Untold Stories (Alan Bennett) Several eloquently written pieces of interest to those interested in medicine / general practice: about a close family dealing with/ not dealing with the taboo of mental illness and suicide; coming to terms with being gay and also having cancer. He says some frank things about the doctors involved in these parts of his life and how they came across to him, which might be interesting to reflect on. Some are written in diary form, some as essays or as fiction, but accompanied by autobiographical commentary, which is quite illuminating.
It’s not about the bike- my journey back to life (Lance Armstrong) A first-hand account of cancer and chemotherapy
The spirit catches you and you fall down (Anne Fadiman) Farrar Straus & Giroux Inc. A fantastic description of transcultural medicine and misunderstanding in USA
Brick Lane (Monica Ali) What it is like to be a Muslim in Britain...or one version of it
C: Because cowards get cancer too (John Diamond)
The curious incident of the dog in the night-time (Mark Haddon)
The diving bell and the butterfly (Jean-Dominique Bauby)
The bell jar (Sylvia Plath)
And when did you last see your father? (Blake Morrison)
Before I say goodbye (Ruth Picardie)
Bad Science (Ben Goldacre) A book written by a doctor with the aim of educating non-scientists in 'how to spot bullshit' when pseudo-medical stories appear in the press. Written with ascerbic wit and a crusading zeal. Superbly clear and accessible.
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