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Customer Reviews (19)

A Terrible Disappointment
If this had been Noah Gordon's first novel, I don't think he would have sold it.Poor plotting, worn-out rhetoric, lame characterization.Coming as it does on the heels of such masterpieces as "The Physician" and "Shaman," this book is a complete let-down.I agree with the reviewers who said that he really hits his stride much better with historical fiction.He just doesn't seem comfortable in a present-day story, and it is too bad, because he is a very gifted storyteller.

If you were enthralled by "The Physician"and "Shaman," spare yourself the disappointment of "Choices."Remember Noah Gordon's storytelling as it used to be.

choices
as is customary with all noah gordon books it is very well written and easy to read.

great choice of subject matter.

i continue to read all his books. one by one.

hope he is working on new ones.

I don't understand...
...What happened to Noah Gordon when he was writing this?

"Choices" is ostensibly a second and last sequel to the massive historical best seller "The Physician" and "Shaman." However, unlike those books, both of which were detailed, emotional, educational and just overall excellent, this book is...well, it's just bad.

There is next to no detail is this novel, the story of a female R.J Cole who likes her predecessors, became a doctor. We get to read about two years in her life when she's about forty and there is no great conflict, nothing to make this plot as vibrant and grabbing as the past books. Just some stuff about the abortion controversy and even that was not in any way interesting. And in the back story for R.J. (which took up about two pages to cover the first 40 years of her life) there was a lot of stuff that would fleshed out the novel and made it much better if it had been started at an earlier point in time.

I was so happy when I found out that there was a third novel in the Cole series but this just isn't really worth reading. It's scant on detail and even worse with character personality. The magic that Gordon had when describing the past seems to dissipate when he's writing about the present. Unless your really dedicated to reading this book I would stop at "Shaman" so you can have happy memories of the amazing (first 2/3) of the Cole books.

Two stars.

a little different than the other 2 from the trilogy
interesting spin, much more political, addressing current society issues. The connection to the previous 2 in the trilogy is not as straight forward as it may seem. Good read, though I would have liked to see a stronger connection. Noah Gordon's strength is in the historical novels more so than in this contemporary one.

A trilogy of two books
Wow, how disapointed I found myself today with a book, that I need to write an online review. XD

I like the Cole family trilogy because Noah's way of writing, no lose endings, very well written chapters and parts of a book. Matters of Choice even had a lose ending.

* Noah Failed to develop a good female character.Hiding behind the mask of a hard woman, R.J.Cole in many ways fails to be a well written Female, he misses a lot of good oportunities in thisbook to create a Rich, first R.J Female cole.

* It fails to follow the spirit of the other 2 books, as part of a trilogy, this book fails incredible when following the past two, not only because it doesn't have the epic taste of the previews two, but because the main dilema of the book: a woman caught in the abortion dilema, does nothing but fill space on the book.

* In many ways this book is "A Romantic Novel" - Love + Sick relationships. ... Read more

Product Description
In a saga set against the backdrop of the Civil War and the wide-open prairie of frontier Illinois, Rob J. finds love with a strong pioneer woman, and their sons grow to manhood. Reprint. NYT. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

An Excellent Coming to Maturity Novel
I thought this was a fascinating work of historical fiction and science. This is a thoroughly researched novel, it brought alive what it was like for a young person to be growing up in the mid 19th century America.Three scenes resonated with me, and I am going to describe them, as I'd like to remember them.

In the first, Shaman (the protagonist) is attending college. He is a 15 year old deaf student - who is very interested in science and medicine. In this scene he decides that his future will be medicine:
"He watched until the stars seemed to wheel, enormous and glittering. What had formed them up there, out there? And the stars beyond? And beyond? ...
He felt that each star and planet was part of a complicated system, like a bone in a skeleton, or a drop of blood in a body. So much of nature seemed organized, thought out - so orderly, and yet so complicated. What had made it so? .... The stars were magical but all you could do is watch them. If a heavenly body went awry, you couldn't ever hope to make it well again."

