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The Best Gift
When Walt Larimore, MD, moved his young family to Kissimmee, Florida, to start a small-town medical practice in 1985, he had no idea he was embarking on an enterprise that would change his life in ways both large and small. Dr. Larimore shared some of these heartwarming and heartbreaking tales in The Best Medicine . Now he offers up more charming stories of his time as a family physician in a rural, small-yet-growing town in The Best Gift .
Ideal for anyone wrestling with the inevitable and difficult storms of life, as well as fans of Dr. Larimore's popular Bryson City series, The Best Gift is a tender and insightful collection of stories chronicling one young doctor's spiritual growth as a physician, husband, father, and community member. Filled with characters colorful and crusty, warmhearted and hotheaded, witty and winsome, these captivating stories glow with drama, heartbreak, warmth, love, and humor. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll learn some of life's greatest lessons. And you'll wish Dr. Larimore was your doctor.
Ideal for anyone wrestling with the inevitable and difficult storms of life, as well as fans of Dr. Larimore's popular Bryson City series, The Best Gift is a tender and insightful collection of stories chronicling one young doctor's spiritual growth as a physician, husband, father, and community member. Filled with characters colorful and crusty, warmhearted and hotheaded, witty and winsome, these captivating stories glow with drama, heartbreak, warmth, love, and humor. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll learn some of life's greatest lessons. And you'll wish Dr. Larimore was your doctor.
272 pages, Paperback
Published November 16, 2021
About the author
Walt Larimore
73 books120 followersDr. Larimore is one of America’s best-known family physicians and is listed in the Best Doctors in America, Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, and the International Health Professionals of the Year. His MD degree is from Louisiana State University, with AOA Honors, while his Family Medicine residency, with an emphasis in Sports Medicine was at the Duke University Medical Center, where he was named one of the top twelve Family Medicine residents in the nation. He also completed a Queen’s Teaching Fellowship in Nottingham, England.
After his training, Dr. Larimore practiced 4 years in the Smoky Mountains before moving to Central Florida to practice for 16 years. From 1993-1994 he served as the President of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians. In 1996, he was named America’s Outstanding Family Medicine Educator by the American Academy of Family Physicians. In 2000, Dr. and Mrs. Larimore were named Educators of the Year by the Christian Medical Association.
The Larimores relocated to Colorado Springs in 2001. Besides practicing family medicine, Dr. Larimore is also an author, educator, and medical journalist. He serves on the adjunct family medicine faculty of the In His Image Family Medicine Residency in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.
As a medical journalist, from 1996 to 2001, Dr. Larimore hosted over 850 episodes of the daily, live Ask the Family Doctor show on Fox’s Health Network, being awarded the prestigious "Gracie" Award by the American Women in Radio and Television. From 2002 to 2004, Dr. Larimore hosted the Focus on Your Family’s Health’s syndicated radio and TV features.
Dr. Larimore is a frequent guest about family health topics on a wide variety of television and radio programs and has appeared on The Today Show, CBS’s Morning Show, several Fox News programs, and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360. He provides medical commentary for radio stations in Chicago, Orlando, Baltimore, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Tampa, Albuquerque, and Ft. Wayne.
Dr. Larimore has written or edited over twenty books and over 600 articles in a variety of medical journals and lay magazines. His best-selling books include Bryson City Tales, Bryson City Seasons, and Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook.
Dr. Larimore co-wrote, with Barb, his childhood sweetheart and wife of over 35 years, His Brain, Her Brain: How divinely designed differences can strengthen your marriage. He also wrote the health chapter for Coach Joe Gibb’s best-selling book Game Plan for Life.
Dr. Larimore’s most recent health book is 10 Essentials of Happy, Healthy People, an undated and revised version of his award winning book 10 Essentials of Highly Healthy People. In 2009 he co-wrote his first novel, Time Scene Investigators: The Gabon Virus, with Paul McCusker. The sequel, Time Scene Investigators: The Influenza Bomb will be released in 2010.
