What's your favorite book on medicine??

[lastbastion]

So, yeah, pretty straightfoward. Can be about medical procedures, doctors, medical school, etc.

My favorite out of all of mine is Ben Carson's autobiography "Gifted Hands".

How about you?

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[OB1🤙]

The House of God.

 

[Samoa]

Originally posted by Hawaiian Bruin
The House of God.

That was a classic!

 

[ispic]

Hi,

"Learning to play God", by Marion.

Good stuff although a little dated for us today. All these "God" books out there by docs, maybe a little of the old school god-complex or something else

 

[krevelli]

My favorite would have to be by Dr. Christian Barnard, a sort of medical history and in-depth look at the heart. The book is VERY out-of-print, and I read the Swedish version of it (loosely translates into something like "My beating heart"). Very well-written and recommendable, if you can find it that is.

 

[fava]

anybody ever read "a fortunate man" by john berger?
i don't think i've ever talked to anyone else who's read it, but i really liked it a lot.

 

[klinzou]

I have read almost all of these. Someone start writing something new.

 

[emedCleo]

I've said this before... Catch-22, a war novel, is my favorite book on medicine.

Loved House of God & M*A*S*H*, but Catch-22 is way crazier.

Lately, my book of the moment is Steadman's concise dictionary. Perfect for my short attention span. So far, every term I wanted to know is in there, even the words I swear must have been typos.

Cleo

 

[lastbastion]

Hey, I read Becoming a Doctor, and boy was I upset at his final decision.

To go through medical school and then not to pursue residency should be a crime!

He took a perfectly good applicant's spot, someone who would probably have gone through residency and would have spent their life as a practicing physician.

Really gets me mad, ya heard?

 

[bustinbooty]

I truly enjoyed the medical masterpiece, "Everybody Poops"

 

[bustinbooty]

By the way, has anybody read the sequel to House of God called "Mount Misery". Is it worth taking the time to read?

 

[klinzou]

flindophile- Thanks.

I haven't read Severed Trust or The Coming Plague. I'll have to get on amazon and get em now.

 

[krevelli]

Great. I didn't realize I was signing up for a spoiler to Becoming a Doctor. Thanks guys! I'm about halfway through the book right now, and while I think it's very very well-written, I was really disappointed because I didn't think I had bought a biography (I bought it online), but more of how one 'becomes a doctor'. Anyhow, it is not the best book I've read on medicine by faaar - he writes well, I'll give him that, but otherwise, nah...

 

[bermy]

Osler's "A Way of Life" and other addresses, with commentary and annotations--it's pretty old, but a great read.

 

[daria]

Not All of Us are Saints, by David Hilfiker. About a doc who switches from rural practice to running a shelter & clinic for homeless men in inner-city D.C, has to deal with depression & burnout, etc. I keep lending it out, not getting it back, and having to buy a new one (3x now), if that says anything for it. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in working with urban underserved folks.

How We Die - Reflections on Life's Final Chapter, by Sherwin Nuland. Death (in many different contexts - including doctor's own family, many different causes) from the perspective of a doctor. Sounds profoundly depressing, but somehow I didn't find it so.

On Doctoring, edited by Richard Reynolds et. al. A collection of stories, poems, essays, etc. about doctoring, being a patient, dying, etc. For those of literary bent.

I have the Nuland book too; didn't like it ALL that much, in part because I thought the guy had a staggering sense of self-importance.

 

[gramcracker]

Complications, by Gawande
Hospital, by Lewis

 

[CaptainJack02]

First Cut: A Season in the Human Anatomy Lab by Albert Howard, III Carter, Howard Carter (listing from amazon)

Looks at first term anatomy at emory med sch. the guy is a writer (a damn good one) and he spends a semester at emory along with regular med students in the anatomy lab.

he writes about what they do, but goes a tad deeper into historical roots, philosophy, etc. good for those curious about anatomy lab.

best,
captjack

BTW, listen to the California Guitar Trio! Good stuff!

 

[linguo1]

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down...by Anne Fadiman. An amazing story about a Hmong family in CA with a daughter who has epilepsy. A great intro to some of the cultural barriers in medicine, and a absolutely intriguing read.

also, if anyone needs a break from medical stuff, milan kundera is always a favorite of mine.

 

[doc05]

Cecil Textbook of Medicine

 

[fava]

Originally posted by linguo1
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down...by Anne Fadiman. An amazing story about a Hmong family in CA with a daughter who has epilepsy. A great intro to some of the cultural barriers in medicine, and a absolutely intriguing read.

true. i meant to recommend this book, as well. really good (and important, i think) read.

i've seen it on lots of people's bookshelves over the years...

 

[monkeyarms]

"if i get to five" by fred epstein is dope. he's a peds neurosurgeon who has been recovering from an epidural hematoma, and the book is sort of a retrospective on how his patients have dealt with their conditions.

"anatomy of a child" by darshak shangavi is also pretty good. it's sort of a gawande rip-off, but it's still very enjoyable. each chapter he takes on an organ system and just laces it with stories from his peds residency.

 

[deleted6669]

THE GREATEST BENEFIT TO MANKIND- A HISTORY OF MEDICINE

IT'S A THICK ONE SO BE READY.....