Author Description
A FIRST-EVER COLLECTION FROM AMERICA'S MOST DISTINGUISHED HISTORIAN OF MEDICINE AND CULTURAL LIFEFrom Howard Markel, author of An Anatomy of Addiction "Absorbing, vivid" -- Sherwin Nuland, The New York Times Book Review, front page) and The Kelloggs (2017 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist for Biography), Literatim is a collection of the writer's essays on medicine, American culture, and how their intersections compose the interstitial matter of modern life.Through topics ranging from illness to baseball to the lives of America's most beloved artists and performers, Markel's eye for the unexamined corners of contemporary life align with his singular storytelling ability for a collection that demonstrates how literature, like medicine, can be a portal to better understanding the human condition. Selected and with an introduction by the award-winning and bestselling author, Literatim gathers more than 80 essays, a thirty-year retrospective of Markel's work from 1987 to 2019. "Although writers and physicians use markedly different tools and approaches," he writes, "both are recording and interpreting narratives." Literatim is a stirring and entertaining testament to that persisting truth.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
How do the parallel practices of medicine and literature function as complementary tools for interpreting the human condition? Howard Markel, a physician and historian, utilizes his dual expertise to examine the intersections of health, illness, and American cultural history. By curating a thirty-year retrospective of his own work, he argues that the diagnostic rigor of medicine and the interpretive depth of literature share a fundamental purpose: the recording and understanding of individual and collective narratives.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A collection of over 80 essays spanning the years 1987 to 2019.
- Analyses of the intersection between medical history and American cultural phenomena.
- Biographical sketches of artists, performers, and historical figures.
- Observations on the social implications of illness and public health.
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a comprehensive medical textbook or clinical manual.
- It does not focus on a single chronological narrative but rather a thematic survey of diverse topics.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Critics and readers recognize this collection as a significant retrospective of Markel's career, highlighting his ability to bridge the gap between academic history and accessible cultural commentary. The prose is frequently noted for its clarity and the author's unique capacity to synthesize disparate subjects into a cohesive observation on modern life.
Page Count:
384
Publication Date:
2019-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190070021
ISBN-13:
9780190070021
Non-Fiction
History
Biography
Soft Sci-fi
New Used & Rental Textbooks
Essays
Social Science
MEDICAL History