The Blood of Strangers: Stories from Emergency Medicine

A beautifully written book that reveals a series of stories full of the drama, the pain, the humor and the insight to the dance of life in ER. Frank Huyler is an amazing writer who captivates the reader with characters in the best and worst of situations. I had to put the book down twice only to get my breath and start again. "Maggot man" will catch you off guard but you'll go back for more. These are not bloody drive by accident stories just waiting for you to gape. Rather you are romanced into the heartbeat and atmosphere of the ER. Each chapter keeps you intrigued and by the time you finish you'll be wanting more.

Like so many I am addicted to television's ER, Trauma Vets and TLC's Emergency series. I picked up Mr. Huyler's book expecting blatant stories of gun shot victims, terminally ill children and scarred but valiant doctors. Instead I found stories that propelled me into the minds and souls of people who have chosen to witness human beings at our best and worst moments. I am very thankful to Mr. Huyler for giving me a glimpse into his life. I will undoubtedly continue to watch television dramas and documentaries of emergency medicine. Only, the next time I tune in I will look more closely for signs of the inevitable impact these experiences have on the psyches of emergency medicine professionals.

We are lucky that Frank Huyler has the gift of language so that he can express the inexpressible for those of us who work in medicine. The stories resonate authenticity but capture the feelings of our encounters with our patients rather than just what is visible or audible. I look forward to hearing more stories from Dr. Huyler. His youth is superseded by his wisdom and honesty

This collection of short essays elegantly and accurately portrays the life of a physician as he passes from medical school to the full responsibility of an attending physician. The triumphs and the failures, the joys and the sadness are all here, vividly described. As a practicing ER doc, and an educator, I will be recommending this collection to my residents and to my students. It ranks with the best of medical writing.

I just want to write a quick recommendation of this slim but stunning work, which mixes poetry and drama, emotion and restraint, wisdom and elegance. I can't urge you enough to read this--whether or not you have ever seen the inside of a hospital.