The Anatomy of Hope by Jerome Groopman, M.D

Book review

The Anatomy of Hope is a book you won't put down once you pick it up. It is an account of the observations and experiences of Dr Jerome Groopman, M.D as he navigates his life as an oncologist, researcher and much more. He puts forward powerful arguments to emphasize that hope and a positive outlook in the patient are an important part of any medical cure.


Among his experiences are many oncology cases, and how people fought cancer and lived through bravely. He also talks about people who ultimately did not succeed, but still maintained a brave face and outlook irrespective of their outcome and lived gracefully till the end. The observations he makes can be taken into account not just in medicine but for any challenges in life. He talks about his own experience with a back injury and how he had to hope once more to see an end to his pain. He also differentiates between true hope and false hope, and how doctors can aim to instill hope without lying about the truth.
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Once started to read, it is written in such an engrossing way, one finds it difficult to put it down. His empathy towards his patients and interest in their welfare shines through - something we as laymen really want to see in any doctor. Highly recommend this book.