With the advent of technology people as a whole have moved away from reading …unfortunately :(. I see this every day when I see my daughter and compare her childhood with my childhood. I understand that people grow older and times change …but still… is it for the better? – I honestly don’t know!
I was born in Sri Lanka – A beautiful tropical island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Surrounded by the greenery and the natural beauty of the countryside, we received wholesome education – where we had time to play and enjoy nature despite fairly hectic school schedules. Netflix and computer games were unheard of 🙂 We had television and radio…and We had Books to read…Good books too.
Once we finished school and came home and mopped up our schoolwork, there was always time to sit down to a good book and enjoy it. We always had a book or two in our school bags ” just to kill time”. We were lucky in that sense that we did not have anything else to “kill time “. I still remember that I brought my first laptop computer after finishing medical school. I had my first smartphone as a third-year medical student…..
It is a habit I kept even when I completed my education and moved to the developed world to train as a surgeon ……Even when commuting on a train, I always carried a book with me. When technology advanced I invested in a Kindle – Which was amazing – It opened an amazing array of books with knowledge and wisdom beyond my wildest expectations !!
A good book summarises the experiences of an individual lifetime and lessons learned into a few hundred pages which you can read and learn from a few hours…..Rather than blindly staring at a screen on Netflix, a good book will stimulate your mind to ask questions, discuss things in your head and look at things differently. It is not a passive exercise but a very active training session for your mind to gather information, process, and incorporate them into your day-to-day life…..It is unfortunate that the world of smartphones and cheap technology is ridding the human race of an incredibly valuable habit of reading!
Being a general surgeon, Over the years I have kept a lookout for some excellent autobiographies by Surgeons. I am gonna summarise my best picks down below – They are by no means the best i am sure….but they left a lasting mark on me, and I hope you will enjoy them too
1.”Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story” by Ben Carson: In this autobiography, Dr. Ben Carson shares his inspiring story of rising from a disadvantaged background to become a prominent pediatric neurosurgeon, detailing the challenges he faced along the way. This is an incredible book about overcoming your circumstances and thriving, despite racism and favoritism. Suffice it to say an all-time favorite of mine !!
2. “Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science” by Atul Gawande: Dr. Gawande, a renowned surgeon, shares his experiences and reflections on the complexities of surgical practice, including successes, failures, and the broader issues within healthcare. This book really resonated with me once i started practicing as a surgeon….A must-read for any aspiring surgeon !!
3. “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi: While not solely focused on surgery, this memoir by a neurosurgeon reflects on life and mortality after the author’s diagnosis of terminal lung cancer. It offers a different perspective on the intersection of medicine and humanity. This is a beautifully written book with deep meaning and questions all the materialistic teachings that our brains have been overloaded with! It puts life in a better perspective and clarifies what is truly important in life from what is not important…if you are a young surgeon, this book is a must-read for you…
Keep reading and Keep enriching your mind!!
TC and see you soon!!
Surgery-the good bad and ugly 