Written by descendants with access to extensive letters, this is an account of the life of one of the China Inland Mission's most distinguished doctors.

Such records provide valuable accounts for those interested in the history of Chinese medical missions. Anyone thinking of going to China should read it to set their own service in a wider context. The life of any successful man or woman has much to teach us all, especially if that life is committed to Christ and the gospel. The courage of Arthur Douthwaite and his two wives (he died aged 50 before he could marry his third bride-to-be) is a challenge to the complacency that often passes for Christian discipleship today. Arthur's constant grappling with conflicting demands – his heavy clinical load versus his strong sense of calling to preach the gospel – has a contemporary ring. His published research in the China Medical Missionary Journal reminds us of the huge contribution medical missionaries have made to the progress of medical science. The Double Dragon? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out. Do so, and be reminded of the shortness of life and the sweetness of heaven.