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Mr Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice
Summer, 1814. Thomas Hammond is an apothecary surgeon in a village near London whose dreams of a grand medical career were ruined by a shameful secret. He longs to see his apprentice, his son Edward, become a great surgeon. His other apprentice is eighteen-year-old local orphan, John Keats. Thomas sees John as a daydreamer who wastes time reading. John asks Thomas how he copes with his patients’ suffering, but Thomas has no real answer. After all, Georgian medicine is brutal with no anaesthesia, antisepsis or antibiotics. Leeches are used to bleed and medicines can poison rather than cure. Thomas failed to save John’s mother four years earlier, and when John criticises Thomas’s methods tempers flare on both sides. Despite their differences, Thomas and John begin to develop a grudging respect for each other with Thomas seeing a humanity in the way John relates to patients. Their relationship deepens into one more resembling father and son while Thomas's true son, Edward, disappoints his father. Thomas realises John is gifted and would make a skilled surgeon, but to help John succeed Thomas must confront his own past mistakes. On the verge of qualifying as a surgeon, John unexpectedly abandons medicine for poetry. Thomas is devastated and struggles to find meaning in his life and work. As he faces one final challenge, can the master learn some valuable lessons about life from his poetic apprentice before it’s too late?
360 pages, Paperback
Published March 14, 2023
3 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Mellany Ambrose
1 book6 followersI worked as a hospital doctor and general practitioner in the NHS for nearly 30 years. My interest in Keats’s medical career arose when I discovered he’d grown up and trained as an apprentice close to where I was working as a GP. I spent many happy hours researching in the British and Wellcome libraries and visiting sites related to Keats’s life and Georgian era medicine.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 22, 2023
Mr. Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice is one of those novels that doesn't completely live up to its potential, but is still worth a read. The book begins with the fact that John Keats apprenticed as an apothecary for five years, then did a year of training in apothecary and surgery at a London hospital. But he never became a practitioner, deciding instead to focus on poetry.
Mellany Ambrose—who is herself a general practitioner based in London—has carefully researched what she can regarding that apprenticeship, the apothecary Keats studied under, and the teaching hospital where he trained. Within those constraints, she goes where her imagination directs, addressing a great many topics in the process, among them
• The limits of early 19th Century medicine which relied on treatments like cupping and bloodletting and used toxic ingredients like mercury as well as herbal mixtures.
• The question of how doctors live with their failings—both the cases where they make costly mistakes harming their patients and the cases they simply can't treat at all.
• The pressures of general practitioners, especially of those working in poorer communities, where their skills are always needed, but payment can be slow or nonexistent.
• The tensions between "scientific" treatments and more humanistic treatments.
• The powers that both art and medicine have (and don't have) to improve the quality of life.
• Family tensions at a time when daughters were to be married off and sons were expected to to learn the their fathers' professions and carry on family businesses.
• The "boutique" (my term, not the author's) medicine provided to patients by practitioners focused on income, who treat the hypochondriacal rich with specialty produced like pills covered in gold leaf and follow medical fads that often have no real basis in science.
This book packs in a lot.
At times the writing dragged a bit, and there were moments when the writer declared what characters were thinking, rather than showing it through their actions. But Mr. Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice kept me thinking—and left me wanting to learn more. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
Mellany Ambrose—who is herself a general practitioner based in London—has carefully researched what she can regarding that apprenticeship, the apothecary Keats studied under, and the teaching hospital where he trained. Within those constraints, she goes where her imagination directs, addressing a great many topics in the process, among them
• The limits of early 19th Century medicine which relied on treatments like cupping and bloodletting and used toxic ingredients like mercury as well as herbal mixtures.
• The question of how doctors live with their failings—both the cases where they make costly mistakes harming their patients and the cases they simply can't treat at all.
• The pressures of general practitioners, especially of those working in poorer communities, where their skills are always needed, but payment can be slow or nonexistent.
• The tensions between "scientific" treatments and more humanistic treatments.
• The powers that both art and medicine have (and don't have) to improve the quality of life.
• Family tensions at a time when daughters were to be married off and sons were expected to to learn the their fathers' professions and carry on family businesses.
• The "boutique" (my term, not the author's) medicine provided to patients by practitioners focused on income, who treat the hypochondriacal rich with specialty produced like pills covered in gold leaf and follow medical fads that often have no real basis in science.
This book packs in a lot.
At times the writing dragged a bit, and there were moments when the writer declared what characters were thinking, rather than showing it through their actions. But Mr. Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice kept me thinking—and left me wanting to learn more. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
June 3, 2023
3.5★s
‘Poetry can’t save lives.’
‘But it can offer comfort and consolation, which are also important and always needed.’
Mr Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice is the first novel by British GP and author, Mellany Ambrose. In mid 1814, apothecary surgeon Thomas Hammond has two apprentices: his son Edward is destined to become a surgeon, and is thus the focus of his medical training; innkeeper’s son John Keats is being trained as an apothecary, and his duties being running errands and other lowly tasks, which he finds demeaning.
Thomas’s older brother William is also an apothecary surgeon but, unlike Thomas and their now-deceased father, he eschews treating workhouse patients, instead selecting his patients from amongst the wealthy and titled, thus ensuring his own wealth. Thomas’s path to becoming a surgeon ended with a tragic incident during his training at Guy’s, over which he plagued with shame and guilt.
When Thomas finds John reading poetry, he asks: “‘But what do you gain from reading all this poetry?’
‘A world of beauty.’ In the moonlight John’s face was soft, his eyes dreamy.
