The Citadel / A.J. Cronin 368 pp.

I read this book at least twice in my twenties and loved it. My older, more cynical self doesn't love it anymore, but I still find it worthwhile. A young Scottish doctor, Andrew Manson, begins his career in a 1920s Welsh mining town with high ideals which are gradually eroded through years of practice. The dialogue is dated, but in a charming way, and the issues that Andrew struggles with remain current.