58 pages • 1 hour read
Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital
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Book Brief
592
Book • Nonfiction
New Orleans, Louisiana • 2000s
2013
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Published in 2013, Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink details the harrowing experiences of patients and staff trapped in New Orleans' Memorial Medical Center during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Amidst inadequate resources and escalating conditions, doctors face heart-wrenching decisions leading to patient deaths. Written in a journalistic style, it includes extensive backgrounds on key individuals and thorough documentation.
Informative
Dark
Unnerving
Mysterious
Emotional
Reviews & Readership
40,423 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink offers a harrowing, detailed account of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina at a New Orleans hospital. Praised for its investigative rigor and compassionate storytelling, it effectively humanizes complex ethical dilemmas. However, some readers find the narrative structure disjointed. Overall, it's a thought-provoking read on medical ethics and disaster response.
Who Should Read Five Days at Memorial?
Readers who are captivated by medical ethics, disaster response, and human resilience will find Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink compelling. Fans of Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks or Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City will appreciate its investigative narrative and emotional depth.
40,423 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
592
Book • Nonfiction
New Orleans, Louisiana • 2000s
2013
Adult
18+ years
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