For many of the millions of people who undergo anaesthesia each year, it is the source of great fear and fascination. In Counting Backwards, anaesthetist Henry Jay Przybylo has written an unforgettable account of the routine procedure's daily dramas and fundamental mysteries. Przybylo has administered anaesthesia more than 30,000 times on newborn babies, screaming toddlers and sullen teenagers, his own son and even a gorilla. With compassion and candour, he weaves his experiences into stories that explore the nature of consciousness, the politics of pain relief and the wonder of modern medicine. Through its intense and humane tales of mistakes, near-disasters, life-saving successes and moments of grace, Counting Backwards shines a light on a fascinating but unexplored corner of the medical world.

About the Author
Henry Jay Przybylo, MD is an associate professor of anesthesiology at Northwestern University School of Medicine. He also holds an MFA in creative nonfiction from Goucher College. He lives in Chicago.

Reviews
"... his [Henry Jay Przybylo's] professional memoir Counting Backwards puts him within the esteemed company of other surgeon writers, such as the London neurosurgeon Henry Marsh and America's Atul Gawande." -- i paper
"In a fascinating new memoir, an anaesthetist reveals what goes on beyond the operating theatre doors..." -- The Daily Mail



Book Information
ISBN 9780393356427
Author Henry Jay Przybylo
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint WW Norton & Co
Publisher WW Norton & Co
Weight(grams) 200g
Dimensions(mm) 211mm * 140mm * 18mm