Shepherd.com invites authors to write heartfelt reviews of other people’s books on a topic related to their own work. The site is a rabbit hole that you will LOVE exploring, so go ahead and click on, for example, “The best books about America’s toughest time: life in the dirty thirties” or “The best children’s books with an important life lesson.”
Each of the five books I chose was written for when you find yourself in the health care maze and need to borrow courage, sharpen your senses, and navigate as best you can.
- Aftershock: What to Do When the Doctor Gives You–Or Someone You Love–A Devastating Diagnosis, by Jessie Gruman. First line of my review: “Don’t bring flowers to a newly diagnosed friend, bring this book.”
- The Long COVID Survival Guide: Stories and Advice from Twenty Long-Haulers and Experts, edited by Fiona Lowenstein. I wrote: “I love how this book centers on the experiences of people living with Long Covid who not only point out the inequities of our health systems but also give practical advice about getting a diagnosis, navigating care, asking for help, and contributing to research.”
- The Caregiver’s Encyclopedia: A Compassionate Guide to Caring for Older Adults, by Muriel R. Gillick. My take: “When I became the caregiver for an elder cousin, this book gave me the information and tools I needed to get him the best care possible and then, in the end, to spring him from the hospital so he could die at home, as he wished.”
- Josie’s Story: A Mother’s Inspiring Crusade to Make Medical Care Safe, by Sorrel King. Why I loved this book: “Grief, the unreleased love for a child, compelled the author to demand–and accomplish–systemic change that has saved lives.”
- A Beginner’s Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death, by BJ Miller and Shoshana Berger. My endorsement: “My mom and I are competing to see who can give away more copies of this book; we love it that much.”
(Click here to read my full review of each book.)
Note: I love and recommend many more books on these themes! But Shepherd requires you to pick five and it does make for a focused list.
What books do YOU recommend when friends or family members ask for recommendations about how to navigate health and wellness? Comments are open.
Image: Four of the five books I recommend (because of course I’ve recently loaned my copy of the Caregiver’s Encyclopedia!)
Do my eyes deceive me or is this the first comment on this post???
Somehow I missed this in the flood when it first came out. Oddly (given my attitudes, as you well know) I don’t HAVE such a list, and this makes me wonder why not. We-all need to get some discussion going about this – there are thousands of social posts on how awful it can be but I never thought of how to help others get wise.
I would LOVE to see your list of 5 books. Shepherd.com’s requirement that it be such a limited number — and described in a few sentences — forces you to think deeply about your choices. I highly recommend it as a site and as a method for making such lists!
My other list, which I will write up when I have time: Top 5 memoirs about defending yourself against the U.S. health care system.