# The EMTLife Reading List



## SwissEMT (Jul 14, 2006)

Hey Guys,

I'm looking for some good reads in the EMS field

I don't care whether it's fiction or non-fiction either, lets throw some names up here : )

I read mostly poli. science/current events so the books I recommend probably won't interest any of you.:sad: 

Anyone has some suggestions?


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## gradygirl (Jul 14, 2006)

Well, it's not specifically EMS related, but a really cool read (though kinda gross, so fair warning) is a book called Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach.


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## SwissEMT (Jul 14, 2006)

I read Stiff a few months ago, definitely an interesting read to say the least. It was original and the witty sarcastic tone that the book was written with really made it enjoyable. I liked the book personally because it took out the whole "soul" of man and simply treated it as a biological animal, which is very similar to my beliefs regarding us.

Though not EMS related:

"Masters of Chaos" by Linda Robinson
If any of you want to read a single account of USOCOM and it's operations, I recommend this read. Highly entertaining and just a good read. I read it in one sit down, simply could not put it down.


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## emtbuff (Jul 14, 2006)

I know of 2 good authors that offer Fire/EMS novels,  Dee Henderson and Terri Blackstock (sp)  They are probly more of a christian author but either way the series are good.


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## Jon (Jul 14, 2006)

Steve Berry.... GREAT "bathroom reading" - you can open one of his cartoon compilations to ANY page and be laughing... but don't try to read the whole thing at once, because you might DIE laughing


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## Wingnut (Jul 15, 2006)

Best and funniest book I EVER read was "Good Omens," But I can't remember the author.

For Interesting (!) reading get the "sleeping Beauty trilogy" by Anne Rolequare (aka Anne Rice) P.S. has nothing to do with sleeping beauty.

For 2 really good authors get Robert McCammon, "Swan song", "The Wolf's Hour", and any other book he wrote. EXCELLENT!!! And Andrew Greeley, "God Games", or any other of his books.

Enjoy!!!


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## frdude1000 (Feb 11, 2009)

Peter Canning, a paramedic, writes some very interesting books.  I have read two of his books, "Paramedic" and "Rescue 471".  They are all true stories.  It is well written and depicts patient care and the authors feelings and experiences!


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## BossyCow (Feb 11, 2009)

House of God.. definitely.


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## VentMedic (Feb 11, 2009)

A classic for those in medicine:

The House of God
by
Samuel Shem


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## JPINFV (Feb 11, 2009)

Book:Text type  : _The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: And Other Clinical Tales _
Author: Oliver Sacks
Publisher: Touchstone
Costs: approx. $10.78 USD on Amazon.com 
ISBN Number: 0684853949

Discussion : While not purely related to EMS, this book certainly can affect how you practice. Learn why not every "crazy" person is crazy and how psychiatry is linked to neurology as Dr. Sacks (a neurologist) takes you through the more interesting patients that he has seen, the consequences of their disorder, and sometimes the surprisingly simple "cure" found along the way, all the while adding clinical (ex. how Tourette's and Parkinson's is linked) and historical observations (ex. how Tourette's seemed to disappear, and then suddenly reappear again). 

The format of the book is a narrative describing what happened to the patient (almost like in PCR form, starting, generally, with how he became involved in a case) from Dr. Sack's prospective. Most of the patients in the book are followed from the beginning of their disease (be it from drinking or from a bad drug reaction) through to a "cure" for the patient, if there is one. Following the narrative is an in-depth discussion of the case. In my opinion, the narrative was much more engaging and interesting. Some of the discussions tend to drag on for pages and can probably be skipped without the reader missing too much. Many of the disorders are discussed more then once to show how different patients cope (or not) with the disorder as well as giving each disorder a spectrum of severity 

I would put this book at a high school graduate reading level. The biology is not bad because he does explain what is happening in general terms (such as defining the function of the Mammillary bodies) or the disease (Korsakoff syndrome's affect on the Mammillary bodies). While any technical or Latin word can be inferred from the reading (agnosia, for example), it might be helpful to have a dictionary nearby to help. 



Pro and Con's"  Pros: Clinical narratives are very interesting. It gives another look on why some people might seem to be crazy (like the man who leaned when he walked and didn't know about it). Shows how innovation might be just as important as drugs and procedures. 

Cons: Discussions tend to be overwhelming and less useful. Some terms that come up are overly technical.

Summary: It isn't going to teach you to diagnose or treat, but the new prospective is well worth taking the time to read it.