After his training, Dr. Larimore practiced 4 years in the Smoky Mountains before moving to Central Florida to practice for 16 years. From 1993-1994 he served as the President of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians. In 1996, he was named America’s Outstanding Family Medicine Educator by the American Academy of Family Physicians. In 2000, Dr. and Mrs. Larimore were named Educators of the Year by the Christian Medical Association.
The Larimores relocated to Colorado Springs in 2001. Besides practicing family medicine, Dr. Larimore is also an author, educator, and medical journalist. He serves on the adjunct family medicine faculty of the In His Image Family Medicine Residency in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.
As a medical journalist, from 1996 to 2001, Dr. Larimore hosted over 850 episodes of the daily, live Ask the Family Doctor show on Fox’s Health Network, being awarded the prestigious "Gracie" Award by the American Women in Radio and Television. From 2002 to 2004, Dr. Larimore hosted the Focus on Your Family’s Health’s syndicated radio and TV features.
Dr. Larimore is a frequent guest about family health topics on a wide variety of television and radio programs and has appeared on The Today Show, CBS’s Morning Show, several Fox News programs, and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360. He provides medical commentary for radio stations in Chicago, Orlando, Baltimore, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Tampa, Albuquerque, and Ft. Wayne.
Dr. Larimore has written or edited over twenty books and over 600 articles in a variety of medical journals and lay magazines. His best-selling books include Bryson City Tales, Bryson City Seasons, and Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook.
Dr. Larimore co-wrote, with Barb, his childhood sweetheart and wife of over 35 years, His Brain, Her Brain: How divinely designed differences can strengthen your marriage. He also wrote the health chapter for Coach Joe Gibb’s best-selling book Game Plan for Life.
Dr. Larimore’s most recent health book is 10 Essentials of Happy, Healthy People, an undated and revised version of his award winning book 10 Essentials of Highly Healthy People. In 2009 he co-wrote his first novel, Time Scene Investigators: The Gabon Virus, with Paul McCusker. The sequel, Time Scene Investigators: The Influenza Bomb will be released in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 16, 2021
The Best Gift is such an appropriate title for this book. EACH chapter offered me a gift, some chapters gave me wisdom, some gave me the gift of adventure, some chapter gave me the gift of meeting new people, while other chapters gave me the gift of a full heart. The author has a gift of taking me right into the pages of the book as though I am part of the stories he shares. At other times, it’s as though he is sitting on the front porch just sharing over a glass of sweet tea with me. It left me inspired to open up to the opportunities around me to reach out and expand my community. A MUST READ!
November 6, 2021
Love the book, love it when Geech said this “God does not give us an overcoming life, he gives us to overcome. And he gives life as we overcome.” To me that speaks so much right there and I’ve had to overcome a lot!! Love it!!
November 16, 2021
This book opened my heart to Dr. Larimore and his family especially when his daughter Kate was in the hospital. I found myself crying as I read to see what would happen next. Amazingly I also started thinking back about similar times and how I reached to the Lord for strength and guidance. If you ever felt like you needed to get back in touch with your spiritual being this book will open up you heart and soul. Dr Larimore has an uncanny way of helping one to find a relationship with the Lord and to help one to look at adversary as a way to see your own inner being.
November 5, 2021
I ordered this book because I thought my physician father might like it for Christmas, and I ended up devouring it first! I love books about small-town folks with big personalities. The Best Gift chronicles “Dr. Walt’s” experiences as a kind-hearted Christian doctor in rural Florida. Keep the tissues handy! His honest reflections on marriage and fatherhood really touched my heart, but his homespun humor lifted my spirit. Fast-paced bullfighting, firefighting, and weather disaster accounts made the book seem like a movie. (It would make a great movie!) My absolute favorite parts of the book are when Dr. Walt explains the reason Jesus gives us hope during suffering. As a cancer patient who has lived with debilitating pain for decades, I appreciate (and share) his biblical viewpoint.
