Broke: Patients Talk about Money with Their Doctor

Doctors in this age of shortened office visits often neglect to take care of their own personal histories, but Michael Stein takes the time to listen to the experiences of his patients who face financial challenges. He asks them about their financial conditions to better treat them and to witness their survival and resilience. Broke is a passionate critique of a country that has grown callous to the plight of the poor, offering heartbreaking and surprising details and framed by empathic humor.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2020
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

In this era of shortened office visits, doctors often prioritize attending to their patients' immediate needs, often neglecting their own personal histories. However, as depicted in Michael Stein's novel Broke, Stein takes the time to genuinely listen to the experiences of his patients, particularly those facing financial hardships, as their financial challenges intricately influence every decision they make in their lives. Stein's approach goes beyond simply seeking better treatment for his patients; he also aims to bear witness to their survival and the remarkable resilience of the human spirit. Through intimate vignettes, Stein captures these encounters, allowing his patients to offer profound, moving, and unguarded reflections about their struggles, often condensed into a single sentence.

Broke is a powerful critique of a society that has become indifferent to the struggles of the poor, encompassing the tens of millions of individuals in the United States who reside below the poverty line and face limited opportunities for stability. Within its pages, filled with heartbreaking and unexpected details, Stein employs a wry, insightful, and empathetic humor to shed light on the experiences of those facing economic hardship. No other book offers such a comprehensive and compassionate exploration of this particular demographic.

Weight: 248g
Dimension: 127 x 176 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781469661148