Faao Barber

The One-Eyed Surgeon with Only One Thumb Faao Barber

This book tells of the life of an extraordinary physician who overcame a teenage hunting accident in which he lost his left thumb and left eye. Through hard work and diligence, he became an excellent surgeon and medical leader in Central Illinois. The highlight of his career was the two years during World War II that he spent above the Arctic Circle repairing injured soldiers. After the war, he returned to Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, to become a leader in the medical community. He was from the era of five-dollar office visits and eight-dollar house calls although he was quick to reduce his fees and care for the indigent. He loved to tell stories, so many of his favorite stories are retold in this book.