Amazon.com
For nearly a decade author Joe Connelly rushed from emergency to emergency as a paramedic in the Hell's Kitchen area of New York City. This is the novel he wrote to purge, perhaps redeem, the torment of his experiences in the trenches with the dying and the barely living. Connelly seems to be a born writer, for this first novel makes brilliant use of unflinching realism, dark and brittle humor, a faint whiff of the supernatural, and, above all, the poignancy of a human soul that chooses slow self-destruction rather than shutting itself off to the suffering of others. As Patrick McGrath--another writer of dark literary fiction--writes, "The author's vision is both bleak and compassionate; his control of his explosive material is masterly. This is strong stuff, full of heart, engaging, harrowing, and real." You won't be able to let this one out of your sight until you've finished reading it, and it will linger long after you've put it down. --Fiona Webster
Book Description
Perhaps only someone who has worked for almost a decade as a medic in New York City's Hell's Kitchen--as Joe Connelly has--could write a novel as riveting and fiercely authentic as
Bringing Out the Dead. Like a front-line reporter, Connelly writes from deep within the experience, and the result is a debut novel of extraordinary power and intensity.
In Frank Pierce, a brash EMS medic working the streets of Hell's Kitchen, Connelly gives us a man who is being destroyed by the act of saving people. Addicted to the thrill ("the best drug in the world") and the mission of the job, Frank is nevertheless drowning in five years' worth of grief and guilt--his own and others': "my primary role was less about saving lives than about bearing witness." His wife has left him, he's drinking on the job, and just a month ago he "helped to kill" an eighteen-year-old asthmatic girl. Now she's become the waking nightmare of all his failures: hallucination and projection ("the ghosts that once visited my dreams had followed me out to the street and were now talking back"), and as real to him as his own skin. And in reaction to her death, Frank has desperately resurrected a patient back into a life now little better than death.
In a narrative that moves with the furious energy of an ambulance run, we follow Frank through two days and nights: into the excitement and dread of the calls; the mad humor that keeps the medics afloat; the memories, distant and recent, through which Frank reminds himself why he became a medic and tries, in vain, to convince himself to give it up. And we are with him as he faces his newest ghost: the resurrected patient, whose demands to be released into death might be the most sensible thing Frank has heard in months, if only he would listen.
Bringing Out the Dead is a stunning novel.
Customer Reviews:
In beauty - truth; in truth - beauty.......2007-02-26
Having spent 5 years in EMS (L.A. County), I must say I was heartily impressed by Joe Connelly's riveting look at this world through the sad eyes of his protagonist, Frank Pierce. It's hard to believe this is a first novel. BOTD is a remarkably well-crafted work. Connelly deftly balances the twin themes of humor and despair that hang like shadows over longtime first responders, and his readers are all the better for it. It may come across as a morbid or sad tale to some, but this isn't a pretension on the writer's part. Ambulance work is long consecutive strings of pain and tragedy, and while we always look for and celebrate the saves, over time we can be haunted by the losses. Make no mistake, Connelly knows exactly what he's talking about, and that's what makes this book so riveting. If you REALLY want to know what it's like to drive an ambulance, do yourself a favor and read this book.
Plot: Life........2006-07-28
"Bringing Out The Dead" by Joe Connelly. Random House Audio Books, 1997. Read by Campbell Scott.
Joe Connelly worked as a medic for nine years. From this experience in the Times Square area of New York City, he has developed a character, Joe Pierce, who is being consumed by his employment as an Emergency Medical Technician in the New York's Hell's Kitchen area. The description of the medical procedures used on accident victims, victims with drug overdoses and victims suffering from "mundane" problems such as cardiac arrest, are all vivid and realistic. But, beyond these often hypnotizing descriptions, the author introduces the ghosts of those whom Frank Pierce has killed ... by being too late or not being proficient. These ghosts look out windows at the main character, smile at him as he drives by in an ambulance and appear at the most awkward times. This book is more than just a repetition of medical lessons learnt.
