The Exact Location of the Soul

The Exact Location of the Soul is a collection of essays by Richard Selzer, a surgeon who writes about medicine and the human body. His observations come from decades of medical practice and surgery at Yale New Haven Hospital. Selzer examines the intersection of medical science and human experience through stories of patients, procedures, and his own journey as a doctor. The essays range from clinical descriptions of surgeries to reflections on mortality and the nature of healing. The collection moves between technical medical writing and personal narrative as Selzer documents both routine procedures and extraordinary cases from his career. His perspective as both physician and writer allows him to capture medical moments with precision while exploring their deeper meaning. Through these essays, Selzer considers fundamental questions about the relationship between body and spirit, and the ways in which medicine serves as a lens for understanding the human condition. The work challenges readers to contemplate where science ends and the ineffable begins.

Readers commend Selzer's ability to blend medical expertise with poetic writing, particularly in essays like "The Knife" and "Imelda." Many note his talent for finding beauty and meaning in medical procedures and hospital life. Book buyers appreciate his honesty about difficult aspects of being a surgeon and his reflections on mortality. Multiple reviews mention the emotional impact of specific essays dealing with death and human connection. Some readers found certain essays too graphic or unsettling in their medical details. A few reviews criticized sections as overly flowery or self-indulgent in their prose style. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (157 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (21 ratings) Common review quotes: "Makes you see medicine in a completely new light" - Goodreads reviewer "Beautiful writing but sometimes too detailed for squeamish readers" - Amazon review "His description of holding a human heart brought me to tears" - LibraryThing member

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🔬 Richard Selzer worked as a surgeon for 25 years at Yale New Haven Hospital while simultaneously developing his career as a writer, bringing authentic medical experience to his essays. 📚 The book's title essay explores the ancient Egyptian practice of brain removal during mummification, using it as a launching point to discuss the eternal question of where consciousness resides. ✍️ Selzer's writing style in this collection has been praised for turning medical procedures into literary art, earning him comparisons to Anton Chekhov, who was also a physician-writer. 🏆 The book received the Columbia University P.E.N. Faulkner Award and established Selzer as one of the pioneering voices in modern medical humanities literature. 🎭 Many of the essays examine the relationship between doctor and patient from unexpected angles, including one piece written from the perspective of a surgical instrument.