Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the good doctor. Apr 01, 2012 in the good doctor damon galgut has written a powerful novel, a psychological study of a group of individuals that is representative aspects of a society in flux. Introductory session, adult education, b2 here are some teaching ideas for all who want to introduce efl students to damon galgut s the good doctor. Coetzee and graham greene but damon galgut is a true original. In a strange room, the south african damon galgut s eighth work of fiction, was a man booker finalist this year his second time in the running for that prize, after the good doctor. The good doctor by damon galgut frank eloff and laurence waters, two doctors of different generations, different personalities, and opposing perspectives, are thrown together sharing a room when the younger, laurence, joins the small medical team in a dilapidated hospital in a remote part of south africa. His new book, in a strange room, has been shortlisted for the 2010 booker prize. Set in the forgotten nomansland of south africas artificially created homelands, a bureaucratic nonplace, narrator frank eloff is a doctor in.
Its no wonder that the south african novelist damon galgut has won a place on the shortlist for the man booker prize. Damon galgut, author of the good doctor, on librarything. Galgut, whose 2003 novel the good doctor was also shortlisted for the booker, has divided this new book into. Dec 05, 2010 damon galgut s internationally acclaimed novel is the story of an idealistic medical graduate who arrives at an isolated south african hospital to take up a years community service. He wrote his first novel, a sinless season, when he was seventeen. Geoff dyer if there is a posterity, the good doctor will be seen as one of the great literary triumphs of south africas transition, a novel that is in every way the equal of j. Damon galgut s last novel, the good doctor, carried, i thought, some kafkaesque baggage. Quotations by damon galgut, south african playwright, born november 12, 1963.
Sep 26, 2014 the good doctor is a bleak chronicle carved from life, a web of unconnected connections, a solitary story in the middle of nowhere. He describes himself as obsessed with yoga, and for some time never owned a car nor a television. Set in the forgotten nomansland of south africas artificially. The young doctor s idealism eventually collides with the old power structure, the extinpot dictator of the ex. The narrator, frank eloff, a doctor at a rundown hospital in the bush, goes for a brief visit to the city, where he stays with his father, a much more successful man. Sep 27, 2003 this year, however, coetzee has been denied the chance of a hattrick and among the unfamiliar names on a refreshing short list is his compatriot, 40yearold damon galgut. The purpose of this article is to examine the representation of masculinity in damon galguts novel, the good doctor, and in particular the interaction between the two male characters. An extraordinary parable of the corruption of the flesh and spirit, the good doctor has inspired enthusiastic interest around the world and has assured damon galgut s place as a major international talent. Last year, having read the extraordinarily good in a strange room which made my top 10 favourite reads of 2017, i decided that damon galgut was now one of my favourite authors. Following two men working in a rural, neardeserted south african hospital, damon galguts the good doctor is an ambiguous story, in which nothing happens, and everything happens. Like the greatest prose, the magic somehow rests in the space between the words. Sep 19, 2003 the good doctor by damon galgut 215pp, atlantic books. It focuses on one doctor s struggle with his conscience in a rural hospital in postapartheid south africa. The narrator, frank, is a doctor, but, to judge from our first impression, not a good one.
Damon galgut the good doctor world book club damon galgut s internationally acclaimed novel is the story of an idealistic medical graduate who arrives at an isolated south african hospital to. I had previously read the good doctor and very much enjoyed it. Damon galgut book penguin random house south africa. An extraordinary parable of the corruption of the flesh and spirit, the good doctor has inspired enthusiastic interest around the world and has assured damon galguts place as a major international talent. Damon galgut was born in pretoria, south africa in 1963. Written with elegance and expressive depth, it puts the author for me into the league of the likes of j. Jul 10, 2019 and galgut paints such vivid images that when i was at the company gardens in capetown, where adam and canning have their final conversation, i almost expected to see them sitting there.