Joe Connelly sets the action in New York's Hell's Kitchen, an area historically noted for its roughness. For example, in 1863, the so-called draft riots began in Hell's Kitchen, with more than 2,000 people killed. The last time I looked, there was no hospital on 56th Street, between Ninth and Tenth Avenues. No hospital nicknamed "Misery". There is, however, a Catholic hospital, St. Clare's, on 51st Street, between Ninth and Tenth, and I wonder if the author has used St. Clare's as the prototype for his novel. As I listened to Campbell Scott reading the book, I envisioned the ambulance going up and down the streets, and, as far as I could make out, the author has them going the correct way, for example, West towards the Hudson on 51st Street. Campbell Scott has done a good job reading this short book.
Unique perspective........2005-11-27
The idea of Meaning Making makes Connelly's book unique among EMS works. The book's most remarkable writing happens in but two pages: the idea of the paramedic as a recorder of human tragedy for no other purpose than to make it immortal.
The first instance is on page 101 of the hardcover edition:
"...as the years went by I grew to understand that my primary role was less about saving lives than about bearing witness."
And the final is on the last page of the book:
"I couldn't keep Rose breathing, but I'd kept her memory, sayed with her at the end a thousand times. ... Hadn't I saved them all, each wither their own room inside?"
It is the brilliance of these two passages that make BOTD such a satisfying book. BOTD is as much a confession of Frank Pierce, the main character, as it is of every EMT and Paramedic in the world.
I can think of few jobs that are so filled with tragedy and despair on a routine basis as EMS. Making meaning of so much horror, and how Pierce struggles to change his world view from that of a Lifesaver to that of the wounded witness, turns this from a work of fiction to a practical guide to avoiding PTSD in pre-hospital care.
The haunted offspring of Vonnegut and Heller. .......2005-09-22
In Vonnegut's writing and even more so with Heller's, while funny, you cannot help but know that the humor is hiding a pain so great that it threatens to crush the reader and narrator. Connelly, while having a different writing style, has the same dark humor that fans of the above authors may respect. One good example is a scene in which Frank and his paramedic coworkers get drunk and create their own emergency site in the bar, complete with sheet covered pseudo-corps and one drunk paramedic giving the dead last writes while splashing the body (a passed out buddy) with holy water, aka liquor. I haven't done it justice but you'll just have to trust me when I say it is a funny scene indeed.
Now, if you're the bipolar or easily depressed type you may not want to read this book. While it does give great insight into the lives of those who work to rescue us every day, the narrator (Frank) leads a downtrodden life that would make any would-be paramedic rethink his/her career choice. Every street is home to multiple nightmarish job calls and Frank starts to lose his grip on what is memory and what is actually happening in the moment. Ghosts seem to stalk him wherever he goes, managing to ruin almost every aspect of his life.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves a great and emotional story with lots of wry, black humor mixed in. However, be warned that this is not for the easily broken hearted. If you do decide to read BOtD I would recommend that you pay close attention to characters mentioned only in passing at the outset of the book, as many become key characters towards the end.
The haunted offspring of Vonnegutt and Heller........2005-03-30
In Vonnegut's writing and even more so with Heller's, while funny, you cannot help but know that the humor is hiding a pain so great that it threatens to crush the narrator and you, if you're not weary. Connelly, while having a different writing style, has the same dark humor that fans of the above authors may respect. One good example is a scene in which Frank and his paramedic coworkers get drunk and create their own emergency site in the bar, complete with sheet covered pseudo-corps and one giving the dead last writes while splashing the dead with holy water, aka liquor. I haven't done it justice but you'll just have to trust me when I say it is a funny scene indeed.
Now, if you're the bipolar or easily depressed type you may not want to read this book. While it does give great insight into the lives of those who work to rescue us every day, the narrator (Frank) leads a downtrodden life that would make any would-be paramedic rethink his/her career choice. Every street is home to multiple nightmarish job calls and Frank starts to lose his grip on what is memory and what is actually happening in the moment. Ghosts seem to stalk him wherever he goes, managing to ruin almost every aspect of his life.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves a great and emotional story with lots of wry, black humor mixed in. However, be warned that this is not for the easily broken hearted. If you do decide to read BOtD I would recommend that you pay close attention to characters mentioned only in passing at the outset of the book, as many become key characters towards the end.
