Getting Well:

Tales Of Great Medical Successes

written by SAMMY BALDWIN

REFERENCE LIBRARIAN WASHINGTON COUNTY FREE LIBRARY

As the world slowly begins to return to normal, now is a great time to settle down and read some tales of great medical successes. Washington County Free Library is here to deliver with these great memoirs.

‘How I Learned to Understand the World’ by Hans Rosling

Rosling, the late World Health Organization adviser and co-founder of Sweden’s Doctors Without Borders, uses his memoir to reflect on his journey through health care. This book isn’t about data; it’s about the human element of health care. From questionable teaching practices in medical school and difficulties conducting medical research under dictatorship rule in Cuba, to adjusting to the stark differences in available health care and infrastructure in Liberia and Mozambique, Rosling’s memoir embodies the curiosity and humbleness that made him so well-known.

‘In Pain’ by Travis Rieder

Opioid dependence and addiction have touched many lives, but it is important to know there is hope. After a motorcycle accident in 2015, Travis Rieder developed opioid dependence, which was followed by acute opioid withdrawal. As a bioethicist, he places his own story against the backdrop of the American health care system, exploring the science of addiction and the systemic and cultural barriers that must be addressed.

‘Nothing General About It’ by Maurice Benard

If you were anything like me growing up, you had a huge crush on Sonny Corinthos from “General Hospital.” But did you know that the actor, Maurice Benard, has bipolar disorder? This collection of memoirs about health and wellness wouldn’t be complete without a book about mental health, and Benard’s memoir delivers. “Nothing General About It” explores the importance of family, friends and a medical team when dealing with mental illness. Benard isn’t shy about sharing the darker truths about his bipolar disorder, including his medication, moments when he was institutionalized and how he managed his manic episodes. This memoir is honest and heartfelt, possibly one of my favorite celebrity memoirs.