‘There’s no space for beauty in an apothecary’s world. We’re rooted in pain and disease, human suffering.’” Thomas wonders how anyone can turn this dreamer into a competent apothecary. And yet…
Edward Hammond is clearly a brat, spoilt by his mother and indulged by his uncle, while John is disappointed that his role doesn’t seem to effectively relieve suffering as promised. There’s no love lost between the two; rather, resentment often sees them acting like wilful children, even as they near twenty years old.
Edward is sent to train under William, while Thomas spends more time with John, in preparation for his time at Guy’s hospital, but John won’t give up his fascination with poetry: “I feel I’m two people, my apprentice self and once a week my literary self.’
‘Make sure it stays that way. You’ll never help anyone with poetry’ is his master’s reply.
By the time their five-year terms as apprentices are drawing to an end, Thomas realises that “John shone at mixing, his Latin was outstanding and his knowledge was good. He could be hesitant, but he was careful” while “Edward was decisive, enthusiastic and energetic. The patients warmed to him.”
Thomas feels Edward has learned bad habits from his uncle: his Latin is poor, his work slapdash, and he makes too many errors while, under his own tuition, John has shown such promise that Thomas begins to think that, of the pair, John should be the surgeon.
In what is without doubt a well-researched tale, Ambrose’s description of Georgian era medicine will have readers extremely grateful they don’t live in the early nineteenth Century. While the various cases that the men deal with, and the treatments they use, are often interesting, the story does drag a bit and is repetitive in places; the characters are not easy to connect with and, ultimately, there’s a lot more sorrow than joy in this story. Still, an impressive debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Matador.
‘Poetry can’t save lives.’
‘But it can offer comfort and consolation, which are also important and always needed.’
Mr Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice is the first novel by British GP and author, Mellany Ambrose. In mid 1814, apothecary surgeon Thomas Hammond has two apprentices: his son Edward is destined to become a surgeon, and is thus the focus of his medical training; innkeeper’s son John Keats is being trained as an apothecary, and his duties being running errands and other lowly tasks, which he finds demeaning.
Thomas’s older brother William is also an apothecary surgeon but, unlike Thomas and their now-deceased father, he eschews treating workhouse patients, instead selecting his patients from amongst the wealthy and titled, thus ensuring his own wealth. Thomas’s path to becoming a surgeon ended with a tragic incident during his training at Guy’s, over which he plagued with shame and guilt.
When Thomas finds John reading poetry, he asks: “‘But what do you gain from reading all this poetry?’
‘A world of beauty.’ In the moonlight John’s face was soft, his eyes dreamy.
‘There’s no space for beauty in an apothecary’s world. We’re rooted in pain and disease, human suffering.’” Thomas wonders how anyone can turn this dreamer into a competent apothecary. And yet…
Edward Hammond is clearly a brat, spoilt by his mother and indulged by his uncle, while John is disappointed that his role doesn’t seem to effectively relieve suffering as promised. There’s no love lost between the two; rather, resentment often sees them acting like wilful children, even as they near twenty years old.
Edward is sent to train under William, while Thomas spends more time with John, in preparation for his time at Guy’s hospital, but John won’t give up his fascination with poetry: “I feel I’m two people, my apprentice self and once a week my literary self.’
‘Make sure it stays that way. You’ll never help anyone with poetry’ is his master’s reply.
By the time their five-year terms as apprentices are drawing to an end, Thomas realises that “John shone at mixing, his Latin was outstanding and his knowledge was good. He could be hesitant, but he was careful” while “Edward was decisive, enthusiastic and energetic. The patients warmed to him.”
Thomas feels Edward has learned bad habits from his uncle: his Latin is poor, his work slapdash, and he makes too many errors while, under his own tuition, John has shown such promise that Thomas begins to think that, of the pair, John should be the surgeon.
In what is without doubt a well-researched tale, Ambrose’s description of Georgian era medicine will have readers extremely grateful they don’t live in the early nineteenth Century. While the various cases that the men deal with, and the treatments they use, are often interesting, the story does drag a bit and is repetitive in places; the characters are not easy to connect with and, ultimately, there’s a lot more sorrow than joy in this story. Still, an impressive debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Matador.
October 23, 2023
It's the summer of 1814 in Georgian England. Thomas Hammond, an apothecary surgeon, he has two apprentices, his son Edward and an orphan John Keats both totally different from each other. Thomas doesn't know who to promote, Edward or John. Thomas loved his job and his patients but does feel guilty at times as he can't do as much as he would want for them. The story is set at the time when bleeding and leeches are the main medicine and it only took one year studying to become a surgeon. The characters are well thought out. The descriptions of country life and herbal medicine helps you picture just what it was like. I will be on the look out for Mellany's next book
October 20, 2023
What a wonderful story this was. Thomas Hammond is an apothecary training his son, Edward, and another apprentice, John, to be good enough to send to Guy’s hospital to train as surgeons. To say it went well would be an understatement! There is fun, seriousness and anguish throughout but a beautiful novel nonetheless.
I really liked Thomas even though he spent most of the book doubting himself, and his charges, believing himself to be useless and a fraud even though he saved many lives.
The treatments and medicines listed throughout have been painstakingly researched, so much detail about surgery and treatment in that era. I loved the writing style of the book, so easy to read despite the amount of Latin! And the poetry used was wonderful too.
I’ll definitely look out for more by this author and recommend it to anyone with a love of historical fiction.
I really liked Thomas even though he spent most of the book doubting himself, and his charges, believing himself to be useless and a fraud even though he saved many lives.
