In 1970, at the beginning of a glorious career, a newly graduated Harvard Medical School physician named Michael Crichton published "e;Five Patients"e;. This book was an insightful and captivating study of practicing medicine that wove medical history and trends in society into intimate portrayals of humans facing tragic health challenges. In "e;Carnage in America,"e; Dr. Steve Weiss has updated this approach 50 years later, with no less literary power. He has written an eloquent and touching testimony of a physician in the front lines of the battle with COVID-19 in a small Midwestern city. His thoughtful stories connect the lives of his patients with the big issues in our society: the breakdown of civility, political indoctrination, and lack of trust in scientists and public health officials. It is a must read. -Dr. Paul Thomas, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
