The Pen And The Stethoscope

by Leah Kaminsky

It is through writing that many doctors have plumbed the depths and richness of their experiences and, in turn, used this to explore their patients’ inner lives.
The Pen and the Stethoscope is a unique collection of fiction and non-fiction by doctor–writers that gives us a fascinating look behind the doctor’s mask, and gets inside the minds of those who deal with enormous existential issues and traumatic situations on a daily basis.
These stories canvass emotional experiences acutely felt by doctors: an awareness of our mortality, of how humanity interplays with medicine, of the weight of responsibility carried by the profession. They bring into sharp focus, in many cases, the point of view of the patient, illuminating the experience of grief, trauma, illness, and ageing that doctors witness through their work.
With a foreword by Jerome Groopman, contributors include Oliver Sacks, Atul Gawande, Irvin Yalom, Jacinta Halloran, Abraham Verghese, Gabriel Weston, Peter Goldsworthy, John Murray, Robert Jay Lifton, Danielle Ofri, Perri Klass, Nick Earls, Ethan Canin, Sandeep Jauhar, and Leah Kaminsky.

'Doctors should make good writers they observe life from a remarkably privileged position. Most of the ones in this mesmerising collection, however, are keen to demythologise their profession, to lay bare their human fragility.' Dianne Dempsey (Age)

'This remarkable collection melds science and the soul, logic with feeling, knowledge with wisdom. The voices that the reader hears are among the most prominent in the constellation of physician-writers. What makes these writers so compelling is not only the fluidity of their prose and the intensity of their focus, not only their literary and narrative skills, but also their remarkable degree of self-awareness.' from the foreword by Jerome Groopman

'Doctors and writers are very much alike in many ways: they both capture and cure, and sometimes complicate, the human condition. This collection … captures the literary–medical connection in a magnificent and all-encompassing way. Each piece is compelling reading. And Jerome Groopman's introduction blends perfectly with Kaminsky's vision of the book, which integrates and encapsulates the essence of this reading experience — "science and the soul".' Lee Gutkind, founder and editor of Creative Nonfiction Magazine, author of Truckin’ With Sam

'Everyone is fascinated by writing. Everyone is fascinated by medical practice. In this remarkably creative book, Leah Kaminsky combines the two, and gives a forum to some fascinating and gifted writers, none less so than herself, to write imaginatively and with enchanting insight about the physician’s experience, given that all the contributors are physicians. This is a book for doctors and patients — that is, the lot of us — to relish.' Thomas Keneally

'I was reading this book when I personally experienced visiting an emergency room. The incident reinforced my feeling that we all need to read this compilation of non-fictional and fictional pieces ... The fictional tales are very revealing. Their intimate knowledge, of various diseases, gives rise to chilling stories which allow the mantle of professionalism to drop and lay bare the raw human behind it.' F.J. O'Dwyer (Toowoomba Chronicle)

Genres: Nonfiction, Medical, Short Stories, Medicine, Essays, Science

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2010

About the author

Leah Kaminsky, is a physician and award-winning writer. Her debut novel The Waiting Room won the Voss Literary Prize and was shortlisted for the Helen Asher Award. The Hollow Bones, won the 2019 International Book Awards in both Historical Fiction & Literary Fiction Categories. Doll's Eye will be published in 2023. We’re all Going to Die has been described as ‘a joyful book about death’. She edited Writer MD and co-authored Cracking the Code. Her poetry collection, Stitching Things Together, was a finalist in the Anne Elder Award. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone who follows my reading lists knows that I am a medical memoir junky.

In the case of this book, I would have liked to give 5 stars to the non-fiction parts and 2 to the fiction. Since that is not an alternative, I will say that the non-fiction memoirs were really excellent.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of short stories by or about physicians. The Lost Mariner, by Oliver Sacks, my favorite.

[Noof · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nonfiction stories were amazing but sadly the fictional stories were not as good.

[SHR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to rate this one with an overall rating as the book features a fiction section and a non-fiction section. 5 stars for the non-fiction, beautifully written, moving pieces. 2 stars for the fiction, most if it didn't appeal. Jacinta Hallooran's "Finding Joshua" and Peter Goldworthy's "The Duty to Die Cheaply" were the best of the fiction for me.

[Andrea Rothman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories in this collection unveil with astonishing clarity the private lives of doctors and patients and the complex bond between them. Medical jargon never capsizes the narrative, which is crisp and emotionally resonant. To read this book was an illuminating experience.

[tisasday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five stars for the nonfiction section and one star for the fiction section. Thankfully the former takes up 80% of the pages!

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pauline Chen essay was remarkable.

[Zement · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covincing collection with many essays and stories that make me want to read more by their authors.

[Clare Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was split into a section of non-fiction and fiction, both written by doctors. The non-fiction essays were significantly better than the fiction ones. I had trouble getting super into it and I definitely skimmed the fiction section. Only a couple of the doctors discussed patient interaction and how they learned to empathize with the people they were treating, which is what I like to read about.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only read the nonfiction stories. Briefly looked over the fiction; didn't look as interesting. Brought a human side to doctors. Some do have a conscience, are emphatic and occasionally are not as arrogant as they portray themselves to be. Learned that medicine is truly and art – science aside.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a physician, I especially enjoy reading works of other clinicians. These stories brought back memories of patients and clinical situations that reminded me of the privilege and duty of our profession.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The nonfiction was great -- I particularly enjoyed Atul Gawande's "The Learning Curve." The fiction, on the other hand, was somewhat unappealing.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tough to read some of the non-fiction, only kind of read the first fiction story and skimmed the rest of the fiction. Interesting, but I can't remember why I picked up this book, to be honest.

[Lawrence Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you read only one story in this book read Danielle Ofri's. It is a heart wrenching story of her training in internal medicine. She also is the author of wonderful book "Singular Intimacies."

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

The non-fiction stories in this are amazing, and the fiction ones are terrible.
Seriously. Don't read the fiction ones.

I only give this book four stars because of the non-fiction stories.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked the non-fiction chapters. Did not like the fiction chapters.