The treatments and medicines listed throughout have been painstakingly researched, so much detail about surgery and treatment in that era. I loved the writing style of the book, so easy to read despite the amount of Latin! And the poetry used was wonderful too.
I’ll definitely look out for more by this author and recommend it to anyone with a love of historical fiction.
May 8, 2023
Mr Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice
A novel by Mellany Ambrose
It is the Summer of 1814 in Georgian England. Thomas Hammond,
an apothecary surgeon, has two apprentices. His son Edward is energetic, clever, and reckless, and orphan John Keats is moody and passionate, cares deeply about his patients, but has his head in books and poetry. Thomas is devoted to his patients, and conscientiously prepares his apprentices to become apothecaries, or possibly surgeons. But he is torn between promoting his own son to have the grand career as a surgeon he never had, and his growing conviction that Edward is sloppy and callous, and Keats is the better doctor.
For those living in Southwark, this book is a must. The author takes us into sites we can visit ourselves, the grandeur and squalor of Guys Hospital, and the fascinating theatrical Old Operating Theatre. “Patients wandered seemingly aimlessly along the cloisters at the edge: some heavily bandaged, women carrying tiny babies, amputees dipping and swinging on crutches.”
The power struggle between the two boys is keenly observed, as is the conflict between Hammond and his wife Susannah over which boy to favour. We see too the emotional turmoil Hammond suffers, as a doctor in an era where he could often do little to save his patients. There is tension throughout the book, as we wonder what guilty professional secret Hammond is suppressing. And the scene where it is revealed does not disappoint.
The characters are vivid and jump off the page, but the author’s real genius lies in her depiction of medical life. As a hospital doctor and GP herself, she brings an exceptional understanding of the emotions of both patients and doctors in these scenes. She explains that Hammond must teach John “to bleed with leeches and lancets, to pull teeth, set limbs, assist childbirth and diagnose fevers.” And we as readers are taken through this fascinating training. We see John and Edward setting limbs, carrying out amputations, mixing pills, dispensing medicines, and all this in the homes, carriages, woodlands, and furniture of Georgian England. The period detail is superb.
Many scenes bring us to tears as we see patients live and survive, while others who would have survived in our time, perish.
This novel is haunting and beautifully written, a tender tribute, as Mellany writes in her dedication, “to the hard working GPs in the NHS, the Thomas Hammonds of today.” It is a remarkable record of medical life in Georgian England.
Available as paperback or ebook. Published by Matador and available through the Troubador bookshop, or to order from most bookshops in store or online, or from Amazon.
A novel by Mellany Ambrose
It is the Summer of 1814 in Georgian England. Thomas Hammond,
an apothecary surgeon, has two apprentices. His son Edward is energetic, clever, and reckless, and orphan John Keats is moody and passionate, cares deeply about his patients, but has his head in books and poetry. Thomas is devoted to his patients, and conscientiously prepares his apprentices to become apothecaries, or possibly surgeons. But he is torn between promoting his own son to have the grand career as a surgeon he never had, and his growing conviction that Edward is sloppy and callous, and Keats is the better doctor.
For those living in Southwark, this book is a must. The author takes us into sites we can visit ourselves, the grandeur and squalor of Guys Hospital, and the fascinating theatrical Old Operating Theatre. “Patients wandered seemingly aimlessly along the cloisters at the edge: some heavily bandaged, women carrying tiny babies, amputees dipping and swinging on crutches.”
The power struggle between the two boys is keenly observed, as is the conflict between Hammond and his wife Susannah over which boy to favour. We see too the emotional turmoil Hammond suffers, as a doctor in an era where he could often do little to save his patients. There is tension throughout the book, as we wonder what guilty professional secret Hammond is suppressing. And the scene where it is revealed does not disappoint.
The characters are vivid and jump off the page, but the author’s real genius lies in her depiction of medical life. As a hospital doctor and GP herself, she brings an exceptional understanding of the emotions of both patients and doctors in these scenes. She explains that Hammond must teach John “to bleed with leeches and lancets, to pull teeth, set limbs, assist childbirth and diagnose fevers.” And we as readers are taken through this fascinating training. We see John and Edward setting limbs, carrying out amputations, mixing pills, dispensing medicines, and all this in the homes, carriages, woodlands, and furniture of Georgian England. The period detail is superb.
Many scenes bring us to tears as we see patients live and survive, while others who would have survived in our time, perish.
This novel is haunting and beautifully written, a tender tribute, as Mellany writes in her dedication, “to the hard working GPs in the NHS, the Thomas Hammonds of today.” It is a remarkable record of medical life in Georgian England.
Available as paperback or ebook. Published by Matador and available through the Troubador bookshop, or to order from most bookshops in store or online, or from Amazon.
October 19, 2023
I really enjoyed this book and read it over two sittings. I was fascinated by the story, the characters and the seamless blend of historical fact with fiction.
Ambrose's passion for Keats and her meticulous research is evident and shines throughout on the pages. I'm familiar with Keats, but had no idea about his life before he chose to become a poet and I've since been doing some research myself. I'm currently creating my family tree and I keep wondering whether Thomas is going to pop up along the way.
Beautifully written, with the characters portrayed as realistically as research allows, a brilliant, poignant read and a fantastic debut! I look forward to reading more from Ambrose in the future.
Ambrose's passion for Keats and her meticulous research is evident and shines throughout on the pages. I'm familiar with Keats, but had no idea about his life before he chose to become a poet and I've since been doing some research myself. I'm currently creating my family tree and I keep wondering whether Thomas is going to pop up along the way.
