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Reviews tagging 'Blood'
Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner by Judy Melinek, T. J. Mitchell
14 reviews
micksland's review against another edition
5.0
This memoir by Dr. Judy Melinek details her time as a medical examiner in New York City. People find a lot of creative ways to die in the Big Apple, and Dr. Melinek describes the process of autopsy and investigation with empathy and macabre humor. Americans really hate to think about death, preferring to see it as something that happens only in hospitals, separate from the "real world". The author encourages us to look at death in a more realistic and humane way, and I think that's a very valuable thing for readers to experience.
The memoir is told out of chronological order; first, we get more humorous anecdotes that draw the reader in and acclimate us to Dr. Melinek's narrative style. The stories get progressively darker as the narrative moves on, culminating in her work doing autopsies on victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and, immediately afterwards, on an anthrax attack victim. The book pulls zero punches and is a much stronger work for it. Overall, highly recommended.
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I would be remiss in writing this review if I did not speak about the surgical training aspect of the memoir. Dr. Melinek initially went to residency to become a surgeon before transitioning to pathology, but was driven out of the field by the inhuman working conditions. EVERY SINGLE MEDICAL MEMOIR that I have ever read has talked about the inhumanity of the working conditions in American surgical residencies. As a medical student, I was kept awake multiple times for 36 hour shifts, and that is nothing compared to the shit that surgical residents endure. Think about that: it is illegal to keep prisoners awake for 36 hours, but surgical training demands this on a regular basis. The cruelty is the point. It is an inherent part of the system for training surgeons in the United States. Everyone in the medical field knows this, and nothing will change until we call it out and demand better working conditions for residents. Call your Senators and Representatives and demand change - prevent the abuse that happened to Dr. Melinek and that is still happening to surgical trainees all around the country.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Suicide, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Child death and Blood
hail_archangel's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide
There's an excellent chapter dealing with 9/11 and the immense nature of the rescue and recovery operation. Be warned, it is very graphic and intense.gracehunt1's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
dromedaryreader's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
honeyenbee's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, and Death of parent
psychuhdelic's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Infertility, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
ksuazo94's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
rmika's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
aaaugello's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
vigil's review against another edition
4.5
it’s definitely not for the lighthearted, Melinek described her work in visceral detail thar truly conveys exactly what had occurred.
i docked half a point off due to the author’s treatment of suicide. her own father killed himself when she was thirteen, which understandably colored her perception of it. but her low empathy or compassion for the suicidal, ranging from calling them delusional to downright selfish is ugly in a regular person, but willfully ignorant and harmful in a medical professional.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism