Read Online or Download The House of God by Samuel Shem - EPUB Version
House of God by Samuel Shem: A Classic Novel of Medical Satire
Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a doctor in training? How do you cope with the stress, the pressure, the bureaucracy, and the absurdity of working in a hospital? How do you balance your professional duties with your personal life, your ethics with your survival, your compassion with your cynicism?
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If you are curious about these questions, or if you are a medical student or a doctor yourself, you might want to read House of God, a novel by Samuel Shem (a pseudonym for Stephen Bergman), a psychiatrist and a professor at Harvard Medical School. House of God is a classic work of medical fiction and satire that exposes the dark side of medicine with humor, honesty, and humanity.
In this article, we will explore what House of God is about, how it was received and impacted the medical world, and how you can download it in EPUB format for your convenience.
The Plot and Characters of House of God
House of God follows the story of Roy Basch, a young and idealistic doctor who starts his internship at a fictional hospital called House of God. There, he encounters a harsh reality that challenges his beliefs, values, and sanity. He has to deal with long hours, demanding supervisors, incompetent administrators, difficult patients, and a dysfunctional system that seems to care more about money than health.
Along the way, he meets other interns who share his struggles and frustrations. They form a bond of friendship and solidarity that helps them survive the ordeal. Some of them are:
Chuck: Roy's best friend and roommate. He is a confident and charismatic surgeon who enjoys life to the fullest.
The Fat Man: Roy's mentor and guru. He is a rebellious and unconventional cardiologist who teaches Roy the unofficial rules of medicine.
Potts: Roy's rival and nemesis. He is a neurotic and ambitious neurologist who tries to impress his superiors at any cost.
Eat My Dust Eddie: Roy's colleague and ally. He is a fast and efficient emergency doctor who knows how to handle any situation.
Roy also encounters various patients who leave an impression on him. Some of them are:
The gomers: A term coined by the Fat Man to describe old and demented patients who never die. They are the bane of the interns' existence, as they occupy beds, consume resources, and cause complications.
The yellow man: A patient with severe liver failure who turns yellow due to jaundice. He is a cheerful and optimistic man who inspires Roy with his attitude.
The Runt: A patient with a rare genetic disorder that makes him look like a child. He is a lonely and depressed man who falls in love with Roy's girlfriend.
Through these characters and events, House of God explores various themes and messages that reflect the realities and dilemmas of medicine. Some of them are:
The House of God laws: A set of rules that the Fat Man teaches Roy to cope with the madness of the hospital. For example, "The only good admission is a dead admission", "The delivery of good medical care is to do as much nothing as possible", "At a cardiac arrest, the first procedure is to take your own pulse".
The dehumanization of medicine: The way that the hospital system treats patients as numbers, diseases, or problems, rather than as people. The way that doctors lose their empathy, compassion, and integrity in the process.
The power dynamics: The way that the hospital hierarchy creates conflicts, abuses, and injustices among doctors, nurses, administrators, and patients. The way that doctors have to navigate the politics, bureaucracy, and corruption of the system.
The Reception and Impact of House of God
House of God was published in 1978 and caused a lot of controversy and criticism among some medical professionals and institutions. They accused the book of being vulgar, offensive, exaggerated, and misleading. They claimed that the book tarnished the image and reputation of medicine and discouraged potential students from pursuing a medical career. They even banned or censored the book in some places.
However, the book also received a lot of praise and influence among many doctors and students who found it relatable, realistic, and insightful. They appreciated the book's humor, honesty, and humanity. They recognized the book's value as a source of comfort, inspiration, and education. They even adopted some of the book's terms and concepts into their own practice.
House of God has sold over two million copies worldwide and has been translated into several languages. It has been ranked as one of the best novels of the 20th century by various publications and organizations. It has inspired other works of medical fiction and satire, such as Scrubs, M*A*S*H, ER, Grey's Anatomy, etc. It has also been adapted into a stage play and a movie.
House of God remains relevant today as it addresses some of the current issues in healthcare, such as burnout, depression, suicide, ethics, quality, safety, etc. It also offers some lessons and insights for doctors and patients alike, such as:
The importance of humanism in medicine: The need to treat patients as people, not as cases. The need to respect their dignity, autonomy, and preferences. The need to listen to their stories, feelings, and needs.
The importance of humor in medicine: The need to use humor as a coping mechanism, not as a defense mechanism. The need to laugh at oneself, not at others. The need to find joy in one's work, not in one's misery.
The importance of balance in medicine: The need to balance one's professional duties with one's personal life. The need to balance one's ethics with one's survival. The need to balance one's compassion with one's cynicism.
