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Tooth and Nail: The Making of a Female Fight Doctor Kindle Edition

by Linda D. Dahl (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 72 ratings
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A Syrian American surgeon chronicles her path to becoming one of New York City’s first female ring-side boxing doctors in this exhilarating memoir.

Fresh out of medical school, Linda Dahl began her surgical residency in the Bronx as a total fish out of water. Growing up in a Middle Eastern family in the American Midwest, she was a born outsider, and in her new community in New York, she felt even more isolated. Even at work she struggled to fit in: among her fellow specialists, she was one of the only women.

One night, at her husband’s urging, Dahl watched a boxing match between Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya. Seeing Mosley survive against the odds gave Dahl hope that she, too, could find her footing. As her fandom grew, boxing became a way to connect with her patients and community. Later, when she was in practice on the Upper East Side, Dahl received a phone call from the New York State Athletic Commission. They were looking for a fight doctor. Dahl accepted.

Tooth and Nail chronicles the years Dahl spent as an ear, nose and throat surgeon by day and a ringside physician by night. Intrepid, adrenaline-fueled and loaded with behind-the-scenes takes on famous boxers, including Mike Tyson, Wladimir Klitschko and Miguel Cotto, Dahl’s story offers a modern examination of sexism, dislocation, the theater of boxing and a road map for how to excel in two very different male-dominated worlds.

A Boston Globe Best Sports Book of 2018

Praise for Tooth and Nail

“In examining the classic fight to survive with a lens that feels paradoxically universal and unique, Dahl has written a memoir with enough fisticuffs for the fight fan, enough medicine for the scalpel supplicant and enough human drama for anyone who has ever felt alienated . . . Dahl’s punchy prose maintains two feet squarely on the ground, plugging away at the challenges she faced in the male-dominated worlds of medicine and boxing . . . In atavistic victory or poleaxed defeat, Dahl views her powerful reflection in a blood-sprayed mirror.” —Paste Magazine

“Entertaining. . . . Dahl offers a unique look at the world of boxing in this uplifting story about realizing one’s destiny.” —Publishers Weekly

“Dahl makes funny observations about the macho ringside crowd. . . . This is one fascinating tale.” —Booklist
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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
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  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Hanover Square Press
  5. Publication date
    July 24, 2018
  6. File size
    989 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Noise, blood and adrenalin, pressure, excitement and money-Tooth and Nail gives the reader a ringside seat alongside a young doctor as she treats injured boxers in a succession of brutal professional bouts. Linda Dahl is one of those rare writers who, like the fighters she cares for, has strength and style, grit and grace."--Judy Melinek, M.D., New York Times bestselling co-author with T.J. Mitchell of Working Stiff

"In describing in vivid detail the most violent of human sports, Dr Linda Dahl exposes her life of violence-in her family, in her surgical training, and in doctoring New York's elite-and how she learned, from the most unlikely of sources within and outside of the boxing ring, to transform herself from observer and willing victim of violence towards self-awareness, self-confidence, and mastery of her craft. Well-written, compelling, and revealing, Tooth and Nail provides unvarnished insights about power, sexuality, professional identity, and personal transformation-in the ring and in the clinic."-Ronald Epstein, M.D., author of Attending



“The human face was not built to be punched, but if you’re a boxer, that’s unavoidable—and you’re going to need some first-rate doctoring to put you back together as the need arises. Most of us don’t think much about the work fight doctors do, which is why we’re fortunate that Linda D. Dahl, the rare female M.D. to work the professional fight circuit, has written this smart, funny, poignant account of what she saw and learned in locker rooms, gyms and on the ringsides of bouts. It’s a tale of medicine and feminism and quirky characters in dramatic settings. And it’s one that may make you look at boxing in a new way. “I felt raw and alive,” Dahl writes about her emotions after working a fight. “This violence didn’t seem wrong. It seemed honest. It gave these men an outlet I didn’t have…” Love boxing or hate boxing, you will tumble for this book.—Jeffrey Kluger, author of Apollo 13 and Apollo 8



“It’s strange: I hate boxing but I love this book. Dahl’s tale of identity, femininity and power shines brightly as proof that inspiration and mentorship can spring from the unlikeliest of sources. I rooted for her every step along the way and, at the end, had to applaud her for pioneering an odd but compelling genre of memoir that I can only describe as ‘grit-glam.’”—Katrina Firlik, M.D., author of Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside



“Ever wonder what happens to a fighter after he’s been pummeled in the ring? Ever wonder what it’s like to be a woman trying to prove, even to herself, that she belongs in a male-dominated world? In Tooth and Nail, Linda Dahl pulls back the curtain on both. I was absolutely enthralled by Dahl’s journey from Upper East-Side physician to Madison Square Garden fight doctor, and you will be too. Rife with gender politics and one woman’s struggle to belong, this book is timely. But it’s also just a good story well-told. Read it.”—Kevin Hazzard, author of A Thousand Naked Strangers: A Paramedic's Wild Ride to the Edge and Back



"[An] entertaining memoir.... Dahl offers a unique look at the world of boxing in this uplifting story about realizing one’s destiny."—Publishers Weekly



