The Citadel Paperback – November 30, 1983

I found out about the book while working as a physician in Paraguay. My girlfriend at the time gave me a copy as a gift. Several other physicians in the Hospital that I worked in recommended the book. Although it is set long ago, the story reads true today. It portrays a physician beginning his road after medical school. Konrad is very good in his emotional details and this book is no exception.The book is one of redemption, but at a high sacrifice. It is also a good book to understand the difference between the British Medical System and our own. If one is a student of Bioethics, it can serve to help with understanding of how the British Medical System advanced in their views in regards to Physician Duties including those to the patient.In my opinion, The Citadel should be required reading in Medical Schools and Bioethics courses. Using Konrad's writing school some difficult ideas our much easier to understand. It truth it is the story of every Physician who practices medicine to help his patients, and is not deterred by inconvenience. Finally, anyone who is marrying a physician can learn how it used to be. Unfortunately, most physicians are technicians who treat the patient in only a semi-personal matter, so most of the marital conflict may not occur today.During my 26 years of medical practice I turned to the book every few years to once again step in another time where a physician experiences the same problems as I did every day. I can longer read the book as it is too much for me to read the best book concerning my profession when I cannot, secondary to health reasons, practice medicine.One of the top 3 books I have ever read.

I picked up this book because it was mentioned in my great-grandmother's diary from 1941. Written in the 30s, it tells the tale of a young Scottish doctor in the 20s, as he goes from a small-town doctor in a rough situation to a well-paid London doctor with a fancy office.The story's written with intelligence, as the doctor ponders various ways to deal with the bureaucracy he faces. He deals with incompetent doctors, old doctors that have no desire to learn new treatments, young doctors more concerned with money and prestige than patient care.And, as he gets absorbed into the system, the doctor begins to be lured in by the money. He starts to prescribe the 'easy' solution to patients, even if it's not the right answer, so that they're happy and he gets more cash. He does finally realize, in the end, that working for the patients is more important than gaining lots of cash, but only after some hard lessons.I have a few small complaints with the story. One is that the wife could have been a really interesting character, but she's a little flat. She is sad when he becomes money-hungry, and draws back, but that's it. She was a schoolteacher when he met her, and it's made clear that she's very intelligent. But still she just sort of goes along with him, making his meals, wishing things could be better, but far be it for her to actually help out. She tries to get his friends to see him one night to bring back his old ways, but when that fails, "ah well".My other complaint is that he slides far too easy from a passionate patient-first attitude into a "cash is nice" mentality. But that was necessary for the plot to progress.Definitely a great book to read to learn about life in the 20s to 40s, from the small towns of Wales to the busy streets of London. Interesting details about the damage that mines caused to the lungs of the mineworkers, and the ways that doctors worked with each other and treated their patients. A great read!

This is a book I had read over 50 years back, when I was very young. It left an impression on me. I have been, for the last 5 years, looking for it in the bookstores, without any success. Finally I got it through Amazon.The story is still powerful. Language is old but very nice. The struggle, success, disillutionment and final awakening of a doctor or any professional is well depicted. It did not impress me as much as it did 50 years ago. May be because I have gone through the same in my life and does not impress me as much.

A gripping tale of the careeer and aspirations of a young physician in the England of the late1920s. The venality, incompetence, gross inequality and closed-mindedness of the medical profession of that time caused a sensation when the book was published in 1937. By all accounts it was at least partially responsible for the acceptance of a single-payer National Health Service in then post-war era of the 1940s. Those interested in current medical practice in the US might benefit by reading the novel and comparing the England of then to the America of now. Medicine has come a long way, some of the diagnoses and therapies described in the novel sound amazingly ancient. Yet the harsh reality of the cruel and unjust system into which the young and idealistic protagonist is thrust are terrifyingly similar to our environment today. I write as an English-trained physician who has spent a career in American academic medicine. But the book is no sermon: it is an excellent read.

An immensely enjoyable read at the heart of which resides a refreshingly flawed hero who goes the way of so many. The starting point of the journey usually being idealism. The human story being told in a realistic manner with breathtaking use of the English language. Highly recommended and Cronin’s style will never go out of style.

Written by a Scottish physician in 1937, the novel deals with the economic/social impact of ambition, greed, and institutionalised malpractice in the for-profit health care industry. Invaluable for any student or practising professional interested in medical ethics. Not boring at all, I read it when I was eleven, it probably influenced by career, and to this day remains one of the top works in my literary canon. Quickly delivered, copy in excellent conditions.

I read this book many years ago. The memory of it haunted me. It is as good as I remembered it to be.