More book reviews at cmaj.ca
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**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

![Figure1](http://www.cmaj.ca/https://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj/181/5/293/F1.medium.gif)

[Figure1](http://www.cmaj.ca/content/181/5/293/F1)

Image courtesy of Women’s Press

**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

![Figure2](http://www.cmaj.ca/https://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj/181/5/293/F2.medium.gif)

[Figure2](http://www.cmaj.ca/content/181/5/293/F2)

FIGURE. No caption available.