Snake Oil

by John Diamond

At the time of his death from cancer on 1 March 2001, journalist and broadcaster John Diamond had completed six chapters of what was to be "an uncomplimentary look at the world of complementary medicine". These chapters, based on his own experience and on researched fact, which were emailed each week to his editors at Random House, are both personal and poignant, hard hitting and controversial, tackling the issues raised by alternative medicine with total candour and his usual wit. The second half of this book features some of the best of Diamond's writing, including a selection of emails to colleagues and friends, articles from "The Times" and the "Jewish Chronicle" and other publications, together with excerpts from his final notebook. For seven years he wrote an immensely popular weekly column in "The Times" which, following his diagnosis with cancer, was given over to following the progress of the disease. As well as gaining him a Columnist of the Year award, it resulted in an avalanche of mail from thousands of his readers.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Biography, Autobiography, Medical, Skepticism

284 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2001

About the author

John Diamond was an English journalist and broadcaster.

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even tougher

[Aurélien Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not interested in John Diamond as a columnist, nor am I interested in his retelling of what he has been through suffering from cancer -not that I don't care but, having close relative having died of cancer I am familiar with most of what he describes here, I don't need reading a book to have an hint of what such horrible experience it must be! In fact, the reason why I picked this up is, I was curious to get the point of view of a terminally ill patient when confronted with alternative medicine and other quacks. I wasn't disappointed: he cut bravely straight through ignorance, superstition and wishful thinking to rubbish it all as it deserves. Sadly, he had no time to finish the work (his cancer took him away in 2001). Sadly too, because it is unfinished it doesn't equal other works on the topic -deeper and more complete. It still worth a read, though, being the perspective of a sick man who believed rightly in science as a way of thinking and, refused until the end to surrender to useless mumbo jumbo.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unflinching and heartfelt, this book starts out as Diamond's impassioned crusade against the anti-science medical quacks. He died before he could finish it, and the second part of the book is a collection of his newspaper and magazine columns.

The first part is unerringly sharp, scientific and intellectually rigourous. It's got an axe to grind, sure, but the grinding tools are the highest quality. Five stars.

The second part would have been better for me if I were better versed in Brit politics and entertainment- several of the columns were about people I'd never heard of. They were well-written, even so. The columns dealing with the progression of Diamond's cancer were remarkable. His voice was singular and his outlook was realistic, unblinking, and passionately devoted to journalistic honesty. Four stars.

Wrenching and well-worth reading.

Celebrity aside: Diamond was married to Nigella Lawson, the chef my true love adores watching.

[Kerszi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pierwsza część książki o miksturach bardzo pouczająca. Niestety druga część pisana kiedy John Diamond miał raka jest bardzo depresyjna. Bardzo smutna i zastanawiająca jak to jest mieć raka. Nie polecam czytać w jesienne wieczory.

[Dr Poesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is s re-reading, picked up a copy in a charity shop. One of my friends (alternative therapy fan) still hasn't forgiven me for giving my first copy of this book to her (sceptic) husband who is now her ex-husband. Neither have I, he never returned it.
I'm not saying John Diamond ended their marriage, but he definitely shoved a knife in the fault lines and gave it a good twist.
Me? I was a huge fan when I read it the first time. I so wished he had lived to finish the book. And I wish that he was wrong and that alternative practitioners really did hold the key to great secrets suppressed by "science" and had been able to cure his cancer with diet or sugar pills.
Nevertheless 20 years in, I now find some of his arguments rather glib and unsubtle - what I'm really interested in now is not just, "Does homeopathy work" but "What do homeopaths do that benefits their customers?" and "Why did Samuel Hahnemann believe homeopathy works?" I guess we understand a lot more about placebos now.

[Ben Jeapes · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the author's own words, "an uncomplimentary look at complementary medicine". "Snake Oil" is an expression for bogus medicine that at best just doesn't work and at worst is a deliberate scam. It is also the term the author used to describe the alternatives on offer to conventional, orthodox medicine. He had a particular interest in the subject in that he was dying of cancer as he wrote the book.

Tragically he only finished six chapters, but that somehow gives it more of a punch. It is no rant; the tone is measured and deliberate as he takes us through the scientific process for measuring whether, and how well, something works. As he says, there should be no such thing as "alternative" medicine, because if it works then it's medicine, pure and simple. And if it doesn't, it isn't.

Six chapters would not make much of a book, so the rest of the volume is articles written in the last years of his life, starting with a variety of subjects but coming to concentrate more and more on his cancer, from initial diagnosis to what must have been the last piece he wrote.

[Darla Ebert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author's thoughts are profound and at the same time indication of a deep level of bravery as he took the time to write his columns (all of them entertaining) and yet he gave details and thoughts on his struggle with cancer. Seemingly his spirits stayed fairly high...but he was taken too soon. He was gifted in writing.

[Glynn Skerratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brave, lucid and thought-provoking.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Diamond is the author of this book and a profilic journalist and broadcaster in the UK. He was also the first husband of Nigella Lawson, and said to be the driving force behind her beginning TV career. John Diamond, terminally ill with cancer, actually dies before he was able to finish his book on 'Complimentary medicince' of which he writes critically about - it is fair to say he is not a believer in complimentary medicine. His brother-in-law writes the foreword, and also includes as the 'second part' of the unfinshed book, John's columns from several UK newspapers (The Times, The Jewish Cronicle etc). He tells the 'story' of his cancer - how he gets first diagnosed, thinking it is probably nothing etc, to the treatments and eventually having to face death. Of course, it is sad to read, but also gives out vibes of a very positive person.

Caution - I know that some people are particularly nervous reading books about terminal illnesses - if that's you, than this book is not for you.

[mensch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately "Snake Oil" is very short, due to the untimely death of John Diamond. The six chapters he left behind are a great read though. The last words: "Let me explain why." at the end of the book where the last he wrote before being rushed of to the hospital for the last time. The rest of the book is filled with some of his great columns, written for various newspapers.

[Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it some years ago. I was brilliant. The way he wrote about illness and death, about his fight and how he struggled to come to terms with death - is maybe a little harsh for some people but it is so real and touching and...

For me it is one of the books which I will re-read when my time comes.

[Selene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember seeing a documentary about John Diamond years ago, and thinking what a character he was. His book, along with the various articles, show him to be just that character! What he wrote is great - and I love him for it!

[Dave Peticolas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first six chapters of Diamond's unfinished book on the shadier side of alternative medicine, plus miscellaneous selections from his other writing. Diamond died of cancer before he was able to finish what was clearly going to be a supreme debunking of medical mumbo-jumbo.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brave, fantastic and upsetting.