The second scene that struck me is when the 25 year old Shaman learns that his father had been been working with a merchant neighbor to help run a section of the Underground Railroad.Shaman is surprised that: "The plump, balding merchant didn't look heroic or appear the kind of person who would risk everything for a principle in defiance of the law. Shaman was filled with admiration for the steely secret man who inhabited Cliburne.s soft storekeeper body."George Cliburne, is a Quaker with a philosophical bent, who persuades Shaman to attend a Quaker meeting. The Quaker principles suit Shaman, who eventually seems to adopt them as his own.

Finally, near the end of the book, Shaman is teaching a human anatomy lesson, much as his father taught him. He says:
"No matter how soiled the human body is, it's a miracle to be marveled at and treated well. When a person dies, the soul or spirit - what the Greeks called anemos - leaves it.Men have always argued about whether it dies to, or it goeselsewhere. ... the spirit leaves the body behind the way someone leaves a house he's lived in."

This is a book abut two men - father and son coming to maturity. I found it well worth reading, it made me think about lessons I might impart to my own son.

A Country Doctor and House Calls
Noah Gordon's novel "Shaman" is named for the central character in this three generational story of a family of doctors emigrated from Scotland in the 19th century. "Shaman" follows Robert J. Cole, the young doctor called Rob J through medicine in clinics and eastern slums during the period of discovery of the causes of deaths due to infection and the utility of physician cleanliness. Here, too, we experience appalling poverty and squalor. "Shaman" is a book so full of historical detail of early America and American Indian lore it could easily pass as creative non-fiction. But, even so, the fictionalized characters are so well developed that they carry it as first rate fiction.

Along with thousands of others, Rob J ventures west to homestead in Illinois where he befriends a group of Sauk Indians whose religious and spiritual life he admires. The author's knowledge of the period and place is encyclopedic and he weaves it into the plot, following Rob J and his family masterfully, leaving us hanging on every twist and turn -- murder, mayhem, and some deserved rewards.

"Shaman" also portrays the politics and politicians of the period up to and include the civil war where we experience the horrors of amuputation tents through physician Rob J's eyes.

This big book is so full of detail, wonderfully delineated characters, and exciting conflict that a review could easily take 5000 words and still not tell it all. A five star winner. If you like American history and historical fiction, "Shaman" should be your next read.

fast shipping
Hii I havent read the book but I am sure it is going to be good. Very fast shipping from seller. THANKS

Great Story
My favorite read of the summer. Great historical fiction, vivid characters, well-constructed tale. And I learned a lot from it too. My favorite of the three books by Gordon that I've read.

The Civil War Again, Sigh...
I was blown away by Gordon's "Physician", a good five stars.The sequal "Shaman" proved disppointing to me for two reasons.First, because of the extensive Civil War content---once more we fight the battle of Gettysburg!Admittedly this may be a personal reaction because I've spent 20 years teaching U.S. history to undergraduates and am quite familiar with the period the book encompasses. "Physician" was far more exotic and fascinating because I know much less about the time period (centuries earlier) in which it was set.

The second reason, however, was that Gordon divided his forces in "Shaman", having two heroes---the father and the son.In Physician, his main character was Rob J. Cole, who didn't have to share the limelight with a father, and emerged as a stronger and more unforgettable hero. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (81)

A brilliant and insightful read
As one who generaly sticks to the sci fi/fantasy genres of fiction I was delighted and fascinated by this rich and in depth look into what was basically four different sections of 11th century history.I started reading this book on a friends couch, waiting for said friend to awake.Being unable to put it down for an hour I then asked my friend if he would let me borrow the book.After being informed it was one of his all time favorites and he was loath to part with it I ordered it on Amazon the next day.I have highly reccomended this book to a number of people and would do so to anyone.This book is truly a great story told by a professional.While at the same time being highly entertaining it offers historic snapshots of various professions.I found it interesting that, in all honesty, I had a difficult time even liking the main character for the first half of the book - but found myself engrossed by his travails nonetheless.I see a number of people who wrote reviews on this book are physicians.I am not.However, despite the title and the fact that it does largely cover 11th century medicine I would reccomend this book by virtue of sheer masterful storytelling alone to anyone.