This book is hard to classify. It’s part adventure story, part small-town tale, part medical saga—but in the end, it’s full of comfort.
(An aside: Sensitive readers may want to skim the descriptive medical scenes. Most readers will likely be enthralled!)
This book is hard to classify. It’s part adventure story, part small-town tale, part medical saga—but in the end, it’s full of comfort.
(An aside: Sensitive readers may want to skim the descriptive medical scenes. Most readers will likely be enthralled!)
November 15, 2021
Reading Dr. Larimore's books are like having an uplifting conversation with a dear old friend. You come away from the experience feeling inspired and renewed regardless of where you are in your personal spiritual journey.
My first Dr. Walt read literally fell at my feet 15 years ago in a doctor's office waiting room, and the divinely-delivered Bryson City (North Carolina) series helped me through a particularly challenging period in my walk with God. The Best Gift continues the author's tradition of introducing us to some of the interesting people he meets and befriends through his practice, this time a fresh start with his medical school friend in small town Kissimmee, Florida. As he shares his healing talents with many patients and parishioners we get to know the rich stories and personal challenges of several colorful townsfolk. The community embraces the young doctor and his family, and they grow together through multiple triumphs and tragedies.
The bittersweet lessons in this book are delivered with the charm and warmth typical of Walt Larimore storytelling. There is a genuine affection for the people he writes about that comes through with each heartwarming encounter. Reading The Best Gift evoked several smiles and a few tears, and I deeply appreciate the moments of quiet reflection it aroused in me as I considered the messages it softly conveys. As with most books that touch my soul I was sorry to reach the end, but grateful to the author for inviting me along for the journey.
Some writers speak to us with a clarity and purpose beyond our understanding. The author has time and again "been there" for me with his wisdom and teaching at moments in my life when my faith is flagging. Claudia Minden Weisz's "And God Said 'No'" is included in this memoir, and it was one of the the well-timed lessons from this book that I needed for support. I believe you will find passages from The Best Gift that will speak directly to your heart, too.
My first Dr. Walt read literally fell at my feet 15 years ago in a doctor's office waiting room, and the divinely-delivered Bryson City (North Carolina) series helped me through a particularly challenging period in my walk with God. The Best Gift continues the author's tradition of introducing us to some of the interesting people he meets and befriends through his practice, this time a fresh start with his medical school friend in small town Kissimmee, Florida. As he shares his healing talents with many patients and parishioners we get to know the rich stories and personal challenges of several colorful townsfolk. The community embraces the young doctor and his family, and they grow together through multiple triumphs and tragedies.
The bittersweet lessons in this book are delivered with the charm and warmth typical of Walt Larimore storytelling. There is a genuine affection for the people he writes about that comes through with each heartwarming encounter. Reading The Best Gift evoked several smiles and a few tears, and I deeply appreciate the moments of quiet reflection it aroused in me as I considered the messages it softly conveys. As with most books that touch my soul I was sorry to reach the end, but grateful to the author for inviting me along for the journey.
Some writers speak to us with a clarity and purpose beyond our understanding. The author has time and again "been there" for me with his wisdom and teaching at moments in my life when my faith is flagging. Claudia Minden Weisz's "And God Said 'No'" is included in this memoir, and it was one of the the well-timed lessons from this book that I needed for support. I believe you will find passages from The Best Gift that will speak directly to your heart, too.
November 11, 2021
I absolutely loved reading Walt Larimores book The Best Gift. It was hard to put it down. Warm, witty, compassionate, insightful, it was a joy to read about his time in Kissimmee, FL and the good hometown people there. The telling of the tornado that ripped through there, and some of the miracles of lives saved, had me on the edge of my seat! I was completely absorbed into his book! Wonderfully written, such a great read! I got to preread and get a sneak peak at the book.
