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Francis Moore Lappe, author of Diet for a Small Planet and Ecomind

“A powerful, gripping, tour-de-force. A story that will stay with you forever, unforgettable characters and vivid writing that brings China alive from Changsha City to the sacred Mount Emei. One of the very best books I’ve ever read, and fallen in love with.”

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Public Speaking

SAMUEL SHEM IS AVAILABLE FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS A world renowned speaker, Shem is known for his humor and gift for inspiring audiences. Topics include “Staying Human in Health Care—…and in Life.” Also, “Staying Human in Corporations.” For a full list of topics go to: http://wwsg.com/samuel-shem. For booking contact Kelly Dieter at KDieter@WWSG.com.  

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A Book Doctors Can’t Close

The New York Times By HOWARD MARKEL, M.D. August 18, 2009 It was a raunchy, troubling and hilarious novel that turned into a cult phenomenon devoured by a legion of medical students, interns, residents and doctors. It introduced characters like “Fat Man” — the all-knowing but crude senior resident — and medical slang like Gomer, […]

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What it’s like in a country without war

By Stephen Bergman  |  August 10, 2009 DATELINE: Tierra Tranquila, a house on a mountain above the Pacific in Costa Rica LAST NIGHT we sat out under the equatorial stars and listened to the sounds of howler monkeys, birds, and cicadas. At 2,000 feet, there are no mosquitoes. This morning at dawn we watched three […]

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2009 Harvard Medical School Commencement Speech

The Prodigal Doctor Returns Read Bergman’s speech as prepared for delivery Listen to Bergman’s speech:

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TRIBUTE TO JOHN UPDIKE at The JFK Library June 7, 2009

This is a short story of a long friendship. John was the second writer I ever met. It was 1979, my first novel had come out, he was 46, I 34. We met at a party of PEN New England at the house of the writers Robie Macauley and Pam Painter. My first impression was […]

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BILL W. AND DR. BOB is now available on DVD!

The 2007 Off-Broadway Production of BILL W. AND DR. BOB is now available on DVD! Click here for more info and to purchase.

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30th anniversary of THE HOUSE OF GOD

There will be a celebration and symposium celebrating 30th anniversary of THE HOUSE OF GOD and the NEW Shem Novel, THE SPIRIT OF THE PLACE at the Cleveland Clinic in October. Read more: THE HOUSE OF GOD AND RESIDENCY EDUCATION, 1978-2008 For more details on the celebration and symposium, click here.

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He won’t open up? There’s a reason

By Stephen Bergman  |  August 3, 2009 A COUPLE sits on a beach on a brilliant July day. They’ve just had a picnic lunch, and are in that hazy sweet space of watching the waves and the gulls, the passing sailboat, or, far out, the tanker. They feel close. The woman, wanting to feel even […]

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The patient is the world

By Stephen Bergman | July 27, 2009 MEDICAL STUDENTS in their course on diagnosis are taught: “When you hear hoof beats outside the window don’t assume it’s a zebra.’’ This means that you should think of common diseases first, not exotic ones. Decades ago when I was a medical student in Boston at one of […]

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