The House of God : The Classic Novel of Life and Death in an American Hospital

Rating:
Summary: Mixed reaction
Review: HOG is a well known classic among us hospital folks. Shem captures perfectly the spirit of exhaustion, cynicism, and sarcasm that one finds among interns (and nurses and medics as well!). I agree with some of the previous reviewers who feel much of the sex in the book is gratuitous, and could have been left out without detracting from the narrative (plus, it doesn't really reflect reality)... A good read, but there's probably other books out there that deal with internship year (I just finished mine two months ago) that can be as insightful and revealing, without the dross.

Rating:
Summary: powerful, but dilute
Review: I agree with the reader from Chicago. This is a wrenching story of disillusionment and personal transformation, and a shocking look at post-graduate medical education. I found the author's inability to write easier to stomach, however, than his frequent bewildering digressions. I suggest just skipping the longer paragraphs all together- the one-liners hold most of the story's punch.

Rating:
Summary: Even if it is true this book is very poorly written.
Review: I am sure most doctors and nurses can testify to the contents of this book but it was so poorly written that I couldn't even finish it. It's full of ackward prose and unintelligible gibberish. It's very hard to find the real story because Shem's incompetency as a writer is very profound.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book/A Classic
Review: I have read this book many times, and have recommended it to many of my friends and co-workers. Even though, I feel it is a wonderful book, I don't think the general lay person would be able to get in to it. It is very technical in places and cruel in others. I am a nurse in an emergency department, and feel that I am jaded enough to appreciate the truth and sick humor of this book. I think that one would have to be exposed to horrors of human life that medical personnel face on a daily basis to understand the true meaning of this classic.

Rating:
Summary: Revelations galore
Review: While not as spellbinding as "The Triumph and the Glory" or as witty as "Catch 22", "House of God" is a fascinating look inside the training of our physicians, written by one who has been through the trial by fire of residency. We need reforms in the field of post medical school practice, the current system is insane.

Rating:
Summary: Good blatently and captureing book.
Review: This book starts with a young doctor reminising about his experience as an intern at a busy hospital in the city. He leaves nothing out and skillfully incorporates his own style of language and phrases. He has these rules of the house of God which are even listed at the end of the book which are really priceless. The unhindered honesty is another great aspect. The book takes place in the 70's and the social genre is not left out. He honestly and accuratly includes his sexual lust and sexual escapades with many a nurse at the hospital. Also, about the dogma of ethics and morality of the doctor's, he shows them to be human and concerned from a very layman point of view. Some things here can be sickly humorous but nontheless interesting to read. An excellent book for the unshockable and interested reader.

Rating:
Summary: A little out-dated, but good
Review: I will be a first-year medical student this year, and after reading The House of God, I almost changed my mind! The author writes about the harsh side of medical training that most people either skim over or fail to mention at all. The characters are all very real, imperfect, and interesting. My only complaint is that someone should write an updated version of this story since the role of women and minorities as doctors has changed considerably since this novel was written.

Rating:
Summary: The Rules of the House of God are excellent.
Review: The House of Godd is a book that all young doctors should read. It is also a book that some older doctors should read to remember what it was really like. The rules and the exploration of the Rules of the House of God are the highlight. However the exploration of the sexual activities of the doctors, no matter how true it may have been, is a little gratuitous.

Rating:
Summary: Fesselnd!
Review: Samuel Shem gelang mit House Of God eines der packendsten Dramen, die ich je gelesen habe. Shem schildert darin völlig andere, grauenvollere Dimensionen der Klinikwelt. Ich warte auf den Tag, andem dieses Buch verfilmt wird. Bewertung: Fesselndes Drama! Auch für Laien empfehlenswert, die jedoch keine Probleme mit Körperflüssigkeiten haben sollten.

Rating:
Summary: It should be required reading for nursing and med students
Review: As a registered nurse, I first read this great book while in nursing school and found that this book should be required reading for all nursing and medical students. I was working in an emergency department while in nursing school and could truly relate to some of the situations mentioned in the book. I have recommended this book to several fellow nurses, but found that many of them have already it, and would gladly read it again.