To Hear Again, To Sing Again: A Memoir By Ellis Douek, Ent Surgeon And Hearing Implant Pioneer

Book excerpt: This is an autobiography of Ellis Douek, one of the pioneers of hearing implants, whose name lives on through the middle ear device Douek-MED™. Shedding light on the life of a surgeon from the early days of the UK National Health Service, it not only covers the highlights of Douek's medical career but also contains sensational, no-holds-barred tales of his interactions from ordinary patients to well-known singers, kings, emperors and dictators. We read about a social dinner-turned-mass consultation session for the entire Cabinet; using an innovative hearing test to expose a financial scam; a wife who dumped her loyal husband after being cured; a curious encounter with Michael Jackson; and not getting paid by Gaddafi's staff, causing an epic coup by the Libyan dictator on his own embassy. It is at once unflinching and compassionate, offering a searingly honest firsthand account of his trailblazing journey to leave a mark in history.Blending pioneering research and a unique episodic storytelling approach, To Hear Again, To Sing Again is a profound reflection on the relationship between doctor and patient, and one man's quest to make a difference in the world.