A study of medical mistakes in medical-themed romance novels
How realistic are the medical practices in medical-themed romance novels? Dr. Cornelis H. (Kees) Langeveld investigated. Dr. Langeveld chose to publish his results in a medical journal, rather than in a romance novel. His study is: “Medical Mistakes in Doctors Novels,” Cornelis H. (Kees) Langeveld, Nederlands Tijdschrift Geneeskunde, 2011;155:A4372. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether doctors novels…
The Most Disturbing Novel Ever Written About Christmas
Until recently, Patrick Hamilton was a mainstay of “forgotten novelists” lists. Thanks to clamorous support by a distinguished group including J.B. Priestly, Doris Lessing, and Nick Hornby, many of his best books have slipped back into print over the last few years. Thankfully, this includes Hangover Square, perhaps the perfect antidote for the Christmas season.…
Before Science Fiction: Romances of Science and Scientific Romances
The origin of science fiction stories is well-known to both critics and the public: by consensus, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) was the first SF novel. But the origins of “science fiction” as a concept are neither well-known nor agreed-upon. The phrase “science fiction,” meaning the genre of scientifically-oriented fantastic fiction, was popularized in 1929 by…