A Fortunate Man: The Story of a Country Doctor (Vintage International)
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A Fortunate Man: The Story of a Country Doctor (Vintage International) Details
In this quietly revolutionary work of social observation and medical philosophy, Booker Prize-winning writer John Berger and the photographer Jean Mohr train their gaze on an English country doctor and find a universal man--one who has taken it upon himself to recognize his patient's humanity when illness and the fear of death have made them unrecognizable to themselves. In the impoverished rural community in which he works, John Sassall tend the maimed, the dying, and the lonely. He is not only the dispenser of cures but the repository of memories. And as Berger and Mohr follow Sassall about his rounds, they produce a book whose careful detail broadens into a meditation on the value we assign a human life. First published thirty years ago, A Fortunate Man remains moving and deeply relevant--no other book has offered such a close and passionate investigation of the roles doctors play in their society."In contemporary letters John Berger seems to me peerless; not since Lawrence has there been a writer who offers such attentiveness to the sensual world with responsiveness to the imperatives of conscience." --Susan Sontag
Reviews
This book is an extended essay on the work of Dr. John Sassall, a country General Practicioner (GP), in a poor area of Britain. Integrated into this book are a series of often striking photographs taken by Berger's collaborator Jean Mohr. The photos complement Berger's insightful comments on Sassall's work. Berger and Mohr appear to have spent a good deal of time with Sassall and his patients and must have earned the trust, not only of Sassall, but of his patients. Berger terms Sassall "A Fortunate Man" not because of good luck or unusual talent but because Sassall is a person whose work is directly connected with basic existential questions and meaning. The portrait of Sassall is unsentimental, clear, and admiring. Sassall is not just a highly competent and dedicated physician, he is a man who feels compelled to use his occupational life in a quest to explore basic questions about the nature of human relationships and community. This need drives him to be an exceptionally good physician and to involve himself deeply in the life of his rather insular community. While Sassall is an unusual man and physician, many aspects of his experiences in dealing with patients cast light on doctor-patient relationships in general. As a physician, I found Berger's analysis of many of these issues insightful and useful. Berger proceeds to larger issues of how society values life and work. Berger's writing is unambiguous, direct, and informed by a considerable critical intelligence. The real measure of this book is that readers will find themselves drawn back to thinking about the questions that Berger raises.