New Xulon Book Reveals the Man Behind the Surgical Mask

Within the pages of Lawrence W. Norton, M.D.'s new book, Masked and Gowned: The Making of a Surgeon ($16.99, paperback, 978-1-62419-964-6; $8.49, e-book, 978-1-62419-965-3) follows the journey of the author's extraordinary career, beginning with his admission to medical school and through a decade of demanding training, which finally fulfilled his dream of being a surgeon. Dramatic, amusing, ironic and poignant, these stories finally demystify those distant, unapproachable, masked-and-gowned figures known as surgeons.

"I want readers, including students interested in medicine, to appreciate what surgical training entails," states the author. "They should understand that residents begin as servants to their patients and, if they remain loyal to their calling, emerge as professionals with the same characteristic. I hope that readers gain confidence in their surgeons by understanding the training commitment they undertook and the extraordinary demands it placed upon them and their families."

Lawrence W. Norton, M.D., graduated from Colgate University and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. After interning at Cincinnati General Hospital, he trained as a resident at University of Colorado and University of Kentucky. Following certification by American Board of Surgery, he served as a medical missionary in India for five years. Eventually he became a professor and Chief of General Surgery at University of Arizona and, later, University of Colorado. Since his retirement, he travels extensively with his wife in developing countries as a visiting professor, lecturer and a volunteer surgeon in government and mission hospitals.

Xulon Press, a division of Salem Communications, is the world's largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 8,000 titles published to date. Retailers may order Masked and Gowned: The Making of a Surgeon through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors. The book is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.