“Nobility in Small Things, A Surgeon's Path” is a memoir by Craig R. Smith, M.D. I’m not sure how the author settled on his book title (perhaps he mentioned it and I missed it) but it’s an interesting way to think of one’s life. Dr. Smith is one-of a-kind and it was interesting to get to know him through his writing.

The first part of the book engaged me the most. His growing up years, the decisions he made once he hit college, his job as a line man (for the county?) were presented in a friendly and optimistic way. He became less relatable as he began his medical career as a surgeon. I was surprised that while he briefly mentioned his patients, the science and techniques of operating are truly his passion.

The last part of the book focuses on the recent pandemic and this part gets to be more like a research article, not as personal or emotional. If you like to read medical memoirs, this is a good book, but it’s not a warm and folksy rendition. Thanks to the author for his dedication to medicine.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest review.

3.5 stars

I very much appreciated the writer's sincerity and honesty in his accounting of both his life and his experiences. Readers who have enjoyed other "medical memoirs" will find a lot to like in this.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc to review.

While kudos definitely go to Dr. Smith for his outstanding work and tireless work effort I found the book bogged down at times. Sometimes too much description of certain aspects of his earlier work was presented and then later items relating to his chosen profession were lightly passed over. One point tho, you cannot pass over the dedication and work done by the medical personnel!

Thank you for the chance to read this work.

As an RN i typically enjoy medical memoirs. I requested this book from NetGalley as I thought it was primarily going to be about the Covid-19 impact on the authors cardiac surgery practice and his life as alluded to in the synopsis. Instead, there were incredibly descriptively king chapters about hospital politics and hospital funding in the US, and very lengthy descriptions about occupations he had prior to becoming a surgeon. The impact of Covid-19, the PPE shortages and vaccination were not discussed until around page 200, which was disappointing. These discussions once we got there were great. I did want to hear more about his medical career and the impacts of Covid-19 on his cardiac surgery specialty, and on himself as the lead cardiac surgeon. He spoke kindly of nurses and gave the reader a glimpse into why the worldwide shortage of nurses and the impact to global healthcare is happening.

RIP to all the health care professionals who lost their lives to Covid-19 around the globe. Thank you for your service.

When Netgalley offered this book I was intrigued by the synopsis. I have always been interested in why people choose the occupation they do. I have read many autobiographical books many on the medical field. Most of these books give examples from childhood or early adulthood that later you see tie into why they choose the area they later go into. This book provides lots of stories but nothing really fits together, I found the book difficult to read because of this. I was looking for a connection. a reason for the stories and his choice of occupation. I would give this book a 2,5-star review but am giving it a 3 star because I feel it is my past experience with this kind of autobiographical book that has influenced my review. I don't want to discourage you dear reader from reading the book just because it didn't live up to my idea. This is my honest review.

Nobility in the Small Things: A Surgeon's Path, written by Dr. Craig R. Smith, takes readers on an intimate exploration of the life of a surgeon. This poignant memoir offers a captivating glimpse into the demanding world of surgery, shedding light on the dedication, skill, and sacrifice required to navigate such a career. As I immersed myself in the pages of this book, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards the remarkable individuals who choose to pursue this noble path.

Dr. Smith's candid narrative explores the challenges and triumphs of a surgeon's life, revealing the immense responsibility that comes with holding lives in one's hands. His vivid descriptions of the operating room, the intricate procedures, and the emotional toll of his profession paint a vivid picture of the dedication and passion that fuels the surgical field.

As the pages unfolded, I found myself gaining a newfound respect for the men and women who dedicate their lives to this pursuit. The unrelenting hours, the perpetual state of alertness, and the constant weight of life-and-death decisions all underscored the tremendous fortitude and resilience required to thrive in this field. It became clear to me that being a surgeon is a calling, a path meant for those with an unwavering commitment to serving others.

While reading Nobility in the Small Things, I couldn't help but reflect on my own limitations and the realization that a surgeon's life may not be suited for everyone. The level of expertise, the ability to handle immense pressure, and the stamina to navigate the demanding schedules are qualities that only a select few possess. Dr. Smith's eloquent storytelling reinforced my gratitude for the exceptional individuals who choose this path, knowing that it is not one that I am personally suited for.

In a world where medical advancements often steal the spotlight, Nobility in the Small Things reminds us of the human element behind the science. It highlights the impact that surgeons have on their patients' lives, and the tremendous trust that is placed in their hands. Dr. Smith's compassionate approach and dedication to his craft serve as a shining example of the noble qualities that define a true surgeon.

Nobility in the Small Things: A Surgeon's Path is an enlightening and deeply introspective memoir that evokes a profound sense of gratitude towards those who devote their lives to the field of surgery. Dr. Smith's candid account of his own journey offers a unique perspective into the sacrifices and triumphs that define the surgeon's path. This book serves as a poignant tribute to the men and women who possess the rare combination of skill, compassion, and determination needed to excel in this demanding field. I am truly thankful for their unwavering commitment to the art and science of surgery.

