Having been a physician in the trenches of urgent care, I didn’t see the more severe cases of Covid, but I saw enough to realize the dire circumstances and the panic that pandemic caused around the world. Long an admirer of Dr. Fauci, I truly enjoyed his memoir, On Call, with its insights into the pandemic, its causes and treatments. I liked the glimpses of his early life. Both parents with their service to others informed his decision to go into medicine. He rose from a humble New York Italian family to become one of the preeminent physicians in the modern world, right up there with Albert Schweitzer, who served seven American presidents and remained unswervingly committed to his ideals despite death threats.
Though heavy on the sciences, On Call is still an enjoyable read. Fauci has an innate ability to simplify complex medical terms, issues, and the process for developing vaccines. At a time when homosexuals were falling victim to HIV/AIDS, he pushed for the development of treatments and hoped for a vaccine. He then handled Ebola, Zika, and most recently, Covid. Though Congressional Republicans often refused to grant money for investigation and treatment of these various illnesses, he continued to work to make the world a healthier place. His unwavering caring about the world’s people and fighting the illnesses that plague us all is a testimony to what a human being can and should be. It is unfortunate that those who most need education and empathy will be unlikely to read this book.
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On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service (Viking, June 18, 2024) is available through:
Your local independent bookseller | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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