We are all concerned about our health, and if we want to learn some basic fundamentals about how our body works, Medical books are a good way to get started on the subject
Medicine has been one of the greatest participants in the improvement of life that we have experienced in recent centuries. It is so important to us that it is normal that we are curious to know about it, especially if we are interested in mental health. Medicine is a science that is closely linked to psychology, since health is both physical and mental This list of medical books can satisfy the curiosity of people interested in this topic.
Recommended books on medicine and psychiatry, in Spanish
There is a multitude of literature around medicine and its different subdisciplines that study the human body, diseases and ways to cure them.
Here I have selected a series of texts and books that help disseminate this health science so that we all have access to this knowledge, without needing to have extensive foundations on the subject. And all of them are medical books in Spanish, so as not to lose a single letter.
1. Be mortal. Medicine and what matters in the end (Atul Gawande)
We all agree that medicine is important to ensure our health, but what about our death? Atul Gawande, an eminent American surgeon, exposes in this medical book the limitations of the current health system that is only concerned with prolonging survival no matter what the cost, especially when death is lurking.
An easy read that is enjoyable, despite dealing with thorny topics such as the end of life.
2. Complications: Confessions of a surgeon about an imperfect science (Atul Gawande)
Another work by surgeon Atul Gawande, but On this occasion he exposes real cases where medicine has not found an answer to what was happening to the patient or errors have been made in the diagnosis. With a most attractive narrative, Dr. Gawande shows once again that medicine is not an exact science and life holds surprises.
3. The emperor of all evils: A biography of cancer (Siddhartha Mukherjee)
Cancer, unfortunately, is an important part of our times. With this medical book, the author presents in an informative style the history of oncology from its origins to the most modern treatments, in addition to reflecting on the relationship between this set of diseases.
4. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Rebecca Skloot)
If I name Henrietta Lacks you may not know who she is, but if I mention “HeLa cell” things may change. This line of immortal cells has been very useful for medicine and, above all, in the fight against cancer, they have a past. The writer Rebecca Skloot presents us with the life of this peasant woman, the story of her cells and the injustice built around them.
5. The man who mistook his wife for a hat (Oliver Sacks)
A classic by Oliver Sacks, considered one of the great clinical writers of the 20th century. This medical book presents 20 real cases of people with strange or curious neurological diseases A moving work, which aims to show how complicated and complex the human brain is.
6. Cold cuts: the fascinating life of corpses (Mary Roach)
The psychologist and journalist Mary Roach presents with this work what happens to our body once we die A pleasant and entertaining read, despite the topic, which wants to convey the importance that corpses have offered in the advancement of science, or how important organ donation is to save other lives.
You can learn more about the book by clicking here.
7. Hot Zone (Richard Preston)
The award-winning Richard Preston wrote this medical book in 1994, fictionalizing some events that happened in a laboratory managed by the United States Army, where the Ebola virus was being studied. The title refers to the name of laboratories that work with viruses or bacteria that are highly lethal and have a high risk of contagion.
He was the first writer who informed the general public of the dangers of this virus which today continues to be a great threat in the world.
If you want to know more, follow the following link.
8. A Tribe of Their Own (Steve Silberman)
What is autism? This is how this work by journalist Steve Silberman begins, who wants to bring the general public closer to this mental disorder, covering the history of its research, but also the importance of its presence in the scientific advance of our days.
The autobiography of neurosurgeon Henry Marsh, is a way of seeing and feeling what a profession as delicate as the one he has carried out throughout his life is like. Exposing different cases in which she has worked and the results of these, whether they were positive or negative, showing once again that medicine is made by humans, and therefore is not perfect.
You can find more information about the book here.
10. The demon of depression: an atlas of the disease (Andrew Solomon)
Depression is one of the most common illnesses today. This classic among medicine and psychiatry books presents the foundations to know everything that is known about the disease. The writer of the work, Andrew Solomon, exposes his experience in the fight against his own depression, as well as other real cases to contrast the information offered.
In this link you can see more information about the text.
11. Dying young, at 140 (Maria A. Blasco and Mónica G. Salomé)
A very interesting book about the aging process and death from natural causes Is living longer the same as being younger for longer? How do our cells degrade? Is there a maximum age to die? In addition, it is a very well documented medical book.
You can read more about the book on this page.
12. Atlas of human anatomy (Frank H. Netter)
Knowledge of the structure of the human body is essential for medicine One of the most used medical books to learn about the subject is the atlas of human anatomy by Frank H. Netter, due to its ease of use and excellent illustrations that accompany the work.
If you want to know more, continue through this link.
15. Guyton and Hall. Treatise on medical physiology (John E. Hall)
The medical manual par excellence to understand and understand human physiology Originally written by the physiologist Arthur Guyton who suffered from poliomyelitis, wanting to leave testimony of all his knowledge to future generations, editions that continue to be nourished by the latest advances in physiology, even though its original author is no longer with us.
You can learn more about the work in the following link.
14. The obese monkey (José Enrique Campillo Álvarez)
Why is there so much obesity? Professor Campillo offers his answer in his essay. The text serves as a didactic introduction to the basic metabolic processes of the human being, and also wants to demonstrate the relationship of our genes with obesity problems.
If you are interested in the book, you will find more information here.
15. Bad science (Ben Goldacre)
We are in a society that is obsessed with health and therefore we are susceptible to deception In this book, the writer and psychiatrist Ben Goldacre dismantles with arguments the “miraculous remedies” that they offer us daily, as well as explaining how we have come to believe in them and offering a tool to discover these fraudulent sciences that, in the case of the health, become especially dangerous.
The intestine is one of the most important organs in the human body, since almost all the nutrients that will be part of our body will pass through it. However, it is also the great forgotten, a component of our body that, in popular culture, is undervalued. This excellent book helps us get to know it better and know how to take care of it.
To read more about him, click here.
…and some medical books in other languages
Here you can find other recommended medical books if languages are not a problem for you:
17. Trick or treatment (Edzard Ernst and Simon Singh)
A complete book that reviews the evidence behind alternative medicine proposals, what is true and what is a myth about them.
If you are interested, click here.
18. Good germs, bad germs (Jessica Snyder Sachs)
The simple use and development of antibiotics It is one of the main resources that has allowed us to extend our life expectancy and build healthier societies with greater well-being. However, during the last decades our battle against harmful microorganisms is taking a dramatic turn due to the resistance to these medicines that certain microscopic life forms are developing. This medical book explains the state of the art in a clear, simple and entertaining way.
In this link you will find more information about the book.
19. Testing treatments (Imogen Evans, Hazel Thornton, Ian Chalmers)
An excellent book to better understand how treatment proposals are tested in the world of medicine, by reviewing basic theory and using several case studies as examples.
To read more about him, click here.
20. What Doctors Feel (Danielle Ofri)
An interesting look at the psychology of healthcare professionals – Although doctors and surgeons have a reputation for being cold healing machines, the truth is that they must also manage their emotions (and their beliefs and thoughts) at work, and this interesting The book is full of fascinating research on this topic.
I’m Emily Williams Jones, a psychologist specializing in mental health with a focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. With a Ph.D. in psychology, my career has spanned research, clinical practice and private counseling. I’m dedicated to helping individuals overcome anxiety, depression and trauma by offering a personalized, evidence-based approach that combines the latest research with compassionate care.