Beautifully written, with the characters portrayed as realistically as research allows, a brilliant, poignant read and a fantastic debut! I look forward to reading more from Ambrose in the future.
October 27, 2023
This book is a novel but it follows the real lives of Thomas Hammond an Apothecary Surgeon and John Keats his apprentice poet and is based on thorough research about their lives. This book is really good and interesting historical fiction. It brings alive the medicine of the Georgian Era, and makes you appreciate how far medicine has come. It also shines a real light on what it must have been like to be a doctor in that period treating people with little to no money and it makes you really appreciate the doctors who did care for those less fortunate than themselves and were pioneers of our modern health system. Perhaps more importantly though it makes you realise that medicine is just a part of making people better, kindness and hope also play their part.
May 20, 2023
If you were forced to study British literature at all, you know Keats. But have you ever wondered what his life was like before he trained at Guy's Hospital?
This book is beautifully written and delivered so much more than I was expecting. At a time when consumption reigned, apothecaries could do nothing more than simply ease the symptoms of illness. A marvellous example of historical fiction, little facts are actually known about this specific time in Keats' life. Hammond was actually one of the first general practitioners in England, and this story displays the stark reality of medicine in the Georgian era. Above all, it is a tale of duty, family, hope, and learning to see beyond science and suffering.
This book is beautifully written and delivered so much more than I was expecting. At a time when consumption reigned, apothecaries could do nothing more than simply ease the symptoms of illness. A marvellous example of historical fiction, little facts are actually known about this specific time in Keats' life. Hammond was actually one of the first general practitioners in England, and this story displays the stark reality of medicine in the Georgian era. Above all, it is a tale of duty, family, hope, and learning to see beyond science and suffering.
May 11, 2023
I loved the poignancy in this book covering the conflict for a medical practitioner (when cures were few and far between) with the evolving revelation of how compassion could help ease suffering for both patients and family. The descriptions of country life were beautiful and created a range of mood and emotions alongside the characters as the story evolved. I knew little of John Keats and medical practice during this period and found the descriptions of medical treatments captivating as well as alarming compared with current practise. I was caught up in the story and thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Can’t wait to visit some of the places that inspired the story.
April 29, 2023
I was drawn to this book purely for the beautiful cover. I didn't even read the description before requesting it. They say not to judge a book by its cover but I'm so glad I did.
Set at a time when bleeding and leeches are the main medicine and it only takes 1 year studying at Guys Hospital London to become a surgeon this beautifully imagined story tells of the poet John Keats early life studying medicine.
The imagery is so vividly discribed you can practically see it infront of you and the characters are well thought out.
I really enjoyed this book.
Set at a time when bleeding and leeches are the main medicine and it only takes 1 year studying at Guys Hospital London to become a surgeon this beautifully imagined story tells of the poet John Keats early life studying medicine.
The imagery is so vividly discribed you can practically see it infront of you and the characters are well thought out.
I really enjoyed this book.
November 1, 2023
Mr Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice is the story of how before coming a poet, John Keats studied as an apothecary surgeon. In 1814 Keats was a young man who had lost both his parents and under his grandmother’s care he is persuaded to take on an apprenticeship under local apothecary surgeon Mr Hammond. Whilst there, Hammond’s son is also an apprentice and the two are rivals for being sent to Guy’s Hospital in London to train to be a surgeon. Differences in character make for a dificult relationship, but over time both learn a lot from each other.
Mr Hammond and the Apprentice was an eye opener for me in the fact that I never knew Keats studied medicine, it seems a strange choice for an up and coming poet who has become one of English’s most revered poet. What really made this book a beautiful read for me was the reltionship between Hammond and Keats, that becomes like a father and son as Hammond mentors the young Keats. Hammond has taken over from his father in the local surgery, who took over from his father before him. Throughout the book we know that Hammond was keeping secret from his family about how when he was training to be a surgeon there was a terrible accident that put an end to that career. This secret is what pushes him to be a good apothecary surgeon, not wanting to fail again, but it is also the reason he is has a detatched manner, not wanting to become personally involved with his patients. Keats is the complete opposite, he is a sensitive caring sole who feels that it is not only medicine that can help the patients, he believes that showing compassion and going the extra mile by talking and reading to them can help as well. It was wonderful watching how these two intriguing characters who’s differences that at first caused problems eventually made a huge difference to each others lives, both learning from each other.
Mellany Ambrose’s research into the lives of John Keats and Thomas Hammond is impeccable, the retelling of their lives in such a natural way, bringing them to life was imply brilliant; I felt like I was there with them and really knew them by the end of the book. The most fascinating aspect was the detail of the medical practices of this time, quite horrific at times. I couldn’t believe that blood letting, either by leeches or by cutting was the solution for almost everything, even lancing puss from a persons throat, it’s amazing so many survived and didn’t die of infection. Of course you can’t have a book about Keats without including some of his beautiful poetry. Mellany Ambrose includes only work written during his period with Hammond so is some of his earliest work, and just as beautful as his later more famous works. By the end of the book I had a tear in my eye as it was so emotional and the poetry chosen was perfect, and it’s not often that this happens to me.
Mr Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice is a beautiful book that really touched my heart. The relationship between Hammond and Keats is fascinating and highlights how two very different people can influence each other’s lives in such a positive way. The historical detail is exceptional and adds to the authenticity and enjoyment of the book. This is a wonderous read that shows a very different side to one of our most influential poets.
