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The House of God Paperback – September 7, 2010

by Samuel Shem (Author), John Updike (Introduction)

4.5 4,822 ratings

Book 1 of 3: The House of God

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By turns heartbreaking, hilarious, and utterly human, The House of God is a mesmerizing and provocative novel about what it really takes to become a doctor.

“The raunchy, troubling, and hilarious novel that turned into a cult phenomenon. Singularly compelling…brutally honest.”—The New York Times

Struggling with grueling hours and sudden life-and-death responsibilities, Basch and his colleagues, under the leadership of their rule-breaking senior resident known only as the Fat Man, must learn not only how to be fine doctors but, eventually, good human beings.

A phenomenon ever since it was published, The House of God was the first unvarnished, unglorified, and uncensored portrait of what training to become a doctor is truly like, in all its terror, exhaustion and black comedy. With more than two million copies sold worldwide, it has been hailed as one of the most important medical novels ever written.

With an introduction by John Updike

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for The House of God

“The raunchy, troubling, and hilarious novel that turned into a cult phenomenon. Singularly compelling...brutally honest.”—The New York Times

“Bawdy, blistering...this is Catch-22 with stethoscopes.”—Cosmopolitan

“Wonderfully wild, ribald, erotic, bitter, compassionate...in the same spirit as Catch-22.”—The Seattle Times

“A wildly funny, sad, laugh-out-loud, frightening, outrageous, thought-provoking, moving book…a story of modern medicine rarely, if ever, told.”—The Houston Chronicle

“Does for the practice of medicine what Catch-22 and M*A*S*H did for the practice of warfare.”—The Newark Star-Ledger

“Mordantly funny, brilliantly ironic...A writer of outstanding substance and style.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

From the Back Cover

Now a classic! The hilarious novel of the healing arts that reveals everything your doctor never wanted you to know. Six eager interns -- they saw themselves as modern saviors-to-be. They came from the top of their medical school class to the bottom of the hospital staff to serve a year in the time-honored tradition, racing to answer the flash of on-duty call lights and nubile nurses. But only the Fat Man --the Clam, all-knowing resident -- could sustain them in their struggle to survive, to stay sane, to love-and even to be doctors when their harrowing year was done.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley; Reissue edition (September 7, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0425238091
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425238097
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.91 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #11,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #8 in Doctors & Medicine Humor
- #55 in Medical Fiction (Books)
- #1,122 in Literary Fiction (Books)

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4.5 4,822 ratings

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Samuel Shem

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Samuel Shem (pen name of Stephen Bergman) is a novelist, playwright, and, for three decades, a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty. His novels include The House of God, Fine, and Mount Misery. He is coauthor with his wife, Janet Surrey, of the hit Off-Broadway play Bill W. and Dr. Bob, the story of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous (winner of the 2007 Performing Arts Award of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence), and We Have to Talk: Healing Dialogues between Women and Men. Editors Carol Donley and Martin Kohn are cofounders of the Center for Literature, Medicine, and Biomedical Humanities at Hiram College. Since 1990 the Center has brought humanities and the health care professions together in mutually enriching interactions, including interdisciplinary courses, summer symposia, and the Literature and Medicine book series from The Kent State University Press. The first three anthologies in the series grew out of courses in the Biomedical Humanities program at Hiram. Then the series expanded to include original writing and edited collections by physicians, nurses, humanities scholars, and artists. The books in the series are designed to serve as resources and texts for health care education as well as for the general public.

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4,822 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book interesting and enlightening. They describe the humor as funny, entertaining, and filled with wit and irony. The story is relatable and compelling for them. Readers find the content honest and accurate. Many feel the emotional content is touching and redemptive. However, some customers feel the content is dated or out of touch with current times.

