Galen and the Gateway to Medicine by Jeanne Bendick begins with a captivating introduction that explains the significance of Galen and his contributions to the world of medicine, which made him the most renowned doctor in the world for 1500 years. The book then transitions into a biography, giving a glimpse into Galen’s early life and upbringing and his beginnings in medicine. The book explains Galen’s travels across the Mediterranean and how they ultimately led him to discoveries such as medicines to treat illnesses and theories about the human body. Galen’s expertise in the field of medicine eventually allowed him to become the primary doctor for four Roman Emperors. 

One thing that I love about this book that makes me recommend it to others is that it contextualizes and explains the important ideas and theories that Galen created. It is far too easy to look back on the work of ancient doctors from a contemporary perspective and discredit their beliefs as foolish, but Jeanne Bendick does an excellent job at explaining these ideas and where they came from, allowing the reader to understand the importance of the discoveries. 

Another thing the book does really well is explain the impact that Galen had on future doctors and the field of medicine as a whole. For example, the book explains Galen’s great impact on Avicenna, a renowned Arab doctor from the 11th century. Even in the Middle Ages in Europe, Galen’s ideas were revered as the law by many Christians, and his discoveries were taught in medical schools. As a classicist, I had always heard the name Galen due to his proximity to many of the Roman Emperors, but I never truly knew his importance to history until I read this book. Its informative and lighthearted nature made it an enjoyable read and leads me to recommend it to an audience of young readers ages 8-12. -Lukas (age 16)