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Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health
From medical expert Leana Wen, MD., an insider’s account of public health and its crucial role—from opioid addiction to global pandemic—and an inspiring story of her journey from struggling immigrant to being one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People
“Public health saved your life today—you just don’t know it,” is a phrase that Dr. Leana Wen likes to use. You don’t know it because good public health is invisible. It becomes visible only in its absence, when it is underfunded and ignored, a bitter truth laid bare as never before by the devastation of COVID-19.
Leana Wen—emergency physician, former Baltimore health commissioner, CNN medical analyst, and Washington Post contributing columnist—has lived on the front lines of public health, leading the fight against the opioid epidemic, outbreaks of infectious disease, maternal and infant mortality, and COVID-19 disinformation. Here, in gripping detail, Wen lays bare the lifesaving work of public health and its innovative approach to social ills, treating gun violence as a contagious disease, for example, and racism as a threat to health.
Wen also tells her own uniquely American story: an immigrant from China, she and her family received food stamps and were at times homeless despite her parents working multiple jobs. That child went on to attend college at thirteen, become a Rhodes scholar, and turn to public health as the way to make a difference in the country that had offered her such possibilities.
Ultimately, she insists, it is public health that ensures citizens are not robbed of decades of life, and that where children live does not determine whether they live.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published July 27, 2021
138 people are currently reading
3910 people want to read
About the author
Leana Wen
3 books87 followersDr. Leana Wen is an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University. She is also a contributing columnist for the Washington Post and a CNN medical analyst.
Previously, she served as Baltimore’s health commissioner, where she led the nation’s oldest continuously-operating public health department.
She is the author of the book, When Doctors Don’t Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Tests (St. Martin’s Press, 2013) and a forthcoming memoir, Lifelines: A Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health (Metropolitan, July 2021).
Wen lives with her husband and two young children in Baltimore.
Previously, she served as Baltimore’s health commissioner, where she led the nation’s oldest continuously-operating public health department.
She is the author of the book, When Doctors Don’t Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Tests (St. Martin’s Press, 2013) and a forthcoming memoir, Lifelines: A Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health (Metropolitan, July 2021).
Wen lives with her husband and two young children in Baltimore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
March 16, 2025
While I enjoyed this for the most part, a lot of it was very dry. I get it, it's non-fic and medical, but so was ON CALL, which I loved. I found the bits about Dr. Wen's upbringing more satisfying than her her work in Baltimore.
📖 Thank you to Goodreads and Metropolitan Books
📖 Thank you to Goodreads and Metropolitan Books
September 28, 2021
I first saw Dr. Leana Wen during the 2020 pandemic crisis on CNN appearing as a medical analyst. I was impressed with the clarity and coherence with which she was able to answer questions related to COVID-19. When I learned that this book had been published, and that it was a combination of memoir and advocacy for public health, I knew I wanted to read it.
Wen was born in Shanghai, China to parents who suffered through the Cultural Revolution, and her father spent time in prison for his work as a dissident. When she was nearly eight years old she and her father came to the U.S. to join her mother who had previously been able to move to Utah on a student visa to attend graduate school. Just before their visa expired her father was able to obtain political asylum, but their living situation was stressful because they were economically poor and Leana Wen had bad asthma. The family’s reliance on Medicaid and the public health system was part of the motivation for her to later become an emergency medical doctor and public health official.
The story of how she was able get through college, into medical school, and earn multiple scholarships is a story of meeting the right mentors at the right time and receiving the best advice when needed. Of course hard work, initiative, and native intelligence played their part too. The following is how she describes it in the "Epilogue: Life Lessons" section of the book.
She served for less than a year as President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She describes her short tenure to be due to lack of support from within the organization for her emphasis on PPFA being a full service medical services provider.
Wen also describes some of her more personal experiences and challenges. One was the story of how she met her husband and some issues related to their having two children. One interesting incident she describes is a time when everyone in their family became sick with COVID. There was no way she could take care of the family and also avoid exposing herself to the virus. She didn’t become infected which may have been due to the J&J vaccine trial she had previously entered. There is a fifty percent chance that she got the vaccine, not the placebo. She never indicates in the book if she ever learned for sure which shot she had received.
I was astounded to learn that she took special therapy to overcome stuttering. It was surprising to me because I was always impressed with how articulately she spoke when she appeared on CNN. In retrospect it occurs to me that perhaps one reason she enunciates her words so precisely is because she has given extra attention to that skill.
Leana Win has previously co-authored the book, When Doctors Don't Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Tests . She is currently a Public Health Professor at George Washington University. She has lived a remarkable life, and I’m sure she has many more years to go.
Coincidentally, I heard Leana Win interviewed on NPR this morning in which she commented on New York State's vaccine mandate.
Wen was born in Shanghai, China to parents who suffered through the Cultural Revolution, and her father spent time in prison for his work as a dissident. When she was nearly eight years old she and her father came to the U.S. to join her mother who had previously been able to move to Utah on a student visa to attend graduate school. Just before their visa expired her father was able to obtain political asylum, but their living situation was stressful because they were economically poor and Leana Wen had bad asthma. The family’s reliance on Medicaid and the public health system was part of the motivation for her to later become an emergency medical doctor and public health official.
The story of how she was able get through college, into medical school, and earn multiple scholarships is a story of meeting the right mentors at the right time and receiving the best advice when needed. Of course hard work, initiative, and native intelligence played their part too. The following is how she describes it in the "Epilogue: Life Lessons" section of the book.
I was blessed with people to look up too. My family's sacrifice to chi ku had everything to do with who I was able to become. So did the generous guidance of the mentors I was lucky to meet along the way. If not for Dr. Garcia's faith in me, I might never have thought I could become a doctor. If not for the alumni I met through him and Dr. Paulson, I would never have learned the unwritten rules of applying for medical school; without them, I almost certainly would not be a doctor today.The heart of the book is the account of her years serving as Baltimore’s Health Commissioner. It is in this position that she describes the need for greater investment in public health programs to combat racism, poverty, gun violence, and other social ills. One position she takes is that racism is a health problem—an indicator of this can be seen by comparing divergent life expectancies of neighboring Zip Code areas. Quite often the book’s narrative makes the statement, “I thought to myself, this is a solvable problem!” She then proceeds to explain how they dealt with the problem.
She served for less than a year as President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She describes her short tenure to be due to lack of support from within the organization for her emphasis on PPFA being a full service medical services provider.
Wen also describes some of her more personal experiences and challenges. One was the story of how she met her husband and some issues related to their having two children. One interesting incident she describes is a time when everyone in their family became sick with COVID. There was no way she could take care of the family and also avoid exposing herself to the virus. She didn’t become infected which may have been due to the J&J vaccine trial she had previously entered. There is a fifty percent chance that she got the vaccine, not the placebo. She never indicates in the book if she ever learned for sure which shot she had received.