Imagine living in AD 1000 - AD 1100---tough life
This is the review of the paperback version. The other book I read by Noah Gordon is "The Last Jew." This book reads in the same style--excellent storyteller Noah Gordon takes us through the darkness of middle ages in Europe and makes us feel safer being in the 21 century. What makes the novel great is the casual manner in which life is shown accepted "as is" in that era. I like the barber character very much. Another symbolic scenario is when the wife of Cole accepts him and Cole's infant son on her bosom and nourish them both. There was much tenderness in that scene and Gordon deserves credit for his innovation of creating that moment in the novel. The Islamic political culture seems to be very brutal but we easily see how great of an advancement Islamic/Arab scholars made in their learning and scholarship. Also the novel reminds us how Jew and Arabs cohabited in a "comparatively" better terms almost more than thousand years ago than they do today. Overall a very good read.

Loved the medieval med stuff!
I wasn't attracted to the cover of this book but was really drawn in from the very first page. Read it in less than a week which is pretty good for a novel over 700 pages. The author has clearly done a lot of research and had an easy writing style--one of the best writing styles I ever experienced. I think there was a certain melody to his writing that flowed smoothly in my mind and made the experience of reading much more pleasurable.

Detailed glimpse into a lost era
This book is a great read, both as a gripping story in its own right, and as a historical study of a long-ago era. It was especially interesting to be reminded of all the lost medical and scientific knowledge that religions (and their supporters) have caused to be jettisoned, throughout the ages. The book also invites us to regard all those ancient civilizations that are now designated as so-called emerging economies with much more deference, especially in a country as young as the US.

Best read I've had in a long time
I stumbled across this book in a Thrift Store and picked it up to read on an upcoming trip.What I found is an amazingly wonderful historical novel that gives a glimpse into the beginnings of thoughtful medicine.I have now read other books by this author, but none as fascinating as The Physician. ... Read more

Product Description
In the year 1492, the Inquisition has all of Spain in its grip.After centuries of pogrom-like riots encouraged by the Church, the Jews - who have been an important part of Spanish life since the days of the Romans - are expelled from the country by royal edict.Many who wish to remain are intimidated by Church and Crown and become Catholics, but several hundred thousand choose to retain their religion and depart; given little time to flee, some perish even before they can escape from Spain.

Yonah Toledano, the 15-year-old son of a celebrated Spanish silversmith, has seen his father and brother die during these terrible days - victims whose murders go almost unnoticed in a time of mass upheaval.Trapped in Spain by circumstances, he is determined to honor the memory of his family by remaining a Jew.

On a donkey named Moise, Yonah begins a meandering journey, a young fugitive zigzagging across the vastness of Spain.Toiling at manual labor, he desperately tries to cling to his memories of a vanished culture.As a lonely shepherd on a mountaintop he hurls snatches of almost forgotten Hebrew at the stars, as an apprentice armorer he learns to fight like a Christian knight.Finally, as a man living in a time and land where danger from the Inquisition is everywhere, he deals with the questions that mark his past.How he discovers the answers, how he finds his way to a singular and strong Marrano woman, how he achieves a life with the outer persona of a respected Old Christian physician and the inner life of a secret Jew, is the fabric of this novel. The Last Jew is a glimpse of the past, an authentic tale of high adventure, and a tender and unforgettable love story.In it, Noah Gordon utilizes his greatest strengths, and the result is remarkable and moving.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (46)

Good.
Good book.Teaches u about the history of Jews during the Spanish Inquistion.It is described in such a way that it feels as though it is happening just now. Scary.

Unexpectedly Good
I picked up this book at a used bookstore, for kicks and giggles. If it sucked, I could redonate it and be done with it.

I am so glad I bought it. It was amazing, I felt so sucked in.

The book tells the story of a Jewish young man named Yonah, living in 15th century Spain during the Inquisition. He escapes the Inquisitors and lives in the guises of different identities. He tries to stay true to himself and his religion while pretending not to be who he is.

The biggest message I got from the book is to hold onto yourself even in the darkest of days.

Amazing book.

Compelling
Noah Gordon is a good storyteller.And so far as I can tell, his research is pretty good, too.

This tale tracks its protagonist through some of the darkest days of the Spanish Inquisition,and makes
the historical period of the 1490s come alive.It woiuld make a terrific movie, as well.