Mr Hammond and the Apprentice was an eye opener for me in the fact that I never knew Keats studied medicine, it seems a strange choice for an up and coming poet who has become one of English’s most revered poet. What really made this book a beautiful read for me was the reltionship between Hammond and Keats, that becomes like a father and son as Hammond mentors the young Keats. Hammond has taken over from his father in the local surgery, who took over from his father before him. Throughout the book we know that Hammond was keeping secret from his family about how when he was training to be a surgeon there was a terrible accident that put an end to that career. This secret is what pushes him to be a good apothecary surgeon, not wanting to fail again, but it is also the reason he is has a detatched manner, not wanting to become personally involved with his patients. Keats is the complete opposite, he is a sensitive caring sole who feels that it is not only medicine that can help the patients, he believes that showing compassion and going the extra mile by talking and reading to them can help as well. It was wonderful watching how these two intriguing characters who’s differences that at first caused problems eventually made a huge difference to each others lives, both learning from each other.
Mellany Ambrose’s research into the lives of John Keats and Thomas Hammond is impeccable, the retelling of their lives in such a natural way, bringing them to life was imply brilliant; I felt like I was there with them and really knew them by the end of the book. The most fascinating aspect was the detail of the medical practices of this time, quite horrific at times. I couldn’t believe that blood letting, either by leeches or by cutting was the solution for almost everything, even lancing puss from a persons throat, it’s amazing so many survived and didn’t die of infection. Of course you can’t have a book about Keats without including some of his beautiful poetry. Mellany Ambrose includes only work written during his period with Hammond so is some of his earliest work, and just as beautful as his later more famous works. By the end of the book I had a tear in my eye as it was so emotional and the poetry chosen was perfect, and it’s not often that this happens to me.
Mr Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice is a beautiful book that really touched my heart. The relationship between Hammond and Keats is fascinating and highlights how two very different people can influence each other’s lives in such a positive way. The historical detail is exceptional and adds to the authenticity and enjoyment of the book. This is a wonderous read that shows a very different side to one of our most influential poets.
November 12, 2023
4.5 stars
Written by former doctor Mellany Ambrose, this historical fiction book is intelligent, deep and layered. The more I read, the more I appreciated the meanings woven into the story.
I’m not familiar with Keats’ poetry and have not yet come to appreciate poetry. I’m therefore a bit of a Mr Hammond, without the medical skill!
Mr Hammond is an apothecary surgeon with two apprentices: John Keats and his son, Edward. Ambrose has carefully blended real-life characters and facts with a fictional tale, taking the reader on main character Mr Hammond’s inner journey.
Whilst I try not to write reviews that are spoilers – and I will not reveal any details – I would like to share some of the interesting tensions and contrasts I observed between issues:
Nepotism and adeptness;
The subjectivity of beauty and objectivity of fact;
Medicine for the body and mind: apothecarial healing and limitations contrasting with the benefits of poetry for soothing patients;
The ethics of unnecessary ‘treating’ of the rich and the benefits of wealth and position in society this brings, and the necessary treating of the poor with limited personal gain
Living in the shadow of others and their hopes and dreams vs. being true to oneself.
These are only a few examples and it’s the kind of book that the most perceptive readers will continue to see and appreciate new things.
The exploration of suffering as an inevitable part of the human condition was well considered. The inner journey and conflicts of Mr Hammond was increasingly amplified as the book progressed and I think this was a strength of the book. Keeping other characters increasingly on the periphery, as it were, enabled me as a reader to enter further into Mr Hammond’s journey and to follow his shift in perception.
The more I read, the more I loved the experience of reading this book because the rich overtones increased and stimulated deep thoughts and considerations in my mind, ranging from existential to moral.
Admittedly, there were some laborious paragraphs and occasionally, scenes had an air of repetition, but the reward of perseverance was greater. I didn’t feel ambivalent about not knowing Keats’ works and as I finished the book, I experienced an esteem for his wisdom and insight, especially when I learned how old he was when he died (just 25). The time-honoured poetry that was included and how Keats was portrayed led me to this point and I feel a genuine spark of interest in Keats now.
A glossary might have been a good addition to the book, as some words were unfamiliar, e.g. caudle. But this is certainly one for Mrs Bennett’s Bookshelf and I hope one day to read it again!
Written by former doctor Mellany Ambrose, this historical fiction book is intelligent, deep and layered. The more I read, the more I appreciated the meanings woven into the story.
I’m not familiar with Keats’ poetry and have not yet come to appreciate poetry. I’m therefore a bit of a Mr Hammond, without the medical skill!
Mr Hammond is an apothecary surgeon with two apprentices: John Keats and his son, Edward. Ambrose has carefully blended real-life characters and facts with a fictional tale, taking the reader on main character Mr Hammond’s inner journey.
Whilst I try not to write reviews that are spoilers – and I will not reveal any details – I would like to share some of the interesting tensions and contrasts I observed between issues:
Nepotism and adeptness;
The subjectivity of beauty and objectivity of fact;
Medicine for the body and mind: apothecarial healing and limitations contrasting with the benefits of poetry for soothing patients;
The ethics of unnecessary ‘treating’ of the rich and the benefits of wealth and position in society this brings, and the necessary treating of the poor with limited personal gain
Living in the shadow of others and their hopes and dreams vs. being true to oneself.
These are only a few examples and it’s the kind of book that the most perceptive readers will continue to see and appreciate new things.
The exploration of suffering as an inevitable part of the human condition was well considered. The inner journey and conflicts of Mr Hammond was increasingly amplified as the book progressed and I think this was a strength of the book. Keeping other characters increasingly on the periphery, as it were, enabled me as a reader to enter further into Mr Hammond’s journey and to follow his shift in perception.
