Status
Available
Call number
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Publication
Little Brown & Co (1983), Mass Market Paperback
Description
"Cronin's distinguished achievement....No one could have written as fine, honest, and moving a study of a young doctor as The Citadel without possessing great literary taste and skill." --The Atlantic Monthly A groundbreaking novel of its time and a National Book Award winner. The Citadel follows the life of Andrew Manson, a young and idealistic Scottish doctor, as he navigates the challenges of practicing medicine across interwar Wales and England. Based on Cronin's own experiences as a physician, The Citadel boldly confronts traditional medical ethics, and has been noted as one of the inspirations for the formation of the National Health Service. The Citadel has been adapted into several successful film, radio, and television productions around the world, including the Oscar-nominated 1938 film starring Ralph Donat, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Richardson, and Rex Harrison.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jtck121166
A good, old-fashioned novel (in the best sense): a story of engaging people doing interesting things, well-told.
The theme is the public health in the UK before the 1948 Act which introduced the National Health service. Incompetence and corruption amongst the medical class are exposed; our hero,
On the human side, we join Manson as a new graduate serving in the Welsh valleys, and follow this pilgrim's progress through triumph and disaster until, in the end, we leave him on the brink of fulfilling his dream: a group medical practice founded with the patients' interests at heart.
Interesting, from an historical perspective; important politically; refreshing artistically.
The theme is the public health in the UK before the 1948 Act which introduced the National Health service. Incompetence and corruption amongst the medical class are exposed; our hero,
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Manson, works doggedly towards his own solutions, soon to be sanctioned in law (after the end of the narrative).On the human side, we join Manson as a new graduate serving in the Welsh valleys, and follow this pilgrim's progress through triumph and disaster until, in the end, we leave him on the brink of fulfilling his dream: a group medical practice founded with the patients' interests at heart.
Interesting, from an historical perspective; important politically; refreshing artistically.
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LibraryThing member wrichard
The book that shows the courage of Dr Manson, his downfall and redemption. I read a passage of this at school to my English class and brought the house down!
LibraryThing member northandsouth
I don't know what it is about this book, but it just draws the reader in. I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book for all those who love a good story about life.
LibraryThing member shefukul
I was completely shocked when Andrew's wife died. One of my favorite books.
LibraryThing member kellyn
This is an exceptionally engaging story of a young, idealistic doctor as he embarks on his medical practice. Dr. Manson joins a practice in a remote, isolated Welsh mining town. It is a baptism by fire. His supervising physician is incapacitated by a stroke and this doctor’s miserly wife
In some ways the decline and redemption of Dr. Manson is too predictable and unrealistic; however Cronin wrote The Citadel in (1937) and for that time this was a revolutionary account of an ordinary man’s life.
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withholds money, support and information from Dr. Manson. Manson’s idealism and enthusiasm carries him through many discouraging, lonely months. Eventually he meets a young school teacher and falls in love. Manson and Christine leave this mining town for another position and again throw themselves into medicine and village life. Eventually Dr. Manson takes his practice to London where he succumbs to the temptations of making money by sacrificing his medical integrity.In some ways the decline and redemption of Dr. Manson is too predictable and unrealistic; however Cronin wrote The Citadel in (1937) and for that time this was a revolutionary account of an ordinary man’s life.
