Book Review: The Big Free

By Annell Gerson

In her debut novel, The Big Free, Atlanta urologist Dr. Martha B. Boone draws upon her own medical experience to give readers an inside look at the grueling mental and physical intensity of a doctors first year.

Dr. Elizabeth Roberts smart, determined, and well-bred in gentile southern manners is on a mission. Its 1982, and there are only 42 women urologists in America. She aims to up that number by one. But first, she must survive residency in one of the toughest surgery departments in the country. Despite its reputation, she purposefully chooses Tulane because if she can make the famous Tulane Surgery Cut working at Charity Hospital, a.k.a. The Big Free, then maybe she will prove she is worthy for admission into Tulanes urology program.

From day one, Elizabeth is thrust into the reality of inner-city medicine treating crack addicts, violent prisoners, failed suicide casualties, patients infected with HIV, gunshot victims, and abused prostitutes.

Despite 36 hour shifts and entire days of meals acquired only from hospital vending machines, despite being surrounded by a male-dominated environment, a hospital gossip mill, competing constituents ready to let you take the fall for their mistakes, condescending co-workers, and countless other reasons that cause half of the doctors to quit the program, Elizabeth remains. She confesses to Nurse Robichaud (hardened general of the ER), I am not afraid of hard work. Nothing is much harder than hoeing peanuts, pulling cotton and picking tobacco in that hot Carolina sun. The only thing that scares me is not doing a good job with my assigned duty. I come from a long line of people who do their duty.

But what is her duty when multiple patients simultaneously need her attention? How does a doctor decide whose life is more in need of saving? In fiction, as in real life, there are no easy answers.

Readers are invited to join Dr. Boone on January 9, 2018, 7:00-8:30pm, at Bookmiser, 4651 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 106, to celebrate her novels release.