Angina Monologues is an interesting book by a British heart surgeon. It will give you plenty of insight into cardiac surgery. Americans should bear in mind that there are considerable difference between US and British health care systems, but this book is still very informative. ( )

Nashef’s memoir starts with some truly awful cardiac situations. An older man needing two different operations, in which everything must be done in a certain order; a pregnant woman with cardiac artery ready to explode, so that the babies must be delivered by Caesarian Section before the lifesaving heart operation can commence. Those stories have happy endings, but not all do. The author is open about the risks of heart surgery, as well as the benefits. He describes a number of types of heart surgeries, in terms anyone can understand. He’s funny at times and heart breaking at times. He lives and works in England, but has gone to the West Bank to perform surgeries more than once. His most memorable story is about going to pick up a heart for transplant- and everything goes wrong (the heart makes it on time). It’s engrossing and easy to read. Five stars. ( )

A very educational and informative book, Dr. Nashef does a really good job explaining what he does, how he does it and the differences between the United States and England's health care services which in England definitely are not like what we have in the states. For those wanting nationalized health care where the state pays this book is really an eye opener. Dr. Nashef does a good job explaining some of the pitfall of the NHS (National Health Services.) He explains the intricacies of heart surgery and talks about his successes as well as his failures. ( )

As an RN I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was interesting, funny, and I even learned a few things! A very easy read! Dr. Nashef talks about patient stories, explains how things work in a way that is very easy to understand, and also talks about the hardships of working in the medical field. Truly enjoyed this book and will reread in the future! ( )

A well-written memoir by a cardiac surgeon, giving thoughtful explanations of the anatomy and surgery of the heart, mostly in the form of vignettes which often describe oddities and the rare disasters rather than the successes. I learned a great deal, and it demystified heart surgery for me. At times he can get too technical for a little too long, but he bounces back to regular writing fairly quickly. I wanted to hear more about his background and how he became a surgeon, and I was worried I wasn't going to find out, but he discusses growing up and attending college and medical school in Beirut before coming to Bristol in the UK for the rest of his training in the final chapter. Overall, highly recommended if you are interested in knowing more about cardiology or surgery (especially if you are thinking of pursing them as a career), though some people may find it a bit too graphic or casual. ( )