Reading Club Search

Poet and playwright Dan O’Brien chronicles the year and a half during which both he and his wife were treated for cancer. Our Cancers is a compelling account of illness and commitment, of parenthood and partnership. This spare and powerful sequence creates intimate mythology that seeks meaning in illness while also celebrating the resilience of sufferers, caregivers, and survivors.

Pain Woman Takes Your Keys, and Other Essays from a Nervous System is a collection of literary and experimental essays about living with chronic pain. Sonya Huber moves away from a linear narrative to step through the doorway into pain itself, into that strange, unbounded reality. Huber addresses the nature and experience of invisible disability, including the challenges of gender bias in our health care system, the search for effective treatment options, and the difficulty of articulating chronic pain. She makes pain a lens of inquiry and lyricism, finds its humor and complexity, describes its irascible character, and explores its temperature, taste, and even its beauty.

Plastic built the modern world. Where would we be without bike helmets, baggies, toothbrushes, and pacemakers? But a century into our love affair with plastic, we’re starting to realize it’s not such a healthy relationship. In this probing look at how plastic built the modern world-- and the price the world has paid for plastic-- journalist Freinkel points out that we're nearing a crisis point and gives readers the tools needed through lively anecdotes and analysis.

This witty, colloquial book is popular science at its best, describing in everyday language how genetics, epigenetics, microbiology, and psychology work together to influence our personality and actions. Mixing cutting-edge research and relatable humor, Pleased to Meet Me is filled with fascinating insights that shine a light on who we really are and how we might become our best selves. 

For fans of Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, a poignant, stirring graphic memoir--both heartbreaking and darkly funny--that perfectly captures the grief, nostalgia, and chaos of traveling home to care for an elderly parent in crisis.

A New York Public Library 2024 Best New Comics for Adults | Hollywood Reporter Best Comics of 2024 | Winner of the LDComics Rosalind B. Penfold Prize | Short-listed for the Myriad First Graphic Novel Competition

Pregnant While Black shares the successes and testimonies of Black women who have struggled during pregnancy and childbirth, anchoring the stories of these women with carefully researched facts. Despite medical advances over the last twenty years, for Black women, the overwhelming dangers of carrying and delivering children remain and it only seems to be getting worse.

The Harvard-trained neuroscientist presents an exploration of the intricacies of human memory that distinguishes between normal and concerning memory loss while explaining the profound roles of sleep, stress, and other contributing influences.

New York Times Bestseller

Consumers want to know more about their food - including the farm from which it came, the chemicals used in its production, its nutritional value, how the animals were treated, and the costs to the environment. They are being told that buying organic foods, unprocessed and sourced from small local farms, is the most healthful and sustainable option. Now, Robert Paarlberg reviews the evidence and finds an abundant reason to disagree. He delineates the ways in which global food markets have, in fact, improved our diet, and how "industrial" farming has recently turned green, thanks to GPS-guided precision methods that cut energy use and chemical pollution. He makes clear that America's serious obesity crisis does not come from farms, or from food deserts, but instead from "food swamps" created by food companies, retailers, and restaurant chains. And he explains how, though animal welfare is lagging behind, progress can be made through continued advocacy, more progressive regulations, and perhaps plant-based imitation meat. He finds solutions that can make sense for farmers and consumers alike and provides a road map through the rapidly changing worlds of food and farming, laying out a practical path to bring the two together.

True resilience is much more than enduring terrible conditions. We need resilience every day to raise a family, work at a job, cope with stress, deal with health problems, navigate issues with others, heal from old pain, and simply keep on going. Dr. Rick Hanson shows you how to develop twelve vital inner strengths hardwired into your own nervous system. Then no matter what life throws at you, you’ll be able to feel less stressed, pursue opportunities with confidence, and stay calm and centered in the face of adversity. This practical guide is full of concrete suggestions, experiential practices, personal examples, and insights into the brain. It includes effective ways to interact with others and to repair and deepen important relationships.

AFib patients, their family, friends, and caregivers are often misinformed about the latest research, advancements, and treatments. In this book, cardiac electrophysiologist Dr. Aseem Desai diminishes the worry and confusion that come with an AFib diagnosis by presenting the latest medical information in a concise and positive way. Filled with innovative knowledge and vivid illustrations, Restart Your Heart will empower and inspire you by providing straightforward answers and options to deal with this complex disease.

Amazon Best Seller in Heart Disease​