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Title: The Doctor Is Sick by Anthony Burgess ISBN: 0-393-31602-5 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: August, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.57 (7 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: London after Midnight...
Comment: Poor Edwin Spindrift, a proper Doctor of Philosophy and a lecturer on Linguistics passes out during one of his classes in Burma and is sent to London only to be diagnosed with a brain tumor. On the eve of his operation Spindrift awakens suddenly with an urge to escape the hospital. He starts off searching for his wife, so he could get some money from her, but he ends up unsure of what exactly he is searching for.
This is my first Anthony Burgess novel, and I was not disappointed. Burgess' description of the dark side of London is so detailed you can practically feel the grime. His characters are colorful caricatures, giving the book substance, especially the masochist kettle-mobster who swears that Spindrift is "kinky".
The linguistic aspect of the book is a little over the top; whenever Spindrift goes on about a word, the root of the word, it is a bit dull. His lecture on cockney, however was informative and amusing. There are several laugh out loud moments. R. Dickie, Spindrift's hospital roommate is so affable it's a shame he's only in the first few chapters. The most amusing part of the book, however, is when Spindrift is jailed in a flat, and in the middle of trying to escape suddenly becomes distracted by a dirty magazine.
I gave this book a three stars, but I think it's more a 3 ½. Edwin is a charming hopeless character who you can't help but cheer for. And at 260 pages the book is also quick read. It certainly won't disappoint.
Rating: 5
Summary: Humanity is Sick
Comment: Anthony Burgess (the late), author of many books including, "A Clockwork Orange," brings another masterful piece of literature to the English language.
"The Doctor is Sick," showcases Burgess tallents as a linguistic master with a control of and look at the English language in its many forms. Burgess' use of the English language as a plot moving device is at the same level of pure genius that it reached in his most famous novel, "A Clockwork Orange."
At the same time, this is a sentimental tale that looks at the modern world and its tendancy to dehumanize and objectify people. Funny, and comedic in an off kilter satirical way, this novel tries to bring the humanity back to the protagonist, the sick professor, Edwin Spindrift.
The story shows the same cyincal look towards the hospital, and specifically mental health issues, that were later seen in the second of Burgess' "Enderby" tales.
This is truely the story of the humanization of Dr. Spindrift and his joining the "real" world for the first time in his life. A wonderfuly written, bittingly satrical and greatly humorous book, this is a must read for anyone who enjoyed "Clockwork," the widely read "Complete Enderby," or any of Burgess' other works of fiction.
There is an insider look at the medical world, Burgess, who himself was diagnossed with a brain tumor, brings his own knowledge of the condition and adds to it the satire on British institutions that was a common theme in his fiction.
Anthony Burgess shows us that humanity is sick as much as the good doctor, and that it might be out tendancy to lose the human in the machines of every day life, that is the real problem.
Rating: 5
Summary: Mindblowing
Comment: I bought this book after being mesmerized by "A Clockwork Orange"
While nothing like ACO (except for Burgess's masterful use of language), this book was every bit as riveting.
Dr. Edwin Spindrift, a linguistics professor in Burma, is diagnosed with a brain tumor. He, accompanied by his oddball wife, goes to London for medical treatment.
In the hospital, the mellow Spindrift meets a whole assortment of people: unique patients, arrogant insensitive physicians, cold uncaring nurses, rude orderlies, distant medical technicians, and the people who love them. Confused, bored, and exasperated with painful medical tests, Spindrift "escapes" the brain ward to disappear into nighttime London.
Misty and cold "civilized" London is very alien to the doctor, who has grown accustomed to sunny tropical Burma. Fascinated and horrified at the same time, Spindrift wanders the dark recesses of a Modern Western City in search of... something. Or maybe he's just running.
Spindrift runs into some very strange and utterly believable people. He finds himself in unusual, bizarre situations, every one of them genuine and real. More at home with language and words than with people, Spindrift is nevertheless spellbound by the alien Londoners with their colorful speech and habits.
After numerous adventures (or misadventures), he finds himself back in the stark, bright, antiseptic hospital. The hospital being so very alien in its own way, Edwin Spindrift PhD wonders just how many of those bizarre memories were real... in retrospect, things seem so amazing.
The story is a bit dated yet enough has remained the same (proof that some things may never change) that Spindrift's wild trip is still understandable and imaginable. It's a story of perceptions, or false perceptions. TDIS was one of those rare books that I had to set down sometimes to THINK about what I had just read. I hadn't done that with a book in a long time. I enjoyed not only reading this book, but thinking about it, too.
A very sly tale. Highly recommended.
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Title: The Wanting Seed by Anthony Burgess ISBN: 0393315088 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: December, 1996 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: One Hand Clapping: A Novel by Anthony Burgess ISBN: 0786706317 Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub. Date: 01 July, 1999 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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Title: Honey for the Bears (Norton Paperback Fiction) by Anthony Burgess ISBN: 0393314413 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: May, 1996 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Byrne by Anthony Burgess ISBN: 0786705752 Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub. Date: October, 1998 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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Title: Nothing Like the Sun: A Story of Shakespeare's Love-Life by Anthony Burgess ISBN: 039331507X Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: December, 1996 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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