A Diplomatic Doctor

As the Air France 737 landed on the worn runway of the Tan Sun Nhut airport in a western suburb of Saigon and approached the rundown terminal building, I knew we were not going to be welcomed with open arms. As we passed through the arrival room, the customs officers were not disagreeable. I did wonder how they could sit in the heat and humidity in the large dingy room with one antique ceiling fan whining above them, pushing down the hot air. There were no smiles but no delays...
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As the Air France 737 landed on the worn runway of the Tan Sun Nhut airport in a western suburb of Saigon and approached the rundown terminal building, I knew we were not going to be welcomed with open arms. As we passed through the arrival room, the customs officers were not disagreeable. I did wonder how they could sit in the heat and humidity in the large dingy room with one antique ceiling fan whining above them, pushing down the hot air. There were no smiles but no delays either.

"A plucky, gutsy memoir of a doctor's life well-lived, helping refugees set adrift by war and disaster. Holbrook's humility, gentle humour and unflagging kindness, along with his insatiable delight in people and their worlds, carries him through the toughest times and illuminates every page of this amazing story."
-Sarah Sheard, author of The Hypnotist

"Whether he is describing the misery of an Indonesian refugee camp or a peculiar egg sandwich in Trinidad, David Holbrook paints each scene with a discerning and compassionate eye. The good doctor makes us laugh on one page and brings us to tears on the next."
-Helen McLean, author of Significant Things