It is something about New Yorker staff writers that I end up liking all the books that they write apart from their articles in the magazine. James Surowicki, Malcom Gladwell, Adam Gopnik and now Atul Gawande.

I've always enjoyed reading Atul Gawande's articles in the New Yorker. He alway seemed insightful, circumspect and curious about a profession that I look at gingerly at best. In 'Complications: A surgeon's notes on an imperfect science', Atul Gawande takes it even further. He seems much more in control here given the much larger canvas of the book to present his thoughts in a cohesive and meaningful manner. He lists interesting anecdotes, presents great insights and tells stories with depth and understanding of both patients and doctors. He talks about what makes it so hard for doctors to be good at what they do, he speaks about the mystery and uncertainty of the profession and ultimately ends up both scaring you and liberating you in some sense.