Surprise, surprise!
This was one of my favorit books ever.It became my pick for our Book Club and became a favorite for many as well.There were lots of groans when I gave them the title of the book but after reading it they agreed with me on how good it was.

I had actually picked up my first copy while in Spain while looking for a book to read that was printed in English.It was purchased on a lark, but sounded interesting.
I have recommended this book to a number of reading friends.

THE LAST JEW
AN INTERESTING AND INDEPTH LOOK AT HISTORY AS SEEN BY THE AUTHOR. A GREAT READ. GORDON IS ONE OF THE BETER HISTORICAL WRITERS, LOTS OF DETAIL AND STORY TO KEEP IT GOING.



... Read more

Product Description
Michael Kind was a rabbi, but he was also a man. A man who couldn't help that his heart led him to Leslie, a beautiful minister's daughter. Defying parents and teachers, they dare to love one another and build a life together, in this sweeping drama of love and identity, compassion and crueltly, and a complicated world that will not accept their decisions....
"A rewarding reading experience."
LOS ANGELES TIMES
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Customer Reviews (8)

The Rabbi by Noah Gordon
Noah Gordon is a master story teller.I first read this book in the 1960s and was unable to trace it in the UK.The search via Amazon.com has been well worth it. Michael Kind, the eponymous rabbi matures with humility through his family,colleagues the various temple communities.
What an insight too in to Jewish culture.Fabulous read.The Rabbi

loved every minute of it
I'm the daughter of a Reform Rabbi who is the son of an Orthodox one.I knew these people, spoke their language, lived their lives.I served in the Israeli Defense Force and now am searching for my own Jewish identity in America.This book brought me home and reminded me of my history.Every moment was wonderful.

a little outdated but still good
I first read this book when I was a kid and recently re-read it. Much of the dialogue and beliefs seem outdated now, as "The Rabbi" was written 41 years ago, when the WWII generation was in charge of morality and interfaith marriage was considered daring and shocking. Noah Gordon understood human nature and wrote compassionately of the fears and failures we all experience in life. He lets us know what Leslie is thinking and feeling in a beautiful way that most male authors would be incapable of doing. He shows Rabbi Michael Kind as a loving but imperfect man who is forced to be strong for those who are weak--even though he himself has many moments of weakness and doubt. At age 14 this book touched my soul and taught me compassion. Decades later, it still does!

Waste of time
The first part of this book was a good read, the rest however, had some major holes in it which, I cannot believe a Jewish author would include.

For starters, this Rabbi's wife, though born a gentile, converted.In fact she received an Orthodox Conversion to Judaism, yet the back cover of this book refers to the trials of an "intermarried" Rabbi. Periodically throughout the book there are also more referencesto the Rabbi being married to a gentile.

The story, decent, I liked to hear about Michael's past. His childhood in an Orthodox household, though I would have liked to learn why he left his Orthodox roots behind in favor of the Reform movement.

But as interesting as the book could have been, it is attempting to create a tragedy where there is none.Their families defied their love and yet they dared to build a life together is the impression the book and some reviews give.This is not a Romeo and Juliet tale as I think Gordon may have been shooting for.This is the story of a Jewish man who married a woman who converted, thus making her Jewish as well.Perhaps if more emphasis were placed on Leslie's father (a protestant minister) perhaps I could see more conflict.I think referring to Rabbi Kind as an intermarried Rabbi, even though his wife converted is an offensive statement towards Jews by Choice.I'm sure Noah Gordon was not attempting to do that, but it sort of trivialized Leslie's conversion by continuously referring to her as a gentile.

Not so good!!
This is the first book i have read from Noah Gordon, and I personally did not liked it. My twin sister read "The Physician" and "The Death Committee" and told that they were GREAT!! so I decided to buy this one... But it was a complete disappointment!! the first half was good, but the second one was so awful it took me weeks to finished it, only 1 or 2 pages per day... I just hope that his other books are as magnificent as my sister told me. ... Read more

Product Description
A razor-sharp hospital drama by the author of the international best-sellers The Physician and Shaman. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Enjoyable read
I have never read any of Noah Gordon's other works, so I can only rate this as a stand-alone piece.Most of what I enjoyed was how medicine has changed since the book was published in 1969 - anybody with so much as a mild fascination in medicine (or a love of ER or other similar television dramas) would probably find it enjoyable, if not entirely up to date.The whole book has a warm, fuzzy feeling, and I was left quite content and pleased with the world by its end.I give it four stars not for the great prose or character development, but because it kept me reading for hours on end, curious to find out what happened to the characters.A made-for-TV novel, if you will.

