Little Brown, 1954, $?, ISBN:?, 299 pages, hardback

This biographical novel of Dr. Samuel Howe draws heavily upon his letters, journals, and memoirs to trace his medical work during the Greek War for Independence 1824-27. This young Boston doctor left his pleasant environs for a war zone between the Ottoman Turks and Greeks. He eventually became head of all Greek medical services, instituting a system of aid stations and relief supply points throughout Greece. He took part in a battle or two, admittedly potshotting away during retreats, and won the more insidious battle among various Greek factions.

Jennings' prose moves along adroitly enough, though perhaps in too optimistic a tone. That privations occurred, certainly, and in war doubly so, but Jennings is more than happy to briefly mention them and move on--not unlike our protagonist's battle scenes. In other words, there's a little too much "telling" and not enough "describing."

Nevertheless, the blend of fact and fiction works well enough to keep you reading, and that's exactly what a novel should do. And if you pick up some historical information at the same time, so much the better.

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