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Audiobooks > Fiction >  General Fiction > The House of God
The House of God Audiobook, by Samuel Shem Play Audiobook Sample

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3.00183164244585 out of 53.00183164244585 out of 53.00183164244585 out of 53.00183164244585 out of 53.00183164244585 out of 5 (3.00) - 3,647 customer ratings
The House of God Audiobook, by Samuel Shem Play Audiobook Sample
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Author: Samuel Shem Narrator: Sean Runnette Publisher: Tantor Audio Audio Length: Release Date: September 2011 Format: Unabridged Audiobook Delivery: Instant Download ISBN: 9781452674414
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Publisher Description

By turns heartbreaking, hilarious, and utterly human, The House of God is a mesmerizing and provocative journey that takes us into the lives of Roy Basch and five of his fellow interns at the most renowned teaching hospital in the country. Young Dr. Basch and his irreverant confident, known only as the Fat Man, will learn not only how to be fine doctors but, eventually, good human beings. Samuel Shem has done what few in American medicine have dared to do—create an unvarnished, unglorified, and amazingly forthright portrait revealing the depth of caring, pain, pathos, and tragedy felt by all who spend their lives treating patients and stand at the crossroads between science and humanity. With over two million copies sold worldwide, The House of God has been hailed as one of the most important medical novels of the twentieth century and compared to Sinclair Lewis's Arrowsmith for its poignant portrayal of the education of American doctors.

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Quotes

  • “Brilliant.”

    - Chicago Tribune

  • “Does for the practice of medicine what Catch-22 and M*A*S*H did for the practice of warfare.”

    - Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger

  • Fascinating.

    - The Wall Street Journal

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Customer Reviews

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  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Story Rating: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " A "must read" for anyone intent on pursuing a career in medicine. "

    - sassy, 6/22/2016
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " ONe of the best books I've ever read. Laugh out loud funny, especially if you work in health care. People looked at me like I was crazy when I was reading it because I was laughing and crying at the same time. I read it over and over and pass it around in my travels as a traveling nurse. I have single handedly made this author a milliionaire. "

    - Ginny, 2/20/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Good, but not as good as everyone said it would be. Also somewhat racy and I didn't anticipate that aspect. "

    - Melanie, 2/11/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This book is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it unfortunately is very accurate in the depiction of medical internship as far as the exhaustion, dehumanization (of both the physician and the patient), depression, and dark nature of this unfortunate training process. On the other hand, I can't say that I knew anyone who had the sex depicted (very graphically) in this book. I also never knew of any cases of physician assisted suicide like those depicted. "

    - James, 2/9/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " It was interesting to read this book again after an interval of many years in the medical profession and find I still enjoyed it. It didn't strike me as funny as the first time I read it because sadly some of it is too true. "

    - Cheryl, 2/8/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A must read for every resident in training... "

    - Priti, 2/6/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Easily one of the funniest books ever for us healthcare pros. Valley of the dolls for hcp-s... "

    - katen, 2/3/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Gratuitous, brash, sexual, intense. Evidently your average hospital. Life, death, and every inch in between. Brilliant surgeons, hot young residents, and ghosts of relationships past. A wild ride akin to Philip Roth, Hemingway, and a dash of sweet and sour Kim Addonizio. "

    - Heather, 2/1/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " this guy really hates being a doctor. Thank you for a nice preview of jaded-ville, UB! "

    - Pete, 1/26/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " such a great concept for a book & really funny - why did it have to be so raunchy? The raunchiness of the book really got in the way of me enjoying the book. Very smart writing, characters were so realistic, felt like I was trudging thru rounds right a long with the doctors. "

    - Cheryl, 1/13/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I am sure the script writer(s) for Scrubs must have read this. Some tough sections to counter-balance the humour. "

    - Kate, 12/29/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " read this while in residency; kind of a rite of passage in medical training. "

    - Jossalyn, 12/23/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I read this summertime before residency started... I thought it was crude and harsh. It had a lot of truth though , but i think life of residency is improving. "

    - Nallanmd, 12/12/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I usually hate books with crazy ideas about grammar, but I liked this one a lot. "

    - Priya, 12/11/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I'm not sure how much a non-med student/non-doctor could enjoy this book, but it's definitely a classic albeit sort of frightening. "

    - Jackie, 11/26/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I think I am glad I never became a doctor....This book wasn't what I expected. It was depressing and, seemed repetitive...not sure if that's the right word...but it seemed to have the same theme all the way through-over and over. "

