Monday, February 13, 2017

Bellevue




Bellevue: Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem at America's Most Storied Hospital by David Oshinsky.  384 pages.

More than a biography of a famous hospital, this book delves into the history of medicine and medical treatment.  Bellevue Hospital has long had a colorful (and sometimes horrifying) reputation. From the beginning, the hospital has seen just about every epidemic, social catastrophe, and groundbreaking scientific advances.  In this book, the author takes on the history of Bellevue Hospital, but also explains the path of American medicine and how Bellevue was an influence on, and was influenced by, the practices of the time.

I found this to be a fascinating book, and written in an accessible way that was almost conversational at times.  The author did a great deal of research, so there is a lot covered in this book. I was impressed that there weren't really any dry passages and in fact, the pacing of the book mostly read like fiction. If you've come across Bellevue mentioned in fiction or nonfiction, and was ever curious about the real story of this hospital, this book is a great resource.  The author is a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, and this is a readable, comprehensive book about a legendary hospital, which also is a slice of social history and development of American medicine.

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