In 2010 his novel in a strange room was shortlisted for the man booker prize. Damon galgut author published now for the first time in canada, damon galgut is a playwright and author of several novels and short story collections. He is a keen traveller and, in fact, wrote much of the good doctor in a hotel in goa. If i had done this, if i had said that, in the end you are always more tormented by what you didnt do than what you did, actions already performed can always be rationalized in time, the neglected deed might have changed the world. In the unusually high praise of rian malan, author of my traitors heart and great doomsayer of south african letters, the work of novelist damon galgut occupies something of a vaunted position.
Damon galgut 1963 is a south african playwright, actor and novelist he produced an awardwinning novel a sinless season, 1982. The impostor 2008 is the fourth novel by white south african writer damon galgut that ive read, including the two more recent ones and the preceding one, the good doctor 2005, that was shortlisted for the book prize. It was written in 2003 and first published in the unites states. Buy the good doctor book online at low prices in india. The good doctor by damon galgut is an amazing read. Oct 11, 2010 in the unusually high praise of rian malan, author of my traitors heart and great doomsayer of south african letters, the work of novelist damon galgut occupies something of a vaunted position. He has been a resident of cape town since the early 1990s. Guardian book of the year kindle edition by galgut, damon. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising.
Coetzees disgrace galgut is a novelist of great and growing power. While it dissects the cruel absurdities of oppression and. A sinless season, small circle of beings, the beautiful screaming of pigs, the quarry, the good doctor shortlisted for the 2003 man booker prize and the 2004 commonwealth writers prize winner africa region, the imposter winner of the 2008 university of. One of six finalists for the manbooker 2003, originally scheduled to appear here in march 2004, but pushed forward.
I read it over the course of a couple of days, but every time i put the book down, i kept thinking about it, and now, a fortnight later, the characters and the story still remain with me the sign. The good doctor is a sobering study of the reality and the difficulty every decent man has in this post911 world, where few of the old rules of decency and optimism. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the good doctor. He wrote his first novel a sinless season when he was seventeen.
Damon galgut, nominated for the booker prize, offers a bleak vision of modern south africa, the good doctor. A previous novel, the good doctor, was a finalist for the booker prize and the commonwealth writers prize. Frank eloff is the longestablished deputy director of the hospital, perpetually waiting for a step upwards to the top spot, a move that has been repeatedly. The hospital is in the predominately poor, black section of postapartheid south africa which was previously called the homelands. The good doctor is a bleak chronicle carved from life, a web of unconnected connections, a solitary story in the middle of nowhere. Sep 03, 2015 the end of the year might be four months off, but the good doctor by damon galgut is certainly going to be on my list of favourite reads for 2015. The good doctor, the pretoriaborn writers fifth novel, is his dark tale of a physicians struggle with his conscience in a rural hospital. In 1988 a second novel, a small circle of friends appeared and in 2003 the good doctor. Frank eloff is the longestablished deputy director of the hospital, perpetually waiting for a step upwards to the top spot, a move that has been repeatedly promised, but never quite happens. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Taut, spare, and compellingly readable, the good doctor is a brilliant literary highwire act short enough to be devoured in one or two sittings. Galgut has written a number of plays and has taught drama at the university of cape town. As happy as i was to see howard jacobsons the finkler question win this years man booker prize, my personal choice was damon galguts in a strange room.
I was intrigued in the first chapter and it kept my attention throughout the novel. Damon galgut, the good doctor lesson plan 1 how to introduce students to damon galgut s novel the good doctor, which is set in postapartheid south africa. Following two men working in a rural, neardeserted south african hospital, damon galguts the good doctor is an ambiguous story, in which nothing happens. Damon galgut s latest novel, a manylayered tale of friendship and betrayal, proves hes a worthy heir to gordimer and coetzee, writes william skidelsky. The good doctor is author damon galguts fifth novel. His other books include small circle of beings, the beautiful screaming of pigs, the quarry, the good doctor and the impostor. Laurence, with his humanitarian ambitions, certainly fits the standard image, but galgut shows the damage that can be done by an idealistic but naive egoist. The good doctor is author damon galgut s fifth novel. Shortlisted for the 2003 man booker prize, galguts fifth novel, his first to be published in the u. We might get on well, it might be good to have company, my life here could be pleasantly.
