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  • The Tenth Nerve

  • A Brain Surgeon's Stories of the Patients Who Changed Him
  • Written by: Dr. Chris Honey
  • Narrated by: Dr. Chris Honey
  • Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (16 ratings)

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The Tenth Nerve cover art

The Tenth Nerve

Written by: Dr. Chris Honey
Narrated by: Dr. Chris Honey
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Publisher's Summary

Riveting and dramatic, The Tenth Nerve offers a rare window into the world of a pre-eminent neurosurgeon and the seven exceptional patients that made him a better person.

“The scalpel can only go so deep, and technical skill can only take one so far.”

In this absorbing narrative, Dr. Chris Honey, an accomplished neurosurgeon at Vancouver General Hospital, weaves his personal journey together with case studies that reflect the thrill of scientific discovery and the limitations of medicine. Operating on a terminally ill child amid an Ebola outbreak in Liberia, he questions his preconceptions about what it means to "win" against a disease. Reflecting on his own path into neurosurgery, he brings to life a relatively new, high stakes field of medicineone that historically demanded emotional detachment and often attracts extreme personalities. With a compassionate eye, he traces the courage and determination of several patients suffering from mysterious, unrecognized illnesses, two of whom led Dr. Honey and his team to discover an entirely new disease and its cure. In clear, engaging prose, he invites us into the operating room to witness this extraordinary discoveryinvolving the tenth cranial nervealongside him. And, outside the OR, an unusual friendship with a former patient alters his perspective on clinical detachment, and what "quality of life" really means.

Combining a humane perspective, lively anecdotes, and a deep curiosity about the uncharted territories of the human brain, The Tenth Nerve is a richly fascinating memoir that will fill you with wonder.

©2022 Dr. Chris Honey (P)2022 Random House Canada

What the critics say

“[Honey is] a caring and compassionate physician and an impressive prose stylist. Writing well for a general audience about the complexities of the brain and the challenges of neurosurgery can be a daunting task. . . . Honey takes on the challenge in this compelling human document and tells his stories in polished, engaging prose that moves smoothly from vivid descriptions of brain surgery to profiles of his patients and colleagues, to good-humoured wit, often at his own expense. . . . If The Tenth Nerve confined itself to a mere display of the author’s impressive erudition and clinical experience it would be a perfectly adequate addition to the world of popular science, but it would be a lesser book than the one that Honey has crafted here. . . . This is a terrific book. Highly recommended.” —The Vancouver Sun

“A new book by the Head of Neurosurgery [at the University of British Columbia] offers a fresh perspective about medicine and a riveting look into neurosurgical operating rooms…. Honey’s new book brings the reader into the operating room and reveals the impact that patient and surgeon have on each other's lives.” —The Ubyssey

“In The Tenth Nerve, Chris Honey shows us more than the neurosurgeon’s hidden world—the chaos of the emergency, the ache of the hopeless patient, the subtly pulsing moonscape of the brain under an operating microscope. His is a heartfelt and informed story about crafting a working wisdom, an acumen, about his patients, his profession and, ultimately, himself.” —Dr. Liam Durcan, author of The Measure of Darkness and Garcia's Heart

What listeners say about The Tenth Nerve

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  • 2023-05-16

Very detailed medical stories & history

If you are interested in detailed neuroscience as it applies to people with very specific pathology and don’t mind a little medical gore, you will live this book as I did. The history section was a little dry but the personal clinical stories made up for it.

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Fascinating!

I loved this listen. The stories were engaging, the science is fascinating, and my happy little heart is filled with wonder.

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An Exceptional Story

Hearing the author read his words and have them come to life in this audiobook was a an exceptional experience as the listener. This book really shows you the humanity, and passion Dr. Honey has for his profession and for the patients he treats on a daily basis. I think all too often in the healthcare industry we see only one side of the profession: the very poised, very task focused physician, nurse, or care provider. It’s refreshing to hear about how these patients impacted the author’s life and helped shape him into the person he is present day. Overall, this book is very inspiring, with many emotional ups and downs, sure to make you laugh and tear up at times.

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Interesting Stories & Very well read by Dr. Honey

I listened to the audio book and have gone back and re-listened to many chapters over and over again. His kind heart and interest in his profession shine throughout. I was also lucky enough to have him as my surgeon several years ago and he is just as he sounds on the audio book. We are lucky to have his skill in our part of the world.

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Loved this!

What a wonderful storyteller of real humans and their medical journeys.
I enjoyed the excellent explanations of medical conditions in layman’s terms. I would recommend this to everyone. I will be looking for more books from Dr. Honey.

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Fantastic!

What a fabulous book. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Dr. Honey's narration. His stories are fascinating and some heartwarming. It was technical in places but it was still understandable. Having been a patient of Dr. Honey's for one of the surgeries he mentions... it was especially interesting. I thoroughly recommend this book to look into a window in the life of a brain surgeon. And I would like to say thank you to Dr. Honey once again, for his expertise that cured my condition in 2005. I was very fortunate to be under his care.

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My Amazing Journey into the World of Neurology

I have a very curious mind and am always exploring topics of which I have very little knowledge. Thank you, Dr. Honey, for this fascinating foray. I eagerly await your next book and thank you for your insights into the science of the brain. I recommend this treasure to the intellectually curious.

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Fascinating dive into the World of Neurosurgery

Surprisingly gripping and emotional read. Recommended reading. it also provides some history all the way back to pre-biblical times.

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