Do No Harm (book)
| Company type | Memoir |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founder | Henry Marsh |
| Products | Book |
Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery is a memoir released in 2014 by Henry Marsh and published through Weidenfeld & Nicolson. The narrative details Marsh's professional journey as a neurosurgeon.
Synopsis
Marsh, whose parents included a human rights attorney and a refugee from Nazi Germany, initially pursued studies in Politics, Economics, and Philosophy at the University of Oxford after volunteering in Africa. Experiencing a personal turning point, he took on the role of a hospital stretcher-bearer, which sparked his fascination with medicine due to its combination of hands-on and intellectual challenges alongside social prestige and career stability. Despite being denied admission to London medical schools because of insufficient science credentials, he gained entry to the Royal Free Medical School and subsequently joined a surgical team.
This memoir delves into the moral dilemmas faced in neurosurgery, including the conflict between respecting patient autonomy and addressing medical imperatives. Marsh also recounts his own encounter with brain tumor surgery involving his infant son, emphasizing the profound emotional effects on families and underscoring the necessity of compassion within healthcare.
Critical reception
The book was met with acclaim from prominent publications such as The Times, The New Yorker, and Financial Times. Karl Ove Knausgård notably commended its candidness. Described by The Daily Telegraph as "an elegant series of meditations at the closing of a long career," it received praise for its reflective tone. Michiko Kakutani of The New York Times remarked that although the content can be unsettling, it provides a profound respect for surgical skill and the intricacies of the human body.
Awards
- Winner of the 2015 PEN Ackerley Prize
- Pol Roger Duff Cooper Prize finalist
- Finalist for the 2015 Wellcome Book Prize
- Named Best Business Book of the Year by Financial Times
- Selected as Best Book of the Year by The Economist
- Recognized as a Notable Book of 2015 by Washington Post
- Listed among Notable Books of the Year by New York Times