How to Download House of God by Samuel Shem in EPUB Format
If you are interested in reading House of God, you might want to download it in EPUB format. EPUB is a popular format for e-books that has many benefits and features. Some of them are:
It is compatible with most devices and platforms: You can read EPUB files on your computer, smartphone, tablet, e-reader, etc. You can also use various apps or software to open them.
It is flexible and adaptable: You can adjust the font size, style, color, layout, etc. according to your preferences and needs. You can also add bookmarks, annotations, highlights, etc.
How to Download House of God by Samuel Shem in EPUB Format
If you are interested in reading House of God, you might want to download it in EPUB format. EPUB is a popular format for e-books that has many benefits and features. Some of them are:
It is compatible with most devices and platforms: You can read EPUB files on your computer, smartphone, tablet, e-reader, etc. You can also use various apps or software to open them.
It is flexible and adaptable: You can adjust the font size, style, color, layout, etc. according to your preferences and needs. You can also add bookmarks, annotations, highlights, etc.
It is interactive and multimedia: You can access links, images, videos, audio files, etc. that are embedded in the EPUB file. You can also search for words or phrases within the text.
So how can you download House of God in EPUB format? Here are some steps and tips to help you:
Find a reliable source: There are many websites that offer free or paid downloads of e-books in various formats, including EPUB. However, not all of them are trustworthy or legal. Some of them may contain viruses, malware, or spam. Some of them may violate the author's or publisher's rights. Therefore, you should be careful and selective when choosing a source. You should look for reputable and authorized websites that have good reviews and ratings from other users. You should also check the quality and compatibility of the EPUB file before downloading it.
Download the EPUB file: Once you have found a reliable source, you can proceed to download the EPUB file of House of God. Usually, you just need to click on a download button or link and follow the instructions. Sometimes, you may need to create an account or provide some information before downloading. Sometimes, you may need to use a specific app or software to download the file. In any case, you should make sure that the download process is safe and secure.
Transfer and open the EPUB file: After downloading the EPUB file of House of God, you can transfer it to your device of choice using a USB cable, a wireless connection, a cloud service, etc. Then, you can open it using an app or software that supports EPUB format. For example, you can use Adobe Digital Editions, Calibre, iBooks, Kindle, etc. You can also convert the EPUB file to another format if needed.
Conclusion
House of God by Samuel Shem is a classic novel of medical satire that exposes the dark side of medicine with humor, honesty, and humanity. It follows the story of Roy Basch and his fellow interns as they navigate the madness of working in a fictional hospital called House of God. It explores various themes and messages that reflect the realities and dilemmas of medicine. It also offers some lessons and insights for doctors and patients alike.
If you want to read House of God, you might want to download it in EPUB format for your convenience. EPUB is a popular format for e-books that has many benefits and features. You can find reliable sources online that offer free or paid downloads of House of God in EPUB format. You can also transfer and open the EPUB file on your device using an app or software that supports EPUB format.
We hope that this article has helped you learn more about House of God by Samuel Shem and how to download it in EPUB format. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Samuel Shem?
Samuel Shem is a pseudonym for Stephen Bergman, a psychiatrist and a professor at Harvard Medical School. He is the author of several novels, plays, and non-fiction books that deal with medicine, psychology, and society.
Is House of God based on a true story?
House of God is a fictional novel that draws on Samuel Shem's own experiences as an intern at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston in the 1970s. However, it is not a memoir or a biography. It is a satire that exaggerates and dramatizes some aspects of medicine for comedic and critical purposes.
What are the House of God laws?
The House of God laws are a set of rules that the Fat Man teaches Roy to cope with the madness of the hospital. They are meant to be humorous and ironic, not literal or serious. They reflect the Fat Man's philosophy of medicine, which is to do as much nothing as possible and to avoid unnecessary interventions.
What is EPUB format?
EPUB is a popular format for e-books that stands for Electronic Publication. It is an open and standard format that can be read on various devices and platforms. It is flexible and adaptable, allowing users to adjust the font size, style, color, layout, etc. according to their preferences and needs. It is also interactive and multimedia, allowing users to access links, images, videos, audio files, etc. that are embedded in the EPUB file.
How can I download House of God in EPUB format?
You can download House of God in EPUB format from various websites that offer free or paid downloads of e-books in various formats, including EPUB. However, you should be careful and selective when choosing a source, as not all of them are trustworthy or legal. You should look for reputable and authorized websites that have good reviews and ratings from other users. You should also check the quality and compatibility of the EPUB file before downloading it.
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