Writer, M.D.: The Best Contemporary Fiction and Nonfiction by Doctors

by Leah Kaminsky

From Chekhov to Maugham to William Carlos Williams, doctors have long given voice to their unique perspectives through literature. Writer, M.D. celebrates this rich tradition with a collection of fiction and nonfiction by today’s most beloved physician-writers, including,

• Abraham Verghese, on the lost art of the physical exam

• Pauline Chen, on the bond between a med student and her first cadaver

• Atul Gawande, on the ethical dilemmas of a young surgical intern

• Danielle Ofri, on the devastation of losing a patient

• Ethan Canin, on love, poetry, and growing old

These essays and stories illuminate the inner lives of men and women who deal with trauma, illness, mortality, and grief on a daily basis. Read together, they provide a candid, moving, one-of-a-kind glimpse behind the doctor’s mask.

Genres: Nonfiction, Medical, Medicine, Short Stories, Essays, Memoir, Science

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2010

About the author

Leah Kaminsky, is a physician and award-winning writer. Her debut novel The Waiting Room won the Voss Literary Prize and was shortlisted for the Helen Asher Award. The Hollow Bones, won the 2019 International Book Awards in both Historical Fiction & Literary Fiction Categories. Doll's Eye will be published in 2023. We’re all Going to Die has been described as ‘a joyful book about death’. She edited Writer MD and co-authored Cracking the Code. Her poetry collection, Stitching Things Together, was a finalist in the Anne Elder Award. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Reviews

[Susan]

Anyone who follows my reading lists knows that I am a medical memoir junky.

In the case of this book, I would have liked to give 5 stars to the non-fiction parts and 2 to the fiction. Since that is not an alternative, I will say that the non-fiction memoirs were really excellent.

[Tom]

A book of short stories by or about physicians. The Lost Mariner, by Oliver Sacks, my favorite.

[Noof]

The nonfiction stories were amazing but sadly the fictional stories were not as good.

[SHR]

Hard to rate this one with an overall rating as the book features a fiction section and a non-fiction section. 5 stars for the non-fiction, beautifully written, moving pieces. 2 stars for the fiction, most if it didn't appeal. Jacinta Hallooran's "Finding Joshua" and Peter Goldworthy's "The Duty to Die Cheaply" were the best of the fiction for me.

[Andrea Rothman]

The stories in this collection unveil with astonishing clarity the private lives of doctors and patients and the complex bond between them. Medical jargon never capsizes the narrative, which is crisp and emotionally resonant. To read this book was an illuminating experience.

[tisasday]

Five stars for the nonfiction section and one star for the fiction section. Thankfully the former takes up 80% of the pages!

[Danielle]

The Pauline Chen essay was remarkable.

[Zement]

Covincing collection with many essays and stories that make me want to read more by their authors.

[Thomas Kalinoski]

Easy read, entertaining

[Aline Kho]

3 𖤐

[Clare Collins]

This book was split into a section of non-fiction and fiction, both written by doctors. The non-fiction essays were significantly better than the fiction ones. I had trouble getting super into it and I definitely skimmed the fiction section. Only a couple of the doctors discussed patient interaction and how they learned to empathize with the people they were treating, which is what I like to read about.

[Marilyn]

Only read the nonfiction stories. Briefly looked over the fiction; didn't look as interesting. Brought a human side to doctors. Some do have a conscience, are emphatic and occasionally are not as arrogant as they portray themselves to be. Learned that medicine is truly and art – science aside.

[Mark]

As a physician, I especially enjoy reading works of other clinicians. These stories brought back memories of patients and clinical situations that reminded me of the privilege and duty of our profession.

[Tina]

The nonfiction was great -- I particularly enjoyed Atul Gawande's "The Learning Curve." The fiction, on the other hand, was somewhat unappealing.

[Jenny]

Tough to read some of the non-fiction, only kind of read the first fiction story and skimmed the rest of the fiction. Interesting, but I can't remember why I picked up this book, to be honest.

[Lawrence Wolfe]

If you read only one story in this book read Danielle Ofri's. It is a heart wrenching story of her training in internal medicine. She also is the author of wonderful book "Singular Intimacies."

[Elise]

The non-fiction stories in this are amazing, and the fiction ones are terrible.
Seriously. Don't read the fiction ones.

I only give this book four stars because of the non-fiction stories.

[Judy]

Really liked the non-fiction chapters. Did not like the fiction chapters.