I was astounded to learn that she took special therapy to overcome stuttering. It was surprising to me because I was always impressed with how articulately she spoke when she appeared on CNN. In retrospect it occurs to me that perhaps one reason she enunciates her words so precisely is because she has given extra attention to that skill.
Leana Win has previously co-authored the book, When Doctors Don't Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Tests . She is currently a Public Health Professor at George Washington University. She has lived a remarkable life, and I’m sure she has many more years to go.
Coincidentally, I heard Leana Win interviewed on NPR this morning in which she commented on New York State's vaccine mandate.
July 8, 2021
Doctors are trained to diagnose, treat and ameliorate patient’s illnesses. Dr. Leana Wen does this, of course, but she has an extra gene deeply embedded within her psyche, heart and brain that goes further. She cares for the patient. Really, really, truly cares about their well-being, their health and their society, especially those who are poor.
I once shadowed Dr. Wen during her tenure as Baltimore’s Health Commissioner. At the end of the day my overwhelming thought was she actually cares about the city’s inhabitants. She wants to reach them with public health services that can improve their lives. This isn’t just her job. It’s a calling.
Wen is the nation’s flag-bearer for public health, which is much more than stopping an infection or a cough. “It’s housing. It’s food. It’s clean air. It’s education. It’s the social supports that give everyone their best chance to survive. Public health straddles the worlds of science, advocacy, medicine and politics,” she writes in ‘Lifelines,’ an exemplary memoir of her lifelong fight to secure the essentials of health care for the people least able to secure it themselves.
‘Lifelines’ is a great title for a well-written engrossing story. The pages glide by. Wen, now 38, was born in China, emigrated to the U.S. as a girl, lived in an impoverished family sustained by public housing and benefits. She thrived in school and started college as a young teen.
In medical school she founded a chapter of the American Medical Student Association at Cal State L.A., was elected a national board member and advocated fighting for better health care. She specialized in emergency medicine because it was the one place in a hospital hierarchy where no patients are turned away.
Nicholas Kristof, the NYT columnist, selected Wen out of hundreds applicants for one of his annual Win-a-Trip essay contests, offering her the extraordinary opportunity to travel to Africa. In the Congo she tried to treat Yohanita, a tiny child-size woman lying on the ground in a hut dying of starvation.
Wen won a Rhodes Scholarship; took a Lehman Brothers internship to study South Africa’s health care system; obtained medical residency at Massachusetts General Hospital emergency room, which coincided with the marathon bombing; and moved to Washington to help start a center for patient-centered care research at George Washington University.
As Baltimore’s doctor she re-aligned resources, staff and connections around the city. She substantially increased access to naloxone — an antidote to opioid overdose —
which she cited as the entry point to gain attention and galvanize political will for public health in the city. She promoted violence prevention, newborn baby care, distribution of eyeglasses to children throughout the public school system, and over and over again tried to persuade people that opioid addiction is a health issue.
As president of Planned Parenthood, Wen advocated the brilliant strategy of branding the organization as a mainstream national health care organization with advocacy as a necessary vehicle to protect rights and access. “Reproductive health care is health care. Women’s health care is health care. And health care is a fundamental human right,” she said.
She sought to de-politicize the organization because she said, “When it comes to health care, people want the same things. It doesn’t matter if they are poor or rich, Democrat or Republican, from a big city or rural town.”
She doesn’t burn bridges. She doesn’t berate those she disagrees with. She looks at issues from all sides. She searches for a common thread on which to build agreement. “Better is good, perfect is not on the menu. Governing requires finding common ground,” she said.
This is the story of a young woman’s Herculean drive to make public health a national priority. She is brilliant, zealous, fearless and absolutely beyond ambitious.
Yes, read this book! You’ll be inspired with a shot of renewed fervor in your own life and you’ll support the issues Wen is fighting for next time you have an electoral choice.
###
I once shadowed Dr. Wen during her tenure as Baltimore’s Health Commissioner. At the end of the day my overwhelming thought was she actually cares about the city’s inhabitants. She wants to reach them with public health services that can improve their lives. This isn’t just her job. It’s a calling.
Wen is the nation’s flag-bearer for public health, which is much more than stopping an infection or a cough. “It’s housing. It’s food. It’s clean air. It’s education. It’s the social supports that give everyone their best chance to survive. Public health straddles the worlds of science, advocacy, medicine and politics,” she writes in ‘Lifelines,’ an exemplary memoir of her lifelong fight to secure the essentials of health care for the people least able to secure it themselves.
‘Lifelines’ is a great title for a well-written engrossing story. The pages glide by. Wen, now 38, was born in China, emigrated to the U.S. as a girl, lived in an impoverished family sustained by public housing and benefits. She thrived in school and started college as a young teen.
In medical school she founded a chapter of the American Medical Student Association at Cal State L.A., was elected a national board member and advocated fighting for better health care. She specialized in emergency medicine because it was the one place in a hospital hierarchy where no patients are turned away.
Nicholas Kristof, the NYT columnist, selected Wen out of hundreds applicants for one of his annual Win-a-Trip essay contests, offering her the extraordinary opportunity to travel to Africa. In the Congo she tried to treat Yohanita, a tiny child-size woman lying on the ground in a hut dying of starvation.
Wen won a Rhodes Scholarship; took a Lehman Brothers internship to study South Africa’s health care system; obtained medical residency at Massachusetts General Hospital emergency room, which coincided with the marathon bombing; and moved to Washington to help start a center for patient-centered care research at George Washington University.
As Baltimore’s doctor she re-aligned resources, staff and connections around the city. She substantially increased access to naloxone — an antidote to opioid overdose —
which she cited as the entry point to gain attention and galvanize political will for public health in the city. She promoted violence prevention, newborn baby care, distribution of eyeglasses to children throughout the public school system, and over and over again tried to persuade people that opioid addiction is a health issue.
As president of Planned Parenthood, Wen advocated the brilliant strategy of branding the organization as a mainstream national health care organization with advocacy as a necessary vehicle to protect rights and access. “Reproductive health care is health care. Women’s health care is health care. And health care is a fundamental human right,” she said.
She sought to de-politicize the organization because she said, “When it comes to health care, people want the same things. It doesn’t matter if they are poor or rich, Democrat or Republican, from a big city or rural town.”
She doesn’t burn bridges. She doesn’t berate those she disagrees with. She looks at issues from all sides. She searches for a common thread on which to build agreement. “Better is good, perfect is not on the menu. Governing requires finding common ground,” she said.
This is the story of a young woman’s Herculean drive to make public health a national priority. She is brilliant, zealous, fearless and absolutely beyond ambitious.
Yes, read this book! You’ll be inspired with a shot of renewed fervor in your own life and you’ll support the issues Wen is fighting for next time you have an electoral choice.
