Band-Aid for a Broken Leg: Being a Doctor with No Borders (and Other Ways to Stay Single) Paperback – October 1, 2013

This story is absolutely one of the best books on MSF, aid work, and even Africa that I've ever read. Damien presents a can't-put-down style of writing that melds a rare blend of narration, information and humor. It is a very up-front and no-nonsense account of the convergence of medical professionalism and third-world health care, of the West and Africa. The author is truly on the front line in the fight to improve lives, representative of the meeting of the most advanced of human culture - a rigorously educated Western physician - and the most primitive. The people he meets, the experiences he has, and the rollercoaster ride that is working in an African village clinic make me both want to do exactly what he does and cry in pity for these godforsaken corners of the earth.Historical information about the places he works, such as previous wars, ethnicities, etc., are skillfully interwoven into the author's thoughts on his work. There is also plentiful dialogue to vividly paint the truly interesting characters that fill the pages.Brilliantly, his conclusions are highly introspective and, for any reader interested in any part of Africa, very insightful. Is aid work going anywhere? Is a small clinic going to effect societal change? Should a foreignor really be devoting his time, and money (this is volunteer work), to a small group of sick people he's never met? Such questions are thoroughly examined in this book, particularly towards the end.If you have any interest in improving the lives of those in poverty, or simply just want a fantastic story, this book is a must-read.

A solid, well-written account of one man's introduction to the aid world. Brown skillfully describes his time in Angola, Mozambique and Sudan as a doctor. His depictions of African landscapes and people are authentic while his personal journey - from eager, trepidatious and naive first missioner to burn out and return to Australia - are heartfelt and honest. He clearly and humbly recounts the highs and lows of working in challenging environments. Although well written and compelling, this genre is not for everyone; Brown presents us with his journey but comes to no great conclusions or analysis of the causes or factors of humanitarian needs nor does he provide any solutions. However, the reader should not expect that. As the title suggests, humanitarian aid work is only a temporary, and often vastly inadequate, response to the needs of many millions of people.

What a delightful book. Beautifully written and so insightful. At times I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I was able to relate to so much of it – I am both an ICU and an OR nurse, but unlike these amazing MSF volunteers, I ashamedly (and cowardly!) prefer the security of being surrounded by state-of-the-art machinery in a modern hospital. I am a South African now living in Kenya and I’ve witnessed many of the dire conditions he mentions and I'm in total awe of anyone who chooses to work in these situations.I see that one reviewer wrote: “there was too much use of the "F" word which totally spoilt the book”. Well I'm a prude and I hardly noticed them and actually I'm surprised there weren't more of them!! This is not a fairy tale.

From the thought-provoking but quirky title to the last (very, very last page), Damien Brown's book is that rare find: a read that srikes the perfect balance between challenging situations while still managing to convey a sense of beauty, purpose and even humour. There were many touching moments in this story but the reader is never left with a sense of futility. Once, as I was quietly shedding a few tears, I unexpectedly found myself laughing. And this I found to be one of the real strengths of this book: the reader follows Damien's emotional journey with the same sense of honesty and insight that he brings to his characters.I enjoyed this book on many levels: as a supporter of aid organisations, I often wondered exactly what they did; as someone enjoying the luxury of First World living, what kind of person actually does volunteer and at what personal cost? There are so many questions and this book certainly does give us a very real insight into the many-faceted world of volunteering.This book should become de rigueur for anyone who has ever heard of aid work. A very moving, honest and informative read.I loved it!

An interesting and funny book that tells of a young doctor's experiences volunteering with MSF in Africa. The book beautifully describes a range of characters and situations that this doctor finds himself coping with. It also raises a lot of questions about the problems of inexperienced people in over their head in a country with few resources, clashes of culture and even the advisability of them being there at all. It is an interesting read and thought provoking.

An interesting read. Certainly thought provoking.

A beautifully written account of a small part of one person's life that offers both an eye witness account of events and a behind the scenes view of the soul experiencing them. I couldn't wait to get back to it every time I put it down. While the experieinces of the author formed the basis of the book, threads of history, politics and culture were subtly woven through the story to make it thoroughly interesting and enyoyable right to the end. A fantastic read, I would love to read more from this author.