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LibraryThing member charlie68
A number of the stories in the book are similar to stories in the autobiographical Adventures in Two Worlds. About a doctor and his life just starting out in the mines of south Wales to classy West End London. Characters could use a little more depth especially the main ones. A fairly weak plot
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until the til the last where it really strengthens into a pretty good heartfelt book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Schmerguls
I started reading this book on Feb 27, 1945. On that day I said: "Am reading A. J. Cronin's The Citadel. It Is about a doctor in Wales. Very good. Better than his The Keys of the Kingdom: faster moving and more compact. Although one can sure tell the similarity . Cronin is an expert at frustrated
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character delineation. On March 2, 1945, I said: "It is 12:30 A.M. I sat up till now to finish The Citadel. It was very good. Such a book is rare. It simply carries one along I doubt if Cronin's ever done anything better. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lace-Structures
Decades ago I read "The Keys to the Kingdom", and knew of this book, but only read it in 2018. I found the class system dreary, and the attitude of the principal doctor toward his wife to be demeaning, and only rarely did Cronin recognize his character's blind spot in this area. Watching the
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downfall of a character is never fun, but I felt no sense of hopefulness that he would climb out of his hole. The magazine format, with its color illustrations and synopsis kept me going. Show Less
LibraryThing member Roarer
I found "The Citadel" a slightly contrived novel in the way it takes the reader through a series of different medical situations in the Britain of the inter-war years, ranging from emergency treatment down a mine to pandering to rich hypochondriacs, and exploring the compounding issues of the lure
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of money and the lack of continuing assessment and training of doctors. This discourse is set within a story of the life of a recently qualified doctor and his wife, jolting through these different settings, but neither of them seem all that real. Whilst the NHS as it has developed may have removed many of the problems identified, and of course treatment has become both more scientific and more technological since Cronin's time, I am reminded of a comment from a friend high up in the NHS that in the 21st century medicine is the only profession in the UK to retain a powerful controlling body of a mediaeval guild, not necessarily acting in the interests of patients. Show Less
LibraryThing member Faradaydon
It was first published 85 years ago, but I've just discovered A.J.Cronin's masterpiece and I'm so happy I did. It's an all-enveloping read, as enticing today as it was when it was first published. No wonder it's never been out of print and has been made into a film, five TV versions, three Indian
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movies and three radio drama series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Castlelass
Set in the 1920s in a Welsh mining town, protagonist Andrew Manson is a newly qualified Doctor of Medicine. He is idealistic and eager to make his mark. He wants to change the traditional ineffective methods and use the latest science in his treatments. He becomes fascinated with analyzing the
This book explores ethics in the medical profession. It portrays doctors of varying competence. Some keep up their skills and others become wedded to traditional remedies. Some compete vigorously with other doctors. The story contains descriptions of diagnoses, medical procedures, and surgeries. Published in 1937, this book was helpful in pointing out changes needed in the UK’s health care system.
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source of miners’ lung diseases. As he moves upward in his career, he loses his idealism and becomes more interested in accumulating wealth. His wife grows disillusioned, wondering what happened to the man she married. This book explores ethics in the medical profession. It portrays doctors of varying competence. Some keep up their skills and others become wedded to traditional remedies. Some compete vigorously with other doctors. The story contains descriptions of diagnoses, medical procedures, and surgeries. Published in 1937, this book was helpful in pointing out changes needed in the UK’s health care system.
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LibraryThing member PilgrimJess
"If we go on trying to make out that everything's wrong outside the profession and everything is right within, it means the death of scientific progress."
First published in 1937 and set during the interwar years 'The Citadel' shines a light on the medical establishment in Britain at the time
Archibald Joseph Cronin was born in Cardross, Dunbartonshire, in 1896, and was destined either for the Church or medicine: he chose medicine. Cronin trained in various hospitals in Scotland, Dublin and South Wales. He was appointed as a Medical Inspector of Mines and reported on coal-dust inhalation and lung disease before subsequently moving to London and private practice. This novel is therefore semi-autobiographical in nature as he draws on his professional career as a background.
The novel has two specific areas of emphasis. Firstly, the work of the doctor in a poor community and how his work is transformed when he moves to a city and private practice. Secondly the competence, or incompetence, of doctors and their need to keep their skills up to date. Manson is often critical of the quality of other doctors' work.
In the small Welsh mining village, the men, as miners, can change doctors through a company insurance scheme whenever they wish, their choices often based on the doctor's own popularity rather than his ability. Manson is outspoken and critical of the way in which the service is funded which lands him in trouble.