###
July 17, 2021
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway. I was excited to read it and I really wanted to love it, but it stays on the surface of so many different and important topics and doesn’t provide much new information about any of them. The back cover says that the book includes the story of Dr. Wen’s life, which is fascinating (born in China, moved to the US in elementary school, starts college at 13, etc.), but it felt more like reading a resume than reading about a real person — I would have liked to see more detail, more emotion. In her discussion of her career so far, she doesn’t spend very long in any one place and the book jumps from topic to topic without really explaining anything. The brief accounting of her time at Planned Parenthood feels more like an attempt at image rehab than an exposition of what happened and why. Then she tackles Covid-19 at the end. This book could be a good introduction to the concept of public health for people new to the topic. Had the entire book been about her time in Baltimore, with a deep dive on one or two of the areas she worked on, I think it would have been a much better book.
October 13, 2021
A public health official tells of her experiences in Baltimore fighting the opioid crisis and COVID-19 and watches poor political choices cause death and disease due to misinformation and negligence.
July 21, 2021
Have you ever started reading a book and and find that you could not put it down? Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health is one such book! Dr. Leana Wen is a natural story teller. From the first chapter, where she lays the foundation that “public health is our lifeline” to the final chapter, where she shares some worthy lessons from her journey, this book gives us a front-row view and a rare glimpse of the life-events and decisions that shaped her remarkable life and her work. We are given front row seat to watch in fascination how she handled life’s hardest hits in her early life, to her purposeful pursuit of her dreams through her teen years and adulthood. We meet the important figures in her life—from her Nai Nai and Ye Ye to mentors who took an interest in her, guided her, and shaped her character, to the loves of her life: her life partner Sebastian, and children Eli and Isabella. Lifelines is not only an autobiography, it is interlaced with thoughtful and methodical explanations of why Public health plays such an important role in our society. In Lifelines, Dr. Leana Wen gently guides the reader in understanding the essential and multifaceted role of Public Health in our society. She does that effectively by interweaving her own experience with health, public policy, and the environment with vivid examples with real people, and a clear explanation of impact when there is a lack of a coherent Public Health policy. I highly recommend this very timely and fascinating book.
September 21, 2021
I’ve got a major girl crush on the superwoman that is Leana Wen. Her book was so well written and inspiring, I can only hope to make a fraction of the impact she has already made (and she is continuing to be a mover and shaker!). If I wasn’t already interested in Public Health this book would definitely spark that fire. The first line on the back of the book is “Public health saved your life today—you just don’t know it,” and that could not be more true. Healthcare is so much more than the hospital and Dr. Wen did an AMAZING job articulating various factors that can play up the social determinants of health. She became a doctor to save those who needed saving but then realized that medicine alone cannot save so many people who need help and pivoted to find a career that would allow her to do even more. I loved reading her thoughts on topics such as family planning services, protesting, opioid use, police brutality and more. Her book’s timing was such that she was also able to include a snippet about COVID and how that emphasizes the health inequities across the US. On a personal note, she also shares her story and how her and her family had to “eat bitter” in order to get to the sweet. Her book has given me a newfound energy to find my path and make the world just a little bit brighter.
November 30, 2021
We see Dr. Wen as a medical commentator on TV and as a syndicated columnist. This book brings Dr. Wen to life, and a surprising life it is. Born in China, she comes to America as a child, while her parents are astoundingly ill equipped to face the American scene. Wen is frank about her fraught relationship with her mother, who is hard working but distant and critical. The family is poor, often on public assistance and occasionally homeless. When Wen's little sister is born, she is shipped back to China, as the family cannot afford another mouth to feed at the time. Wen suffers from a humiliating stutter, which she valiantly tries to conceal, even from her parents. But Wen is brilliant and diligent and excels in her studies. As a medical doctor, she comes to realize that public health is her passion. She loves her eventual position as public health commissioner for Baltimore. I have a close connection with Baltimore, and I was interested in her take on the political figures of the time. She was there during the unrest arising from the death of Freddie Gray. Like me, she held Congressman Elijah Cummings as a personal hero, and she named her first child Eli in his honor. When she leaves Baltimore to become national head of Planned Parenthood, her vision for public health was at odds with the organization's focus on abortions, and she was fired. Wen goes on to a career as commentator and teacher, and she decries this country's dismal record in dealing with the pandemic. She becomes pregnant and delivers a daughter during the pandemic, and her fears and uncertainty during this perilous time are frankly described. In an interview, Wen said her choice for the title of the book was "Public Health Saved Your Life Today." Her publisher insisted that she include more of her personal history. It is a remarkable story and well worth the read.
April 6, 2023
3.5/5
If you like memoirs and public health, this book is for you. I wish all providers, and political leaders for that matter, had the empathy and overall understanding of public health that Dr. Wen uses in her practice and policy.
If you like memoirs and public health, this book is for you. I wish all providers, and political leaders for that matter, had the empathy and overall understanding of public health that Dr. Wen uses in her practice and policy.
February 17, 2023
Anyone working in Healthcare in any form will benefit from reading this book!
April 8, 2025
great, informative book on why public health is so important. i thought the parts about her own experiences and her relationship with her mom and all the different positions she’s held in her career so far were really interesting. “are you from china” is a crazy first sentence from the man who eventually becomes your husband lol
July 7, 2021
Wow, what a life! And she's younger than me! I mean, she's not even close to done! I can't wait to see what Dr. Wen does next.
She emigrated from China when she was 8 with her parents who were being persecuted by the government. Her parents were intellectuals and even though the Cultural Revolution was long over, remnants remained. In particular, her father kept getting arrested and beaten.
Luckily her mother had a degree in English and got into a graduate program in Utah, so they were able to come to America. When her program was over it took several nerve-wracking years for them to receive refugee status. During this time they were often homeless (despite her mother's Ph.D. it's amazing how few companies are willing to sponsor immigrants as it's quite expensive. Her father's grasp of English was tenuous so even though he was an engineer, he was lucky to get menial jobs here, plus he had health problems.) While living in terrible but cheap housing in LA, she saw several neighbors die, not only from poor health and poor health options, but from their immigration status that scared them away from calling 911 in a crisis. This later inspired Leana to go into Emergency Medicine.
Her little sister was born but because her parents couldn't afford more than one child (in fact, they arguably couldn't afford even one), they sent her to China to live with her grandparents. Leana heard this argument and it made her determined to not be a burden to her parents any longer than absolutely possible so Angela could come home. Because of that, she researched and found out about a program where she could skip high school, and enter college after 8th grade, at 17. So that's what she did. At first when I heard this I assumed she was a privileged brainiac but the truth was almost the opposite--she studied very hard and worked even harder, and she went to Cal State LA, not a fancy Ivy League school. After college, she applied to MD/PhD programs, again, not because she was a brainiac, but because straight MD programs don't offer any scholarships. She dropped the PhD part of the program after two years as she truly wasn't into it. After med school, she postponed her internship because she had won a Rhodes Scholar spot and studied at Oxford. But she didn't get in the first year she applied--but she also didn't give up.
