Global Health Essential Reading List (71 books)

A list of nonfiction and fiction works that will open your mind and inform you about key issues in global health today.

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1	Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder 4.20 avg rating — 88,397 ratings score: 589, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 798,661 ratings score: 490, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond 4.04 avg rating — 453,292 ratings score: 477, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Medical Industrial Complex (The Underground Knowledge Series, #3) by James Morcan (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 79 ratings score: 399, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Reimagining Global Health: An Introduction by Paul Farmer (Editor) 4.37 avg rating — 472 ratings score: 378, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman 4.20 avg rating — 88,642 ratings score: 375, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts 4.39 avg rating — 29,141 ratings score: 363, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic—and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson (Goodreads Author) 3.89 avg rating — 55,934 ratings score: 295, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	The Invisible Cure: Africa, the West, and the Fight Against AIDS by Helen C. Epstein (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 1,010 ratings score: 292, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande 4.49 avg rating — 215,598 ratings score: 284, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Silent Spring by Rachel Carson 4.06 avg rating — 54,446 ratings score: 282, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich 3.65 avg rating — 195,162 ratings score: 280, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Rejuvenaging: The Art and Science of Growing Older with Enthusiasm by Ron Kaiser 4.65 avg rating — 62 ratings score: 200, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	The 21st Century Man: Advice From 50 Top Doctors and Men's Health Experts so You Can Feel Great, Look Good and Have Better Sex by Judson Brandeis 4.62 avg rating — 16 ratings score: 199, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook by David Werner 4.39 avg rating — 1,061 ratings score: 192, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof (Goodreads Author) 4.28 avg rating — 55,595 ratings score: 186, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Ship Fever: Stories by Andrea Barrett 4.04 avg rating — 4,351 ratings score: 178, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Detoxify or Die by Sherry A. Rogers (Goodreads Author) 4.16 avg rating — 207 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	28: Stories of AIDS in Africa by Stephanie Nolen 4.28 avg rating — 2,247 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Race Against Time: Searching for Hope in AIDS-Ravaged Africa by Stephen Lewis 4.10 avg rating — 1,262 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Turning the World Upside Down: The search for global health in the 21st Century by Nigel Crisp 3.64 avg rating — 36 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Your Patient Safety Survival Guide: How to Protect Yourself and Others from Medical Errors by Gretchen Lefever Watson (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 20 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus by Richard Preston 4.16 avg rating — 120,896 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Healthcare without Borders: Understanding Cuban Medical Internationalism by John M. Kirk it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Atlanta's Concealment of the Baby Gun Club Landfill by Jerry Brow 4.17 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Living Medicine: How a Lifesaving Cure Was Nearly Lost―and Why It Will Rescue Us When Antibiotics Fail by Lina Zeldovich 4.43 avg rating — 182 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Price of Thirst: Global Water Inequality and the Coming Chaos by Karen Piper 3.82 avg rating — 158 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Doctor's Guide To Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Understanding, Treating, and Living With CFIDS by David S. Bell 3.96 avg rating — 23 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Rx for Survival: Why We Must Rise to the Global Health Challenge by Philip Hilts 4.06 avg rating — 50 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Ships Of Mercy: The Remarkable Fleet Bringing Hope To The World's Forgotten Poor by Don Stephens 3.97 avg rating — 113 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	More: Population, Nature, and What Women Want by Robert Engelman 3.98 avg rating — 65 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Infections and Inequalities: The Modern Plagues by Paul Farmer 4.10 avg rating — 2,904 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, from Cholera to Ebola and Beyond by Sonia Shah (Goodreads Author) 4.07 avg rating — 4,040 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation by Jonathan Kozol 4.26 avg rating — 5,528 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Osler's Web: Inside the Labyrinth of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Epidemic by Hillary Johnson 4.18 avg rating — 120 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance by Laurie Garrett 4.22 avg rating — 10,726 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss 4.01 avg rating — 32,727 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	The Cholesterol Hoax by Sherry A. Rogers (Goodreads Author) 4.31 avg rating — 35 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Goodreads Author) 4.33 avg rating — 423,966 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	AIDS and Accusation: Haiti and the Geography of Blame by Paul Farmer 4.21 avg rating — 861 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation by Dan Fagin (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 4,670 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	No More Heartburn: Stop the Pain in 30 Days--Naturally!: The Safe, Effective Way to Prevent and Heal Chronic Gastrointestinal Disorders by Sherry A. Rogers (Goodreads Author) 4.27 avg rating — 140 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good by William Easterly 3.83 avg rating — 5,660 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Climate Peril: The Intelligent Reader's Guide to Understanding the Climate Crisis by John J. Berger (Goodreads Author) 4.47 avg rating — 15 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Depression: Cured at Last! by Sherry A. Rogers (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 24 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Champion of Choice: The Life and Legacy of Women's Advocate Nafis Sadik by Cathleen Miller (Goodreads Author) 4.58 avg rating — 36 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande 4.04 avg rating — 74,859 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Planning for Coastal Resilience: Best Practices for Calamitous Times by Timothy Beatley 3.75 avg rating — 20 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Tired or Toxic? A Blueprint for Health by Sherry A. Rogers (Goodreads Author) 4.31 avg rating — 29 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Chemical Sensitivity by Sherry A. Rogers (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 37 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Rachel and Her Children: Homeless Families in America by Jonathan Kozol 4.23 avg rating — 1,502 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by David Quammen (Goodreads Author) 4.42 avg rating — 20,341 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	The People's Republic of Chemicals by William J. Kelly 4.09 avg rating — 57 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	The E.I. Syndrome: An Rx for Environmental Illness by Sherry A. Rogers (Goodreads Author) 4.60 avg rating — 20 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York by Jacob A. Riis 3.73 avg rating — 3,095 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Sunbathing Naked and Other Miracle Cures by Guy Kennaway 3.88 avg rating — 17 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Running on Empty: The Complete Guide to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Katrina Berne 3.95 avg rating — 78 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc 4.26 avg rating — 13,626 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	Mankind Beyond Earth: The History, Science, and Future of Human Space Exploration by Claude A. Piantadosi 3.90 avg rating — 72 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History by Michel-Rolph Trouillot 4.35 avg rating — 3,296 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	Development as Freedom by Amartya Sen 4.10 avg rating — 7,085 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	Grains Friend Or Foe? by Jacqueline Krohn 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	Finding the Right Treatment: Modern and Alternative Medicine : A Comprehensive Guide to Getting the Best of Both Worlds by Jacqueline Krohn 4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo 3.98 avg rating — 116,243 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	Natural Detoxification by Jacqueline Krohn 4.11 avg rating — 19 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	Allergy Relief and Prevention: A Doctor's Complete Guide to Treatment and Self-Care by M.D. Jacqueline Krohn 3.88 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It by Paul Collier 3.85 avg rating — 7,976 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Don't Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life by Sandra Beasley (Goodreads Author) 3.59 avg rating — 1,862 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
69	Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa by Dambisa Moyo 3.70 avg rating — 8,240 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
70	A Bed for the Night: Humanitarianism in Crisis by David Rieff 3.72 avg rating — 439 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	The Origins of AIDS by Jacques Pepin 4.21 avg rating — 653 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars