Just as good as The Physician. Interesting characters and history. My favorite combination

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shaman is the second book in a trilogy written by Noah Gordon about the Cole family of doctors whose legacy runs from about 1030 until the mid 1900’s.

This second novel equalled the first in every way. It begins in 1839 when the first Rob J flees Scotland and ends shortly after the Civil War ended. It’s actually the story of two doctors, Rob J Cole, a direct descendent of the Rob J Cole in the first book of the trilogy and his son, Rob Jefferson Cole, affectionately called Shaman by the Indian family who helped out on the Cole family farm. Shaman sustained a childhood illness that left him totally deaf. How he grew up and overcame his disability is one of the great plot lines within the novel. The greater themes of this book are friendship, loyalty, and family. The racism dividing both country and family and the mistreatment and prejudice experienced by native Americans add authenticity to this family saga that’s also a mini history lesson for the reader.

I’m really looking forward to the last book in this trilogy!

If this is historical fiction, so is Gunsmoke. I think watch in Dr.Quinn Medicine woman, Little House on the Prairie or Bonanza would be a better use of time, I'm sure you could find similar story lines. I don't look to TV for intellectual depth and often prefer shows that don't require much brain activity but I like books with depth. According to this book, American soil must be bad for the soul. Only recent immigrants should apply for sainthood. Funny, the book points out Anti- Catholicism and Anti-Semetism, but compare what other faiths do. Protestant America gave religious freedom; compare to the Catholic countries of the era and look up Pope Leo XIII thoughts on religious freedom. The present Pope refuses Galileo entrance to heaven like he has such a heavenly choice. The Vatican has tried to do what so called Anti-Catholics feared - influence American politics. And Protestant America normally sided with Jewish people and gave religious freedom. Of course, you have White Protestant hate groups but if Catholic and Jewish people don't want to get painted over with a broad brush stroke, they shouldn't be doing so to the so called WASPS and Crackers. The author did a Chris Mathews by being a racist anti-racist. I have my doubts that the soil south of the imaginary Mason-Dixon line turns people into evil racists. The founder of Georgia was an abolitionist but he didn't use the scorched earth policy on Northern colonies participating in slavery. Slavery is still practiced in Africa, Native Americans did the same, a worldwide institution. A universal wrong, not a just a Southern wrong. Look at slavery in New Jersey I have Spanish Catholic, Native American ancestors and most likely some Black ancestors; I'm sure many did wrong. Painting my White Protestant pioneers as the most unjust offends my intelligence; therefore, my low review. I believe people are born equally screwed up. I'm Agnostic but if I had to choose, after my my research on religions, I would take the little Protestant crazy over the crazy of the bigger religions. See Batholomew's Day Massacre. The author's rampant stereotyping just irritated me.

As other reviewers have noted, this book takes place over 800 years after The Physician. As the novel begins, Dr. Robert Judson Cole (Rob J.) flees from his native Scotland for the New Word in the mid-1800's. He begins his medical career in Boston working with Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. and the indigent, immigrant population. Soon thereafter, Rob J. leaves Boston to see the West. He settles in Holden's Crossing, Illinois and establishes his medical practice. While in Holden's Crossing, he befriends a group of Native Americans and forms a close relationship with Makwa-ika, who attends to patients with him. Makwa-ika is subsequently brutally murdered and Rob J. vows to find who committed the crime. In the meantime, Rob J. marries and has a child, Shaman, who becomes deaf as the result of a sickness, but Shaman's deafness does not prevent him from pursuing a career in medicine. After graduating medical school, Shaman begins a surgical career in Cincinnati but returns home after learning his father died. While Shaman was wrapping up his father's affairs, he learns of his step-brother's confinement in a Union prison, marries, and learns who killed Makwa-ika.

Noah Gordon clearly did a vast amount of to write such a historically accurate book that covered so many time periods and subject matters. He does a remarkable job desciribing the colonization of the United States, the Native American experience during the 1800's, and the Civil War. Gordon develops an intricate plot that nicely ties both Rob J. and Shaman together, even when they are geographically apart, and gives the characters in the book remarkable depths to their personalities. Gordon's development of the plot, however, is sometimes slow and the historical recount of the Civil War can become tedious. Despite these criticisms, I highly recommend this book.

