It seems strange recommending books when we all use IT so much but there are reasons. There are obviously books mentioned here that will help you with your studies towards being a GP. You would naturally choose such books but they will be grounded in medicine and science. Sheffield University suggest that medical humanities are the interface between medicine and science on one hand, and arts and social sciences on the other. The University's aim is to "locate, understand and privilege what it is to be human." You will not be able to do this well by using medical and science texts alone, so since GP is about understanding the "human condition," we have added novels that are either directly or indirectly related to medicine and science. We hope it will give you a different perspective. It is also possible it may help you to remember. For some reason, people get more connected to a text when it is in book form. This has something to do with the way you read the text and the physical senses stimulated by holding a book. Otherwise audiobooks especially if you have a bit of a commute or love walking or running can be a great way to immerse yourself. Give it go!
This list is not comprehensive – I’d love to know wat else you’d like to add to the list and some reviews would be amazing. I have tried to categorise this list in some way, some books belong in more than one list, some defy categorisation. All are worth reading.
Palliative Care/Ethics/Holistic Care
Non Fiction
With the end in mind - Kathryn Mannix
The other side - Kate Granger
Late Fragments - Kate Gross
The Bright Hour - Nina Riggs
C because cowards get cancer too - John Diamond
Before I say goodbye - Ruth Picardie
Dear life - Rachel Clarke
When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi
Being Mortal – Atul Gwande
The last act of love - Kathy Rentzenbrink
Psychiatry
Non Fiction
Henry’s Demons - Patrick and Henry Cockburn
Instrumental - James Rhodes
Welcome to Biscuitland - Jessica Thom
Brain on Fire - Susanna Cahalan
Reasons to stay alive - Matt Haig
Falling into the fire - Christine Montross
Heavy Light - Horatio Clare
Living Better - Alistair Campbell
Fiction
Anxious People - Fredrick Backman
Larchfield - Polly Clarke
Neurology
Non Fiction
The Unmapped Mind - Christian Donlan
It’s all in your head - Suzanne O’Sullivan
The Sleeping Beauties - Suzanne O’Sullivan
Patient - Ben Watt
The Salt Path - Raynor Wynn
Fiction
Inside the O’Brians - Lisa Genova
A boy made of blocks - Keith Stuart
Paediatrics
Non Fiction
Mothership - Francesca Segal
Far from the tree - Andrew Solomon
Fiction
Wonder - RJ Palacio
Love, Anthony - Lisa Genova
My Name is Leon - Kit de Wall
A boy made of blocks - Keith Stuart
A monster Calls - Patrick Ness
Everything, Everything – Nicola Yoon
ACEs/Trauma
Non Fiction
My name is Why - Lemn Sissay
Instrumental - James Rhodes
The body keeps the score - Bessel van der Kolk
Just a Girl - Sammie Woodhouse
The Trauma Cleaner - Sarah Krasnostein
My Name is Leon - Kit de Wall
Rose, interrupted - Patrice Lawrence
The Star outside my window - Onjali K Rauf
Gender
Non Fiction
Love lives here - Amanda Jette Knox
The Trauma Cleaner - Sarah Krasnostein
Fiction
This is how it always is - Laurie Frankel
Frailty/Older Adults/Dementia
Non Fiction
The book about getting older - Lucy Pollock
Romany and Tom - Ben Watt
Fiction
Three things about Elsie - Joanna Cannon
Elizabeth is missing - Emma Healey
Grief
Non Fiction
Ask me his name - Elle Wright
The madness of grief - Richard Coles
H is for Hawk - Helen McDonald
Option B - Sheryl Sandberg
Fiction
A song for Issy Bradley - Carys Bray
A monster calls - Patrick Ness
The Trick to Time - Kit de Wall
Grief is the thing with feathers – Max Porter
Culture and Expectation/Holistic
Non Fiction
A dutiful boy - Mohsin Zaidi
The Spirit Catches you and you fall down - Anne Fadiman
The Salt Path - Raynor Wynn
Homelessness
Non Fiction
Four Feet under - Tamsen Courtney
Fiction
How to find home - Mahsuda Snaith
Understanding Yourself and other People Better
Talking to Strangers - Malcolm Gladwell
How to fail - Elizabeth Day
Failosophy - Elizabeth Day
The Secret Life of Doctors - Caroline Elton
Negotiation Skills
The power of a positive no - William Ury
Getting to Yes
Never Split the Difference - Chris Voss
Other (also brilliant and worth reading but which defy categorisation)
Non Fiction
Bad pharma - Ben Goldacre
A fortunate man - John Berger
The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks
Fiction
Mend the living - Maylis de Kerangal (the film is amazing too)
The Great Believers - Rebecca Makkai (especially if you loved “It’s a Sin” on TV)