Author Series: A History of Present Illness
Join us for a virtual discussion with palliative care physician and author Anna DeForest! DeForest’s debut novel, A History of Present Illness, explores areas in ethics and compassion in which doctors receive little formal training, and sparks honest conversations about humane and ethical medical care.
From Being Mortal by Atul Gawande to When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, books by doctors have given us a glimpse into the fragility and wonder of the human body and spirit. Joining this strong tradition of books, we are excited to share with you the debut by palliative care physician Anna DeForest: A History of Present Illness (Little, Brown; August 16, 2022). Staggeringly powerful in its brevity, DeForest’s novel shares insight into the complex world of hospitals, a world many of us enter as patients but struggle to understand.
With darkly funny prose, A History of Present Illness is a boldly honest meditation on the body, the hope of healing, and what it means to truly be alive.
“Wholly original and shockingly brilliant”
―Jenny Offill, author of Weather
“Brutal and brave, DeForest's novel is one of the best in the ‘making of a doctor’ genre. And its plucky protagonist, casualty and hero, roars a universal truth, ‘We all hurt.’”
―Booklist, starred review
"A brisk and brilliant debut ... this book is unique, and spectacular."
—Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2022
