National Network for Equitable Library Service

For readers of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Anne Lamott, a profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir by a young neurosurgeon faced with a terminal cancer diagnosis who attempts to answer the question What makes a life worth living? At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade's worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated.

In a book that is The Big Sick meets Dad is Fat, Jeannie Gaffigan, writing partner and wife of bestselling author/comedian Jim Gaffigan, writes with humor and heart about the pear-sized brain tumor she had removed, the toll it took on her enormous family, and the priceless lessons she learned along the way. In 2017, writer director producer and super mom Jeannie's life came to a crashing halt when she was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor.

Profound essays on nurturing life while facing a terminal diagnosis, from the dedicated humanitarian and young mother creating "a vibrant legacy for us to hold on to and learn from" (Ann Patchett) -- What We Wish Were True Through gorgeous prose, Quinn masterfully weaves together the themes of life and death by integrating spiritually nourishing stories about family, identity, vocational call, beloved community, God's wide welcome, and living with brain cancer.

A fascinating, darkly funny comeback story of learning to live with a broken mind after a near-fatal traumatic brain injury--from the acclaimed author of The Hike"Drew Magary has produced a remarkable account of his journey, one that is filled with terror, tenderness, beauty, and grace."--David Grann, bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon Drew Magary, fan-favorite Defector and former Deadspin columnist, is known for his acerbic takes and his surprisingly nuanced chronicling of his own life. But in The Night the Lights Went Out, he finds himself far out of his depths.

In this vulnerable, insightful memoir, the New York Times columnist tells the story of his five-year struggle with a disease that officially doesn't exist, exploring the limits of modern medicine, the stories that we unexpectedly fall into, and the secrets that only suffering reveals. In the summer of 2015, Ross Douthat was moving his family, with two young daughters and a pregnant wife, from Washington, D.C., to a sprawling farmhouse in a picturesque Connecticut town when he acquired a mysterious and devastating sickness.

Can an indoor cat live a happy, stimulating, and active life? A veterinarian and a journalist answer this question with a resounding "yes," and offer real-life guidance for opening up your cat's world, even if they stay within the confines of your home. There are many myths our culture perpetuates about domestic cats: they live longer indoors, sleep all day, are easy and low-maintenance pets, and can't be trained.

"A meditation on sense-making when there's no sense to be made, on letting go when we can't hold on, and on being unafraid even when we're terrified."--Lucy Kalanithi Kate Bowler is a professor at Duke Divinity School with a modest Christian upbringing, but she specializes in the study of the prosperity gospel, a creed that sees fortune as a blessing from God and misfortune as a mark of God's disapproval.

Talya Miron-Shatz explores the preventable ways we make bad choices about everything from nutrition to medication, from pregnancy to end-of-life care. She reveals how the medical system can set us up for success or failure and maps a model for better doctor-patient relationships. Full of new insights and actionable guidance, this book is the definitive guide to making good choices when you can't afford to make a bad one.

You can handle anything that comes your way. Sleep expert Sara C. Mednick introduces the "downstate," a key to rejuvenation on a cellular level and how to maximize it for energy, balance, and vitality.

Dr. Eric Goodman's innovative approach to self-healing--Foundation Training--has helped folks around the world feel and look better. He now builds on this core program, to help us understand how to maintain a healthy body.