Before he became the world's foremost expert on Myasthenia Gravis...
Before he had the largest neurology practice in the known Universe...
Before he solved some of the most difficult and often bizarre medical cases ever known...
Before he saved millions of Ta Tas(boobs, fun bags, whatever you want to call them) and the women that purchased them (or had them purchased), by taking on dangerous first generation silicone breast implants
He was...young Bernie Patten, idiot savant(?), or sometimes maybe just an idiot.
Who isn't when they are growing up?
Chaotic at times - but never boring - life constantly flowed for a boy whose namesakes included his murder solving father(#2 and the 2nd) that would become a famous District Attorney, and his Great- Uncle(#3 and the 1st), a prominent, first generation, silver tongued Senator - a true Irish politician and master of elocution. (not electrocution, e-lo-cution). Confused? You won't be soon, all will become clear we assure you!
Introducing Dr. Bernard M. Patten (#1 but really the 3rd), Neurologist extraordinaire. Before he became all that (and much, much, more!) he had a lot of growing up to do. With his politician patriarchs grooming him for future governorship, what could go wrong for our young, budding, basement chemist?
Meet the Bernies (and Owens, and Tommies) and many others that influenced Dr. Bernie, growing up in the land of egg creams, devil dogs and Asses Up.
Dr. Patten is dyslexic, but that didn't prevent him from becoming a world famous and sought out neurologist. A graduate of Columbia, Dr. Patten helped discover L-Dopa, fought Corning over the safety of their breast implants and subsequent failures and truly is the world's expert on Myasthenia Gravis. He has treated the famous, infamous and anonymous, all with the same level of commitment and dedication.
Retired from Neurology, Dr. Patten is still active in public speaking, and performance through tap dancing and piano performance. He has appeared on television throughout the world, and is known for his skepticism, humanism and wit. Born with the rare ability to repeat everything he has heard, and retain it forever, his own research on the human memory and logic is legendary.
In the Wonderful World of Bernies, his first of a two part collection, Bernie takes us back to Queens, New York, the root of his existence, and home to his complex upbringing in a post WWII second generation immigrant home with strong competing cultures: The Irish and Italians. Here is where we learn about his conflict between logic and religion, and why he became a physician instead of a politician, like his predecessors.
If you are looking for a little sarcasm, a lot of debauchery and a sprinkling of heresy, this is your book.
In his second book of the series, the Wild, Weird & Wonderful World of Doctor Bernie, Dr. Patten will take you through some of his amazing, bizarre and career changing cases, but for now, learn what it took to get there in the first place!