Average customer rating:
|
Bringing Out the Dead.(Review) (movie reviews): An article from: Sojourners
Judy Coode
Manufacturer: Sojourners
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
 General
| Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
General
| Nonfiction
| HTML
| Formats
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| HTML
| Formats
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
ASIN: B0008GTULG
Release Date: 2005-07-28 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Sojourners, published by Sojourners on January 1, 2000. The length of the article is 958 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Bringing Out the Dead.(Review) (movie reviews)
Author: Judy Coode
Publication:
Sojourners (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2000
Publisher: Sojourners
Volume: 29
Issue: 1
Page: 63
Article Type: Movie Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
|
Bringing Out the Dead: Can Information Technology Resurrect Budget Reform?: An article from: Government Finance Review
Judd Metzgar , and
Rowan Miranda
Manufacturer: Government Finance Officers Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Automotive
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Crime & Criminals
| Current Events
| Economics
| Education
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Government
| Holidays
| Law
| Philosophy
| Politics
| Social Sciences
| Transportation
| True Accounts
| Urban Planning & Development
| Women's Studies
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
General
| Business & Investing
| HTML
| Formats
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
General
| Nonfiction
| HTML
| Formats
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
ASIN: B0008HWXSM
Release Date: 2005-07-28 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Government Finance Review, published by Government Finance Officers Association on April 1, 2001. The length of the article is 4101 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Bringing Out the Dead: Can Information Technology Resurrect Budget Reform?
Author: Judd Metzgar
Publication:
Government Finance Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2001
Publisher: Government Finance Officers Association
Volume: 17
Issue: 2
Page: 9
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
|
BRINGING OUT THE DEAD
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GQ1J4E |
Average customer rating:
- Review for "Music is the Master Key"
|
Music is the Master Key: Unlocking Doors in Forensic Psychiatric Patients
Karen Jean Reed
Manufacturer: Rivercross Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
| Specialties
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
| Internal Medicine
| Medicine
| Medical
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0944957706 |
Book Description
Music is the key to unlocking the mind closed by mental illness. Through case histories, the authors proves the efficacy of music therapy in the treatment of mental illness.
Customer Reviews:
Review for "Music is the Master Key".......2001-04-18
I found the content very interesting -- the response of forensic psychiatric patients to music while responding very poorly, or not at all to other therapies.
What, to me, needs much improvement, is the grammar/syntax in the writing of this book. Corrections to the many printing errors are also needed.
Rated: two and a half to three out of five points.
Average customer rating:
- Simply The Best. A Must-Have In Every Gambler's Library
- The odds are against you!
- The Best In His Field
- Scarne will cure your gambling addiction
|
Scarne's New Complete Guide to Gambling
John Scarne
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Gambling
| Puzzles & Games
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Puzzles & Games
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Sports Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0671630636 |
Book Description
The world still recognizes the legendary John Scarne as the most authoritative expert on gambling who ever lived. Author of dozens of books On the subject Scarne Collected and distilled everything he knew in this, the most comprehensive book on gambling ever written. Since its publication in 1961 and subsequent new editions, Scarne's New Complete Guide to Gambling has been far and away the best-selling book of its kind.
As gambling consultant to several governments and many of the world's top casinos, Scarne knew the world of gambling from the inside out, with access to many of the most powerful figures and innermost secrets of gambling's fascinating and complicated world. He spices the volumes of gambling advice and inside tips contained here with many of the stories and personalities he knew in his fabulously successful life as a gambling expert, advocate and writer.
Every aspect of gambling at games of chance and skill is covered here: official rules; correct adds and house percentages; advice and instruction on playing strategy; explanations of swindling methods and how to detect them. And every game and sporting event involving betting of any kind is reviewed, explained, analyzed.
More than 100 million Americans gamble at one time or another during any given year. Now, more than ever, this is the one book they'll need to become consistent winners in their chosen game.
