There Were No Flowers

A surgeon's remarkable family account, emotionally affecting and profound. -Kirkus Review Meffert's skill as a storyteller powers the narrative and layers symbolism with the mechanics. . . . A gripping memoir recounting a combat surgeon's Vietnam posting. -BookLife Reviews There Were No Flowers should be required reading for anyone with a heartbeat. It is a gorgeously wrought and timeless memoir about family, medicine, war, and the painful and beautiful ways we become the people we are meant to be. Meffert's voice is singular and powerful; his prose is transporting and insightful. There Were No Flowers is a must-read for anyone interested in the complex relationships of fathers and sons, the lingering effects of trauma, the history of surgery, and the far-reaching power of love. -Laurel Braitman, director of writing and storytelling, Medicine and the Muse Program, Stanford University School of Medicine Put a scalpel in the hand of a young American surgical resident and you have a surgeon in the making. Send that same resident to Vietnam at the height of the terrible war. Performing surgery in admissions wards or wherever while responding to the continuous anguished cries of the wounded and dying, the resident must now be the surgeon he was destined to become, only years sooner. Dr. Meffert, a distinguished cardiovascular surgeon, has written a compelling account of his tending to the traumatic wounds of soldiers on all sides of the conflict. As readers, we stand beside him as he finds his way through dealing with severe injuries. We come to realize the intense dedication of men and women who offer care in circumstances of great peril. We are inspired to grow with them into bravery and kind service for others. Still another story lies embedded here, one not only of personal sources of determination and resiliency but also of an emotional journey. Father and son travel to Normandy, France, where the eldest of three surgeons once tended wounded soldiers on Omaha Beach during World War II. Dr. Meffert's life and legacy is told with grace and honesty. -Randall Weingarten, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center Dr. William Meffert made many real-life decisions during his time in Vietnam, which he shares with all of us. This book impacted me personally, as I am a Vietnam vet from 1968, serving in the Ninth Infantry and First Logistical Command. I say to Bill as a comrade in arms in Vietnam, 'Thanks for sharing your experiences, and thank you for being there.' I certainly recommend this book to vets and to all adults to learn what actually happens in wars and how physicians who treat cataclysmic injuries of soldiers with minimal preoperative information must frequently make decisions critical to others. -Frank Rydzewski, former platoon machine gunner; semiretired professor, International Business Department, University of South Carolina Medicine is a lens into both the most incredible and the most gruesome aspects of human existence. This is particularly true in the specialty of trauma surgery. It takes courage, patience, and a great respect for fellow human beings to unpack experiences in the field, relive them, and share them with such clarity, vivid detail, and honesty. It is a privilege to be privy to the thoughts and stories of Dr. William Meffert, who rises to this duty and challenge with grit and integrity. -Arany Uthayakumar, MD candidate, Zucker School of Medicine, Hofstra/Northwell