Look out for Victoria Sweet's new book; SLOW MEDICINE; coming October 2017For readers of Paul Kalanithi’s When Breath Becomes Air; a medical “page-turner†that traces one doctor’s “remarkable journey to the essence of medicine†(The San Francisco Chronicle). San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital is the last almshouse in the country; a descendant of the Hôtel-Dieu (God’s hotel) that cared for the sick in the Middle Ages. Ballet dancers and rock musicians; professors and thieves—“anyone who had fallen; or; often; leapt; onto hard times†and needed extended medical care—ended up here. So did Victoria Sweet; who came for two months and stayed for twenty years.Laguna Honda; relatively low-tech but human-paced; gave Sweet the opportunity to practice a kind of attentive medicine that has almost vanished. Gradually; the place transformed the way she understood her work. Alongside the modern view of the body as a machine to be fixed; her extraordinary patients evoked an older idea; of the body as a garden to be tended. God’s Hotel tells their story and the story of the hospital itself; which; as efficiency experts; politicians; and architects descended; determined to turn it into a modern “health care facility;†revealed its own surprising truths about the essence; cost; and value of caring for the body and the soul.
#728105 in Books Our Sunday Visitor 2010-05-27Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.31 x 6.00l; 1.69 #File Name: 1592766978457 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Purchased as a gift.By MollyBeing a native of New Orleans; of course this book looked intriguing to me. Archbishop Hannan was Archbishop there for a number of years; and was still very active long after his retirement. The book was purchased as a gift for my sister-in-law who is an avid reader. She said she really enjoyed the book.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. but great book about a great manBy cindyNot finished with it yet; but great book about a great man. Archbishop Hannan was very loved by the people of New Orleans for decades-Catholic and non-Catholic alike. Very interesting story of his journey through the priesthood and his love for his adopted city of New Orleans0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great inside look at a genuine American Priest BishopBy Gluten FreeThis book is a great trip down memory lane with some very interesting insight as to some of the issues behind the scenes. I lived through most of the time that Archbishop Philip Hannon writes about. Getting an inside view of Vatican II; the Cuban Missle Crisis; and other major events was very enlightening and entertaining. Archbishop Hannon has a very deep faith combined with a hugh measure of common sense; and understanding of humanity. I purchased a copy of this book as a gift for a very good friend after I received a copy for Christmas. Highly recommend.