And this is how she became the Public Health Commissioner of Baltimore at 32. By getting a giant head start. That didn't mean she is any better than me or you--it really just means she's always worked harder, and in a practical sense she will also work longer, having entered the work force so much younger. Along the way she's had some great mentors, and she's also been dedicated to various programs helping underprivileged students and been a great mentor herself.
The second half of the book does really get into what public health truly means. It's not just emergency rooms and health departments--it's hurricane preparedness, elder care centers, and poverty. Every single day, your life is touched by public health, from restaurant inspections to prenatal care to violence prevention. I especially loved a program of violence prevention that hires ex-cons to work in their old neighborhoods, deescalating situations and teaching techniques to calm situations.
Yes, of course, the book ends with coronavirus and COVID-19, as up to date as possible. As much as Dr. Wen does strive throughout the book to stay out of politics and stay wedded to science for her arguments in any situation, she can't stay neutral about the inept response from the Trump administration as people die.
She has a truly inspirational and aspirations life story, and has dedicated her life to the common good. If even half our governmental and policy administrators were half as effective and passionate as her, we'd be in very good hands.
She emigrated from China when she was 8 with her parents who were being persecuted by the government. Her parents were intellectuals and even though the Cultural Revolution was long over, remnants remained. In particular, her father kept getting arrested and beaten.
Luckily her mother had a degree in English and got into a graduate program in Utah, so they were able to come to America. When her program was over it took several nerve-wracking years for them to receive refugee status. During this time they were often homeless (despite her mother's Ph.D. it's amazing how few companies are willing to sponsor immigrants as it's quite expensive. Her father's grasp of English was tenuous so even though he was an engineer, he was lucky to get menial jobs here, plus he had health problems.) While living in terrible but cheap housing in LA, she saw several neighbors die, not only from poor health and poor health options, but from their immigration status that scared them away from calling 911 in a crisis. This later inspired Leana to go into Emergency Medicine.
Her little sister was born but because her parents couldn't afford more than one child (in fact, they arguably couldn't afford even one), they sent her to China to live with her grandparents. Leana heard this argument and it made her determined to not be a burden to her parents any longer than absolutely possible so Angela could come home. Because of that, she researched and found out about a program where she could skip high school, and enter college after 8th grade, at 17. So that's what she did. At first when I heard this I assumed she was a privileged brainiac but the truth was almost the opposite--she studied very hard and worked even harder, and she went to Cal State LA, not a fancy Ivy League school. After college, she applied to MD/PhD programs, again, not because she was a brainiac, but because straight MD programs don't offer any scholarships. She dropped the PhD part of the program after two years as she truly wasn't into it. After med school, she postponed her internship because she had won a Rhodes Scholar spot and studied at Oxford. But she didn't get in the first year she applied--but she also didn't give up.
And this is how she became the Public Health Commissioner of Baltimore at 32. By getting a giant head start. That didn't mean she is any better than me or you--it really just means she's always worked harder, and in a practical sense she will also work longer, having entered the work force so much younger. Along the way she's had some great mentors, and she's also been dedicated to various programs helping underprivileged students and been a great mentor herself.
The second half of the book does really get into what public health truly means. It's not just emergency rooms and health departments--it's hurricane preparedness, elder care centers, and poverty. Every single day, your life is touched by public health, from restaurant inspections to prenatal care to violence prevention. I especially loved a program of violence prevention that hires ex-cons to work in their old neighborhoods, deescalating situations and teaching techniques to calm situations.
Yes, of course, the book ends with coronavirus and COVID-19, as up to date as possible. As much as Dr. Wen does strive throughout the book to stay out of politics and stay wedded to science for her arguments in any situation, she can't stay neutral about the inept response from the Trump administration as people die.
She has a truly inspirational and aspirations life story, and has dedicated her life to the common good. If even half our governmental and policy administrators were half as effective and passionate as her, we'd be in very good hands.
July 25, 2021
As someone passionate about public health, I have followed Dr. Wen's work as a public health leader throughout the years. Lifelines delves deeply into this work and her broader reflections on public health as an emergency medicine physician and public servant. What I enjoyed most about Lifelines was learning about Wen's story, and about what inspired/s her journey and life decisions. As a daughter of immigrants and future doctor, Wen's candid discussion of her journey into medicine and her experience as an immigrant resonated especially deeply.
Wen organizes the book in three main sections: Learning, Leading, and Transforming. Each provides the behind-the-scenes of different eras of her life and work. I've read the books of several well-known medical writers over the years and found Wen's writing style to be one of the most compelling. As a writer, Wen's voice is distinct in its ability to be engaging, candid, and deeply reflective all at once. Often times while reading, I felt as though I was sitting with a close friend or trusted mentor and listening to them reflect on the experiences that brought them to where they are, all while modeling the kind of humble transparency needed in the public sphere. Her vulnerability with her readers makes certain sections of the book incredibly moving, such as when she discusses her mother's final months or her struggles with stuttering. Throughout reading the book, I found myself repeatedly inspired by Wen's tenacity and ability to be vulnerable about the things she's struggled with most. Her voice as a writer and candor makes the book hard to put down; I quickly finished the book over the course of two days.
If you are interested in the role of physicians in the U.S. public sphere, or specifically in learning about the behind-the-scenes of some of Dr. Wen's work – such as her work as Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department – I highly recommend this book. As a graduate student, I research urban health governance and found her discussion of Baltimore's opioid crisis and her time leading BCHD's work tackling the crisis to be candid and insightful.
Finally, there is no doubt that Dr. Wen is one of our nation's foremost public health leaders. However, what struck me the most while reading Lifelines is that she is also a genuinely inspiring, warm, and humble person. We need more people like her in public health and in the public sphere.
Wen organizes the book in three main sections: Learning, Leading, and Transforming. Each provides the behind-the-scenes of different eras of her life and work. I've read the books of several well-known medical writers over the years and found Wen's writing style to be one of the most compelling. As a writer, Wen's voice is distinct in its ability to be engaging, candid, and deeply reflective all at once. Often times while reading, I felt as though I was sitting with a close friend or trusted mentor and listening to them reflect on the experiences that brought them to where they are, all while modeling the kind of humble transparency needed in the public sphere. Her vulnerability with her readers makes certain sections of the book incredibly moving, such as when she discusses her mother's final months or her struggles with stuttering. Throughout reading the book, I found myself repeatedly inspired by Wen's tenacity and ability to be vulnerable about the things she's struggled with most. Her voice as a writer and candor makes the book hard to put down; I quickly finished the book over the course of two days.
If you are interested in the role of physicians in the U.S. public sphere, or specifically in learning about the behind-the-scenes of some of Dr. Wen's work – such as her work as Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department – I highly recommend this book. As a graduate student, I research urban health governance and found her discussion of Baltimore's opioid crisis and her time leading BCHD's work tackling the crisis to be candid and insightful.