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Readability Humor Story quality Authenticity Emotional content Writing quality Character development Dated content

319 customers mention "Readability"291 positive28 negative

Customers find the book interesting and worth reading. They find the anecdotes enlightening and unforgettable. The book is described as extraordinary, terrifying, and a good reminder for doctors to read. Overall, readers describe it as a seminal work that is great until the end.

"...Beg, borrow or steal this book from someone, it's worth the sin. I've bought & given (lent) over a dozen copies over 4 decades...." Read more

"...of God" remains a classic for a reason—it’s both timeless and unforgettable. It’s sometimes shocking but always compelling. Check it out." Read more

"...It is a racy heartfelt truthful novel like few others... It is an extraordinary and terrifying read... It really should not be missed... Not..." Read more

"There are books - good books! -..." Read more

187 customers mention "Humor"149 positive38 negative

Customers find the book's humor engaging. They describe it as witty, ironic, and a serious commentary on medicine told through satire. The scenarios and references are found hilarious by nurses. Many readers found the writing entertaining and witty, making them laugh and cry at times.

"...dashed my dreams into reality (I really hate that) & entertained me all night long...." Read more

"...Shem’s storytelling is sharp, filled with wit and irony, yet he never shies away from the human cost of a system that can often seem dehumanizing to..." Read more

"...YES, at multiple levels - it is well written, fun to read and does give a very interesting perspective on this poorly known underworld...." Read more

"...It's still quite funny, but I now have the perspective to understand how deeply tragic...." Read more

97 customers mention "Story quality"77 positive20 negative

Customers find the story relatable and compelling. They appreciate the sharp storytelling with wit and irony. The book is described as realistic and exciting. It brings back memories for some readers.

"...It is a perfect blend of humor and tragedy. Shem’s storytelling is sharp, filled with wit and irony, yet he never shies away from the..." Read more

"...truthful novel like few others... It is an extraordinary and terrifying read... It really should not be missed... Not suitable for hospital patients!" Read more

"...Both had me laugh uncontrollably and sometimes shed a tear, and both are a must read for any person that believes that humanity is the most hideous..." Read more

"I read this in the 1980's. It's an engaging and compelling story about residency training...." Read more

53 customers mention "Authenticity"43 positive10 negative

Customers find the book honest and realistic. They appreciate the author's honest approach and jargon-free writing style. The book is described as a heartfelt, true-to-life account that rings true for readers.

"...It is a racy heartfelt truthful novel like few others... It is an extraordinary and terrifying read... It really should not be missed... Not..." Read more

"...While I appreciated the author's honest approach, the book's use of jargon and slang, along with its sometimes excessive cynicism, created barriers..." Read more

"...A doctor-friend says that the book is accurate and that his colleagues agree...." Read more

"It was so satirical, and cynical, and yet so true. "Age plus BUN equals Lasix dose" "Gomers go to ground"...." Read more

14 customers mention "Emotional content"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book touching and redemptive. They say it's honest, funny, and therapeutic. The book brings back memories and encourages empathy and compassion for patients. However, some readers feel it is neither encouraging nor discouraging to students entering medicine.

"...laughed 'til I cried, loved the characters, hated the plutocracy, got my hopes up, got a woody, dashed my dreams into reality (I really hate that) &..." Read more

"...However, the one thing that rings true is that compassion for the patient reigns supreme...." Read more

"As a physician, this book touched my heart and soul. This is the second time I read it, the first being as a med student many years ago...." Read more

"...His book is sad, lascivious, brutally honest, funny and ultimately personally redemptive." Read more

51 customers mention "Writing quality"29 positive22 negative

Customers have different views on the writing quality. Some find it well-written and resonate with them deeply. Others feel the book is too wordy and hard to enjoy reading. The writing style is described as amateurish and could be more concise. Overall, opinions are mixed about the book's writing quality.