Mobility in Small Things by Dr. Craig Smith is a book about the life of a surgeon and to understand how complex the medical field can be. As a trauma surgeon myself, I fully grasp the challenges that Drs face on a daily basis. When covid hit and many hospitals were not performing scheduled surgeries it gave Dr. Smith the opportunity to slow down a bit. As a physician myself, I am fully aware how hospitals run and the political and financial hold that hovers over it. But Dr. Smith #poke a lot about this aspect of medicine. We learned about his previous jobs such as when he worked s a lineman for AT&T but in all honesty it really did not give the reader anymore of a glimpse into his medical career. I honestly was very frustrated because I wanted to hear more about his career as I am beginning and Dr Smith has pretty much finished his career in medicine. I wish this book focused more on the actual job of a surgeon and dealing with patients instead of what makes a hospital run. If there were more self reflection or intimate details about his work such as the lives of those he saved it may have felt more rewarding.

3 out of 5 stars


Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Thanks to the publisher for an e-galley of this book. There were some good parts of this book and the writing is very crisp, but overall I did not love this. I found some of his writing to be problematic, including his approach to addressing the concept of organized labor as well as "pushing through" illness and injury as a physician. He went into far too much detail about some of his manual labor jobs that did not fit into the bigger picture.

Fascinating memoir by a brilliant surgeon who chronicles his pioneering work in transplant surgery and explains how the medical field is being impacted by the lasting effects of the Covid crisis. Anyone who is not aware of the sacrifices that go into a career in medicine will be humbled by the years of training and lack of time giving to to self , family and friends that are required to train a top surgeon.

Nobility in Small Things: A Surgeon's Path
Craig R. Smith, M.D.
Expected publication date: October 10th, 2023, St. Martin’s Press

I read this book before a summary was available, and to be honest, I am not sure what the summary would be even after having read it.

This is an autobiography of Craig R. Smith’s life and career, from working odd jobs on telephone lines, steel factories, dabbling in the sciences, to finally entering and excelling in cardiothoracic surgery. He discusses many important topics such as living with and overcoming social anxiety, the many political and financial layers involved in running a hospital, implications of recent modifications to the Hippocratic oath (when does a doctor’s emphasis on ‘self-care’ begin to intrude on their ability to care for their patients?) and goes into detail about some very interesting medical cases he’s had over the years.

The main thing that I believe could use some improvement is building in more coherent connections between events in life and career. Some stories are brought up and then just never explained, almost like they don’t play a significant part in his path. I would have liked to see some more wide-reaching self-reflection, and maybe for the book to have more direction throughout.

Lastly, I found certain racial topics in this book to have been brought up in an insensitive and potentially problematic matter. For one, Dr. Smith touches on racial injustice in the context of hospital employees, but then focuses this discussion to the minorities that work as housekeepers and cleaning crew for the hospital. His reasoning that it’s because that area of the hospital staff is more racially mixed than MDs or faculty, but it seemed dismissive to fact that minorities work across all medical ranks, and at increasing rates. I also thought it was tone-deaf that he made a comment that “All Lives Matter” became controversial in June 2020. The topic has been going on for much longer than that. Lastly, I found it off-putting that even in the beginning of the book, he would use terms like “Black man” as a key descriptive factor when talking about people, even when it was completely irrelevant to the story he was telling.

Overall, I still found the story interesting and, at many points, insightful and surprising. I would give this a solid 3.5 out of 5.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy!

Nobility in Small Things: A Surgeon's Path
Craig R. Smith, M.D.

I have read several autobiographical books by doctors who take the time to explain why they chose medicine as a career and how they honed their craft.

Nobility in Small Things: A Surgeon's Path frustrated me. I was excited to read another medical autobiography but as I read the book, I couldn’t figure out exactly what I was reading.

Yes, I could say that it was a medical autobiography, but it also wandered into painfully detailed discussions of his job as a lineman for AT&T as well as a long discussion on medical funding. There were also other meanderings that really didn’t have to do with the job of being a heart surgeon. The author may have felt that these extra experiences were necessary to document, but they really didn’t add to his overall training of Dr Smith to become a cardiac surgeon.

Having said all the above, this book is not all that bad. His discussion of treating former President Bill Clinton was really fascinating, especially having to work around the fact that he was treating a former president surrounded by the United States Secret Service.

I initially wanted to give Nobility in Small Things: A Surgeon's Path two stars but I felt that the parts of the book that did work worked very well. I find myself wishing that the author had a better editor who could have worked with Dr Smith to weave a more coherent and to the point medical autobiography.

I honestly can’t recommend this book except for those who might be interested in reading about how a surgeon and hospital handle a VIP.

3/5 stars

[Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest and objective opinion which I have given here.]

Craig Smith, M.D. shares his journey from an injury-prone childhood to working odd jobs in New England before finally landing in medical school. Smith spent time in a factory and working as a linesman before beginning med school at Case Western. He went on to fellowship at University of Rochester before completing his residency at Columbia-Presbyterian. While Smith shares intimate details of his personal life and family, much of the memoir is devoted to his medical research, practice, and reflection. HIs most poignant reflections are shared in regard to the Covid-19 pandemic in the final few chapters.

**I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishing house for allowing me to read this book.
I've never read a book by someone who was in the medical field so this was really cool and interesting to read. The cover is what interested me in this book and I'm so glad I asked for it because it was wonderful! 5 stars .

Interesting book but I did feel it could have been shorter--much more like an autiobiography than a memoir in terms of its scope. Nonetheless there were many interesting and vivid moments.