Testimony of Two Men

There are few books I deem worthy to stand on a place on my LITERARY LIFE LESSONS book shelf in my own personal library in my house, and this is one of them. I first read this book when I was 15, and have re-visited it ever since. I learn something different each time I read it, and so it remains on my esteemed library shelf. There are so many lessons one can learn from the words of this author - she was send by God's literary angels to help us who struggle to understand the great mystery of Life with their peek into a smidgeon of The Great Understanding of Life. Throwing in pieces of factual tidbits throughout the story of what life was like for the 20th century medical professional (??) is an added bonus for those interested in history. And, of course, she remains true to the sharing of how difficult it was simply to be born female before and at the first half of the 20th century. I pray all of us women will band together to provide the support and strength of spirit that only those with curves can possibly understand. I'm tired of the "race card" crap being touted by women. We are women. That, to me, is the ultimate way to celebrate (and mourn) this life, as we create life by just being who we are. To me, woman supercedes mere "race." No matter our skin color, type of hair texture, and shape of eyes: we suffer the same on the insides, where we are all the same colors. For men: Those who read this novel will gain a valuable key to unlock a deeper understanding of the female entity. Read and learn. L.S.

This book and its mini-series (with David Birney, Laurie Prange and Linda Purl) is so richly-textured with mystery, romance, medical crisis, the family dynasty and the behind-the scenes situations of a hospital at the turn of the century (1900+) that it is nothing short of a beautiful and exquisite epic. PLEASE, whoever owns the rights to the movie, "You would make a fortune selling this movie (VHS/DVD) to a very loyal fan base. And once it was available, more and more would sell!" - This book is a classic and its matching movie DESERVES to see the light of day once more on VHS/DVD!

I chose Testimony of Two Men from a list of choice novels in my English class. Having never heard of Caldwell previously, I decided to give her "medical novel" a try in hopes that it would shed some light on my future profession. In this particular novel, Caldwell applies her understanding of the Christian Bible to depict the absurdity of a popular American conviction - that the testimony of two men is true (John 8:17). This obvious allusion serves as one of the novel's prominent themes, hence its title. The main character, Jonathon Ferrier, affirms the prevalence of truth in the most unlikely forms. Other themes include the traitorous nature of humanity when "the going gets tough" and its reluctance to accept change, even if for the better. Caldwell subtly employs symbolism in her acknowledgement of a nearby island known as "Heart's Ease." While one character asserts that only a woman could have named the tract with such sentimentality, the reader can assume that the name merely stands for a place of respite, quite possibly heaven. A motif of "the future" develops as the characters begin to weigh the long-term consequences of their actions. This device plays into the novel's stream-of-consciousness effect and offers some coherency regarding Ferrier's occasional flashbacks. Caldwell's fascinating authorship exhibits impressive medical accuracy, and her in-depth character development capture the imagination. Just when it seems that matters could not worsen for Jon, she incorporates an unexpected plot twist and further heightens the reader's interest. As an aspiring physician, I found inspiration in Ferrier's quest to modernize the medical field. Some chapters tended toward redundancy, but this one negative aspect is overshadowed by Caldwell's extraordinary use of drama and conflict as she unveils an intriguingly darker side of society's advancement into the modern medical era. After reading Testimony of Two Men, anyone would be as adamant as I am about locating a copy of the 1977 film adaptation.

This book, which I originally read in the seventies, at the age of 12,completely mesmerized me. I still remember finish the book, and immediately turning to page one to begin reading it again. To this day it is one of the most satisfying reads of my life. Idealistic, intellectual challenging, romantic, this book is intensely honest about the human creature and their foibles and passions. Detailed in it's character development, and with an intricately laced story line, it is truly one of the great novels ever written. I have spent the past 15 years looking for a copy of the mini-series, and only hang on to my dog-eared copy for solace. Does anyone knows if a VHS copy of the mini-series is available? Could anyone be contacted to air the mini-series again? I will wait patiently.

Books are not written this well any more. I read it every few years for inspiration. I also wish I could find the tv mini-series for sale.