The more I read, the more I loved the experience of reading this book because the rich overtones increased and stimulated deep thoughts and considerations in my mind, ranging from existential to moral.
Admittedly, there were some laborious paragraphs and occasionally, scenes had an air of repetition, but the reward of perseverance was greater. I didn’t feel ambivalent about not knowing Keats’ works and as I finished the book, I experienced an esteem for his wisdom and insight, especially when I learned how old he was when he died (just 25). The time-honoured poetry that was included and how Keats was portrayed led me to this point and I feel a genuine spark of interest in Keats now.
A glossary might have been a good addition to the book, as some words were unfamiliar, e.g. caudle. But this is certainly one for Mrs Bennett’s Bookshelf and I hope one day to read it again!
October 31, 2023
I love a bit of historical fiction especially when it’s based on true-life character. I also love learning about all things medical, so #MrHammondandthePoeticApprentice by @MellanyAmbrose ticked all the boxes for me.
It tells the story of 19thcentury poet #JohnKeats, a trained surgeon, through the eyes of his apprentice-master Thomas Hammond, a surgeon-apothecary working as what we would now call a country GP. He recognises young John’s potential as a surgeon, but just does not understand his fondness for poetry. How can words heal and comfort people?
In a beautifully-told and evocative narrative, the story explores the relationship between the two men, John’s growth to manhood and Mr Hammond’s existential angst at his own perceived inability to alleviate the suffering of all his patients.
The author, a doctor herself, gives us a fascinating tour the practice of medicine in the early nineteenth century. They knew so little and yet they knew so much, and were learning every day. You can really see the birth of modern medicine in the accounts of the various treatments of Hammond and Keats’ patients, who suffer everything from consumption to dropsy to asthma and broken bones, most of which is treated by home-spun remedies, blood-letting or unanaesthetised surgery.
It seems there is “no space for beauty in an apothecary’s world” yet the pages are lightened by the beauty of nature and the everyday life of a rural community who accept suffering with patience, and trust implicitly in Mr Hammond, even though he often doubts himself. A warning – if you’re at all prone to depression, Mr Hammond’s self-reflection may trigger your own existential angst, but bear with him and be inspired by him. Brave, kind, clever, compassionate, and loving, the man forges on in the face of his own mental and physical challenges, never forgetting his duties to others.
While it was great to learn about Keats through this fictional telling, Mr Hammond was the man who found his way into my heart.
It tells the story of 19thcentury poet #JohnKeats, a trained surgeon, through the eyes of his apprentice-master Thomas Hammond, a surgeon-apothecary working as what we would now call a country GP. He recognises young John’s potential as a surgeon, but just does not understand his fondness for poetry. How can words heal and comfort people?
In a beautifully-told and evocative narrative, the story explores the relationship between the two men, John’s growth to manhood and Mr Hammond’s existential angst at his own perceived inability to alleviate the suffering of all his patients.
The author, a doctor herself, gives us a fascinating tour the practice of medicine in the early nineteenth century. They knew so little and yet they knew so much, and were learning every day. You can really see the birth of modern medicine in the accounts of the various treatments of Hammond and Keats’ patients, who suffer everything from consumption to dropsy to asthma and broken bones, most of which is treated by home-spun remedies, blood-letting or unanaesthetised surgery.
It seems there is “no space for beauty in an apothecary’s world” yet the pages are lightened by the beauty of nature and the everyday life of a rural community who accept suffering with patience, and trust implicitly in Mr Hammond, even though he often doubts himself. A warning – if you’re at all prone to depression, Mr Hammond’s self-reflection may trigger your own existential angst, but bear with him and be inspired by him. Brave, kind, clever, compassionate, and loving, the man forges on in the face of his own mental and physical challenges, never forgetting his duties to others.
While it was great to learn about Keats through this fictional telling, Mr Hammond was the man who found his way into my heart.
October 19, 2023
What an excellent book. I really enjoyed this. A retelling of the story of young poet John Keats who was apprenticed to an apothecary surgeon and trained at Guy’s hospital to become a surgeon. I was completely enthralled by this book reading it in a day. Set in the period 1814 to 1817 in Edmonton, UK where Thomas Hammond has two apprentices, Keats and Hammond’s son Edward. Two very different young men with different ideals. The book give a great insight into the lives of doctors (apothecary surgeons) and surgeons who undertake their jobs with no anaesthetics other than laudanum and alcohol. There are descriptions of medical procedures and mentions of animal treatment that may be upsetting for some so be aware.
Briefly, Thomas is quite a brusque and appears to be cold man but he cares. He cares about his poor patients who can’t always afford their treatments and his family are not wealthy. Both Edward and Keats are coming to the end of their 5 year apprenticeships and Thomas is decided that only one of them is ready to become a surgeon…
Thomas was the most well fleshed character, I felt like I knew him, and I felt so sorry for him. He spent his life trying to atone for one mistake, ok it was a whopper, at the expense of his family and he never seemed happy. Keats came across as a gentle man and it’s surprising to me that he coped with the horrors of the operating theatre. Clearly well researched I found this to be an addictive read, full of interesting historical and medical facts, and a good insight to one of our greatest poets who sadly died very young.
Briefly, Thomas is quite a brusque and appears to be cold man but he cares. He cares about his poor patients who can’t always afford their treatments and his family are not wealthy. Both Edward and Keats are coming to the end of their 5 year apprenticeships and Thomas is decided that only one of them is ready to become a surgeon…
Thomas was the most well fleshed character, I felt like I knew him, and I felt so sorry for him. He spent his life trying to atone for one mistake, ok it was a whopper, at the expense of his family and he never seemed happy. Keats came across as a gentle man and it’s surprising to me that he coped with the horrors of the operating theatre. Clearly well researched I found this to be an addictive read, full of interesting historical and medical facts, and a good insight to one of our greatest poets who sadly died very young.