Finally, there is no doubt that Dr. Wen is one of our nation's foremost public health leaders. However, what struck me the most while reading Lifelines is that she is also a genuinely inspiring, warm, and humble person. We need more people like her in public health and in the public sphere.
August 19, 2021
This is a brilliant book from a brilliant young physician-leader, Leana Wen. I am inspired by her immigrant journey, her grit and tenacity and her openness in sharing her challenges of job loss, postpartum depression and many other challenges on her path. I used to enjoy watching her on CNN because she always had compassionate insight. (I don't watch CNN anymore for my own ethical reasons, however she was one of the reasons I would actually keep watching if I didn't decide to boycott it).
This book shows a woman's strength and thoughtful observations about public health and what the US can do to make our country more equitable and, frankly, better.
If Leana Wen ever runs for president, I will volunteer my services to help her win.
Highly recommend this book!
June 16, 2021
Although Lifelines is a public health story, it reads like a novel! I was drawn into Dr. Wen’s story and felt I got to know her as a person rather than a public figure while I read this outstanding book. Dr. Wen is so much more than a public health hero. She is a first-generation immigrant, a physician, a mother, a patient advocate, amongst many other things. She ties all these roles together seamlessly while also discussing the necessity of public health, a message so critical for this moment. I finished this extremely well written book thinking “what can Dr. Wen not do?” and recommend it most highly. Fair warning, you may not be able to put it down!
October 31, 2024
4✨
This is the kind of book I will pass on to other professionals in my realm, to students considering public health. It’s an insightful look into what public health really means its impact on our society and lives. I really enjoyed Dr. Wen’s ability to give us perspective from both macro and micro levels, especially when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Solidly good read.
—
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📚 Instagram: @whataprilreads
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This is the kind of book I will pass on to other professionals in my realm, to students considering public health. It’s an insightful look into what public health really means its impact on our society and lives. I really enjoyed Dr. Wen’s ability to give us perspective from both macro and micro levels, especially when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Solidly good read.
—
✍🏽 Follow me on Goodreads for more reviews like this!
📚 Instagram: @whataprilreads
🐝 Keep tabs on me here, so you know when I start a new project! https://linktr.ee/whataprilreads
October 7, 2021
I love memoirs, and this was no exception. I learned so much about public health, what it means and why it matters. The author has an inspirational life story, from young immigrant to early teen college student, to ER doc to public health leader and spokesperson. She is practical and plain-spoken, creative and innovative in her approach to problems. She narrates the book.
February 15, 2022
The opioid epidemic, gun violence, trauma, reproductive rights, COVID. A doctor, a commissioner, a POC, an immigrant, a mom and wife just telling her story. Literally all of the above. Dr. Wen is an amazing leader, a passionate advocate, and a compelling writer. Even though I’m educated on public health issues, I still found myself uncovering information I hadn’t heard before. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to read a memoir, but also looking to educate themselves.
September 7, 2021
This book combined two of my favourite genres. On one hand, Dr. Wen gave an open and vulnerable memoir discussing some of the adversities and challenges she has encountered. On the other hand, it gave honest and eye-opening accounts of some of our biggest public health challenges today. It was well-written & engaging overall :)
July 2, 2025
This was the book that put into words exactly what I want to do with my career. I read this book three years ago and still occasionally think about Dr. Wen's story and reference her ideologies on health. LOVE this autobiography so so much.
September 21, 2021
Fascinating look into the world of Public Health, as well as Dr. Wen's early life living in China and immigrating to the US. So interesting to read about health issues from an insider's view.
June 29, 2022
Dear Joaquin,
I mean peace love public health ofc but need a summer time read 🤣
Cheers,
Jillian
I mean peace love public health ofc but need a summer time read 🤣
Cheers,
Jillian
September 13, 2021
I admire the author's actions on behalf of public health and I really enjoyed reading her inspiring personal story. There is a lot in this book that will stick with me. Highly recommended.
July 7, 2021
Leana Wen is a millennial Mahatma Gandhi of public health policy, passionately dedicated to championing the marginalized in our society. In her origin story, Lifelines, she shares her personal story as a child immigrating to America, growing up in poverty in Los Angeles, and her transformation to a doctor and public health advocate. As a person who stutters, she inspires me to continue to believe that all things are possible and to fight for a world that treats every person with dignity and humanity.
June 28, 2023
must read for anyone affiliated w public health/medicine, may have changed course of my career
July 26, 2021
Lifelines: A doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health
Leana Wen, MD
Review: Ellen Heller July 25, 3021
Dr. Leana Wen’s memoir, “Lifelines: A doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health” is an incredible, inspiring story of a brilliant, courageous, and passionate doctor’s quest for saving lives and providing an equitable system for health, housing, food and education of people in need.
As she writes,” Public health is a powerful tool for wellness, success, and social justice. Hunger and safety, poverty and women’s rights, are all public health issues.” Dr. Wen’s life’s story reminds us that one person can make a large impact on improving life for others notwithstanding formidable challenges along the way. As we move through the devastations of a pandemic and political crisis, “Lifelines” provides a motivating and reassuring reason to work together to improve and save lives.
The book is really a “tale of two stories”. The first is of a poor, immigrant child making her way in the world, and the second is of the crucial role of public health in addressing poverty, crime, racism—and, of course, health issues.
Dr. Wen was born in Shanghai, China. She was raised by her paternal grandparents in a one-room apartment where the kitchen and washroom facilities were shared in a hallway with a dozen families. For most of her early childhood, her mother lived in a distant city studying for her undergraduate and graduate degrees in English. Her father was a political dissident whose rebellious activities during the Cultural Revolution led to his being caught, jailed, and abused. When Leana was 8, her parents left for the United States when her mother was accepted into graduate studies. The family arrived with only forty American dollars.
The book describes the dire circumstances the family had to overcome. In the 8th grade when Leana was 13 years old’ she passed the Early Entrance Program and entered California State University “with the sole intention of earning a degree and making money to help” her parents. She was graduated summa cum laude and with the determination to become a doctor. Two professors encouraged her dream, and ultimately, she was accepted into 13 medical schools. She accepted Washington University in St. Louis with a full tuition and living stipend. Dr. Wen excelled and became a Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School and a Rhodes Scholar. During that time, as President of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), she learned that being a doctor “is also about advocating and fighting for our patients.” She decided on emergency medicine as her specialty as she knew she wanted to work in health policy and “see the problems of our health-care system firsthand.” The book details her early work in international health in Rwanda and winning Nicholas Kristof’s annual “Win-a-Trip” award in 2007. She also came to recognize that “social determinants of health” like poverty and living conditions play “the “major role, in determining a person’s health and wellbeing.” She “began to see” that if she wanted to be the most effective advocate for her patients, she needed to have formal training in health policy and “learn the discipline of public health to influence the social factors that determine health and well-being.” She states, “It was the field of public health that looked to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy. It was public health that focused on prevention of diseases…in the first instance. It was public health that urged policy makers, health professionals, and patients alike to regard education, housing, food, and transportation as health issues, too.”
