The cathartic role a war doctor plays is brilliantly chronicled by the author. This book is a reminder to world leaders and organizations like the UN about the importance of taking conciliatory measures to prevent war between nations to establish concord in this world.

I have read enough about Syria to know what was going on there but reading Dr David Nott’s account and those of his colleagues out there just highlighted how awful that situation really was. Civilians caught in the middle of a horrible civil war and then ISIS arrive. The injuries from the barrel bombs and snipers were brutal. No wonder Dr Nott had a hard time on his return to the UK. He witnessed some seriously messed up stuff. The author was cogent in explaining the important role of war doctors and tells us the significance of acquiring the necessary expertise before going into the battlefields as a war doctor. Ability to work with minimal resources is the most essential quality that a war doctor should possess. He also tells us the importance of having a strong mind as the patients we have to deal with due to the war injuries are entirely different from those we regularly treat in hospitals and clinics.For more than twenty-five years, David Nott has taken unpaid leave from his job as a general and vascular surgeon with the NHS to volunteer in some of the world’s most dangerous war zones. From Sarajevo under siege in 1993, to clandestine hospitals in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, he has carried out life-saving operations and field surgery in the most challenging conditions, and with none of the resources of a major London teaching hospital.

Brave, compassionate and inspiring – it left me in floods of tears’ – Adam Kay, author of This Is Going to Hurt Description: For more than twenty-five years, David Nott has taken unpaid leave from his job as a general and vascular surgeon with the NHS to volunteer in some of the world’s most dangerous war zones. From Sarajevo under siege in 1993, to clandestine hospitals in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, he has carried out life-saving operations and field surgery in the most challenging conditions, and with none of the resources of a major London teaching hospital. Around this time, in July 2014, the Israel-Gaza war began. There was a lot at stake from a global political perspective. But from a humanitarian point of view it was yet again a dire situation for the civilians on both sides. I wanted to be immersed in what was going on. A week after the war started, my mobile rang. It was the International Committee of the Red Cross: would I go to Gaza City? That same day, I was on a plane to Tel Aviv.

The Realities of War

On a mission in Aleppo, Nott noticed that patients would arrive with similar injuries that changed each day.

With help, I began to deal with my problems. I had a course of cognitive behavioural therapy and antipsychotic drugs were mooted, although in the end they proved unnecessary. With Elly’s patience and forbearance, I was rescued from myself. A devastating account of two decades volunteering his services to some of the world's most dangerous places -- Helen Brown, Daily Mail I liked how the author spoke in detail of the operations, I was a bit lost, I don't know more than the basic anatomy and roughly which organs do what, and this was detailed and very bloody, but interesting too. I liked hearing about the patients and the little he knew of their lives and countries, especially the Syrians and Syria for which he has a great deal of affection. One intensive care ward containing four patients with all modern life=support equipment was run by a single nurse who continually noted all vital signs and urine etc outputs. Each bed had two video cameras on it, and with her data and those pictures, and Arab-American doctors in the US monitored the ward 24 hours a day and directed the treatment. I was very impressed. this was my 30th book of the year. unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I didn’t like it at all. david nott has undoubtedly done a lot of good in his field and has saved countless lives, which regardless of context can only be a good thing, and of course on that I commend him, and it’s good that he brings to light many of the atrocities facing victims of war across the world. I just really disliked this book, for the following reasons:

Summary

The impressions left by such monstrous behaviour increasingly affected the doctor when he returned to his job in London. During a private consultation he all but lost it when a patient complained about how she suffered due to unsightly thread veins. As a surgeon myself, I can only look on what he has achieved with complete awe, overwhelmed by his heroism and compassion as much as by the world's cruelty -- Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm * New Statesman *