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barefootmegz's review
4.0
Some memoirs are full of flourish and wistfulness. The miracle of Small by Small is the author’s translation of the subconscious thought processes of the inexperienced medical student: the learning of a new language, the euphoria of being inducted into the cult of medicine.
Read the rest of my review here.
Read the rest of my review here.
blessing_aj's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Haven’t read a medical doctor’s memoir since Ben Carson’s Gifted Hands and that was a long long time ago. But I enjoyed this as much as I did that one, even though this is a very different type of memoir.
In Small by Small, we follow Dr. Ike Anya in his younger years through his childhood, his admission into the University of Nigeria to study Medicine and his housemanship in LUTH.
In addition to its well-written prose, humor and political commentary, I liked that this is a book that shares all the Tea on what it feels like to qualify as a medical doctor in Nigeria. Since I am also an alumni of his Alma mater, albeit for an entirely different discipline, acquired in another era, I could relate to a lot of his University experiences that happened outside the classroom walls.
This book is set in the late 90’s, when Nigeria was still under military dictatorship and the author reflects on a lot as each event unfolds. Much like every honest Nigerian that picks up this book, I think it’s beyond appalling to see how much worse things have gotten even though the country since the transition to democratic rule twenty three years ago.
In Small by Small, we follow Dr. Ike Anya in his younger years through his childhood, his admission into the University of Nigeria to study Medicine and his housemanship in LUTH.
In addition to its well-written prose, humor and political commentary, I liked that this is a book that shares all the Tea on what it feels like to qualify as a medical doctor in Nigeria. Since I am also an alumni of his Alma mater, albeit for an entirely different discipline, acquired in another era, I could relate to a lot of his University experiences that happened outside the classroom walls.
This book is set in the late 90’s, when Nigeria was still under military dictatorship and the author reflects on a lot as each event unfolds. Much like every honest Nigerian that picks up this book, I think it’s beyond appalling to see how much worse things have gotten even though the country since the transition to democratic rule twenty three years ago.
certified_book_lover's review
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
“𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴: 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳, 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭.”
This is memoir on becoming a doctor in 1990s in Nigeria.
Anya takes us on a journey.
From childhood, school days, decisions and choices made along the way through to his days in Medical School till he becomes a full fledged doctor.
The many challenges and hurdles he faced and overcame,the time he nearly gave up among others.
He touches on the several change in government, coup d’état and protests that affected and impacted his journey on becoming.
Governance
Friendship
Education
Family
Health Care
Expectations
Disappointment
This memoir is very informative and detailed.
I enjoyed reading it and picked up a thing or two.
Thanks to NetGalley @netgalley and Sandstone Press @sandstonepress for this eARC.
“𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦, 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘴.”
This is memoir on becoming a doctor in 1990s in Nigeria.
Anya takes us on a journey.
From childhood, school days, decisions and choices made along the way through to his days in Medical School till he becomes a full fledged doctor.
The many challenges and hurdles he faced and overcame,the time he nearly gave up among others.
He touches on the several change in government, coup d’état and protests that affected and impacted his journey on becoming.
Governance
Friendship
Education
Family
Health Care
Expectations
Disappointment
This memoir is very informative and detailed.
I enjoyed reading it and picked up a thing or two.
Thanks to NetGalley @netgalley and Sandstone Press @sandstonepress for this eARC.
“𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦, 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘴.”
annemariewhelehan's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
PR Gifted from @sandstonepress via @netgalley
A great read. The book brings us through the authors experience of medical school in Nigeria and his first year as a doctor in a hospital in Lagos during the 90s. At first I wasn’t sure this was anything unique, could be any medical students story, but as it went on, I did get the uniqueness. The delay in graduating as university closes down due to political turmoil, as an example. The most shocking aspect is how underresourced the hospital is - the doctors often write prescriptions to give to families to source supplies for their family member in hospital. I would’ve liked to know where the author is now, and how his career progressed - the acknowledgements suggest a break from the NHS, so I’m assuming in the UK now.
A great read. The book brings us through the authors experience of medical school in Nigeria and his first year as a doctor in a hospital in Lagos during the 90s. At first I wasn’t sure this was anything unique, could be any medical students story, but as it went on, I did get the uniqueness. The delay in graduating as university closes down due to political turmoil, as an example. The most shocking aspect is how underresourced the hospital is - the doctors often write prescriptions to give to families to source supplies for their family member in hospital. I would’ve liked to know where the author is now, and how his career progressed - the acknowledgements suggest a break from the NHS, so I’m assuming in the UK now.
thesapphiccelticbookworm's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Sandstone Press for a copy of this book.
This is a Ike Anya's memoir about how he became a doctor in Nigeria in the 1990s.
This memoir was very informative and gives us insight into the unique issues facing the Nigerian healthcare system at the time, both financial and cultural (eg. language barriers).
This is a Ike Anya's memoir about how he became a doctor in Nigeria in the 1990s.
This memoir was very informative and gives us insight into the unique issues facing the Nigerian healthcare system at the time, both financial and cultural (eg. language barriers).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Infertility, and Miscarriage
Minor: Sexism, Child abuse, Colonisation, Misogyny, and Racism
macaronoui's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
This book is a really vivid and powerful memoir about Ike becoming a doctor in the late 80s, early 90s in Nigeria. The worldbuilding and writing is very inviting and sucks you in. He paints such vivid pictures of Lagos, Enugu and Nsukka.
Interspercing the English text with some Igbo sayings and sentences. The title comes from 'Okwa m da ezi unu, ife du m bu nkenta nke nta.'
Indeed she always does tell us that everything worthwhile is achieved little by little, in small incremental steps. Small by small, like inch by inch, mile by mile.
It was very informative on how medical school and hospitals ran and I learned a lot. Interweaving politics which affected him and his country was done is a very balanced and nuanced way.
He talks about his love of reading fiction, and the way he writes absolutely shows that. I recommend this book to anyone, but specifically people in the medical field around the world. It’s good to get a look and another perspective.
Thanks to NetGalley for the earc.
Interspercing the English text with some Igbo sayings and sentences. The title comes from 'Okwa m da ezi unu, ife du m bu nkenta nke nta.'
Indeed she always does tell us that everything worthwhile is achieved little by little, in small incremental steps. Small by small, like inch by inch, mile by mile.
It was very informative on how medical school and hospitals ran and I learned a lot. Interweaving politics which affected him and his country was done is a very balanced and nuanced way.
He talks about his love of reading fiction, and the way he writes absolutely shows that. I recommend this book to anyone, but specifically people in the medical field around the world. It’s good to get a look and another perspective.
Thanks to NetGalley for the earc.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
More...