November 9, 2021
I just finished reading the book “The Best Gift” written by Dr. Walt Larimore. I appreciated reading this book because it is very positive. It gave me a warm, down home feeling. Growing up in a small town area, I can relate to some of the happenings in the book. I recommend reading “The Best Gift” to anyone looking for a feel good read!
November 14, 2021
This heartwarming book was just what I needed right now! A pleasure to read, each beautifully written story brings something different such as humor, joy, suspense, sorrow and comfort. Some chapters are light and fun while others describe great heaviness and adversity, including some deeply personal experiences of the author and his family. Throughout the book, words of faith and hope are expressed with love, gentleness, humility and compassion, always glorifying God. I thoroughly enjoyed and savored this book, which left me feeling encouraged, hopeful and inspired.
November 16, 2021
As I read the book, I found I was taken over the entire spectrum of emotions. I was crying in one chapter, turned the page, and the next had me laughing out loud, and then later I was pondering a deep thought that had been shared. I could feel the emotions of the people as I read. As a friend of the author died, I felt like I was in the room, listening to their conversation as an observer. At one point, I was compelled to finish a chapter as there was a cliffhanger. I did learn how to get things unstuck from up a nose from this book—very good with young ones in the family, especially boys!
November 14, 2021
Dr. Larimore has done it again!! His book had me laughing out loud, crying (more than once) and cheering! It is filled with wisdom not only on a medical level but also on a spiritual level. He has a real way of opening up the love of God that makes you really want to lean in and get to know Him (God) in an intimate way! Thanks Doctor Larimore!!!
November 15, 2021
I really enjoyed Dr Walt Larimore's experiences as a small town doctor and all the life lessons he shared from his experiences. They are valuable lessons from getting through the storms of life.
November 16, 2021
More stories from Kissimmee make you fall more in love with this doctor and his family!
Walt Larimore brings more stories in his third installment of the tales from a small-town doctor learning life’s greatest lessons. Readers who enjoyed getting to learn more about Walt and his family during his previous book The Best Medicine will yearn to learn more about them. This book dives deeper into his time in private practice in Kissimmee and how he became a staple in the area. From rodeos to storms to death of close friends, this book offers some guidance and insight for every reader. Be sure to pull up a chair and a blanket because it’s going to be like you’re having a fireside chat with a long lost friend.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
Walt Larimore brings more stories in his third installment of the tales from a small-town doctor learning life’s greatest lessons. Readers who enjoyed getting to learn more about Walt and his family during his previous book The Best Medicine will yearn to learn more about them. This book dives deeper into his time in private practice in Kissimmee and how he became a staple in the area. From rodeos to storms to death of close friends, this book offers some guidance and insight for every reader. Be sure to pull up a chair and a blanket because it’s going to be like you’re having a fireside chat with a long lost friend.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
November 17, 2021
What a good read this was! The author grabbed my attention from the first page, and I didn’t want to put the book down! I went from gripping the edge of my chair, to laughing at amusing stories and quotes, and then to having tears in my eyes as the stories shared by the author caused me also to reflect on my own life, my own stories. It was also a perfect book to read leading up to the Christmas season as we reflect on the Best Gift, what Christmas is all about.
November 16, 2021
Larimore has such a gift for drawing the reader into the story. In The Best Gift, he tells many stories—some heartbreaking, some miraculous and inspiring, and some intense and breathtaking. I have thoroughly enjoyed the book and have felt my heart warmed, my faith inspired, and my spirit nudged to walk worthy of the Gospel.
November 23, 2021
I start reading books like “The Best Gift” and often wonder if it will be a little bit cheesy with these homespun tales. However, not far into the book I started feeling like I was listening to Garrison Keillor tell stories about Lake Wobegon. The difference was that these were real people, with real life joys, struggles, and hardships that often needed a source of hope that doesn’t come from within. The author does a great job of showing how sharing your spirituality or faith, can be done with humor and compassion without being over bearing and threatening to those you are sharing with. Very well done. I will give this as a gift to my small group. I hope that they enjoy it as much as I did.
