Edward F. Goljan
since H has been complaining that i have not written in this blog for a year or whatever, i will write about the book i am currently reading and will be for many more months.
the rapid review series are a "must have" for any medical student. i own most of the subject books...i prefer them to BRS (board review series) because i like the font and the layout better. they also come with board exam practice questions...perfect for the standardized tests that we have to take to pass our classes. there's also a wonderfully easy to navigate online component. (the online component to the BRS series is quite lacking and difficult to click through to say the least.)
the pathology book is the big boss of all the RR series...at a full 1-inch thickness, it sure does pack a ton of information. the chapters are divided into diseases of different organ systems. the info is in an outline format with "high yield" notes in the margins. it comes with full color photographs that will embarrass you in public if you turn the page and there is a "private part" staring at you. alas, the knowledge i must learn.
the current chapter i am reading, "hepatobiliary and pancreatic disorders", has proven itself to be delightfully charming, yet tasteful. the illustration of the nutmeg liver captivated my senses, and the fine detailing of alcohol-related liver disorders is quite touching. i highly recommend this book to all med students and pathology enthusiasts.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
a people's history of the united states
howard zinn
having recently gotten a typical history degree from a typical university, i felt i needed a little more radical education before being proud of my degree. in fact, how could one get such a degree without ever having considered american history told from the perspective of the unpriviledged (the lower 99% of the population as zinn says)?
eight years turned out to be the perfect amount of time between readings. i picked the book up again when i realized i could not explain how the electoral college worked or how a president could be elected with only 45% of the votes in the country, or how mississippi could elect a governor who got only 49% of the votes, or why ralph nader constantly had to defend himself from those who said he was the "spoiler".
i can answer these questions now and i am ashamed that our system has been contorted such that the solutions to each of these situations are not the logical but the more bizarre of the possible solutions.
while i have not yet written "my congressman", this book leaves me with the feeling that there are actions i can take besides voting to express my content/discontent with governmental policies and that while my individual actions may be ignored, enough actions by enough folks cannot.
and not to be too vague or too "jaded", i have already started my list of policies that i believe should change and actions that i think should be encouraged, funded, implemented, etc for the betterment of the folks in our society...
anyone interested?
having recently gotten a typical history degree from a typical university, i felt i needed a little more radical education before being proud of my degree. in fact, how could one get such a degree without ever having considered american history told from the perspective of the unpriviledged (the lower 99% of the population as zinn says)?
eight years turned out to be the perfect amount of time between readings. i picked the book up again when i realized i could not explain how the electoral college worked or how a president could be elected with only 45% of the votes in the country, or how mississippi could elect a governor who got only 49% of the votes, or why ralph nader constantly had to defend himself from those who said he was the "spoiler".
i can answer these questions now and i am ashamed that our system has been contorted such that the solutions to each of these situations are not the logical but the more bizarre of the possible solutions.
while i have not yet written "my congressman", this book leaves me with the feeling that there are actions i can take besides voting to express my content/discontent with governmental policies and that while my individual actions may be ignored, enough actions by enough folks cannot.
and not to be too vague or too "jaded", i have already started my list of policies that i believe should change and actions that i think should be encouraged, funded, implemented, etc for the betterment of the folks in our society...
anyone interested?
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