Is narrative medicine for everyone?: Although the concepts and practice of narrative medicine come of age in the expertly written book, Narrative in Health Care (Radcliffe Publishing; 2008), the underlying philosophy isn’t really anything new and the practice may not be for everyone. —Shane Neilson MD, Guelph, Ont.
A life in letters: Sir Andrew Macphail (1864–1938), the founding editor of CMAJ and an internationally renowned essayist on political, social and intellectual themes, is the fascinating of subject of this new biography:Sir Andrew Macphail: The Life and Legacy of a Canadian Man of Letters (McGill-Queen’s University Press; 2008). — Charles G. Roland MD, Burlington, Ont.
Breast cancer blog: Laurie Kingston provides intimate glimpses into the day-to-day reality of living with breast cancer in Not Done Yet: Living Through Breast Cancer (Women’s Press; 2009). For the busy practitioner, this book gives meaning to the stark exterior facts of the disease.—Sharon Batt MA, Halifax, NS
The cisapride tragedy: Terence Young’s 15-year-old daughter Vanessa was taking cisapirde for “mild bulimia” when she died in 2000. Death by Prescription: A Father Takes on His Daughter’s Killer — the Multi-Billion-Dollar Pharmaceutical Industry (Key Porter Books; 2009) is a powerful recounting of Young’s journey to find out why his daughter died. — Thomas L. Perry MD, Vancouver, BC