A Seaside Practice

Tales of a Scottish Country Doctor

By: Dr Tom Smith

Narrated by: Dr Tom Smith

When he arrives to take up his first posting as a GP in Collintrae, a small fishing village on the West coast of Scotland, young Tom Smith isn't quite sure what to expect. Certainly, nothing in his medical training could have prepared him for what he finds - a baker with nine lives, Mad Maggie in the Muck, and a gaggle of giggling nuns are just a few of the extraordinary cases that he comes up against.

Heartwarming and gloriously eccentric, Dr Tom's stories capture the beauty of the Lowlands, the joys and sorrows of its inhabitants, and the richly rewarding experiences of life as a Scottish country doctor.

©2007 Tom Smith (P)2007 Soundings

Critic reviews

"An affectionate and hugely entertaining memoir of the incident-packed five years that Smith spent looking after the mainly farming families in his patch. If only modern medicine had as much heart." ( Guardian)

A relatable story

This book is relatable for anyone who has completed their studies and had that harsh step out into the "real world." Dr. Smith hits those bumps in the road and takes them in stride. Listeners can sit back and enjoy his post grad journey and family growth along with great patient stories. I highly recommend this book to people who have (and haven't) worked in the medical field. It has lighthearted and relatable stories and is an easy listen.

Excellent look into Historical Medical Practices in Scotland

Being a retired nurse in USA with heritage from Great Britain I found this book very enlightening, funny and fun to listen to!!! It was with pleasure that I learned at the very end that it was read / narrated by none other than then the author himself!!! Which made it all the more real & enjoyable!!!

Loved It!

Any additional comments?

Love the dry sense of humour and caring insight of the author. Only wished it was longer!

From another doctor

The stories ring true from my rural experience. Well illustrates the dictum from Sir William Osler: it's more important to know which patient has the disease than what disease the patient has
Michael Klein MD
ROBERTS Creek BC Canada

Pleasant listening experience

I agree with the other comments. I don't think it's fair to Dr. Smith to compare this book with James Herriot's series. When all is said & done, we are all unique individuals, after all. That said, Dr. Smith's stories have their own warmth and attraction. I especially enjoyed it because, for me, it was a trip to the UK. (I've never traveled beyond North America.) No, you won't laugh with tears running down your cheeks, but you might chuckle a bit. I recommend this as a comfortable, enjoyable listening experience. I don't usually like books that are narrated by the author, but Dr. Smith's voice was pleasing to me. If you think you might be interested, you can always listen to the sample first. This book has no objectionable language, IMO.

Charming

Recommended for fans of James heriot. a little short but highly recommended. author is the narrator.

Lovely Book!

If you, like me, loved the James Herriott books you will be delighted with this book. Usually I think it is a mistake when the author is also the narrator, but in this case it was perfect! Tom Smith's voice is melodic and pleasant.

Refreshing

A simpler time and stories with humor and pathos of an authentic people whose world was hard but breathtakingly beautiful.

Excellent in every way.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would indeed recommend this book. Found it to be heartfelt, humerous and very entertaining.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Seaside Practice?

Sorry, can't pick when there are so many.

What about Tom Smith’s performance did you like?

I loved his Scottish accent and his narration was the best. Write some more Dr. Tom Smith. I'm sure you have a volume or two of your experiences in your practice over the years. You are an excellent narrator and author.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There was more laughing than crying. Of course there were sad parts, this is life after all.

Any additional comments?

I loved this author, he's right up there with Patrick Taylor. I'm looking forward to his next book, I hope he is writing it now!

Loved this book and narrator

Everything about this book was pleasing to me. There was history, so I felt a little educated, the author/narrator was entertaining and easy to listen to. The story line was everything I like. All together a great listen.