"A fascinating tale."—Booklist



“Tooth and Nail tackles not only sexism but racism, classism, alienation, desperation and the practical benefits of cultivating an inner dominatrix. In examining the classic fight to survive with a lens that feels paradoxically universal and unique, Dahl has written a memoir with enough fisticuffs for the fight fan, enough medicine for the scalpel supplicant and enough human drama for anyone who has ever felt alienated.”—Paste Magazine



“A delightfully colorful memoir… Dahl recounts her journey, starting with her Midwestern roots to becoming a doctor with some of the best stories at any dinner table.”—Washington Post's The Lily



“Funny, candid and easy to follow. Dahl talks boxing, but the book is more of a memoir about a young woman's quest to succeed on her terms.”—The Oklahoman

About the Author

Linda D. Dahl is an otolaryngologist in private practice in Manhattan. A native Midwesterner, Dahl received her MD from the University of Minnesota Medical School. She is the author of Clinician’s Guide to Breastfeeding.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B077DC1T7Z
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hanover Square Press; Original edition (July 24, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 24, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 989 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 72 ratings

About the author

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Linda D. Dahl

Linda D. Dahl

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Linda D. Dahl, MD is a pioneering Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor in private practice in Manhattan. She started her own breastfeeding practice and developed a methodology to bring mothers together without pain, frustration, or multiple visits, treating more than 23,000 baby/mom pairs over nearly 2 decades. Congruently, she has become one of the top doctors for the professional voice, treating patients from the Broadway community, opera singers, screen actors, and major recording artists. Early in her career, she was one of only a few women to ever serve as a ringside doctor for the New York Athletic Commission. A native Midwesterner, Dahl received her M.D. from the University of Minnesota Medical School and did her residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
72 global ratings
Engaging, inspiring
5 Stars
Engaging, inspiring
I attended the book release and hearing Dr. Dahl read her own words out loud was inspirational. The memoir itself is moving in many different ways, giving the reader a glimpse into a world that is seldom seen. The melding of both the boxing and medical fields, attached with her own personal journey navigating both, whilst discovering her true self kept me captivated and in awe through its entirety. 5/5 highly recommend
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Top reviews from the United States

Books are Life
5.0 out of 5 stars The fearless story of a doctor we would all love to have
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2021
Verified Purchase
What struck me the most about this fascinating memoir is the fearlessness of Dr. Dahl, who persisted in the face of so many obstacles, from a close encounter with Mike Tyson to taking care of men whose faces have been permanently damaged in the ring. If you're looking for a story of power and strength, hard won, by a woman who made it in NY by way of North Dakota, this is the book for you.
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LT511
5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised that I loved this so much!
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this book. I would never have expected to, as boxing doesn't interest me much. However, Amazon recommended it, probably because I've purchased other female memoirs. I was intrigued by all the positive reviews. I must say, they were right! Such an interesting, well written book. The boxing piece is quite interesting, but that's not the heart of the story. There's so much more. I think it would appeal to women of course, but really to anyone that's ever felt that they struggled to fit in at times, for whatever reason. Excellent book, I highly recommend!
One person found this helpful
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Andrew Parks
5.0 out of 5 stars The inside story told with honest precision
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2021
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An expertly written memoire. Linda Dahl reveals a great talent for recollection and shares vividly a less well known realm of the fight game. Her wit and wisdom come through on every page. An enjoyable story for everyone, not just the boxing fan.
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Joseph K Dillon
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth the time to read
Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2018
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This was an intriguing read. It was easy to stay engrossed with Dr. Dahl's struggles; she approached the situations from angles unexpected and was not shy about exposing some of the sexism of her occupations, and the prejudices many of us would like to pretend don't exist. While she did find success as a fight doctor, the story alludes that the opportunity fell into her lap. Overall, a very thought provoking experience, combined with a hero who finds success though her determination.
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C. Alterman
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting, thought provoking and entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2018
Verified Purchase
I absolutely loved this book. Dr. Dahl's incredibly unique experiences navigating the male-dominated worlds of boxing and otolaryngology manage to somehow be universally relatable. Not just relatable, riveting. I didn't want this book to end. It is filled to the brim with humor - and a sense of adventure that belies the rocky beginnings of her life and career. There is so much personality in the writing, you'll probably find yourself falling in love not only with the book but perhaps with Dr. Dahl herself. I have already recommended it to many friends.
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Michael
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring Story!
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2021
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Tooth and Nail really hit home with me, I found the story to be compelling and interesting all the way through to the end, in fact, I would love to read what happens to the author next!
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Joseph M Agosta
5.0 out of 5 stars An EXCELLENT book!
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2021
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Tooth and Nail was an amazing read! So well written. The story line was extremely engaging and the fact that it was a true story made it even better. Dr. Dahl’s personal and professional journey was truly inspiring.
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RAG
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read...insightful and funny
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2020
Verified Purchase
As a NYC ENT doc who also trained in the South Bronx, Dr. Dahl’s book was nostalgic - and accurate

Her personal growth through such trying circumstances are encouraging for all young physicians - especially female docs

Congratulations , Dr Dahl on such a fine and entertaining book
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