An Irish Country Doctor

An Irish Country Doctor, by Patrick Taylor.

I started casting the movie version of this book just a few pages into it - Liam Neeson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the two doctors. (Okay, so I'd watch those two in just about anything - but I do think they fit the characters.)

This was published as adult fiction, but it's both appropriate and interesting for a younger reader. (I'm basing this, of course, on my own childhood reading, which I can't even pretend was typical.)

Other reviews: Speaking Volumes

Meet the author: Visit Patrick Taylor's website, or listen to an interview.

What stuck with me: Really well-done characters. And dialect that's both easy to read and easy to "hear." My mother, who read the book before me, described it as James Herriot with people, and I can't really improve on that.

Where the book is going next: I think it's off to the hands of a former bookstore coworker, who will absolutely adore it.

Makes me want to read: This is the first of four books, so I'm waiting for my turn with An Irish Country Village. I've spent the past few weeks listening to James Herriot books on my commute, and this one makes me want more Yorkshire dialect, too. Oh, and one more thing - a Gaelic pronunciation guide. That's one language I just can't sound out.

Makes me want to reread: A Cap for Mary Ellis - the two books have almost nothing to do with each other, but both touch on the question of the time and emotional commitment needed to work in medicine.