A Nice Start
An early work of Gordon, it reflects on his fascination with the world of Medicine.Unlike his best work in The Physician and Shaman, Death Committee searches out modern cutting edge medicine.At times he seems inawe of the mortals who struggle to solve the puzzle of transplantation.Hedoes an accurate job for 1969 when the book was published.

I expectedmore incite to the characters.Having read his wonderful later worksfirst, my expectations were high.Trying to put this in perspective as asecond novel, it showcases Gordon's development as a character writer.

It is a clever quick read and highly recommended for those who likeGordon's later works, but I would read the later works first.

A BOOK TO EVERYONE THAT LOVES MEDICINE...
Mr. Noah Gordon is my prefered author... I have readed all of his books...and this is another masterpiece that came out of his mind... It talks about the history os three doctors and their lifes inside aHospital... A sensible book, once you start you can't stop... A MUST READ!!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

So far so good
This book has an interesting story including the heritage of the family, of course a diamond, but it has some characters that doesn't have to be there. At the end of the book the only thing he has is the diamond, he has no family, no lover, etc.
The question is: Will you change your actual family for your heritage?

A real gem of a book!
'The Jerusalem Diamond' is a brilliantly written and truly insightful book. The story of the main character's involement with a particular diamond is woven in between flashbacks to the past. This makes the bookexciting and historical - combining fact and fiction. A wonderful book.

Not "The Physician"
Harry Hopeman is the main character of "Jerusalem Diamond". Like inother Gordon books, he is a jew. An american jew, very wise, rich, he trades diamonds. His past, or the past of his family is glorious, but even so, it is also misty. In the plot, Hopeman travels to Israel, the jewish nation, to verify the autenticity and, if possible, to buy a historical diamond that arises the interests of the three major religions: christianism, judaism and islamism.Arriving at Jerusalem, Hopeman sees himself pressed by people representing the three religions, that view possession of the diamond as a way to get better over the other two. Hopeman's religious culture is put against his journey in the Land, where people breathe religion mixed with armed fighting; and he gets involved in a love affair with a local woman, widow to an ideal. Despite all these things, he finds a perfect diamond... when what he was looking for was one with a very visible damage.Jerusalem is a precious city to three cultures. And in this city Hopeman finds a diamond... HIS diamond. The plot in the book is very interesting, but the only problem with Noah Gordon's books is that they get pale if compared to his masterpiece, "The physician". In "Jerusalem diamond", the historical chapters seem a little bit undeveloped, and the main plot twists so much that sometimes the reader gets lost. Anyway, a fast book to read, and very pleasant. One won't regret the purchase. ... Read more

Product Description

An exciting new collection of prose poetry from an emerging talent, Noah Eli Gordon's Novel Pictorial Noise was a winner of the 2006 National Poetry Series Open Competition, selected by esteemed poet John Ashbery. For over twenty years, the National Poetry Series has discovered many new and emerging voices and has been instrumental in launching the careers of poets and writers such as Billy Collins, Mark Doty, Denis Johnson, Cole Swensen, Thylias Moss, Mark Levine, and Dionisio Martinez.

Customer Reviews (2)

Reading this at the same time as Angle of Yaw was a bad idea.
Noah Eli Gordon, Novel Pictorial Noise (Harper Perennial, 2007)

With the way I read (which involves starting numerous books at once, and finishing them at leisure), I often find myself involved in happy accidents that beg comparison. The most recent example: I started Ben Lerner's Angle of Yaw and Noah Eli Gordon's Novel Pictorial Noise on the same day without realizing that both were collections of "prose poems" (a term I still despise, even in those rare times when it's accurate) that dabbled both in dadaism and social consciousness. Because of this, I can't help but compare the two. And my comparison came out the same as everyone else's I guess. I saw Angle of Yaw on a lot of best-of-the-decade lists. I didn't see Novel Pictorial Noise on any.

