Best Medicine: Stories of Healing

A collection of medical stories from various eras and perspectives, including authors such as Chekhov, Conan Doyle, Somerset Maugham, and William Carlos Williams, explores the meaning of illness and life.

Format: Hardback
Length: 512 pages
Publication date: 01 April 2021
Publisher: Everyman

This captivating collection of medical stories explores its theme from various eras and perspectives, featuring a diverse array of authors. Some of these authors, including renowned names such as Chekhov, Conan Doyle, Somerset Maugham, and William Carlos Williams, had personal experiences as physicians. Meanwhile, Bulgakov draws on his own experiences as a doctor in rural Russia during the early 20th century, while Anna Kavan's story from "Asylum Piece" takes a surreal and introspective look into a Swiss psychiatric clinic. Lorrie Moore's poignant and witty narrative, "People Like Us Are the Only People Here," delves into the emotions of a parent coping with their child's battle with pediatric oncology, known as "Peed Onk."

Maupassant, Stevenson, Kipling, Conrad, Graham Greene, O. Henry, J. G. Ballard, Robert Heinlein, Dorothy Parker, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Alice Munro are among the esteemed authors who contribute their works to this anthology. Within these tales, doctors and patients engage in a fascinating interplay, with doctors observing and patients observing in turn. The roles of nurses, often overlooked but crucial in their own right, are also highlighted. While not everyone experiences healing, the exploration of the meaning of illness and life itself takes center stage in the most entertaining and thought-provoking manner imaginable.

This collection offers a unique and insightful perspective on the human condition, delving into the complexities of medicine, illness, and the human spirit. It serves as a testament to the power of storytelling to shed light on the intricacies of the human experience and to inspire empathy and understanding. Whether you are a medical professional or simply someone with an interest in the human condition, this collection is sure to captivate and engage you.

Weight: 502g
Dimension: 136 x 188 x 41 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781841596297