2022 Runner-up, Non-fiction. Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient by Norman Cousins

Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient by Norman Cousins.  Written in 1979, it is scary, fascinating, and a bit sad that so many of the topics Cousins presents are still relevant today.  His main focus is the doctor-patient relationship and how a patient’s own mental state contributes to the healing process.  After getting a terrible diagnosis, Cousins decides to break with traditional medicine and create his own treatment program.  Eventually, he is able to convince his doctor that this is the best way forward for him and they end up working together to achieve amazing success.  He also discusses placebos, pain-killers, the benefits of laughter, the gaps in medical school training, and holistic medicine.  I gave this book to an EMT friend who is preparing to enter medical school and he loved it.

For all my previous “books of the year” lists, see my dedicated page for these titles.