"...This book is one of the latter category. The House of God is a book written, as the author would put it, from deep within the author's..." Read more

"...your hair stand on end but more frequently saddens the heart and embitters the mind...." Read more

"...Did I enjoy reading this book? YES, at multiple levels - it is well written, fun to read and does give a very interesting perspective on this poorly..." Read more

"...The afterword is preachy and self indulgent...." Read more

18 customers mention "Character development"9 positive9 negative

Customers have different views on the character development. Some enjoyed the characters and the portrayal of the healthcare system. The main character grew in the final chapters. However, others felt the characters were not particularly interesting and the main character's daydreaming was unnecessary.

"...I laughed 'til I cried, loved the characters, hated the plutocracy, got my hopes up, got a woody, dashed my dreams into reality..." Read more

"...I found it overlong, and many of its characters and scenes are unevenly or erratically sketched it seemed to me...." Read more

"...His characters are memorable, particularly the protagonist Dr. Roy Basch. They are richly drawn, and their experiences feel both harrowing and real...." Read more

"...sophomoric humor from the 60's, dull characters, nothing to add to my knowledge...." Read more

19 customers mention "Dated content"5 positive14 negative

Customers find the book's content dated. They mention it's out of touch with the times, and some explicit content shows its age.

"...Before gifting it, I reread it. I realized that it is so dated by our own political correctness that I wasn't sure I could give it to him without..." Read more

"Not everything in this book has aged well. Some of the explicit content shows its age, but on the whole this book is an excellent dark comedy for..." Read more

"Like new. Good read but I misplaced it and forgot until I saw it here now." Read more

"...It is funny and a good read, but dated...." Read more

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Still a Scream, After All These Years
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2025
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House of G is still a scream after all these years. I laughed 'til I cried, loved the characters, hated the plutocracy, got my hopes up, got a woody, dashed my dreams into reality (I really hate that) & entertained me all night long. Beg, borrow or steal this book from someone, it's worth the sin. I've bought & given (lent) over a dozen copies over 4 decades. Don't even ask, & it's locked-up! ... CFC ... ...N`est Pas!

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R Scheese
Sometimes shocking, but always compelling
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2024
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Just finished Samuel Shel's "The House of God," a sarcastic comedic portrayal of the medical field with a "Catch-22" like quality. It is a perfect blend of humor and tragedy.

Shem’s storytelling is sharp, filled with wit and irony, yet he never shies away from the human cost of a system that can often seem dehumanizing to patients and caregivers alike. His novel exposes the emotional and psychological toll that medical training takes on doctors, especially interns.

His characters are memorable, particularly the protagonist Dr. Roy Basch. They are richly drawn, and their experiences feel both harrowing and real. Here, too, Shem somehow blends a sense of camaraderie against the isolation that comes with working in the medical trenches.

This novel was a recommendation from my fraternity book club, so I can not wait to discuss it with those in the medical field.

"The House of God" remains a classic for a reason—it’s both timeless and unforgettable. It’s sometimes shocking but always compelling.

Check it out.

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2 people found this helpful

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Sheridan Rea
Don't let the sarcasm stop you
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
To be honest, most of this book was absolutely horrid to me. I'm about to enter medical school myself and even acknowledging a lot of the problems in medical education and the healthcare system in the United States, I have a lot of hope for medicine and for my life as a physician. So, reading this very dismal, dark, sarcastic, catch-22-esque book was uncomfortable to say the least. I almost didn't make it through to the end, and if I hadn't I would have given it one star. But don't let the middle fill you. Part 3 is what makes this novel worth reading. The main character grows so much in the final chapters and is able to, finally, call out and critize all the terrible things he did and went through. This criticism forms the basis for the bigger the picture of the novel: the criticism of the brutality and lack of caring in medical education and medical practice (mainly during the 60s and 70s but to a certain extent today as well). I also highly recommend reading the authors note at the end of the book to get more perspective and insight into why the author wrote the book and what he hoped to accomplish. While part 3 gave me many of those reasons, it was fulfilling to hear from it from the author's own voice.

