Pursued by a bear

About the Book

By describing a surprisingly large number of medical problems that began to emerge in his late sixties and the medical care he got for them, Mr. Singer reveals a medical system that is error-prone and even heartless. American medicine is clearly high-powered and advanced, but the wastes are phenomenal as is the disregard for the feelings and needs of the patient. In this book, we are taken step-by-step through the medical encounters Mr. Singer had, and through his idiosyncratic points of view, we see, largely with humor, the failings of the system. The medicine the system delivers is generally (not always) on target, but the way it delivers it is too often patronizing and even dehumanizing.

There are suggestions throughout for how the situation ought to be improved.

The book ends with Mr. Singer feeling triumphant over the diseases and over the medical system.

About the Author

Paul Singer, Boston born and bred, a psychologist, on the faculty of a medical school in Chicago for years, has lived in San Francisco since 1979, now retired from his psychological work with the Department of Corrections, he reads, does photography, sees doctors, and looks for his glasses.