
- 192 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Phoning Home is a collection of entertaining and thought-provoking essays featuring the author's quirky family, his Jewish heritage, and his New York City upbringing. Jacob M. Appel's recollections and insights, informed and filtered by his advanced degrees in medicine, law, and ethics, not only inspire nostalgic feelings but also offer insight into contemporary medical and ethical issues.
At times sardonic and at others self-deprecating, Appel lays bare the most private aspects of his emotional life. "We'd just visited my grandaunt in Miami Beach, the last time we would ever see her. I had my two travel companions, Fat and Thin, securely buckled into the backseat of my mother's foul-tempered Dodge Dart, " writes Appel of his family vacation with his two favorite rubber cat toys. Shortly thereafter Fat and Thin were lost foreverābeginning, when Appel was just six years old, what he calls his "private apocalypse."
Both erudite and full-hearted, Appel recounts storylines ranging from a bout of unrequited love gone awry to the poignant romance of his grandparents. We learn of the crank phone calls he made to his own family, the conspicuous absence of Jell-O at his grandaunt's house, and family secrets long believed buried. The stories capture the author's distinctive voiceāa blend of a physician's compassion and an ethicist's constant questioning.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Phoning Home
- Two Cats, Fat and Thin
- Mr. Odd and Mr. Even
- The Man Who Was Not My Grandfather
- CaesuraāAntwerp, 1938
- Sudden DeathāA Eulogy
- An Absence of Jell-O
- She Loves Me Not
- Opting Out
- Charming and Devoted
- Livery
- Our Incredible Shrinking Discourse
- Divided Expectations
- About the author