Read
November 23, 2021If you read “The Best Medicine”, as I did, and wished that the ending of the book; with its message of faith, love, understanding, family, and friendship; would not be the last of the story. Well, your wish just came true with “The Best Gift”. It is a special sequel, a blessing, from a gifted writer and mentor. I am sure that you will not only enjoy the book but be moved by the lessons of what is important in life.
Mel E.
Mel E.
November 24, 2021
This book was written in a very conversational tone that made it such a joy to read. Growing up in a small town, this brought back memories of our interactions with our family doctor and how much love was shared between him and the town. Thank you for writing such a great memoir that brought back all of the nostalgia!
November 17, 2021
I have loved reading more of Dr. Walt Larimore’s evocative stories in his newest book “The Best Gift.” As a family physician myself, it was interesting to me to read how Dr. Walt would explain medical terminology, conditions & procedures to his patients with reassurance & in ways that they would understand.
Dr. Larimore sets the example of seeking and providing mentorship, not only professionally, but for spiritual guidance, counseling to improve relationships and for living of life to its fullest. I enjoyed all of the down home country cowboy quips of wisdom passed along by Dr. Larimore’s mentor, cowboy Geech Partin. I appreciated Dr. Larimore’s intimate sharing of poignant life lessons in which love overcomes.
Dr. Larimore sets the example of seeking and providing mentorship, not only professionally, but for spiritual guidance, counseling to improve relationships and for living of life to its fullest. I enjoyed all of the down home country cowboy quips of wisdom passed along by Dr. Larimore’s mentor, cowboy Geech Partin. I appreciated Dr. Larimore’s intimate sharing of poignant life lessons in which love overcomes.
November 23, 2021
This has been such an amazing book. It is warm and funny and full of down home charm. I couldn’t put it down. So nice to read something that makes you feel good and have hope and joy again.
November 18, 2021
I was anxious to read "The Best Gift" after enjoying Dr. Walt's book "Best Medicine - Tales of Humor and Hope from a small-town doctor." "The Best Gift" continues Dr. Walt's stories about his family practice and how God impacted his life with his own family and patients. I enjoyed how he revealed his personal struggles and God's answers for him through his relationships in his medical practice and the people in Kissimmee. Dr. Walt's stories will warm your heart !
November 30, 2024
Number of pages: 251
Genre: Non-fiction Biography
Series: It’s the sequel to The Best Medicine
Age recommendation: 14/15+
Summary: Dr. Walt Larimore shares more stories from his life as a small town doctor in Kissimmee, Florida.
My thoughts: There were a lot of great stories in here, with lessons and advice on how to live as a Christian. I loved the point that we are to be Christians first, and our career is second. I also found it interesting Dr. Larimore’s point about needing to know where someone is at spiritually in order to treat them physically. As he mentioned, prayer may bring relief and comfort to those who believe in God, but possibly more anger from those who don’t. Different religions (such as JWs) have concerns that would even affect physical care, such as refusing a blood transfusion. It just reminded me that while physical needs are important, so are spiritual and the two are intertwined.
Personally, I found a couple of the stories hard to read because of descriptions. The book starts with a story of a rescue from a burning car, and the descriptions of the man stuck and how he was removed I found a little hard to read. Also descriptions of rodeo injuries I found a little intense.
I don’t understand how someone can be involved in rodeos where they put their life on the line and may even lose money doing so. I think Dr. Larimore went a little far in how much he endorsed it, but I guess it’s not really my place to judge.
The book is well-written and historical facts well documented. I found the situations very easy to picture, and it was almost like I was right there in the situations.
