Paul Alverdes (1897–1979)

Series of fictional vignettes concerning four soldier tracheostomy patients in a German hospital ward called the Whistlers' Room and the subsequent treatment of their throats. Unable to communicate normally, they speak with a series of tones, i.e., whistles. Powerfully gentle and sympathetic. Three soldiers are wounded Germans and the fourth, an English POW. The sketches reveal each man's personality, reactions to their treatment, to other patients with other injuries, and to the doctor in charge. The four men form a strong bond with each other. Medical details were so vivid because the author had undergone such a serious wound himself and based much on his own experiences..

Highly recommended.… (mais)