On Call

A Doctor's Journey in Public Service

By: Anthony Fauci M.D.

Narrated by: Anthony Fauci M.D.

#1 New York Times Bestseller

The memoir by the doctor who became a beacon of hope for millions through the COVID pandemic, and whose six-decade career in high-level public service put him in the room with seven presidents

“An eventful autobiography [and] a classic American story…Gripping.”—The Washington Post

“One of the most consequential and most prominent [careers] in American medicine in the past fifty years.”—Jerome Groopman, The New Yorker

Anthony Fauci is arguably the most famous – and most revered – doctor in the world today. His role guiding America sanely and calmly through Covid (and through the torrents of Trump) earned him the trust of millions during one of the most terrifying periods in modern American history, but this was only the most recent of the global epidemics in which Dr. Fauci played a major role. His crucial role in researching HIV and bringing AIDS into sympathetic public view and his leadership in navigating the Ebola, SARS, West Nile, and anthrax crises, make him truly an American hero.

His memoir reaches back to his boyhood in Brooklyn, New York, and carries through decades of caring for critically ill patients, navigating the whirlpools of Washington politics, and behind-the-scenes advising and negotiating with seven presidents on key issues from global AIDS relief to infectious disease  preparedness at home. ON CALL will be an inspiration for readers who admire and are grateful to him and for those who want to emulate him in public service. He is the embodiment of “speaking truth to power,” with dignity and results.

Wonderful, insightful story.

This is a fantastic read. I expected dry- this isn't it. I love that he doesn't overly "dumb down" any speech. The story is incredible- he's lived a really intensely industrious and service oriented life. The only tiny criticism I have is that his speech is quite slow- but listening at 1.2 speed solves the issue! Recommend 100%!!

The author's compassion

The fact that he spoke it in his own voice made it very compelling to listen to. I really enjoyed every page of the book.

An American Hero

As a physician-in-training who not only lived through the AIDS epidemic but experienced the loss of a family member and my kids’ gymnastics coach to this rotten disease, I was most interested in in the behind-the-scenes look at things I only learned from afar at the time. This book will serve as the most important look at the world of epidemiology and immunology probably ever written, and be read by students for years to come. What a lesson in perseverance and intestinal fortitude it is! With all my heart I am grateful to Dr. Fauci for his guidance through COVID and I am so glad he was in the right place at the right time when we needed him. I’m only sorry he didn’t have a President who understood science and cared about people and would listen to him as this epidemic began. He dealt with that topic with remarkable restraint. Thank you Dr. Fauci, and may you have a wonderful retirement teaching others by your example. Especially enjoyed how you spoke slowly and clearly so that the listener could follow the intricate details that most lay people would otherwise have a hard time understanding.

Clear insights into important history

The message is delivered like a long conversation about important issues. It is clear. It is concise.

I always loved Dr Fauci

I love memoirs. I was so excited to see this pop up as a suggestion for me. I was a frontline hcw and worked the entire pandemic in a SNF in NY, right out side the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. I took care of many individuals who passed away alone or survived severe Covid infection but had suffered strokes as a result of blood clots. Dr. Fauci was always someone I looked to for guidance and a calm voice of reason during those really trying times. I was excited to learn his point of view and many books that mention Covid usually trigger me and I cannot listen or read much. Dr. Fauci as always was calm and I didn't feel overwhelmed or flooded with emotions. The rest of this review contains spoilers.


I wish Dr. Fauci discussed his first marriage a little more, discussed the death of his father and discussed a little more about the aids pandemic and what it meant socially. I was born in the late 80s and I don't remember a lot about the aids pandemic but I do remember learning about HIV/Aids prevention in elementary and middle school.

If by chance, Dr. Fauci or a member of his family reads this review, he is a real treasure.

I admire him narrating this book and his voice was soothing, calming and the Brooklyn accent is still there and I love it!