For the most part I liked the Christian content. I appreciated that the whole book is centered around God. I thought there was a clear gospel message shared (when Dr. Larimore explains it to his son), and a message that we should put God first and we should be overflowing with His love – people (even those just visiting our workplace) should know to Whom we belong. However, there was a point when Dr. Larimore was talking to Geech and Geech quoted a prayer that implied you can get to heaven by doing good works (something along the lines of “help us to live lives in a way that when we get to heaven the Judge will tell us our entry fee is paid”). As I said before, there is a clear gospel message elsewhere in the book, but this just rubbed me the wrong way and I didn’t appreciate the implication that anything we do can bring us even close to being made right with God. It is only through Jesus’ death on the cross that our sins can be forgiven and we can be saved.
Besides that, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
My personal rating: 4/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
Genre: Non-fiction Biography
Series: It’s the sequel to The Best Medicine
Age recommendation: 14/15+
Summary: Dr. Walt Larimore shares more stories from his life as a small town doctor in Kissimmee, Florida.
My thoughts: There were a lot of great stories in here, with lessons and advice on how to live as a Christian. I loved the point that we are to be Christians first, and our career is second. I also found it interesting Dr. Larimore’s point about needing to know where someone is at spiritually in order to treat them physically. As he mentioned, prayer may bring relief and comfort to those who believe in God, but possibly more anger from those who don’t. Different religions (such as JWs) have concerns that would even affect physical care, such as refusing a blood transfusion. It just reminded me that while physical needs are important, so are spiritual and the two are intertwined.
Personally, I found a couple of the stories hard to read because of descriptions. The book starts with a story of a rescue from a burning car, and the descriptions of the man stuck and how he was removed I found a little hard to read. Also descriptions of rodeo injuries I found a little intense.
I don’t understand how someone can be involved in rodeos where they put their life on the line and may even lose money doing so. I think Dr. Larimore went a little far in how much he endorsed it, but I guess it’s not really my place to judge.
The book is well-written and historical facts well documented. I found the situations very easy to picture, and it was almost like I was right there in the situations.
For the most part I liked the Christian content. I appreciated that the whole book is centered around God. I thought there was a clear gospel message shared (when Dr. Larimore explains it to his son), and a message that we should put God first and we should be overflowing with His love – people (even those just visiting our workplace) should know to Whom we belong. However, there was a point when Dr. Larimore was talking to Geech and Geech quoted a prayer that implied you can get to heaven by doing good works (something along the lines of “help us to live lives in a way that when we get to heaven the Judge will tell us our entry fee is paid”). As I said before, there is a clear gospel message elsewhere in the book, but this just rubbed me the wrong way and I didn’t appreciate the implication that anything we do can bring us even close to being made right with God. It is only through Jesus’ death on the cross that our sins can be forgiven and we can be saved.
Besides that, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
My personal rating: 4/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
July 22, 2022
I could hardly wait to read The Best Gift after finishing Dr. Larimore's 4th book in this series, The Best Medicine. These 2 books are experiences from his 15 years as a family physician in the small town of Kissimmee, FL. This may be the best one yet - it was hard for me to put down. He describes the devastation he and his wife Barb felt when their first baby Kate was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. He gives a gut-wrenching description of how it almost destroyed their marriage and his faith. The doctors gave them a hopeless prognosis that she would ever walk or talk - and yet she did both by age three. Then out of the blue at age 11 she had a sudden seizure that lasted for 90 minutes and required 4 medications to stop. I could not put the book down as I read his gripping story of how it seemed she was brain dead and all their hopes and dreams for her were over. Then the unexpected miracle happened, and I burst out laughing with relief - as did the hospital staff witnessing it! Other stories would not let me put the book down, especially the baby born with diaphragmatic hernia who developed sudden pneumothorax and was dying right before Doc's eye and forced him to perform a procedure he'd never done before on a newborn. Twenty years later that baby's grandfather sent Dr. Walt a note of thanks as that young man graduated from college! Another favorite was Eva, who was almost comatose and dying, but HOPE basically restored her to life when she was told by her pregnant daughter that she had a granddaughter on the way. Any one of these stories alone were worth the price of the book to me, but combined they make an awesome "Must Read"!