Book:The House of God: The Classic Novel of Life and Death in an American Hospital
Author: _Samuel Shem_
Publisher: Dell
Cost: $10-15
ISBN-10: 0385337388

Discussion:
It's a satire on hospital residencies, but several of the terms and "Laws of the House of God" have made their way into EMS usage [LOL in NAD, Gomer, the first thing to do at a cardiac arrest is to take your own pulse]. Similarly, the picture of interns starting off fresh out of class with little to no experience providing patient care seemed eerily similar to starting off fresh out of Basic class. While definitely not for novice providers [the cynicism could be a turn off], it should be a must read at some point for all providers.


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## JPINFV (Feb 11, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> A classic for those in medicine:
> 
> The House of God
> by
> Samuel Shem



Sniped when copying my posts from the reading list (now buried) on the other forum.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 11, 2009)

Kelly Grayson's book, "Life, Death and Everything Inbetween" is a great, funny book by an admitted "paragod" who pokes fun at himself and EMS in general.

http://www.kellygrayson.com/

Buy it, read it... it's good.


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## TransportJockey (Feb 11, 2009)

frdude1000 said:


> Peter Canning, a paramedic, writes some very interesting books.  I have read two of his books, "Paramedic" and "Rescue 471".  They are all true stories.  It is well written and depicts patient care and the authors feelings and experiences!


I love his books! Incredible reads.
Steven Grayson's book is good too. Some other books that seem good are:

Trauma Junkie - It's about a HEMS flight nurse
EMS: The job of your Life
EMS 2 : The Life of your job 

Both of those book are great tooo


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## fortsmithman (Feb 11, 2009)

The only EMS related book I read was a textbook for fiction I tend to read books by either Clive Cussler or W.E.B Griffin.


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## VentMedic (Feb 11, 2009)

Ambulance Girl by Jane Stern is a good read about an older woman becoming an EMT and volunteer. It was also a movie  with Kathy Bates in the leading role.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 11, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> Ambulance Girl by Jane Stern is a good read about an older woman becoming an EMT and volunteer. It was also a movie  with Kathy Bates in the leading role.



I laugh every weekend when I hear Jane Stern on "The Splendid Table" on NPR. I always have the secret hope that one day when she's recording her segment on Road Food, her EMS pager will go off.  

"...and that's why they have the best hamburgers in the tri-sta... BEEEP...BEEEP... Opps Lynn, I have to run..." (Sounds of chairs being knocked over and the door slamming.)


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## firecoins (Feb 11, 2009)

Stuff I am reading now.  

Pathophysiology Made Incredibly Easy!
http://www.amazon.com/Pathophysiolo...bs_sr_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234405760&sr=8-6

12 lead for acute and critical care providers by Bob Page

Paramedic Buff to burnt by George Steffensen


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## fortsmithman (Feb 11, 2009)

n7lxi said:


> "...and that's why they have the best hamburgers in the tri-sta... BEEEP...BEEEP... Opps Lynn, I have to run..." (Sounds of chairs being knocked over and the door slamming.)


Pager going off while cooking hasn't that happened to most if not all of us.  When it happened to me Half my pizza went on the floor the dogs loved that.


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## rjz (Feb 11, 2009)

House of God is a must read...I read it in between didatic and clinical time during medic school. Once you read it the vague referances made in Scrubs will make more sence. I also liked Kelly Grayson's book, it is a easy read and enjoyable to know that everyone goes through the same problems.


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## Meursault (Feb 11, 2009)

_The Blood of Strangers_ by Frank Huyler is an EM attending's reflections as a collection of short stories that are loosely tied together. Huyler is apparently a poet, and the 3-6 page anecdotes are tightly written, poignant, and very real. 

It's also a book that lends itself to being read out-of-sequence and frequently put down, which is convenient for EMS reading, and it's a bit more gentle than _The House of God_ for giving to your spouse/neighbor/relative who doesn't get medicine.


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## medic417 (Feb 11, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> Ambulance Girl by Jane Stern is a good read about an older woman becoming an EMT and volunteer. It was also a movie  with Kathy Bates in the leading role.



Loved the huge star of life on her car.  She was definition of whacker.


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## mycrofft (Feb 11, 2009)

*ok here's two*

http://www.sneezingcow.com/books&tapes.htm#Population:485

Michael Perry's "Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren At A Time"

"M*A*S*H  by "Richard Hooker" (Dr Richard Hornberger)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._Richard_Hornberger


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 11, 2009)

+1 for Michael Perry's "Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren At A Time".

Perry is an interesting writer...not only documenting the EMS and Fire adventures we all love, but the peculiar quirks of small town life as well. 

I found "Population" in a discount bin for $1.00. I still consider sending Perry a twenty as thanks for the good read.

His next book will be out in April.


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