The Physician [Hardcover]

As an American living in Germany, I learned of this unbelievable American author about 5 years ago. It was at this time that his book THE PHYSICAN was recommended to me as the best book these people had ever read. I heard this so many times in various different cities from people of different ages and backgrounds. Of course they had all read it in German and were all shocked that I had never heard of Noah Gordon.

Over the course of the next year I searched for the book each time I was in the US and when I finally received my copy I devoured it. My mother joined me in Germany and I recommended it - she finished all 1200 or so pages in a week and loved it too!

Since it's been so long since I read THE PHYSICIAN I hesitate to comment directly on the book (also because I'm a lousy writer and would never do it justice) but I will say I have since read every other Noah Gordon book I could get. I was never disappointed - THE SHAMAN was just as magical as THE PHYSICIAN.

I'm writing now because the Germans have just given me the tip that Mr. Gordon has yet another winner, I think it's called THE LAST JEW?, in any case I'll be ordering the hardback immediately. My library wouldn't be complete without it.

The writer is biased by his western background, however. Throughout the story there are comments implying discriminations against Jews that sound odd to a Persian who is raised in one of the most tolerant cultures (lets not mix "cultures" with "political systems" that appear temporarily and tarnish the figure of a nation). The fact that only Moslem and Jewish Iranians would be accepted to the school speaks volumes. I am not sure (and this needs to be explored) if Armenians who are Christian and have always lived in peace in Persia were eligible too or not. My guess would be so; in other words it was the Christianity that represented the "militant" West that was not tolerated, not the religion itself (the mention of Armenians and their church in Isfahan in the book corroborates this notion).

There are also occasional confusions about Avicena's Persian (Iranian) nationality which unfortunately is not uncommon; the fact that after adopting Islam as their religion and its political consequences, Persian scholars made their contribution mostly in Arabic writing (as Latin for the Christian world) for a larger exposure, and this at times causes confusion (but you wish not to a scholar like Gordon!). Also, Ala Shah (the king of Persia at the time of Avicena), belonged to the "Daylami" dynasty (not "Samanid", that was an earlier dynasty).

Overall, the book is very attractive, and unique in many regards.