The struggle to perform well is universal, but nowhere is this drive to do better more important than in medicine. In his book, Atul Gawande explores how doctors strive to close the gap between best intentions and best performance in the face of obstacles that sometimes seem insurmountable. He discusses the ethical dilemmas of doctors' participation in lethal injections, examines the influence of money on modern medicine and recounts the contentious history of hand-washing. Finally, he gives a brutally honest insight into life as a surgeon.