Maine Humanities Council | Literature & Medicine, Readings

Readings

The readings are carefully selected by scholars who facilitate Literature & Medicine groups, in consultation with humanities council staff and the host site’s liaison. They include works of fiction, poetry, drama and non-fiction that represent a diverse variety of voices and perspectives. All of the readings raise issues pertinent to caring for people, whether they are well, sick, or dying.

Our two anthologies:
- Imagine What It’s Like: A Literature and Medicine Anthology,
  published in June, 2008.
- Echoes of War: A Literature and Medicine Anthology,
  published in June, 2009.
Favorite Literature & Medicine readings.
Information about the Literature & Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Health Care® Annotated Bibliography.

Maine Coast Hospital liaison Christine diPretoro with many of the books she has read with her Literature & Medicine group over the years.

PHOTO: Michelle diPretoro

“The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down made me realize that I don’t know a lot about people who come into my office. Lots are from different cultures within the veteran community—service and non-service; French, Hispanic, Native American—it made me realize the complexity of human beings coming in requesting my help. I don’t think I’ll ever look at a patient the same way again.”