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3 out of 4 stars
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In this riveting collection of short pieces of prose, Allen Malnak, M.D. explores humanity and the essence of life through his lens as a human and a doctor. In each of the stories, both fictional and non-fictional, we see Dr. Allen grow through various stages of life. From a child to an unsure teenager to a young intern and finally a certified physician, we share in Allen's experiences of learning, growing, caring, and healing. In each of the stories, it is evident that Allen takes his job as a doctor more seriously than a mere salary-earning exercise. He shows that at his core, he cares for humanity and would go out of the way for his patients on every occasion. He makes it clear that to him, there is no greater calling. He also shares anecdotes of the American world during World War II, personal experiences of antisemitism and general stories of racism, opinions on health care in today's world, and proffers objective advice on various health care issues.
The best thing about this book is the honesty and subtlety with which the author makes his points. He does not use emotive language intended to sway; he simply tells stories as they happen. He does not obscure one part of the story in order to illuminate the other. He simply tells things as they are. Again, I appreciate the lessons taught in this book. While he was starting out with his dream of being a doctor, Allen didn't have the odds in his favor, but he held on to his dreams and refused to be pessimistic. This has taught me that in life, your unbreakable will is most important. It shows that because something seems impossible does not make it unworthy, undoable, or not meant to be. It teaches us to persevere and view life from the perspective of possibilities and always give our tasks the best we can. Also, the stories under each part are cohesive and make a thematic point. The stories are beautiful and appear to have been professionally written.
I was, however, sidetracked by the duplication of some stories and characters. It made me confused trying to get the stories right. The author duplicated characters and their recognizable traits and even snatched some conversations from the memoirs to the stories. I wish the author had invented new characters even though he was telling the same story.
The book was well constructed and arranged. However, based on the complaints above about the book, I would give it three out of four stars because I found myself questioning that particular aspect of the book a lot, and I just couldn't agree with it. The book was professionally edited; I found just one error in it.
I recommend Always on Call to doctors, prospective doctors, medical students, political leaders, especially law-makers, and anybody who needs a lesson on endurance and courage. Anyone who wants to know a bit more about the human body and the science behind it should also read this book.
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Always on Call
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