Another Day In The Frontal Lobe by Katrina Firlik

From The Week of May 16, 2010

Dr. Firlik, an American neurosurgeon, has compiled, here, an interesting blend of genres. Part memoir, part neurosurgery 101, and part odyssey through the human brain, Another Day In The Frontal Lobe could easily be three separate novels, and yet her composite functions surprisingly well.

Though television shows like Gray's Anatomy have gone some way to illuminating the lives of neurosurgeon's, it's difficult to trust a scripted drama when it is not compelled to be truthful. Dr. Firlik's account of the long years of schooling and how socially isolating they can be is poignant. The hospital becomes such a center of focus that it's difficult to build a life outside ones career and ones colleagues. Even so, Dr. Firlik seems well-aware of what she has gained in the bargain, highly specialized knowledge that allows her to perform extraordinary feats of medicine which, even half a century ago, would have been unthinkable. And this is the second stage of her novel, describing in detail the trials and tribulations of the operating room: its composition, its tools, and its personnel. She mixes in enough of her casework to create a tasteful recipe of human interest and solid science which keeps the reader engaged long enough to transition into the part of her work that shines brightest.

I imagine the human brain will be an object of fascination for many decades to come as it stubbornly refuses to relinquish its many secrets. And such, there is plenty of room for speculation concerning its workings and its most vital systems. Dr. Firlik discusses in this final, successful section the current events of neurology, from the exciting concept of neuroplasticity to Dr. Firlik's fascination with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation which has been put forward as a possible solution to any number of neurological problems. Her thrilling conclusion, a rumination on the future of Neuroscience and the improvements in the human brain that we may be able to induce as soon as 20 years from now, left me more than a little giddy, for what this will mean for humanity, and jealous, of Dr. Firlik. For she has clearly chosen a life path which has placed her at the heart of a profession rapidly evolving, a profession which will have a great deal of influence upon the shape of the 21st century.

A bit too scattered at times, but it gains momentum as it proceeds to an excellent conclusion. (3/5 Stars)