August 27, 2023
A beautiful and sensitively written story about a lesser known period in the life of the poet John Keats when he was apprenticed to be an apothecary surgeon.
The story is written from the perspective of Thomas Hammond, the apothecary surgeon to whom the young Keats is apprenticed. Although the account is a fictional one, it is clearly based upon meticulous historical research. The period details are beautifully observed as are the harrowing descriptions of the brutality and limited effectiveness of medicine in Georgian times.
This is a gentle and absorbing book. The developing relationship between Hammond and Keats and the fundamental observation of the important contribution that beauty, art, literature and poetry can have upon the alleviation of suffering both make for wonderful reading.
The exploration of the different ways in which doctors cope with the suffering of their patients and the limitations of medical science, clearly informed by the authors own medical background, make this book as relevant to the doctors of today as it would have been to Keats and Hammond.
I loved this book and look forward to reading more from Mellany Ambrose.
The story is written from the perspective of Thomas Hammond, the apothecary surgeon to whom the young Keats is apprenticed. Although the account is a fictional one, it is clearly based upon meticulous historical research. The period details are beautifully observed as are the harrowing descriptions of the brutality and limited effectiveness of medicine in Georgian times.
This is a gentle and absorbing book. The developing relationship between Hammond and Keats and the fundamental observation of the important contribution that beauty, art, literature and poetry can have upon the alleviation of suffering both make for wonderful reading.
The exploration of the different ways in which doctors cope with the suffering of their patients and the limitations of medical science, clearly informed by the authors own medical background, make this book as relevant to the doctors of today as it would have been to Keats and Hammond.
I loved this book and look forward to reading more from Mellany Ambrose.
October 26, 2023
The book delves into the harsh realities of being a Georgian apothecary and surgeon. The burden of healing is heavy on Thomas Hammond's shoulders, he also harbours a dark secret from his past. Hammond has two apprentices, his son, Edward - who thinks he's better than he actually is! And John Keats, an orphan who has a promising future ahead in medicine, but would rather write poetry instead. Although we don't know much about the real John Keats' time as an apothecaries apprentice, Mellany Ambrose has weaved a convincing and beautiful story about what might have been.
I really appreciated the amount of research the author undertook to write the book. How many of us would survive a Georgian era illness? With bleedings, leeches, laudanum, teeth pulling, difficult births and amputations galore, it's a miracle anyone survived historical medical practices! The book also looks at death and grief, with Thomas noticing how much humanity John has for their dying patients.
Although Thomas and John start off their working relationship butting heads, they end up helping to heal each other. I really loved this book! I think it is a wonderful tribute to John Keats, who died tragically young.
I really appreciated the amount of research the author undertook to write the book. How many of us would survive a Georgian era illness? With bleedings, leeches, laudanum, teeth pulling, difficult births and amputations galore, it's a miracle anyone survived historical medical practices! The book also looks at death and grief, with Thomas noticing how much humanity John has for their dying patients.
Although Thomas and John start off their working relationship butting heads, they end up helping to heal each other. I really loved this book! I think it is a wonderful tribute to John Keats, who died tragically young.
November 13, 2023
A beautiful imagining of the early life of John Keats.
Thomas Hammond is a provincial apothecary with two apprentices under his wing, his bold son and John Keats, who seems to have his head in the clouds. The story is told from Thomas’s point of view, who struggles to bear the suffering of others. Yet he can’t understand John’s insistence that poetry and literature can support recuperation or therapy for suffering patients.
This is a delicate novel but rich in detail and emotion. The gentle pace let the characters and setting develop so I felt really connected to each of the characters and absorbed in the 19th century country setting. It was an interesting insight to the attitudes held on caring for your mental health at the time. Thomas was adamant that his medicines and tinctures could cure the ‘melancholy’ and felt threatened by Keats’ ability to calm patients and ease their suffering with poetry. We all know on bookstagram the therapeutic qualities of escaping into a book yet I didn’t feel like railing against Thomas. He was compassionate but a man of his time and the style of writing had me sympathise with his internal battles.
Thomas Hammond is a provincial apothecary with two apprentices under his wing, his bold son and John Keats, who seems to have his head in the clouds. The story is told from Thomas’s point of view, who struggles to bear the suffering of others. Yet he can’t understand John’s insistence that poetry and literature can support recuperation or therapy for suffering patients.
This is a delicate novel but rich in detail and emotion. The gentle pace let the characters and setting develop so I felt really connected to each of the characters and absorbed in the 19th century country setting. It was an interesting insight to the attitudes held on caring for your mental health at the time. Thomas was adamant that his medicines and tinctures could cure the ‘melancholy’ and felt threatened by Keats’ ability to calm patients and ease their suffering with poetry. We all know on bookstagram the therapeutic qualities of escaping into a book yet I didn’t feel like railing against Thomas. He was compassionate but a man of his time and the style of writing had me sympathise with his internal battles.
April 21, 2023
Two brothers in the same profession for a while. One is totally text bookish while the other one is dreamy. He loves poetry. It exerts the mind to believe two brothers can deliver and lose a breech birth. The mother strains not to take the laudanum. She is dying. Mrs.Foster will die.