Eye-opening journal of just how much suffering and hardship there is in the world among fellow human beings and how a few brave souls are doing what they can to help.

I thoroughly loved reading this book. It gives a first person insight into the world of medical humanitarian action in some of the world's worst affected places. It is simple, honest and raw. It stays true to the ground reality and makes you connect to the author in a very genuine manner. I would recommend it to everyone who works with a humanitarian organisation.

Dieses Buch gibt einen guten Eindruck darüber was Ärtze ohne Grenzen tut und wie alles genau funktioniert. Also für jene Leser geeignet die sich mit dem Thema Katastrophenhilfe beschäftigen. In dem Buch wird alles klar dargestellt, es gibt keine unnötigen Verschönerungen von Grausamkeiten. Ich würde nicht sagen dass es nichts für schwache Nerven ist aber es gibt schon Seiten wo man sich ärgert oder einfach denkt WTF. Im ganzen sehr gut gelungen, es weckt sämtliche Gefühle, was für mich auch ein gutes Buch bedeutet.Hinzuzufügen sind auch die kulturellen Unterschiede die hier sehr stark zum Vorschein kommen. Diese Teams sind aus vielen verschiedenen Regionen der Welt zusammengewürfelt. Daraus folgt dann auch kulturelles Chaos. Sehr interessant zu verfolgen wie dies gelöst wird. Speziell möchte ich auch allen Afrika Interessierten zu diesem Buch raten da die Schauplätze allesamt in afrikanischen Gebieten stattfinden. Im Buch befinden sich auch eine Menge Bilder die im Zusammenhang zur Geschichte stehen. Das verleiht noch einen extra Eindruck und hat mich persönlich noch weiter in das Buch gebracht.Einzig was ich beklagen muss ist die etwas komplizierte Sprache. Ich würde sagen Englische Bücher zu lesen ist für mich null problemo da ich das zu tausenden gemacht habe aber dieses Buch hat mich teilweise an die Grenzen meiner sprachlichen Fähigkeiten gebracht. Es ist sehr hoch englisch geschrieben, teilweise auch Vokabeln aus dem Altenglisch, dann hat man schon seine Mühen aber wenn man sich mal eingelesen hat dann gehts. Für mich jetzt nicht so ein Problem dass ich einen Stern abziehen würde schließlich kann man eine Menge bezüglich Sprache dazulernen. Dann werte ich das Mal als positiv.

I won't go into depth describing this book since others have done it so well already, but I will say that this is a must-read for anyone interested in aid work. I have barely been able to put it down. The narrative is well-formulated and the content fascinating. Extremely thought-provoking piece of literature, with an insightful author who, in spite of the usually-serious subject matter, had me laughing out loud multiple times!

An honest and intense look at being a young doctor in isolated places with Doctors Without Borders, the title of this book says it all. And by the end of it, you will be wondering, along with the writer, how it is possible that so many places can only offer "Bandaid for a Broken Leg". Well worth reading.

This book details the real story of Dr Damien Brown, a 29 year old Australian serving as a volunteer doctor in Angola with MSF - Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without borders). The book beautifully sums up the brilliant work completed by many MSF volunteers serving in unknown foreign countries. The book is a rollercoaster of emotions, making you sad, making you laugh, making you feeling inspire or debating the true effect of volunteer work in less economically developed countries. Damien tells the reader how an ordinary person reacts under the "interesting" conditions abroad.Dr. Brown is sent to Mavinga, South-East Angola on his first assignment for MSF as the only doctor living there. The outpost has only basic mud huts and many landmines circling the town, scars of the long Angolan civil war. Brown goes in knowing very little of the native language of Angola, Portuguese and has an interesting six month stay in Angola. The book reveals some of the shocking and inspiring stories that occur everyday. Some notable events include: Trying to understand under trained Angolan health workers (many Ex military medics), treating malnourished babies and sterilizing surgical equipment using a basic fire.The book also details the author's experience returning to Melbourne, Australia and serving a short time in Mozambique as well as six months in Nasir, South Sudan. The book is truly inspirational and is my personal favorite read. I would suggest if you are in any doubt of buying it - just go for it, you won't regret it!