But the climax comes when Manson is asked to treat the daughter of an old friend who has tuberculosis. Manson has her admitted to an established London hospital but when the treatment provided there shows no signs of benefit he recommends a new therapy. His senior disagrees and Manson removes his young patient to a newly built hospital with an un-medically qualified boss. However, despite the success of the treatment and his patient's subsequent discharge, when Manson’s London colleagues hear about this he is referred to the General Medical Council (GMC) to be investigated with the potential outcome of him being struck off the Medical Register.
In many respects this novel is a creature of its time. Cronin identified many of the issues in clinical practice which needed to be tackled , including better supervision of young doctors, postgraduate education programmes and the novel's popularity along with the cinematic portrayal helped towards the establishment of the NHS a decade or so later. However, some of the issues, in particular affordability, are still relevant today.
This isn't perhaps great literature. Manson despite his revolutionary zeal isn't always a particularly likeable character, he is often, selfish, arrogant and uncaring, but Cronin still manages to present an interesting and entertaining story. I am always interested in novels that feature social history and this book had the power to change public attitudes and behaviour towards health as well as professional thinking and for that reason alone deserves to be more widely read today.
First published in 1937 and set during the interwar years 'The Citadel' shines a light on the medical establishment in Britain at the time
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through the eyes of a young newly qualified Scottish doctor. Andrew Manson, takes up his first clinical post as an assistant to a GP in a small Welsh mining community where disease and poverty is rife, sanitation poor and operations are performed on kitchen tables before moving as his career progresses to the fashionable, greedy world of London with its private clinics, hypochondriac patients and rich awards. Manson arrives with a bagful of enthusiasm and idealism but soon comes face to face with the realism of his chosen profession.Archibald Joseph Cronin was born in Cardross, Dunbartonshire, in 1896, and was destined either for the Church or medicine: he chose medicine. Cronin trained in various hospitals in Scotland, Dublin and South Wales. He was appointed as a Medical Inspector of Mines and reported on coal-dust inhalation and lung disease before subsequently moving to London and private practice. This novel is therefore semi-autobiographical in nature as he draws on his professional career as a background.
The novel has two specific areas of emphasis. Firstly, the work of the doctor in a poor community and how his work is transformed when he moves to a city and private practice. Secondly the competence, or incompetence, of doctors and their need to keep their skills up to date. Manson is often critical of the quality of other doctors' work.
In the small Welsh mining village, the men, as miners, can change doctors through a company insurance scheme whenever they wish, their choices often based on the doctor's own popularity rather than his ability. Manson is outspoken and critical of the way in which the service is funded which lands him in trouble.
But the climax comes when Manson is asked to treat the daughter of an old friend who has tuberculosis. Manson has her admitted to an established London hospital but when the treatment provided there shows no signs of benefit he recommends a new therapy. His senior disagrees and Manson removes his young patient to a newly built hospital with an un-medically qualified boss. However, despite the success of the treatment and his patient's subsequent discharge, when Manson’s London colleagues hear about this he is referred to the General Medical Council (GMC) to be investigated with the potential outcome of him being struck off the Medical Register.
In many respects this novel is a creature of its time. Cronin identified many of the issues in clinical practice which needed to be tackled , including better supervision of young doctors, postgraduate education programmes and the novel's popularity along with the cinematic portrayal helped towards the establishment of the NHS a decade or so later. However, some of the issues, in particular affordability, are still relevant today.
This isn't perhaps great literature. Manson despite his revolutionary zeal isn't always a particularly likeable character, he is often, selfish, arrogant and uncaring, but Cronin still manages to present an interesting and entertaining story. I am always interested in novels that feature social history and this book had the power to change public attitudes and behaviour towards health as well as professional thinking and for that reason alone deserves to be more widely read today.
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Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1937
ISBN
0450031276 / 9780450031274