This isn't to say there aren't some great lines in here. (I snagged one for my review of Speed Racer [q.v.], and my favorite piece of the book, "composition of noise A thought is music is concept", is eventually going to become an XTerminal track title.) And I am willing to at least consider the idea that I felt about the book the way I did because I'm an utter dolt who is incapable of penetrating the depths of Gordon's thought processes to see what Rae Armantrout does in her blurb ("Gordon's dark portrayal of what we've come to circa 2007"), or Anselm Berrigan in his ("When the poet says, 'perhaps unreliability is the locus of representation,' he's not trying to club you with irony; he's trying to figure out how the whole shebang, the big picture, hangs together."). But before you clobber me over the head for just simply not getting this, remember that I cut my poetic teeth on the dadas and the surrealists, back in the day. I'm used to reading stuff that sounds like nonsense and having it make connections in my head. I've been doing it since I first read Apollinaire and Reverdy back in the early eighties, and I've done it as recently as Timothy Donnelly's scintillating Twenty-Seven Props for a Production of Eine Lebenszeit, one of my favorite books of 2005. So, yeah, a lot of the time I do get it. But here? Nope. Not at all. It's clever, and some of it is enjoyable, but I can't find a foundation to it. And Gordon seems to want to substitute wordplay for sound here, which alienates me. I'm a fan of wordplay, but one of the things that separates poetry from (most) prose is that poetry's main feature is to sound good. If it's clever in the process, that's great, but cleverness shouldn't ever be at the forefront as it is here. Sound is left by the wayside.

I know I probably shouldn't compare books when reviewing them, but I can't help it; Angle of Yaw and Novel Pictorial Noise both start out on almost the same footing, and Angle of Yaw wins every head-to-head match-up. I certainly don't regret reading this (as I do, say, Mina's In My Eyes, reviewed last month), but it's not something I'll return to any time soon. **

atypical format
The book's format can be a little challenging to those expecting a typical collection of poems. Each alternate page is a paragraph of ruminations. Sometimes with phrases that are meant to befuddle, like "Orbiting parataxis metropolis", unless you are a reader of science fiction, which perhaps the author is indeed.

Sometimes there are observations that make perfect sense, and which you might ask yourself, this is so self evident, why didn't I think of it first? "A single beat is an oxymoron", for one. ... Read more

Product Description
The Great Plains is the harsh, magnificent setting of this generationas saga of a young doctor who travels from his politically ravaged homeland of Scotland through the operatins rooms of mid-ninteenth centruy Boston to the log cabins of frontier Illinois and on the the war torn fields of Gettysburg. ... Read more

Product Description
When his political opinions force him to flee his native Scotland, Dr. Rob J. Cole heads to the American West, where he tends to the country's native American population and falls in love with a healer.

Blurb in Spanish:
Escocés y vástago de una famila que ha practicado la medicina a lo largo de generaciones, Rob J. Cole debe emigrar por razones políticas a las nuevas tierras de América. Tras trabajar en Boston con el eminente cirujano Oliver Wendell Holmes, Cole partirá rumbo Oeste, hacia un territorio que los colonos todavía no han podido arrebatar a los indios sauk, y donde le esperan las experiencias más intensas de su vida profesional y sentimental. Sigue así la trepidante saga de la familia Cole, que Noah Gordon había iniciado con la publicación de "El médico" y que tiene en "Chamán" una excelente continuación. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent
Noah Gordon is a great adventure, historical, novel writter, I am following this saga and I love it.

Story of Two Relentless Souls!
My good friend Mario strongly recommended me "The Physician", even if he knew a physician's life wasn't my cup of tea.
I'm grateful he convinced me to read it. I was so trapped by Mr. Noah Gordon story that I went immediately to the bookstore and bought "Shaman" and "Choices".
IMHO "Shaman" is the best of the trilogy.
"Punto de Lectura" is a book collection from prestigious Grupo Santillana, specialized in pocket book editions.

This is the story of two members of the Cole family: Rob Sr. & Rob Jr.