November 26, 2021
"Being a spirit-filled believer is no excuse for practicing sloppy medicine," Dr. Brand told me. "If you want patients to pay attention to your faith, you must first pay attention to your work."
This is the second book that I have read by Dr. Larimore, and I think I enjoyed it even more because I knew what to expect. He is a storyteller. While the book is non-fiction, it reads like fiction which means it is an easy and enjoyable read.
This is also the second book set in Kissimmee, Florida. You could definitely read this book by itself, but the first book, The Best Medicine, does introduce several of the characters. I am sure I was able to follow easier since I had read that one first.
The doctor does share stories of his patients from his practice thirty years ago. He also tells about different experiences that include such things as Florida history and Florida rodeo. Life lessons are intermixed in between, but because he has such a way with words, the result is that he sounds folksy rather than preachy. I enjoyed this book, and I hope he has another one planned in this series.
I did receive a copy of this book, but I also purchased one. I wanted to review it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is the second book that I have read by Dr. Larimore, and I think I enjoyed it even more because I knew what to expect. He is a storyteller. While the book is non-fiction, it reads like fiction which means it is an easy and enjoyable read.
This is also the second book set in Kissimmee, Florida. You could definitely read this book by itself, but the first book, The Best Medicine, does introduce several of the characters. I am sure I was able to follow easier since I had read that one first.
The doctor does share stories of his patients from his practice thirty years ago. He also tells about different experiences that include such things as Florida history and Florida rodeo. Life lessons are intermixed in between, but because he has such a way with words, the result is that he sounds folksy rather than preachy. I enjoyed this book, and I hope he has another one planned in this series.
I did receive a copy of this book, but I also purchased one. I wanted to review it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 16, 2021
“The Best Gift” is a wonderful followup book from Dr. Larimore’s earlier book “The Best Medicine”. There are many poignant stories of life’s joy and sadness in the middle of a family medicine practice in Florida. He writes about the closeness that is a blessing in small town life, something that seems to be slipping away today, even in neighborhoods.
Dr. Larimore is transparent to discuss a very difficult time in his marriage and Christian faith after the birth of his daughter, but it was joyfully restored by the grace and mercy of a loving God.
It’s a story of growing in life, medical practice and faith that is well worth the time to read.
Dr. Larimore is transparent to discuss a very difficult time in his marriage and Christian faith after the birth of his daughter, but it was joyfully restored by the grace and mercy of a loving God.
It’s a story of growing in life, medical practice and faith that is well worth the time to read.
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January 3, 2022It was great to continue the saga of Dr. Walt's time in Kissimmee as the follow-up to his first book about his time living and practicing in Osceola County, published last year. This book takes the approach of telling more in-depth individual stories about specific people he encountered in practice, as well as focusing on a dramatic event when tornadoes hit the town and the impact on the people and community. I also appreciated reading about his specific approaches to integrating spiritual care in his practice and was able to get some good takeaways to use when working with patients and families.
December 9, 2021
This charming book is full of lovely stories about Walt’s experiences with his patients and his family. Dr Larimore is the type of man you would love to have as your family doctor because his caring and loving character and actions shine through every interaction that he has. He is not only an excellent physician but a relatable husband and father and one who uses his stories to point the reader to the God whom he follows and loves. I think you will enjoy this book as much as I did.
October 30, 2022
Walt Larimore physician tells stories from his life and practice as a family physician in Florida in the years before he moved with his family to Colorado Springs to join Focus on the Family enterprises.
I picked this book up by random and found it to be a positive read especially in today’s world as it is stories focused in calmer waters and a more ideal world than we live into today.
I picked this book up by random and found it to be a positive read especially in today’s world as it is stories focused in calmer waters and a more ideal world than we live into today.
December 29, 2022
Another great read by Larimore. Don't expect as many doctor tales as in his previous books.
July 25, 2024
3.5 stars
February 20, 2026
Slow read. I finally felt interested about halfway through.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews