This series was conceived with the number 12 in mind….
An easily attainable number it seemed then.
12 female doctor-writers should not be a tall order…
…or so I presumed.
My misguided assumption was quickly dispelled…
I discovered more than 30 excellent books…
All deserving of the accolade phenomenal.
But this left me with a little conundrum!
So many great books….
All worthy of review…
But a series limited to only 12!
It was easy to remove 4 books from the list…
All previously reviewed on this blog…
Excused, so to say, for being super-phenomenal.
by Lisa Sanders
***
by Kate Granger
***
by Kate Granger
***
by Danielle Ofri
***
But the shortlist is still too long…
So I conjured up a set of criteria:
A phenomenal book must be practice-enhancing…
And conception shattering…
And perhaps also life-altering.
With these guidelines in hand…
I regretfully set aside 17 excellent books.
But these live to fight another day…
Possibly subjects of future review series.
by Lucia Gannon
Another Day in the Frontal Lobe
by Katrina Firlik
by Christine Montross
by Suzanne O’Sullivan
by Tia Powell
by Stephanie Green
by Giulia Enders
Just Here Trying to Save a Few Lives
by Pamela Grim
by Jane Little
by Emily Transue
The Woman with a Worm in Her Head
by Pamela Nagami
by Louann Brizendine
by Michelle Au
by Perri Klass
by Susan Ball
by Ellen Rothman
by Daniela Lamas
At last then…
In a subjective order of excellence…
Each bringing a unique touch to clinical medicine:
12 phenomenal books written by women doctors.
***
12. The Prison Doctor
by Amanda Brown
***
11. Your Life in My Hands
by Rachel Clarke
***
10. Breaking and Mending
by Joanna Cannon
***
9. The Female Brain
by Louann Brizendine
***
8. It’s All in Your Head
by Suzanne O’Sullivan
***
7. Final Exam
by Pauline Chen
***
6. What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear
by Danielle Ofri
***
5. With the End in Mind
by Kathryn Mannix
***
4. In Shock
by Rana Awdish
***
3. God’s Hotel
by Victoria Sweet
***
2. Kitchen Table Wisdom
by Rachel Remen
***
1. Direct Red
by Gabriel Weston
***
Every ‘top‘ list is ultimately a subjective assessment…
So over the next few weeks I will review each book…
Hopefully to justify my choices.
Others will however have different points of view…
So please feel free to comment…
And drop a good word…
For your favourite books!
The Doctors Bookshelf 
Great theme! I’m female but actually did not know there are that many books by female doctors. I only hear of the male physicians turned authors, so it’s a good thing you are doing this series and I will be following closely.
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Indeed female authors are an under-appreciated mine of wisdom on good doctoring. Enjoy the journey!
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Please add “7 signs of life” by Aoife Abbey, it is excellent
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Thanks Cerys for this recommendation. One for the amazon basket!
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Hi,
Thank you for this great list.
I would like to add ‘The Hospital by The River’ by Dr Catherine Hamlin, published 2001.
She and her husband set up the Addis Ababa Obstetric Fistula hospital in Ethiopia as their lives’ work, and transformed the lives of tens of thousands of women suffering from obstetric fistula.
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Thanks for the recommendation Spes. Perhaps one for a future review. Is it the background for the novel ‘Cutting For Stone’ by Abraham Verghese? It features on this blog
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Consider adding Recapturing Joy in Medicine (2019)! I wrote it to inspire and empower us to be who we are, and to experience greater fulfillment, meaning, and joy in medicine and in life. An unexpected journey to the “other side of healthcare” interrupted the writing process, transforming the book AND its author! The resulting unique, hands-on, heartwarming narrative is a practical and uplifting companion to a physician’s practice and physicians in training. Check it out and tell your friends. We all need the encouragement!
“It’s like chicken soup for the physician’s soul!” (K. Barton, MD)
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Thanks Amaryllis. Sounds like an inspiring book. Definitely one to read
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I have just published ‘How to Grow a Grown Up’ (PenguinRandomHouse) to help parents raise independent and resilient young adults in the 21st century- after 20 years of being a university GP! The reviews seem to suggest people like it, and it is meeting an unmet need. Thank you
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Thanks for this recommendation Dominique. I’ll surely have a look at it!
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Petticoat Surgeon, an autobiography by Dr. Bertha van Hoosen, should be on your list.
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hi there, I’m so happy to have found this blog. I am working with student doctors and I’ve been looking for great examples of female experiences to recommend to the students. Thank you!
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I am glad you found it helpful Simone. And thanks for the encouraging feedback
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