The story, situated in the period around 1830-1870, starts following Rob Sr.'s life since his forced emigration from Scotland to America and is reconstructed thru his personal diary as discovered and read, after his death, by his son Rob Jr.
Rob Sr. initiates his medical practice at Boston's Irish ghetto and meets Oliver Wendell Holmes, precursor of medical prophylaxis.
Later he continues his migration going into Illinois and stopping at Holden's Crossing where he starts a new life as rural physician.
There he builds his home, start his relationship with the Sauk Native Americans people, fall in love, heal & marry Sarah, have a child who will contract scarlatina and lose his hearing.
At this point Rob's Jr. life is the second main thread of the narration, following his education and fervent desire to be a physician as his father, overcoming his handicapped status.
Both threads will conflux at the Civil War period.

Historical reconstruction is paramount, showing domestic every day details, political issues, educational issues, medical issues and cultural issues with deepness and commitment. This aspect of the novel is by far better than the period reconstruction done by Mr. Gordon in "The Physician".

A much recommended read for those interested in historical subjects, daily life period reconstruction and medical practice. Enjoy this great novel!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Gran Continuación!
700 años después de terminar la primera parte, el autor describe las peripecias de dos nuevos médicos en la familia Cole. El primero inicia la trama de este libro y el hijo de éste termina de gran manera la obra. El libro describe detalles de la guerra civil estadounidense y otros hechos históricos como la muerte de Lincoln a manos de Wilkes Booth. Una gran obra, digna continuación de la primera parte.

Really good, but i liked the 1st best
This is the second book of a series of 3 books that tell the awesome story of the Cole family, every first kid of wich is a doctor with a strange gift... The story itself is REALLY interesting and well-told, but i definitively liked the 1st book more than this one, since it contains more historical facts and interesting comments about how life was in the Middle Ages, and how religion controlled everything... Oh, and dont you dare to read this book without having read the 1st one, guys... that would be catastrophic!!! Also, i think these 3 books are especially valuable for those studying or somewhat interested in the career of medicine... It really gives you a great idea about what a good doctor is like.

Este es el segundo libro de una serie de tres que relatan la increíble historia de la familia Cole, cuyos primoogénitos son siempre doctores con un don extraño... La historia en sí misma es muy interesante y bien contada, pero a mi definitivamente me gustó mas el primer libro que este, ya que contiene mas hechos historicos y comentarios interesantes acerca de como era la vida en la Edad Media y como todo era controlado por la religion... Ah, y no se atrevan a leer este libro sin heber antes leído el primero, gente... eso sería catastrófico!!! Además, yo pienso que esta serie de libros sería especialmente útil o de interés para aquellos estudiantes o simplemente interesados en la carrera de medicina humana... Realmente te da una buena idea acerca de cómo debe ser un buen doctor. ... Read more

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Inbox by Noah Eli Gordon ... Read more

Product Description
Harry Hopeman, miembro de una dinastía de diamantistas, recibe un día una propuesta: recuperar un diamante legendario que ha despertado interés de gente muy dispar. El encargo, que llevará a Harry a abandonar Nueva York para instalarse en Tierra Santa, se convertirá en un viaje casi iniciático en el que el tratante se reencontrará con sus raíces. La historia del diamante, desde los tiempos bíblicos hasta la actualidad, sirve no sólo de hilo conductor para narrar las vicisitudes de la familia Hopeman, cuyos orígenes se remontan a los tiempos de la Inquisición, sino tamién para ofrecer una rica panorámica del judaísmo y su intensa relación con las culturas musulmana y cristiana a lo largo de los siglos. / Harry Hopeman, a member of a dynasty of diamonds, one day receives a proposal: retrieve a legendary diamond that has aroused the interest of very disparate people. The commission, which will take Harry to leave New York to settle in the Holy Land, will become an almost initiatory journey in which the trafficker was reunited with her roots. The history of the diamond, from Biblical times until today, serves not only common thread to tell the vicissitudes of Hopeman family, whose origins date back to the times of the Inquisition, but tamién to offer a rich panorama of Judaism and its intense relationship with the Muslim and Christian cultures over the centuries. ... Read more