Author Archives: John Sloan

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About John Sloan

John Sloan is a senior academic physician in the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia, and has spent most of his 40 years' practice caring for the frail elderly in Vancouver. He is the author of "A Bitter Pill: How the Medical System is Failing the Elderly", published in 2009 by Greystone Books. His innovative primary care practice for the frail elderly has been adopted by Vancouver Coastal Health and is expanding. Dr. Sloan lectures throughout North America on care of the elderly.

The Sun Walks Down. Fiona McFarlane.

Posted on January 14, 2024 by John Sloan

McFarlane, Fiona. The Sun Walks Down. Allen and Unwin, Australia, 2022. F;12/23. I enjoyed a light hearted story by McFarlane in the Paris Review (246) about a sexy offbeat flight attendant. It was cool-colloquial but there was a subtle buried … Continue reading →

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Artificial Intelligence

Posted on December 24, 2023 by John Sloan

Life is full of surprises but what I have to say on this subject probably won’t surprise anyone particularly considering the traffic these posts get… Like most people I’m interested in artificial intelligence but I am so far agnostic about … Continue reading →

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Women. Charles Bukowski.

Posted on December 18, 2023 by John Sloan

Bukowski, Charles. Women. Black Sparrow, Boston, 1978. F;12/23. This is one of several novels by a writer of a particular niche character that in the later 20th century included others like Henry Miller (this reference not typical) and (later) Jim … Continue reading →

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The Hero’s Journey. Joseph Campbell.

Posted on December 7, 2023 by John Sloan

Campbell, Joseph. The Hero’s Journey. Harper & Row, New York 1990 (original publication). NF; 11/23. This is a compendium of quotes and interviews with Campbell, preceded by several exordia and apparently edited by a Dr. Stuart Brown, a psychiatrist with … Continue reading →

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Day. Michael Cunningham.

Posted on December 3, 2023 by John Sloan

Cunningham, Michael. Day. Random House, New York. 2023. F;11/23. When I saw this title and author in my weekly online Book Marks Bulletin I got excited. One of my favourite novels of all time is Cunningham’s The Hours. For some … Continue reading →

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Dissident Doctor. Michael Klein.

Posted on November 22, 2023 by John Sloan

Klein, Michael. Dissident Doctor. Douglas & McIntyre, Madeira Park, 2018. NF; 11-23. Like most Canadian family physicians I’ve known Dr. Klein by reputation for decades. He’s been a leader of Family Practice departments in various cities, and has published a … Continue reading →

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Tom Lake. Ann Patchett.

Posted on November 8, 2023 by John Sloan

Patchett, Ann. Tom Lake. HarperCollins New York, 2023. F;10/23. I read this novel with great pleasure. Some people might find its pleasure a bit superficial because it’s very girly and very American. But the serious grit is snuck in through … Continue reading →

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If I Survive You. Jonathan Escoffery.

Posted on November 8, 2023 by John Sloan

Escoffery, Jonathan. If I Survive You. McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 2022. This is the last of the six Booker fiction shortlist I’ve read. I think it’s one of the better ones but frankly none of them in my opinion deserve … Continue reading →

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The Bee Sting. Paul Murray.

Posted on October 22, 2023 by John Sloan

Murray, Paul. The Bee Sting. Farrar Straus Giroux, New York, 2023. F;9/23. This long generally quite wonderfully-written book surprised me. It was one of six on the 2023 Booker Prize shortlist, and the last but one I’ve read. I’m not … Continue reading →

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La Quercia Restaurant, Villagrande, Sicily

Posted on October 7, 2023 by John Sloan

October 2023 This is a fine formal restaurant in the Vallegrande Nature Resort hotel, about 15 minutes south of the town of Cefalu on Sicily’s North Coast. The food was varied and beautifully prepared, the staff were charming and courteous … Continue reading →

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