The part of the book that best exemplified this for me was the chapter describing her work as the Health Commissioner for Baltimore City. That is where I had the opportunity to witness her dynamic and innovative leadership. Her summary in the memoir allows one to appreciate the successful programs she implemented while “doctor for the city.” She describes her years at the helm of the country’s oldest health department as her “dream job” where she could use an approach based “on science and community-level advocacy and rooted in the principles of social justice…” Dr. Wen was a leader in addressing the significant increase in overdose deaths from addiction. At this point in her life, she and I had the opportunity to meet at a Heroin Task Force convened by the Lt. Governor. As s a senior judge, I had been presiding over a felony drug court initiative at the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Both of us had given testimony on the problem of the opioid crisis. She approached me and observed that both of us had given the same messages: (i) Addiction is a disease and not a crime and (ii) Treatment works. We immediately became friends. She suggested to me (and I accepted) her offer to come to the court and personally educate and instruct the participants on the opioid antidote naloxone. In August 2015 Dr. Wen addressed a crowded courtroom, and personally demonstrated how to use naloxone and patiently answered all questions. The Baltimore City Adult Drug Treatment Court became the first court in Maryland (and perhaps the country?) to train its participants on the use of naloxone. It is now established policy in that court to instruct all new participants on its use to prevent an overdose. Of course, as she describes in further detail, she instituted a city-wide education campaign, had legislation passed that permitted her to issue a city-wide prescription for naloxone and a standing order that after training, outreach workers on needle exchange vans could give naloxone directly. The book also describes other major programs to address the opioid crisis under her leadership including a centralized 24/7 crisis phone number; a high-tech dashboard showing vacancies in treatment programs; a fentanyl task force; and the building of a Stabilization Center, among the first in the country, dedicated solely for addiction and mental health emergency treatment.
Another achievement described in the memoir is Dr.Wen’s response to the death in April, 2015 of a 25 year old African American man, Freddie Gray, from a broken neck and other injuries while he was in police custody being driven in a van. Baltimore experienced a major uprising which Dr. Wen describes: “the world saw Baltimore burn-thousands of cars on fire, hundreds of stores being looted, and crowds of angry youth rioting onto the streets.” The Health Department became a “lead agency” to respond to the violence, and she began communications with all of the City’s hospitals to ensure each one had a security plan as well as a strategy to get staff to and from shifts. She also triaged medical emergencies for patients with doctor’s appointments the next day and arranged transportation for the most critical with needs like chemotherapy and dialysis. Dr. Wen describes the need to make prompt decisions, which resulted in an emergency website being set up to publicize health information. In an emergency, you “need to be the ‘Swiss Army knife’ for every situation.” One her responses was creating a 24-hour phone hotline so that anyone with prescription needs could reach the Health Department to ensure the people would get what the needed. They spread the information to senior-citizen buildings and more than 150 churches. The details of this program as well as the emergency Mental Health and Trauma Response Plan and the emergency food and basic supply program are striking.
In summary, the book is “alive” with details, dramatic episodes, and a myriad of genuine public health responses that alleviated and prevented further harm. It certainly meets Dr. Wen’s intention of showing “the crucial impact of public health on our everyday lives.” As she often states, “ Public health could save your life today”.
Leana Wen, MD
Review: Ellen Heller July 25, 3021
Dr. Leana Wen’s memoir, “Lifelines: A doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health” is an incredible, inspiring story of a brilliant, courageous, and passionate doctor’s quest for saving lives and providing an equitable system for health, housing, food and education of people in need.
As she writes,” Public health is a powerful tool for wellness, success, and social justice. Hunger and safety, poverty and women’s rights, are all public health issues.” Dr. Wen’s life’s story reminds us that one person can make a large impact on improving life for others notwithstanding formidable challenges along the way. As we move through the devastations of a pandemic and political crisis, “Lifelines” provides a motivating and reassuring reason to work together to improve and save lives.
The book is really a “tale of two stories”. The first is of a poor, immigrant child making her way in the world, and the second is of the crucial role of public health in addressing poverty, crime, racism—and, of course, health issues.
Dr. Wen was born in Shanghai, China. She was raised by her paternal grandparents in a one-room apartment where the kitchen and washroom facilities were shared in a hallway with a dozen families. For most of her early childhood, her mother lived in a distant city studying for her undergraduate and graduate degrees in English. Her father was a political dissident whose rebellious activities during the Cultural Revolution led to his being caught, jailed, and abused. When Leana was 8, her parents left for the United States when her mother was accepted into graduate studies. The family arrived with only forty American dollars.
The book describes the dire circumstances the family had to overcome. In the 8th grade when Leana was 13 years old’ she passed the Early Entrance Program and entered California State University “with the sole intention of earning a degree and making money to help” her parents. She was graduated summa cum laude and with the determination to become a doctor. Two professors encouraged her dream, and ultimately, she was accepted into 13 medical schools. She accepted Washington University in St. Louis with a full tuition and living stipend. Dr. Wen excelled and became a Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School and a Rhodes Scholar. During that time, as President of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), she learned that being a doctor “is also about advocating and fighting for our patients.” She decided on emergency medicine as her specialty as she knew she wanted to work in health policy and “see the problems of our health-care system firsthand.” The book details her early work in international health in Rwanda and winning Nicholas Kristof’s annual “Win-a-Trip” award in 2007. She also came to recognize that “social determinants of health” like poverty and living conditions play “the “major role, in determining a person’s health and wellbeing.” She “began to see” that if she wanted to be the most effective advocate for her patients, she needed to have formal training in health policy and “learn the discipline of public health to influence the social factors that determine health and well-being.” She states, “It was the field of public health that looked to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy. It was public health that focused on prevention of diseases…in the first instance. It was public health that urged policy makers, health professionals, and patients alike to regard education, housing, food, and transportation as health issues, too.”
The part of the book that best exemplified this for me was the chapter describing her work as the Health Commissioner for Baltimore City. That is where I had the opportunity to witness her dynamic and innovative leadership. Her summary in the memoir allows one to appreciate the successful programs she implemented while “doctor for the city.” She describes her years at the helm of the country’s oldest health department as her “dream job” where she could use an approach based “on science and community-level advocacy and rooted in the principles of social justice…” Dr. Wen was a leader in addressing the significant increase in overdose deaths from addiction. At this point in her life, she and I had the opportunity to meet at a Heroin Task Force convened by the Lt. Governor. As s a senior judge, I had been presiding over a felony drug court initiative at the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Both of us had given testimony on the problem of the opioid crisis. She approached me and observed that both of us had given the same messages: (i) Addiction is a disease and not a crime and (ii) Treatment works. We immediately became friends. She suggested to me (and I accepted) her offer to come to the court and personally educate and instruct the participants on the opioid antidote naloxone. In August 2015 Dr. Wen addressed a crowded courtroom, and personally demonstrated how to use naloxone and patiently answered all questions. The Baltimore City Adult Drug Treatment Court became the first court in Maryland (and perhaps the country?) to train its participants on the use of naloxone. It is now established policy in that court to instruct all new participants on its use to prevent an overdose. Of course, as she describes in further detail, she instituted a city-wide education campaign, had legislation passed that permitted her to issue a city-wide prescription for naloxone and a standing order that after training, outreach workers on needle exchange vans could give naloxone directly. The book also describes other major programs to address the opioid crisis under her leadership including a centralized 24/7 crisis phone number; a high-tech dashboard showing vacancies in treatment programs; a fentanyl task force; and the building of a Stabilization Center, among the first in the country, dedicated solely for addiction and mental health emergency treatment.