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5 people found this helpful

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Tom Quinn
Extraordinary terrifying account of medical nemesis
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2019
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I came across this book by accident and am amazed I had never heard of it. It has been described as a "Catch 22" of hospital life and I think the comparison is somewhat fair... It's written in the style of a rollicking comedy but its humour is very bitter indeed. It frequently makes your hair stand on end but more frequently saddens the heart and embitters the mind. It turns all our classic traditional notions of wise compassionate healing medicine on their head to portray a medicine awry and distraught besotted with its own false beliefs aspirations and images, arrogant, presuming, mad and dangerous, "Doctor heal thyself..." might be the subtitle of this work depicting the horrid underside of the "American Medical Dream." It's not without its flaws. I found it overlong, and many of its characters and scenes are unevenly or erratically sketched it seemed to me. But it's full of a primal ribald truthful energy racy brash bold and colourful and sexy which is impossible to resist. It is a maelstrom of living and dying, of despair and the need for love. At its core is uncovered the raw pathetic pitiable feeble inept human condition... It is so entirely believable. In one scene the entire ward staff are beseiging a "cardiac arrest" patient they are trying to save... After half an hour they realise their efforts are useless, and like at a "dud party" lose interest and just wait for the opportunity to drift away... Despite any flaws it may have, this is obviously a novel written in a great white heat of revulsion disenchantment despair and vast vast pity. It is a racy heartfelt truthful novel like few others... It is an extraordinary and terrifying read... It really should not be missed... Not suitable for hospital patients!

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13 people found this helpful

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Kunde xy
Top
Reviewed in Germany on December 9, 2024
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Fun to read

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Cliente Amazon
Lectura obligada
Reviewed in Spain on October 9, 2017
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Excelente, una lectura obligatoria para todo médico o estudiante de medicina. Humor y realismo. No es apto para pieles finas.

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Michael R. Tobin
One of the True Classics
Reviewed in Australia on March 29, 2023
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Have read this book numerous times dating back over the years to the 1980s. It is truly a classic.
Many people may say this is far fetched and fiction, let me assure you as someone who spent their life working in health, it is absolutory true. It is written by a real doctor (not his real name though).
The story follows the author through his intern year and covers the trials and tribulations that he and his colleagues encounter.
The book pushed me through every emotion from cracking up with laughter to tears. I could put a real name to every single character in the story (they all have 'nick names' in the book).
Obviously not everybody will appreciate this book but it will certainly appeal to doctors, nurses and others that have worked in the hospital system.
My favorite book of all time. This is about the eight copy I have bought as every time I loan it out it doesn't come back!

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Rupesh N Tol
Good.
Reviewed in India on July 23, 2018
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Good

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gabriele fragasso
THE HOUSE OF GOD
Reviewed in Italy on October 5, 2015
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Libro per tutti i medici, ma soprattutto per chi si affaccia alle professioni sanitarie ospedaliere. Scritto quando non esisteva ancora la "correttezza politica", per cui schietto e vero. Divertentissimo, ed un'ottima scusa per migliorare il proprio Inglese (soprattutto gergo ospedaliero americano). Infatti, utilizzando il dizionario in linea degli e-book, la lettura risulta particolarmente facile anche ai neofiti. Divertente anche per i non medici, tanto per rendersi conto delle mani in cui mettono a volte la loro vita.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Still a Scream, After All These Years

5.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes shocking, but always compelling

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't let the sarcasm stop you

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary terrifying account of medical nemesis

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5.0 out of 5 stars Top

5.0 out of 5 stars Lectura obligada

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the True Classics

5.0 out of 5 stars Good.

5.0 out of 5 stars THE HOUSE OF GOD

Still a Scream, After All These Years

Sometimes shocking, but always compelling

Don't let the sarcasm stop you

Extraordinary terrifying account of medical nemesis

Top

Lectura obligada

One of the True Classics

Good.

THE HOUSE OF GOD