The Soul of Care: The Moral Education of a Doctor by Arthur Kleinman

The moving memoir of a doctor who became a family caregiver and learned why care is so central to all our lives

'Beautiful and deeply moving. A truly extraordinary work that will change how we think about our lives and the society we live in' Michael Puett, author of The Path

When Dr Arthur Kleinman, an eminent Harvard psychiatrist and social anthropologist, began caring for his wife, Joan, after she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, he found just how far the act of caregiving extended beyond the boundaries of medicine. In The Soul of Care, he delivers a deeply inspiring story about what it means to grapple with illness from both sides, as an experienced doctor and a loving husband.

Caregiving is long, hard, unglamorous work - at moments joyous, more often tedious, sometimes agonizing, but always rich in meaning. Describing the practical, emotional and moral aspects of caring, Kleinman explores how we must ask uncomfortable questions of ourselves and of our doctors. Poignant and honest, The Soul of Care is an uplifting story about what really matters in our lives.

Review

One of the most humane doctors and profound thinkers, Arthur Kleinman has insightful, moving, and novel things to say about our capacity to give and get care. Powerful, intimate, poignant, and helpful -- Nicholas A. Christakis, author of Blueprint

Beautiful and deeply moving. A truly extraordinary work that will change how we think about our lives and the society we live in -- Michael Puett, author of The Path

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin (6 Aug. 2020)

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0141992417

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0141992419

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.9 x 1.6 x 19.8 cm

Customer reviews: 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars    150 ratings

About the Author

Arthur Kleinman is one of the most renowned and influential experts on psychiatry, global health and cultural issues in medicine. He is currently a professor of psychiatry and of medical anthropology at Harvard Medical School and Esther and Sidney Rabb Professor of Anthropology. Having spent decades doing field research in China and Taiwan, he is also a leading expert on East Asia. He is the author of The Illness Narratives: Suffering, Healing and the Human Condition, now widely used in medical schools.