Another achievement described in the memoir is Dr.Wen’s response to the death in April, 2015 of a 25 year old African American man, Freddie Gray, from a broken neck and other injuries while he was in police custody being driven in a van. Baltimore experienced a major uprising which Dr. Wen describes: “the world saw Baltimore burn-thousands of cars on fire, hundreds of stores being looted, and crowds of angry youth rioting onto the streets.” The Health Department became a “lead agency” to respond to the violence, and she began communications with all of the City’s hospitals to ensure each one had a security plan as well as a strategy to get staff to and from shifts. She also triaged medical emergencies for patients with doctor’s appointments the next day and arranged transportation for the most critical with needs like chemotherapy and dialysis. Dr. Wen describes the need to make prompt decisions, which resulted in an emergency website being set up to publicize health information. In an emergency, you “need to be the ‘Swiss Army knife’ for every situation.” One her responses was creating a 24-hour phone hotline so that anyone with prescription needs could reach the Health Department to ensure the people would get what the needed. They spread the information to senior-citizen buildings and more than 150 churches. The details of this program as well as the emergency Mental Health and Trauma Response Plan and the emergency food and basic supply program are striking.
In summary, the book is “alive” with details, dramatic episodes, and a myriad of genuine public health responses that alleviated and prevented further harm. It certainly meets Dr. Wen’s intention of showing “the crucial impact of public health on our everyday lives.” As she often states, “ Public health could save your life today”.
July 24, 2021
In “Lifelines,” Dr. Wen offers a dose of reality—and an unassuming roadmap—for how one takes action against incredible adversity. It is a page-turning memoir, a breath-taking exposure to the systemic challenges of public health, and, perhaps most importantly, a masterclass case study on leadership and decision-making.
Dr. Wen’s story of “facing adversity and finding strength in struggle” inspires readers to take stock of their own hero’s journey. Hers is exactly that—at every step of the way, Dr. Wen worked through seemingly insurmountable challenges, wrestled with choices that bury most, and shows how one cultivates resilience. I appreciated how she wove in her personal experiences in child- and adulthood—being an immigrant from China, asthma, stuttering, family dynamics, college, her relationship, and motherhood—to show how they drove her towards and through the public health fight.
An aspect of Dr. Wen’s courageous journey that jumped off the pages was her commitment to taking action in her personal and professional lives. Dr. Wen showed that change is possible, and we should welcome gradual, incremental changes as we work toward our ultimate goals. Whether it was the lessons she learned from her grandparents and parents, academic mentors, or on-the-job success and failures, Dr. Wen candidly deconstructs her experiences to offer a walk-in-her-shoes perspective on how to navigate challenging circumstances.
While I am not a medical professional, it was Dr. Wen’s willingness to share this kind of first person perspective on why and how she made the choices that she did throughout her life that made it such an invaluable book on leadership and decision-making. I didn’t have to know anything about public health—though it will now be etched in my mind forever—to be captivated by her bias for action and ability to figure things out. She faced fear and took risks, failed at times, and stood up to antiquated processes, which I could easily relate to circumstances in my own life. In relation, Dr. Wen’s pursuit of “good enough” resonated as an antidote to the inaction of perfection that often paralyzes many efforts to make change before they even begin.
Those who are struggling or want to make a difference in this world would be wise to study Dr. Wen’s life and career thus far similarly to the way we do with other great leaders of our time. Lifelines is but the first chapter in what inevitably will be her ascension to prominent leadership positions that will put her on the front lines of change in this country. Her story, courage, and continued evolution will serve as a model for my future.
Thank you for writing your story, Dr. Wen, and for being a mentor from afar.
Dr. Wen’s story of “facing adversity and finding strength in struggle” inspires readers to take stock of their own hero’s journey. Hers is exactly that—at every step of the way, Dr. Wen worked through seemingly insurmountable challenges, wrestled with choices that bury most, and shows how one cultivates resilience. I appreciated how she wove in her personal experiences in child- and adulthood—being an immigrant from China, asthma, stuttering, family dynamics, college, her relationship, and motherhood—to show how they drove her towards and through the public health fight.
An aspect of Dr. Wen’s courageous journey that jumped off the pages was her commitment to taking action in her personal and professional lives. Dr. Wen showed that change is possible, and we should welcome gradual, incremental changes as we work toward our ultimate goals. Whether it was the lessons she learned from her grandparents and parents, academic mentors, or on-the-job success and failures, Dr. Wen candidly deconstructs her experiences to offer a walk-in-her-shoes perspective on how to navigate challenging circumstances.
While I am not a medical professional, it was Dr. Wen’s willingness to share this kind of first person perspective on why and how she made the choices that she did throughout her life that made it such an invaluable book on leadership and decision-making. I didn’t have to know anything about public health—though it will now be etched in my mind forever—to be captivated by her bias for action and ability to figure things out. She faced fear and took risks, failed at times, and stood up to antiquated processes, which I could easily relate to circumstances in my own life. In relation, Dr. Wen’s pursuit of “good enough” resonated as an antidote to the inaction of perfection that often paralyzes many efforts to make change before they even begin.
Those who are struggling or want to make a difference in this world would be wise to study Dr. Wen’s life and career thus far similarly to the way we do with other great leaders of our time. Lifelines is but the first chapter in what inevitably will be her ascension to prominent leadership positions that will put her on the front lines of change in this country. Her story, courage, and continued evolution will serve as a model for my future.
Thank you for writing your story, Dr. Wen, and for being a mentor from afar.
July 24, 2021
This amazing book is part memoir, part public health call to action.
First, Memoir: It’s the story of Dr. Leana Wen, and her incredible tale of persistence and overcoming the odds. You probably know Dr. Wen as a CNN medical analyst or perhaps as a Washington Post contributing columnist. If so, her story might surprise you.
Born in Shanghai, Wen arrived in the U.S. with her parents at age 7, with no financial resources and almost no English. Like her parents, she dreamed of a better life. They struggled, despite their hard work. Wen grew up in poverty, and her family was homeless for a time. But she beat the odds -- to an extraordinary degree. She was a college student at age 13. Medical school soon followed. She was a Rhodes scholar and eventually an emergency physician who has worked to transform public health in the U.S. -- with the goal of a public health system that promotes health equity and social justice.
