The Health & Medicine Collection showcases hand-picked fiction and nonfiction titles that focus on the physical and mental health of the human body. This diverse Collection represents the breadth of literature examining human health throughout history, from nonfiction accounts of historical epidemics to novels whose protagonists face mental health conditions.
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Historical Fiction, Disability, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Bullying, Post-War Era, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Petey is middle grade novel written by Ben Mikaelsen and published in 1998. Mikaelsen is the author of 10 novels for young adults and the winner of several awards for his work. Petey is dedicated to and based on the life of Clyde Cothern, a Montana man with cerebral palsy who was misdiagnosed as intellectually disabled and confined to Montana State Hospital in the 1920s. Mikaelsen and Cothern shared a close personal friendship, and while... Read Petey Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Health / Medicine
Publication year 1976
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Health / Medicine, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, History: World
In Plagues and Peoples, William H. McNeill argues that patterns of disease have integrally influenced human history from prehistory to the modern day. Until 1976, the year of this book’s publication, the historical study of disease was treated as a footnote of minor importance compared to war, agriculture, and politics. By contrast, McNeill takes a broader view and breaks human history into two categories. The forces of ecology and humanity are equally weighed in McNeill’s... Read Plagues and Peoples Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Magical Realism, Health / Medicine, History: Asian, Gender / Feminism, Parenting, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
Translated from the Korean by Chi-young Kim, Please Look After Mom (2008) by Kyung-sook Shin is an international work of best-selling fiction. When 69-year-old So-nyo Park goes missing one Saturday outside Seoul Station, her disappearance sets in motion a desperate search not only for where So-nyo might be but for who So-nyo was to her shocked and confused family members. One by one, So-nyo’s family comes to terms with the fact that they didn’t know... Read Please Look After Mom Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Technology, American Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2012
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Biography
Dr. Eben Alexander’s 2012 memoir, Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife, documents his near-death experience (NDE) while in a coma resulting from a rare bacterial infection. As an academic neurosurgeon with a materialist worldview, Alexander did not believe in an afterlife. The book details how his NDE forced him to reconcile his scientific training with what he now considered proof of a reality beyond the physical world. The memoir explores several themes:... Read Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey Into the Afterlife Summary
Publication year 1813
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: War
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Christian literature, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Mythology, Fantasy, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Health / Medicine, Philosophy, Food, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Disability, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Depression / Suicide, Inspirational, Mental Illness, Psychology, Biography
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Social Justice, Self Help, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Relationships: Grandparents, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Animals, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Animals, Health / Medicine, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2008
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Class
Tags Addiction / Substance Abuse, Journalism, Sociology, History: U.S., Information Age, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Social Science, Arts / Culture, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2023
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams
Tags Health / Medicine, Sociology, Poverty, Class, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Biography
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Health / Medicine, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, History: World, Self Help, Food, Politics / Government
Salt Sugar Fat is a 2013 nonfiction book by Michael Moss. It describes the modern American food industry. The author visits the corporate headquarters, scientific research facilities, and marketing departments of major food manufacturers. He also talks with consumer advocates and other involved parties to understand the ongoing obesity epidemic.Through industrial processes, food companies remove nutritious components and substitute cheaper, harmful ingredients. The key ingredients in most processed foods are salt, sugar, and fat. Manufacturers... Read Salt Sugar Fat Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Self Discovery, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Self Help, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Parenting, Disability, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help
Publication year 2011
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Self Discovery, Identity: Language
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Relationships, Psychology, Mental Illness
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Survival Fiction, Health / Medicine, Education, Food, Technology, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Health / Medicine
Publication year 1996
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Health / Medicine, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Biography