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The Ministry of Bodies

Life and Death in a Modern Hospital

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The Ministry of Bodies

By: Seamus O'Mahony
Narrated by: Aidan Kelly
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About this listen

Life and death in a modern hospital, from 'poet-physician' Seamus O'Mahony, the award-winning author of The Way We Die Now and Can Medicine Be Cured?

Seamus O'Mahony charts the realities of work in the 'ministry of bodies', that huge complex where people come to be cured and to die. From unexpected deaths to moral quandaries and bureaucratic disasters, O'Mahony documents life in the halls and wards that all of us will visit at some point in our lives with his characteristic wit and dry and unsentimental intelligence.

Absurd general emails, vain and self-promoting specialists, the relentless parade of self-destructive drinkers and drug users, the comical expectations of baffled patients: this is not a conventional medical memoir, but the collective biography of one of our great modern institutions - the general hospital - through the eyes of a brilliant writer, who happens to be a gifted doctor.

©2021 Seamus O'Mahony (P)2021 Head of Zeus Education & Training Medical Medicine & Health Care Industry Physician & Patient Professionals & Academics Medicine Medical Education Health Care

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All stars
Most relevant  
Don't know how something so serious be so funny but I absolutely loved it!

Superb

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A good read but contrary to popular opinion, I found the author quite condescending and seemed to feel above many of his patient, such as the alcoholic woman who's disease he used, to mock the employers in a clinic who were 'dumb enough to hire someone like her'. We could all be 'her' at a stage in our lives. Her illness was due to a disease, happens to intelligent people too. Also to point out the pharmacm rep who winked vulgarly (how on earth does one wink vulgarly?) at a doctor... How dare she, a meer employee of a pharmaceutical company do such a thing.
I have read many medical biographies, Stephen Westaby and Henry Marsh' being far before this one. They were reflective, brutally honest and critical of themselves at times. This was a critique of people in a position of powerlessness, for the most part, being mocked by a consultant physician. To add, I'm Irish and I understand Irish humour and sarcasm. This was neither.
I really don't understand the rave reviews for this.

Good but...

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This was an interesting listen, but I wouldn’t wish to be treated and judged by this man. If he has any sympathy and/or empathy for his patients then he’s entirely concealed them in this book.

Interesting but disturbing

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