Customer Reviews:
Simply The Best. A Must-Have In Every Gambler's Library.......2004-09-07
Scarne (pronounced Scarney) was, and still is, simply the best. You need to read this book before entering any casino, and you will love every minute of reading this book. The section on Craps, by itself, is worth the entire purchase price. But Scarne will make you an expert on slots, blackjack, poker, and the ever-present Roulette wheel. Did you know that every bet on the Roulette table carries the same house advantage, except one? One bet is different. Only Scarne. Buy this book, please, from one gambler to another. You can thank me later, and leave me a fortune in your will. Or, just drop me a note.
The odds are against you!.......2000-11-30
A marvelous reference guide to anyone who has pulled the handle of a "one-armed bandit" (aptly named, by the way) or turned the cards once or twice. This book covers all of the "games of chance" and some where you don't stand ANY chance at all. I've owned this book for years and it never ceases to entertain and educate. If you enjoy gambling as an entertainment this is a must-read. If you must gamble and cannot stop, this book just may save your life. Please remember, the house ALWAYS has an edge.
The Best In His Field.......1998-11-22
This book is the best. It is that rare gem, a reference book that can be picked up, opened at random, and read like a novel. Anyone who has bought even a raffle ticket should read this book.
I bet you will like this book! (Sorry, couldn't resist.)
Scarne will cure your gambling addiction.......1998-11-21
Potential readers who want to quit the gambling habit, or just want to know more about the mathematics behind what they are doing, can do no better than to invest in this gem. Scarne will painstakingly show you why you cannot win in the long run, and provide insight into the gambling industry rarely available elsewhere. Helped me sort myself out..
Customer Reviews:
Gambling Bible.......2007-05-12
This is the book Casino floor people read. Good information on gaming. Is not a how to beat the casino type book.
Book Description
In many cases, people select a career for all the wrong reasons, and find their responses to the workplace are incompatible with their true values. This situation results in feelings of unrest and discontent and in lost productivity. To help people avoid these problems, the newly-revised Career Anchors is designed to help people uncover their real values and use them to make better career choices. This revised edition includes two new sections, "Major Stages of the Career" and "Career Movement, Progress, or Success." Instructions and other components have been revamped for clarification, the references have been updated, and the contents have been rearranged for more convenient usage in classes and workshops. Career Anchors can help you think through your career options and give you a clear understanding of:
* Your own orientations toward work
* Your motives
* Your values
* Your talents
The Career Anchors Instrument and Trainer's Manual provide a systematic way of exploring how you perceive yourself, based on your own experiences. The instrument is divided into three parts?the orientations inventory, the career anchor interview, and the conceptual material. Career Anchors will help people:
* Define the themes and patterns dominant in your life
* Understand your own approach to work and a career
* Provide reasons for choices
* Take steps to fulfill your own self-image
Customer Reviews:
Horrbile!.......2007-02-12
I ordered this book on the 9th of January and I have not received it yet, nor have I got notification of its current status. So I will be requesting my money back and will order all of my future text books from other online sellers. I will also tell the several hundred classmates that use amazon about my experience.
Thank-you,
Finally, a ray of light!.......2004-09-30
More than a detailed analysis of the book, this is about my experience with it.
Having taken various aptitude and interest tests, personality type tests, and career counselling, I was still without a clue as to what work would be satisfying for me. I have been told that with my broad range of aptitudes, broad knowledge, and variety of skills, that I "could do anything". I have been told that my abilities are both a "blessing and a curse" because the ones I'm not using will demand expression. So, I've had this tortured search for satisfying work. Meanwhile, I've done a bit of everything: technical writing, designing and building computer hardware and software, systems analysis, I even ran a factory for 5 years! But I've always wondered "where is this all getting me"? "Career Anchors" was recommended to me as a way to answer my question, and I got the book without expecting much.
But to my surprise and delight, I found that the author is the ONLY writer I've found who sees the most important factor in finding one's work is your own internal motivators. His point is that you do best what you have the most motivation to do. In my own words: when you get up in the morning, what is it that you look forward to? What gets you up and going? (He's not so informal.)