Then, Call To Action: As a child, Dr. Wen witnessed the death of another child from an asthma attack -- and came to understand that he died not because medical science couldn't help him, but rather from a lack of access to the medical care that would have saved his life. Later, as an ER physician, she saw much the same: That poverty and a lack of access to medical care were costing people their lives, and that public health could level the playing field of inequality and injustice.
And so, she made public health her mission, eventually becoming the health commissioner for Baltimore City, where she is remembered for her innovative programs and life-saving decisions, such as issuing a city-wide, blanket prescription for Naloxone, an opioid antidote, so that anyone who had been trained to administer Naloxone could obtain it from any pharmacy, to reverse an opioid overdose and save a life. And countless lives were saved as a result.
Dr. Wen writes that her life is a testament to public health. To read this book is to be persuaded by her extraordinary personal journey -- and by the lives that she, in turn, has saved with her commitment to health as a human right and the certainty that public health saves lives.
Anyone with an interest in public health, or in transforming an entrenched system, or in overcoming extraordinary odds will want to read this truly inspiring book.
And Lifelines is a story of hope that feels particularly timely as we emerge (we hope) from the greatest public health crisis in a century.
Late in the book, with a nod to Winston Churchill, Dr. Wen writes, "I believe strongly that we are not defined by the circumstances of our past but by how we choose to respond."
She is living proof of that. Read this book, and be persuaded.
First, Memoir: It’s the story of Dr. Leana Wen, and her incredible tale of persistence and overcoming the odds. You probably know Dr. Wen as a CNN medical analyst or perhaps as a Washington Post contributing columnist. If so, her story might surprise you.
Born in Shanghai, Wen arrived in the U.S. with her parents at age 7, with no financial resources and almost no English. Like her parents, she dreamed of a better life. They struggled, despite their hard work. Wen grew up in poverty, and her family was homeless for a time. But she beat the odds -- to an extraordinary degree. She was a college student at age 13. Medical school soon followed. She was a Rhodes scholar and eventually an emergency physician who has worked to transform public health in the U.S. -- with the goal of a public health system that promotes health equity and social justice.
Then, Call To Action: As a child, Dr. Wen witnessed the death of another child from an asthma attack -- and came to understand that he died not because medical science couldn't help him, but rather from a lack of access to the medical care that would have saved his life. Later, as an ER physician, she saw much the same: That poverty and a lack of access to medical care were costing people their lives, and that public health could level the playing field of inequality and injustice.
And so, she made public health her mission, eventually becoming the health commissioner for Baltimore City, where she is remembered for her innovative programs and life-saving decisions, such as issuing a city-wide, blanket prescription for Naloxone, an opioid antidote, so that anyone who had been trained to administer Naloxone could obtain it from any pharmacy, to reverse an opioid overdose and save a life. And countless lives were saved as a result.
Dr. Wen writes that her life is a testament to public health. To read this book is to be persuaded by her extraordinary personal journey -- and by the lives that she, in turn, has saved with her commitment to health as a human right and the certainty that public health saves lives.
Anyone with an interest in public health, or in transforming an entrenched system, or in overcoming extraordinary odds will want to read this truly inspiring book.
And Lifelines is a story of hope that feels particularly timely as we emerge (we hope) from the greatest public health crisis in a century.
Late in the book, with a nod to Winston Churchill, Dr. Wen writes, "I believe strongly that we are not defined by the circumstances of our past but by how we choose to respond."
She is living proof of that. Read this book, and be persuaded.
July 21, 2021
Leana Wen writes a poignant, personal story of her immigrant childhood in an impoverished family, her unlikely journey to become a doctor, and her development as a young, Asian-American woman leader and health activist, all through a public health lens. She intertwines the intimate experiences of a daughter, wife, mother, and doctor, making the book a highly readable and relatable story. She offers insightful, plainly written explanations and analysis, based on science, of the formidable challenges to solving public health problems, from addiction and gun violence to women’s health and the COVID-19 pandemic. This is at once a book about public health for experienced health and policy professionals and for those who may not have noticed public health until the pandemic put the words on the front page.
Dr. Wen’s extraordinary personal story and accomplishments are an inspiration for all of us who want to make the world a better place. More than that, she tells compelling, sometimes heartbreaking, stories about individuals she has encountered and balances them with relevant data about populations and policy change. She further inspires us with quotes from her mentors and heroes, such as Congressman Eli Cummings, Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
She makes the case that there is no such thing as a non-health sector, that everything is influenced by public health, and the public’s health is influenced in turn by everything else. She describes concrete approaches she has used that follow this overarching principle about public health. She is honest and forthcoming about the ethical dilemmas she has faced as an advocate and physician, and the actions she then took to serve those in need, her true north star.
I highly recommend this remarkable book. I can hardly wait to see what this brilliant national media star and public health thought-leader will do next!
Dr. Wen’s extraordinary personal story and accomplishments are an inspiration for all of us who want to make the world a better place. More than that, she tells compelling, sometimes heartbreaking, stories about individuals she has encountered and balances them with relevant data about populations and policy change. She further inspires us with quotes from her mentors and heroes, such as Congressman Eli Cummings, Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
She makes the case that there is no such thing as a non-health sector, that everything is influenced by public health, and the public’s health is influenced in turn by everything else. She describes concrete approaches she has used that follow this overarching principle about public health. She is honest and forthcoming about the ethical dilemmas she has faced as an advocate and physician, and the actions she then took to serve those in need, her true north star.
I highly recommend this remarkable book. I can hardly wait to see what this brilliant national media star and public health thought-leader will do next!
July 25, 2021
As a future physician, I was very excited to read Dr. Wen’s book. Once I began reading, I couldn’t put it down! Lifelines provides a window into Dr. Wen’s childhood, education, and work on the front lines of public health. Dr. Wen is a national leader in public health policy who dedicated her life to serving as a champion for those forgotten by our imperfect health care system. The magic of this book is the narrative-style presentation of life lessons coupled to a passionate argument in support of the importance of public health. Dr. Wen’s argument highlights the intricate role of public health in all aspects of our lives, including housing, food, clean air, and education, and serves as a guidebook into a public health-centered future.
As a writer, Dr. Wen’s is candid, honest, thoughtful, and passionate. There is no one like her—her unique personal and professional experiences are truly inspirational. For these reasons, Lifelines is a must-read for all aspiring change makers. It’s one of my absolute favorite books, and you’ll be inspired as Dr. Wen effectively makes the invisible world of public health more visible.
As a writer, Dr. Wen’s is candid, honest, thoughtful, and passionate. There is no one like her—her unique personal and professional experiences are truly inspirational. For these reasons, Lifelines is a must-read for all aspiring change makers. It’s one of my absolute favorite books, and you’ll be inspired as Dr. Wen effectively makes the invisible world of public health more visible.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews