The world is full of books – over 129 million at last count. And parts of the world – Boston, Atlanta, Nashville, Denver, London – are full of doctors. What’s more, the ranks of doctor-writers keep growing. So why, a very reasonable person might ask, do we need another book by another doctor?
One answer might be that we don’t. But if we don’t need another book about health and illness, courage and compassion, doctors and patients, then I would argue that we also don’t need another book about love or loss, war or sacrifice, heroism or injustice.
Medicine matters in no small part because it is the arena in which many of literature’s greatest themes play out in real life:
- The great journey
- The loss of innocence
- The great battle
- – Man v. nature
- – Man v. self
- – Man v. technology
- – Man v. society
- – Man v. man
- – Man v. God
- The inevitability of death
- The noble sacrifice
- The fall from grace
- The importance of love and friendship
Here’s one way of thinking about how this works for patients, for doctors, and in A History of the Present Illness:
Literary Theme | Patient experience | Doctor experience | Illustrative stories in A History of the Present Illness |
The great journey | Illness, from first symptom to resolution or a changed life | Medical training Practice Medical research |
|
The loss of innocence | Healthy → sick | Student → doctor |
|
The great battle | Against a disease Against the health care system |
Against a disease Against the health care system |
|
The inevitability of death | Resistance: hope against the odds; trying experimental treatments Acceptance: hospice; preparing with family/friends |
Resistance: death as professional failure Acceptance: having the skills and expertise to help provide a ‘good death’ |
|
The noble sacrifice | Donating an organ to a loved one or stranger Caregiving |
Giving up sleep and youth, time with family to train and practice medicine |
|
The fall from grace | Losses and disabilities can feel like a fall from the grace of good health | Malpractice Substance abuse Unprofessional behavior |
|
The importance of love and friendship | Support of family and friends Feeling that the ‘care’ in patient care is present |
Compassion and empathy for patients Collegiality Supportive family |
|
Quote of the week:
I am not ashamed to admit that I belong to those who fantasize that literature is capable of bringing new horizons and new perspectives–philosophical, religious, aesthetical and even social.
– Isaac Bashevis Singer Nobel Lecture (8 December 1978)