Alive

“In describing the anatomy of bones, brain, breasts, genitals, gut, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, skin, and womb, Weston writes with a wit and intense curiosity reminiscent of popular science writer Mary Roach. But the book’s splendor arises from its attention to the art of doctoring. Weston notes how good physicians require a kind of ‘bifocal vision’ that allows them to see the generalities of the human body but also the unique details of an individual patient. She extols empathy and elevates vulnerability: ‘We are not separable from those we care for, just as our strength is not separable from our vulnerability.’ Melding science and sentiment, mixing professional life with personal life, Weston enlivens anatomy and pays homage to the physician-patient relationship.”

–Tony Miksanek, Journal of Medical Humanities

“You’ll think about the way you move through the world differently after reading Alive, which is why it’s one of my favorite books of the year.”

–Lindsay Powers, Amazon Editor

“An exceptional, beautiful, and absolutely absorbing book. Gabriel Weston is one of the best writers around. It is essential reading if you own a body and should be mandatory for all those who study them.”

–Chris Van Tulleken, author of Ultra-Processed People

“Alive is a delightfully uncategorizable tour de force; part meditation on anatomy and physiology, part history of medicine, part memoir. Gabriel Weston explores such varied subjects as the intricate workings of the human lung, liver transplantation, and her own heart ailment with precision and lyricism, honoring on every page what she calls ‘the poetry of the body.’ An informative, moving, and beautiful book.”

–Suzanne Koven, author of Letter to a Young Female Physician

“An engrossing tour of the human body….This captivates.”

–Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Makes us feel a simple wonder about the bodies we exist inside….a unique appreciation of living within our very own unique selves.”

–Complusive Reader

Gabriel Weston is the author of Direct Red: A Surgeon’s Story, which won the PEN Ackerley Prize and was longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award, and a novel, Dirty Work. She is a medical presenter for the BBC, writes reviews for Lancet and The Telegraph, works as a part-time surgeon and lives in London with her husband and four children.