Books - first half of 2010

My life in France - by Julia Child, Alex Prud'Homme
Julia Child was a very likable person in this book with lovely photos and insights to the makings of her cook books (the first one took years to publish!, the good life (wine and rich food all day but stomach ulcers at the end of their first year in France!) and the setbacks. Very interesting read.

Final exam - by Pauline Chen
A surgeon's reflections on mortality. The author described how doctors were trained (or not trained really) to handle mortality and how that impact the patients. A lot of interesting facts and food for thoughts. For example, both surgeons and hairdressers hold their scissors with the thumb and the forth finger - apparently it gives better control. Or shocking revealation when the author asked for advices just before the end of her internship and received the most useful one - to prepare for "the day she kills one of her patients" because all doctors do(or surgeons) sometime in their life. There are many life lessons in this book. It's good to know some doctors do care.

Reading:
Men's search for meaning - by Viktor E. Frankl
Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix - by J. K. Rowling