The good doctor, the pretoriaborn writers fifth novel, is his dark tale of a. The following teaching ideas are suitable for groups on a b2 level cefr and do not require any prior knowledge of the text. The good doctor, published by penguin in 2003 was shortlisted for the man booker prize and won the african region. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The narrator, frank eloff, a doctor at a rundown hospital in the bush, goes for a brief visit to the city, where he stays with his father. Complete summary of damon galgut s the good doctor. I was recently re sorting the tbr stacks and found this again then moved it closer to the top. The good doctor by damon galgut 2011 0401 damon galgut. Damon galguts the good doctor is a dissection of the south african psyche filled with angry melancholy. Sep 07, 2004 the good doctor damon galgut the first time i saw him i thought, he wont last frank eloff, a doctor who has left his mainstream practice after his marriage breaks up takes up a position at an isolated, understaffed hospital in one of the old bantustans.
It is astonishing but you dont quite know how its done. He keeps himself busy by doing the minimum amount of work. His debut novel, a sinless season, published when he was just seventeen, was a literary success. The good doctor damon galgut the first time i saw him i thought, he wont last frank eloff, a doctor who has left his mainstream practice after his marriage breaks up takes up a position at an isolated, understaffed hospital in one of the old bantustans. Damon galgut is openly homosexual and has stated that this leads him to focus on more maleoriented relationships in his writing. This year, however, coetzee has been denied the chance of a hattrick and among the unfamiliar names on a refreshing short list is his compatriot, 40yearold damon galgut. Damon galgut has written a parable which turns on a question crucial to south african life.
The good doctor is set in a neglected, deserted, illsupplied and crumbling rural hospital. A lovely, lethal, disturbing novel of the dashed hopes of postapartheid south africa and the small betrayals that doom a friendship the guardian. Allegories of white masculinity in damon galguts the good doctor. Damon is an awardwinning novelist, short story writer and playwright.
Damon galgut is a south african born in pretoria in 1963. Damon galguts novel about postapartheid south africa is compelling all the way through, but there is one relatively minor incident in the middle that gripped me immediately. Softcover, previous owner has reinforced the corners of the cover with clear tape, texta mark on compressed page edges, two stamps, pages are otherwise unmarked. His other books include small circle of beings, the beautiful screaming of pigs and the quarry, all of which were reissued by penguin in 2005. Buy the good doctor book online at best prices in india on. If there is a posterity, the good doctor will be seen as one of the great literary triumphs of south africas transition, a. Playwright and novelist damon galgut is the author of the novels a sinless season, small circle of beings, the beautiful screaming of pigs, the quarry, the good doctor, the impostor, in a strange room and arctic summer. A finalist for the man booker prize, the good doctor is a taut, intense tale of the dashed hopes of the postapartheid era and the small betrayals that doom a friendship. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
The good doctor by galgut, damon penguin random house south. Each sentence makes you yearn for the next, wanting and waiting to know the whole outcome. Dec 31, 2007 the impostor 2008 is the fourth novel by white south african writer damon galgut that ive read, including the two more recent ones and the preceding one, the good doctor 2005, that was shortlisted for the book prize. When laurence waters arrives at his new post at a deserted rural hospital, staff physician frank eloff is instantly suspicious. The good doctor by damon galgut 2003 grove press 2004 224 pp. Hes been shortlisted for the booker prize twice, for the good doctor and in a. It has been greeted with enthusiastic interest around the world and assures damon galguts place as a major international talent. Galguts bestknown novel is the good doctor 2003, for which he was shortlisted for both the man booker prize for fiction, and the commonwealth writers prize africa region, best book.