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Top 10 Summer Reads: EngenderHealth Staff Picks
The summertime offers many opportunities to lose yourself in a good book, whether it’s on a lazy afternoon in the park, at the beach, or on a plane. We asked EngenderHealth staff in New York and around the world to share some of the literary gems on their bookshelves. Here is a collection of our favorite works of fiction and nonfiction:
Nonfiction
- Banker to the Poor by Muhammad Yunus
A fascinating account of the birth of microcredit: extending small loans to the poor so they can help themselves through self-employment. This idea led to the launch of the Grameen Bank, an innovative microfinance institution and community development bank in Bangladesh. - Betrayal of Trust by Laurie Garrett
An eye-opening revelation of the shocking weaknesses in our medical system and the ramifications of a globalized world in which the health of each nation depends on the health of all. - Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
A remarkable exploration of the life and running habits of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s Copper Canyon, arguably the greatest distance runners in the world. McDougall shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong. - The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid by C.K. Prahalad
An enlightening book showing how companies can generate profits and growth by serving the world’s 5 billion poorest people. The book follows the idea of “doing well by doing good, or doing good by doing well.” - Millions Saved by Ruth Levine
A collection of 17 stories demonstrating how smart investments in global health have successfully transformed and saved the lives of millions of people across Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
Fiction
- Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
An entertaining novel in which a party full of international guests is taken hostage by political rebels. The characters learn to survive and create interesting relationships, in spite of the cultural and language barriers between them. - Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
A compelling story of the lives of twin brothers from Ethiopia, whose mother died while giving birth to them. It is a tale of love and politics, with themes that encompass maternal and child health, gender, fistula, and power. - Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
A riveting epic fantasy of seven kingdoms that resemble England during the Wars of the Roses. The Stark and Lannister families battle for control over the iron throne, amid a constant threat of barbarians, fantastical beasts, and a dragon princess who seeks to reconquer the throne. - Neuromancer by William Gibson
A seminal science fiction novel that launched the cyberpunk generation in 1984. After being caught stealing from his employer, Case, a cyber-cowboy, finds himself banished from cyberspace and his brain badly damaged. In exchange for a cure, Case becomes entangled in a shadowy conspiracy led by an ex–Green Beret soldier. - Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
A thought-provoking book that explores the deteriorating mind of a brilliant orthopedic surgeon with dementia, where the impossibility of recognizing reality can be both a blessing and a curse.