    - Lisa, 11/12/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This book came recommended to me by one of the doctors I work for. If you are interested in medicine and curious as to what its like to be a first year resident this book gives you a very intimate look at what things are like in the world of medicine. "

    - Jennifer, 11/4/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " A must read if you've ever worked in an in-patient setting. THE defining book. WARNING: It has some extremely graphic portions that are of the most risque I've ever read, so reader beware. "

    - Joel, 9/25/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Clever, bizzare and a realistic point of view on what it is like to be an intern in Medicine. Watching Roy Basch dehumanize himself as a way of coping with the horror of his internship and then finally come through in the end was incredible. "

    - katherine, 2/13/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " oh my god, for anyone involved in the medical field, this book is freaking laugh out loud hysterical. Many of the figures are still at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston (the House of God) "

    - sophia, 9/8/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Dr. Roy Basch, a new intern in hospital called the House of God, completes his medical studies at the BMS ("Best Medical School"). He is poorly prepared for the grueling hours and the sudden responsibilities without much guidance from senior doctors. "gomers" "

    - Sandra, 8/18/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Best book about western medicine that has ever been written "

    - Deborah, 7/26/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " maybe i don't want to be a doctor? "

    - Mitchel, 7/12/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " This was definitely a fun read, full of raw crude information based on a medical intern. Great Book one of my favorites. "

    - Summer, 5/24/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I've recognized much of the dialog in this book repeated in the TV show "Scrubs". "

    - Teri, 4/23/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Good read. Disturbing. Seems pretty accurate based on my observations at work. "

    - Katie, 3/9/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Great book for those who really want to learn/know what it is like to work medicine. "

    - Arctic, 11/26/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Humorous and thought provoking. Not the best style of writing, with a lot of unnecessary explicit descriptions, but still worth reading, especially before beginning your internship. "

    - Sowmya, 11/20/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Easily one of the funniest books ever for us healthcare pros. Valley of the dolls for hcp-s... "

    - katen, 10/21/2011
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Recommended to me by my cousin Scott, who is a doctor. Gave it the 50-page try and decided that it's not for me. If you're a doctor, however, you may find more here to identify with... "

    - Sara, 9/8/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " If you've spent any prolonged period of time in a hospital, particularly a teaching hospital, you'll find this comical. Love it. "

    - Stephanie, 8/18/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Reminded me of the US TV series Scrubs. It is superficially quite funny with its tales of GOMERs and the means by which to 'turf' patients (ie no longer have responsibility for them). But at its core it's a dark and tragic tale of Bergman's near-breakdown at the end of his internship year. "

    - Linzladies, 8/17/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A product of its time, both in style as in subject matter. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is that the ending seems to trail of a bit. Might be the era in which it was written, but a more sollid ending would have been nice.Either way: I can highly recommend it. "

    - Mathijs, 7/26/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " a must read for all future doctors "

    - Giselle, 7/24/2011
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " mostly about sex...some about the trials of medicine...everybody seems to like the book...Not me! "

    - Matt, 6/13/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " This just isn't doing it for me -- seems very dated. Perhaps a big payoff is coming but I don't feel like waiting for it to get here. And I don't seem to think its as funny as everyone keeps saying it is. "

    - Luann, 5/31/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Crude, vulgar, and downright gross at sometimes, it is scrubs in book form. "

    - Churchill19, 4/20/2011

About the Author

Samuel Shem is the pen name of Stephen Bergman, a doctor, novelist, playwright, and activist. A Rhodes Scholar, he was on the faculty of Harvard Medical School for three decades. His books include Mount Misery, the 2008 National Best Book Award winner The Spirit of the Place, and Fine. With his wife, Janet Surrey, he wrote the hit off-Broadway play Bill W. and Dr. Bob, which won the Performing Arts Award of the National Council on Alcoholism in 2007, and the nonfiction book We Have to Talk: Healing Dialogues Between Women and Men, winner of the 1999 Boston Interfaith Council’s Paradigm Shift Award. He lives in Boston and Costa Rica.

About the Narrator

Sean Runnette, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, has also directed and produced more than two hundred audiobooks, including several Audie Award winners. He is a member of the American Repertory Theater company and has toured the United States and internationally with ART and Mabou Mines. His television and film appearances include Two If by Sea, Cop Land, Sex and the City, Law & Order, the award-winning film Easter, and numerous commercials.