The Monsoon Diaries
A Doctor’s Journey of Hope and Healing from the ER Frontlines to the Far Reaches of the World
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
"There are heroes among us, and Dr. Calvin Sun is one of them. Read this book." -Lisa Ling, journalist
The Monsoon Diaries is the firsthand account of Dr. Calvin Sun, an emergency room doctor who worked tirelessly on the front lines in multiple hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drawing upon the lessons he learned from his adventures traveling to more than 190 countries in ten years, as well as from the grief he experienced as a teen when his father died, Dr. Sun shares his journey, from growing up as a young Asian American in New York to his calling first to medical school and then to the open road.
He believes that the fight for a better world creates meaning when all feels meaningless, and he hopes that telling his story will help readers reframe this tragic moment in our lifetimes into possibility, with the goal of building a more empathetic society.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Sun's account of his efforts to save lives in New York City at the height of the pandemic doesn't quite land in this off-balance memoir. At the start of his career, Sun chose to work as a per diem doctor who wasn't affiliated with any hospital, which allowed him "to pick up shifts whenever and wherever I choose and when there is the greatest need." That came in handy in March 2020, when Covid overwhelmed New York hospitals. Sun describes his and his colleagues' improvised response to the relentless waves of patients—wearing N95 masks as long as possible, sharing messages about overworked staff on social media, and using protective gear donated by friends. Sun lost his grandfather to the disease, which he recounts vividly: "Just as I would have done, his team called the code and began CPR. But to no avail." But such heartfelt passages about loss are too often alternated with recollections of Sun's exotic foreign travels, and the florid prose tends to distract ("My hometown lies asleep under the tender maw of an Henri Rousseau lion"). This one doesn't quite come together.
Customer Reviews
A Really True Store of A Doctors Journey
Loved this book
Great Book!
It’s always great to see the authenticity in people. It was a pleasure to get to know more about Dr. Sun outside of what I deduced from social media. We need more American male authors of Asian descent!
His story was refreshing just as much as unique in his approach to life.
I hope there is a second book where he details all of his world travels. It would be amazing to read of his perception of the world!