War Doctor

“But actually it's quite simple: I don't get to choose who I work on.”

I am not a doctor. I don't have medical inclinations, a background in medicine, or the ability to look at blood without feeling faint. I do, however, feel compassion for my fellow human, and this book really spoke to that part of me.

I lack the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to be able to dive headfirst into conflict zones and save lives like David Nott, though, who takes the reader on a trip through his 25 years of experience doing just that. From Sarajevo to Syria and many places in between, we're taken on an in-depth journey into how tragic and complex trauma surgery can be on the front lines. We also get to see inside Nott's head as he experiences these locations, and how deeply impacted he was throughout his career.

There is a lot of graphic surgery descriptions in this book, and the topics discussed are incredibly heavy. I almost put this book down like three times throughout reading it when I thought I had read something particularly sad, poignant, and graphic. I kept going back, though, which I suppose is the mark of a really good book. Do not read this book if trauma stories aren't your thing, or if heartwrenching stories affect you more than most. This is a really sad book, but it's incredibly powerful and a testament to Nott's selflessness that he kept going as long as he did.