The Physician
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4.5 • 200 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
An orphan leaves Dark Ages London to study medicine in Persia in this “rich” and “vivid” historical novel from a New York Times–bestselling author (The New York Times).
A child holds the hand of his dying mother and is terrified, aware something is taking her. Orphaned and given to an itinerant barber-surgeon, Rob Cole becomes a fast-talking swindler, peddling a worthless medicine. But as he matures, his strange gift—an acute sensitivity to impending death—never leaves him, and he yearns to become a healer.
Arab madrassas are the only authentic medical schools, and he makes his perilous way to Persia. Christians are barred from Muslim schools, but claiming he is a Jew, he studies under the world’s most renowned physician, Avicenna. How the woman who is his great love struggles against her only rival—medicine—makes a riveting modern classic.
The Physician is the first book in New York Times–bestselling author Noah Gordon’s Dr. Robert Cole trilogy, which continues with Shaman and concludes with Matters of Choice.
Customer Reviews
A saga of Epic Healing and learning
Rob Cole born in England is orphaned and apprenticed to a barber surgeon. After the Barber surgeon’s death he meets a Jewish physician and learns of a great physician Avicina who lives in the Middle East. He knows that to travel is dangerous and will be challenging but he braves the trip and becomes a disciple of Avicenna. He excels as a medical student and then as a physician given the limits of the time. The story takes place about 40 years before the time of William the Conqueror. He marries a Scott’s woman who happens to also be traveling in the far east looking for special sheep. Rob becomes a confidant of the Shah and a court physician at times. The Shah becomes embroiled in a war with a neighboring ruler, looses the war and then his life. Rob his wife and their children decide to dare the return journey to England. The journey succeeds. They stop first in London. Rob’s wife Mary is unhappy in London so he helps her return home to Scotland. When Rob is accused of being a heretic because he had disguised himself as a Jew in order to travel to the Middle East he realizes he also must travel to Scotland and rejoin his family. She helps him set up as a physician in Scotland.
Excellent Work on Persian Contribution to Medical Education
This was captivating, and very entertaining all the way through. Also very educating and well researched.
The Physician
Very enjoyable until the return to London...I preferred the movie ending, but still, I great read.