründe und das epische der Geschichte.

[Manybooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

REVIEW OF THE ORIGINAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEXT

Honestly, I was actually and in fact totally expecting to very much enjoy Noah Gordon’s 1986 historical fiction novel The Physician and mostly because almost my entire family (including my very picky with regard to their fiction reading choices father and maternal grandfather) absolutely and utterly adored the German language translation of The Physician. And indeed, Der Medicus also and equally has a very positive general rating on Amazon Germany with only very few entirely negative reviews, and not to mention that I did peruse the first four chapters of Der Medicus at a large German bookstore when Der Medicus first appeared in German translation in 1987 and was most definitely liking what I was textually encountering (but I unfortunately did not end up purchasing Der Medicus at that time and now sadly only have easy access to Noah Gordon’s original English text, only have access to The Physician).

And well, I guess from my one star rating for The Physician and that I have also placed The Physician on my “will not be finishing” shelf, I think it definitely should be pretty much obvious and clearly demonstrated that I have not been AT ALL textually impressed with Noah Gordon as an author, with his penmanship. For while regarding the German translation, while regarding Der Medicus I do distinctly and with appreciation remember a descriptive, realistic for time and place and as such also my reading interest retaining writing style, with the original, with The Physician, sorry, but Noah Gordon’s stylistics and modes of literary expression almost immediately started majorly boring and frustratingly annoying me, with Gordon’s printed words feeling unorganised, unrealistic and truly tedious for me to read to such an intense and massive extent that I lost absolutely ALL of my perusal patience after about fifty or so pages and decided to not only quit but to also donate my personal copy of The Physician to the Salvation Army. So while I do sometime in the hopefully not so distant future plan on both reading and posting a likely rather generally positive enough review for Der Medicus, for Noah Gordon’s original English language text, for The Physician, I really cannot and will not give more than one star (for an in my humble opinion totally substandard and narrationally really quite horrible writing style that only manages to frustrate and has absolutely and with no feelings of guilt whatsoever made me abandon The Physician really early on).

[Marialyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had such great hope for this novel and although it started out well, it continued into a quagmire of long and drawn out story telling. While the premise was fascinating, the author just dragged the story out and included many banal details which slowed down the reader and made one feel like they were crossing the desert to a finish line that kept on getting further and further away.

I never really fully accepted nor found Rob, the main character, very appealing. Granted his life was hard and one does always have admiration for those who find their way, I just could not work up much empathy for him and the characters he came in contact with. It all seemed to matter of fact and not so much empathetic feelings seemed to be portrayed by the author.

Sorry to say, that as much as one can look forward to reading a certain book, they can be bogged down by rhetoric and rhetoric is certainly what ruined this novel for me.

[Miquel Reina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Physician is the first book of the excellent trilogy (Cole Family) of Noah Gordon I read. A book that I highly recommended if you like such novels "The Pillars of the Earth" in which generations of different eras are mixed, the history of medicine and exciting travel through exotic places.

Spanish version:
El Médico es el primer libro de la excelente trilogía del escritor Noah Gordon. Un libro muy recomendable si te gustan las novelas tipo "Los Pilares de la Tierra" en el que se mezclan generaciones de épocas diferentes, la historia de la medicina y viajes apasionantes a través de lugares exóticos.