Changes

Gabriel Weston originally studied English before going on to medical school and this is reflected in her beautiful, spare prose. She has the ability to speak volumes in just a few elegantly chosen words, whilst pushing your thinking into corners it's never visited before. There's not a superfluous word in the book, or a page which doesn't make you think. My only regrets about the book are that it's far too short and I could have read as much again and still wanted more.

You're sometimes going to be uncomfortable reading the book. It's unflinchingly honest – frequently about herself and occasionally about the way that patients are treated and about ambition in the medical profession, about what it takes to get to the top. The book is wise, but not preachy and sympathetic to those who find themselves on one end or other of a scalpel. Above all , it's compellingly readable.

In ''Direct Red'' names have been changed to protect the innocent and the events which are described are similar to those which have or might occur, but it is essentially a work of non-fiction. For a fictional look at the life of a surgeon , we can recommend [[Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese]]. We've also enjoyed a recent book about the development of pharmacology – [[Taking the Medicine by Druin Burch]]. Weston is good for [[Dirty Work by Gabriel Weston|fiction]], too