Abandoned this on my first attempt and finally picked this up again after close to 20 years (gosh!). Not sure why I couldn't finish it then, as I found it quite readable. Dr Roy Basch is a first-year resident at Mount Misery. As he rotates through the different disciplines, getting mired in the technicalities of psychiatry and mental health, he loses touch with his patients and became depressed himself. Only by remembering that he just needs to be human and to connect with them, did he regain himself and his love. The story is good and Shem can write. It could be trimmed though as Basch's experiences in the different disciplines became something like a movie on repeat. ( )

Painful and frightening to read. Even though I had to work at reading this, I did learn something. I suppose I am glad that I read it, but I will likely never read it again. I doubt I will keep this book.