Una delicia para el lector.
A pesar de que Noah Gordon desarrolla la trama en un contexto histórico prácticamente desconocido para mí, consigue que te sientas totalmente dentro él.

Algunos capítulos son un poco más densos que otros, pero viéndolo con retrospectiva, son realmente valiosos por la riqueza en detalles y verosimilitud que aportan a la historia.

4.5 stars

This 2nd book in the Cole Family trilogy, follows the descendants of the original RJ Cole 850 years later(they all have the initials RJ). Many of the sons have been physicians with the "gift" of prognosis by holding hands. The RJ Cole in this novel leaves Scotland because of political problems to seek a new life in the US & ends up in Boston where he practices for little or no salary in the slums. This doesn't satisfy him & he moves out West to Illinois where he sets up in a small community Holden's Crossing, where he will settle. There he will befriend a Jewish family-the Geigers, with whom he becomes very close.He becomes involved with a patient Sarah who believes she is dying of cancer, but actually has kidney stones which he will treat successfully, rehabilitating her, falling in love & marrying her. She has a son by a previous union,but gives birth to a new son who will lose his hearing from scarlet fever at age 5. He will overcome this disability with great determination, and against his father's advice will also become a physician with the "gift". RJ the elder becomes acquainted with a Sauk Indian woman shaman who is gifted in herbal lore & assists RJ in his practice-she will name the son "Little Shaman". The book deals with the shabby treatment of the Indians as they are pushed out of their traditional grounds & locked up in reservations. It also deals with the horrible death toll of the Civil War & how it divides families & states. With the abolition of slavery, the murder of Lincoln,& the victory of the North, the Union is preserved, but RJ goes on to die, and Shaman succeeds him in his practice & marries Rachel the Geiger's daughter with whom he was infatuated since childhood, who was previously unhappily married but is widowed, against the wishes of her parents who want a Jewish husband & family, but who will finally accept him.

Continúa la saga Cole de los médicos escoceses. Ahora la disidencia política empujará a Rob a emigrar a Estados Unidos, donde podrá reiniciar su vida. Las prácticas médicas europeas, influidad por el conocimiento árbe, chocarán con el saber tradicional de las tribus indias.

"Vayas donde vayas, camino a tu lado, hijo mío"

Noah Gordon tardó mucho en escribir este pedazo de libro (de casi 900 páginas) aclarando lo mucho que tuvo que estudiar la medicina y la historia de la época pero sobretodo visitando las reservas indias y entendiendo el genocidio que provocaron los estadounidenses.
Me parece muy bonita y te destroza a partir de la página 300 y ahí es un no parar de darte puñaladas.

Ojalá no le hubiera tenido miedo al éxito y hubiera escrito cuantisimo follaron Nick Holden y Rob J. los primeros años en Holden's Crossing nunca me cansaré de repetirlo.

Wonderful read. Well written and beautifully structured.
Lovely established characters and an interesting plot about life in the United States in times of the colonization of the far west and the war of secession.
The pacifist and courageous perspective of Dr. Robert J Cole of this time makes this novel a true referent of historical fiction.

"Šaman" je jedno predivno djelo, topla obiteljska priča koja se djelomično nastavlja na "Iscjelitelja" istog autora. Opet je riječ o Robu J.-u, liječniku s posebnim darom koji ovaj puta živi u 19. stoljeću i to u Americi. No, odmah moram napomenuti ono što me najviše iznenadilo - taj "liječnički dar" zapravo uopće ne igra veliku ulogu u ovoj priči. Ovo je priča o naseljavanju američkog zapada, o Indijancima, američkom ratu između sjevera i juga te sudbini naših likova koji su upleteni u svjetovna zbivanja. Ovo je priča o ambiciji, snagi volje i obiteljskoj tradiciji. Ostala sam zapanjena šarolikim likovima, mjestima kao i radnjom koja se kreće od izuzetno dirljive do izuzetno tragične. Šaman mi je apsolutno najdraži lik u ovoj priči, ali više od toga vam ne bih htjela odati. Velika preporuka za ljubitelje povijesnih romana, ali i velikih obiteljskih, epskih saga. Ipak je riječ o poprilično velikoj knjizi od "samo" 600tinjak stranica. smile emoticon 5 zvjezdica!

El mejor de la trilogía.
Unas aventuras sobre fondo de Historia de los Estados Unidos.
Odios, amores, traiciones...
Un excelente libro.