I found that my motivation is Pure Challenge!! Did anyone ever identify that anywhere else?! Now I understand why my "career" has been all over the map - everything I've tackled has been deemed by others as impossible - and I've enjoyed tackling and overcoming these challenges. That's been the thread and my motivator. Knowing this makes it much easier to evaluate opportunities and decide whether or not to tackle them.
This is not a difficult book - you can read it in two hours - but what is explained in it is so clear and easy to understand that I'm sure there is value to everyone. And nobody else that I know of is looking at careers this way. It is truly refreshing.
The worksheet exercises are comprehensive, and if you do them carefully, could take 4 to 6 hours. But the value and the benefit will be a permanent help in your job search.
Don't expect this book to solve everything, but DO expect to gain valuable insight about yourself not offered by other writers.
Discover Your Career Anchor.......2000-03-21
After reading this book and taking its quizes, I found that it was mildly informative. It provided a good start for self-insight. There wasn't a major or deep revelation for me about my career anchor or why I was so disatisfied with my present job role. This book will help you determine what your career anchor is (what motivates and stimulates you) and then it will end there. You are left in the dark with how to develop your career around your anchor. The book, however, is true to its subtitle "Discovering your real values"-- but doesn't delve into what to do after this discovery.
Discover what you want!.......1999-02-04
Have you ever wondered if you're in the right career? Well I am a trainer in a 13,000+ staff company & 10% of them don't really know why they're not satisfied with their job. Well, it's because they're in the wrong job. This book gives you exercises to help you understand more about your values and gives suggestions on how to change that. If you're in career consultant business, this is a classic book to read and adopt to your existing tools.
Book Description
In many cases, people select a career for all the wrong reasons, and find their responses to the workplace are incompatible with their true values. This situation results in feelings of unrest and discontent and in lost productivity. To help people avoid these problems, the newly-revised Career Anchors is designed to help people uncover their real values and use them to make better career choices. This revised edition includes two new sections, "Major Stages of the Career" and "Career Movement, Progress, or Success." Instructions and other components have been revamped for clarification, the references have been updated, and the contents have been rearranged for more convenient usage in classes and workshops. Career Anchors can help you think through your career options and give you a clear understanding of:
* Your own orientations toward work
* Your motives
* Your values
* Your talents
The Career Anchors Instrument and Trainer's Manual provide a systematic way of exploring how you perceive yourself, based on your own experiences. The instrument is divided into three parts?the orientations inventory, the career anchor interview, and the conceptual material. Career Anchors will help people:
* Define the themes and patterns dominant in your life
* Understand your own approach to work and a career
* Provide reasons for choices
* Take steps to fulfill your own self-image
Books:
- Bullets over Hollywood: The American Gangster Picture from the Silents to "The Sopranos"
- Chaplin and Agee: The Untold Story of the Tramp, the Writer, and the Lost Screenplay
- Chick Flicks : Theories and Memories of the Feminist Film Movement
- Chinese Films in Focus: 25 New Takes (World Film & Television)
- Daughters of the Dust
- Dazed and Confused: Teenage Nostalgia. Instant and Cool 70's Memorabilia. A Celebration of the Hit Movie.
- Empty Moments: Cinema, Modernity, and Drift
- Fangoria's 101 Best Horror Movies You've Never Seen: A Celebration of the World's Most Unheralded Fright Flicks
- Finding Meaning at the Movies
- Flash MX Most Wanted: Effects and Movies
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- School and Community Relations, The
- How to Buy Everything for Your Wedding on eBay . . . and Save a Fortune!
- Advanced Screenwriting: Raising Your Script to the Academy Award Level
- Antitrust Law Developments 2 vol. set
- Essential Managers: Strategic Thinking
- Hot Springs
- Frommer's Vietnam, Including Angkor Wat
- AMCQ: Annotated Multiple Choice Questions
- Boom, Bust & Echo: How to Profit from the Coming Demographic Shift
- FCAT Preparation and Practice Grade 12 Student Edition
Bringing Out the Dead
EMS: The Job of Your Life
Into the Breach: A Year of Life and Death with EMS
Paramedic Buff to Burnt
Ambulance Girl: How I Saved Myself By Becoming an EMT
