Linda D. Dahl has never been one to back down from a challenge. A child of a Middle Eastern family in the Midwest, she always felt like an outsider, a feeling that only grew as one of the only women in her medical residency. It’s no surprise that when the New York Athletic Commission tapped her as one of the first female fight doctors, she didn’t blink. Tooth and Nail: The Making of a Female Fight Doctor (Hanover Square Press, July 24, 2018) chronicles the years Dahl spent as an ENT surgeon by day and a ringside physician by night. Fresh, timely, and magnetic, Dahl will inspire readers with her resolve in the face adversity… and maybe convince them to watch a match or two.
Linda Dahl arrived in the South Bronx to start her residency fresh from the Midwest. Scheduled with long hours and an overwhelming workload, she felt even more isolated as one of the few women in the program. One night, at her husband’s urging, Dahl watched a boxing match between Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya. Watching Moseley survive against the odds gave Dahl hope that she too could find her footing. As her fandom grew, boxing became a way to connect with her patients. Then, Dahl received a phone call from the New York Athletic Commission. They were looking for a fight doctor. She accepted.
Perfect for fans of Judy Melinek, Pauline Chen and Atul Gawande, Tooth and Nail is an intrepid, adrenaline-fueled memoir loaded with behind-the-scenes takes on famous boxers including Miguel Cotto, Wladimir Klitschko, and, of course, Mike Tyson (and his pigeons).
Through it all, she weaves a unique commentary on the power dynamics that influence women every day.
“Well-written, compelling, and revealing,” (Ronald Epstein, M.D., author of Attending) Dahl’s story offers a modern examination of sexism, dislocation, as well as a roadmap for how to excel in two very different, male-dominated worlds.
Linda Dahl is an otolaryngologist in private practice in Manhattan. She was one of only a few women to ever serve as a ringside doctor for the New York Athletic Commission. A native Midwesterner, Dahl received her M.D. from the University of Minnesota Medical School. She is the author of a Clinician’s Guide to Breastfeeding: An Evidence Based Evaluation.