A Surgeon’s Odyssey

Travel through Southeast Asia with Dr. Richard Moss, an otolaryngology surgeon, as he treats patients afflicted with ear, nose, and throat diseases. Watch as he operates under less than optimal conditions and helps train the staff at various hospitals within Thailand, Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. Listen as he wrestles with his conscience over errors made and experiences the mental anguish inflicted when medical treatment is useless. Travel with this Odysseus as he bikes across the terrain of the countries he visits, gasp as he escapes life-threatening perils, listen as he describes the different regional cultures and reflects on the unique characters he encounters. Gaze at the challenging diseases witnessed and share in his successes and disappointments. Coming from a poor New York upbringing, this sharp, multitalented surgeon followed a yen to see other parts of the world instead of reaping the rewards of his professional status by opening a profitable office. As part of his character, he had the chutzpah to ignore familial and professional advice and to pursue his travel itch. We are fortunate to share his exploits in this gripping account of his three-year sojourn in Asia. Each of the more than seventy brief chapters read as spellbinding essays that fascinate the reader.