Mellany Ambrose collects a reader simply because she looks at objectivity and subjectivity in a different way, a scintillating way. Objective: It's true. Patients die. Subjective: Men, doctors, fault themselves for these deaths. It is not possible to exist as a decent person when a few think of you as a murderer. If you did not have a calling, you would run from a medical education as quickly as possible. Failure is as spooky as vultures in a high tree.This book,"Mr. Hammond and a Poetic Apprentice" forces us to look at the Medical world again. It is a hard nut to crack. Maybe compassion can not mix itself with science.
Mellany Ambrose collects a reader simply because she looks at objectivity and subjectivity in a different way, a scintillating way. Objective: It's true. Patients die. Subjective: Men, doctors, fault themselves for these deaths. It is not possible to exist as a decent person when a few think of you as a murderer. If you did not have a calling, you would run from a medical education as quickly as possible. Failure is as spooky as vultures in a high tree.This book,"Mr. Hammond and a Poetic Apprentice" forces us to look at the Medical world again. It is a hard nut to crack. Maybe compassion can not mix itself with science.
October 28, 2024
An interesting and creative idea - I imagine I’ll think of Keat’s characterisation here when I one day go back to his poems.
However, it’s very clear that it is a first attempt at a novel. If there’s one thing the book lacks it’s subtlety. Ambrose tells you what characters are like, or what they’re feeling, rather than showing you (which feels like something that was emphasised to us to not to do in primary school). It repeats itself constantly, and makes frustratingly heavy-handed allusions to Hammond’s mysterious dark past.
It’s definitely not a sophisticated novel, but the premise is interesting, and it will appeal to those with a love of the Romantics, or an interest in conventional medicine.
However, it’s very clear that it is a first attempt at a novel. If there’s one thing the book lacks it’s subtlety. Ambrose tells you what characters are like, or what they’re feeling, rather than showing you (which feels like something that was emphasised to us to not to do in primary school). It repeats itself constantly, and makes frustratingly heavy-handed allusions to Hammond’s mysterious dark past.
It’s definitely not a sophisticated novel, but the premise is interesting, and it will appeal to those with a love of the Romantics, or an interest in conventional medicine.
October 31, 2023
This book is a look into the differences in both mind and life of the arts versus the sciences. It approaches how things are very different, but at the same time can be so similar. The two believe they have next to nothing in common, but soon they develop a respect for on another, even if one is more of the artistic flair. You start to open your mind and look at whether there is actually a connection between the mind, the heart and science and art.
The author has a brilliant way of describing everything so that it comes to life and is very vibrant and imaginative way of bringing the tale to you. It is such an interesting read and one that you truly enjoy every unique page.
The author has a brilliant way of describing everything so that it comes to life and is very vibrant and imaginative way of bringing the tale to you. It is such an interesting read and one that you truly enjoy every unique page.
November 9, 2023
This was a really interesting read and looks at the early life of John Keats.
Thomas Hammond is an apothecary surgeon and although his career didn't go as planned due to his past mistakes, he determines to train his son and his new apprentice, John.
John, however, is much more interested in his books and this causes frustrations.
Although becoming skilled, John doesn't rely on medicine alone to help his patients, but concentrates on how poetry and literature can soothe the troubled mind and help his patients through the pain.
I have read some of Keats'poetry in the last, but never really looked beyond his work. This book gives us a lovely insight to his early life and training before he chose his path.
Set in 1814, we know there was a lack of knowledge for many illnesses and I loved this different take on focussing on mental illness.
I found the information around the history of medicine to be really interesting - pretty much everything was treated by bleeding with leeches! And most of the medicines given, actually caused more harm than the initial ailment.
The characters were well portrayed and developed. The flip from Hammond training John to then show what John was teaching Hammond about humanity was perfect.
This was beautifully written and a joy to read.
Thomas Hammond is an apothecary surgeon and although his career didn't go as planned due to his past mistakes, he determines to train his son and his new apprentice, John.
John, however, is much more interested in his books and this causes frustrations.
Although becoming skilled, John doesn't rely on medicine alone to help his patients, but concentrates on how poetry and literature can soothe the troubled mind and help his patients through the pain.
I have read some of Keats'poetry in the last, but never really looked beyond his work. This book gives us a lovely insight to his early life and training before he chose his path.
Set in 1814, we know there was a lack of knowledge for many illnesses and I loved this different take on focussing on mental illness.
I found the information around the history of medicine to be really interesting - pretty much everything was treated by bleeding with leeches! And most of the medicines given, actually caused more harm than the initial ailment.
The characters were well portrayed and developed. The flip from Hammond training John to then show what John was teaching Hammond about humanity was perfect.
This was beautifully written and a joy to read.
July 10, 2025
This was a beautiful, thoughtful, though-provoking imagining of Mr Hammond's world, with glimpses of the early life of John Keats. The characterisation, particularly of Mr Hammond, was wonderful - really nuanced and tender. The historical detail on Georgian London and Hampstead, plus the medical world, was also fascinating and immersive, and never overwhelmed the story.
April 20, 2023
Interesting subject, both the characters and the way illnesses were treated in the past.
The rivalry between Edward and John added an extra something.
Enjoyable, but I think not very memorable in a while.
The rivalry between Edward and John added an extra something.
Enjoyable, but I think not very memorable in a while.
April 28, 2023
Some parts interesting, some parts dull
January 31, 2024
Great novel
Excellent novel - very close to my heart without giving anything away. And delivered in a very credible and wonderful way. Enjoyed it immensely.
Excellent novel - very close to my heart without giving anything away. And delivered in a very credible and wonderful way. Enjoyed it immensely.
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