If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.
– Haruki Murakami
Dr. Maria Moreira is the Program Director of the Denver Health Emergency Medicine Residency. In addition to her role in her own program, she has been a fixture in the national medical education landscape. She is the chair of the County Program committee and is a member of the CORD executive board. She brings a humility and gentleness to everything that she does that belies her depth of thought and leadership skills. She is a leader, a role model, and someone we are happy to call a colleague. We are pleased to have her contribute to this edition of the ALiEM Bookclub: Beyond the ED.
Dr. Maria Moreira
It is a rare pleasure to be able to immerse myself in a book. I enjoy many different genres of books. What engages me is the story, the characters and being able to make some type of connection with them. Additionally, I like books that help me grow in both my personal and professional life. The books I chose to discuss are all very different.
The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker
[Amazon Link]
Gavin de Becker is a leading expert in the prediction and management of violence. He is a specialist in security issues for governments, corporations, and public figures. In his non-fiction book, “The Gift of Fear”, he talks about fear as both a gift and a curse. Through real stories, he teaches readers to identify subtle signs of potential violence and to trust gut instincts. I found this to be an empowering book providing ways to protect yourself and those you love from predators. This will be a must read for my children in their teenage years.
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
[Amazon Link]
The author, Simon Sinek, studied influential world leaders to determine what was the secret of their success. He found that they thought, acted and communicated differently than everyone else. They start with Why. This book provides a framework for success in inspiring others and taking your group and organization to a higher level. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the motives for what you do and staying true to those motives. Starting with why assures that decisions made are done so because they are important for the mission of the group or organization.
City of Thieves by David Benioff (2009)
[Amazon Link]
Set during World War II, this fictional novel depicts the evolving friendship between 2 young men during war time. It was inspiring to be witness to kindness, courage and hope in the milieu of cruelty and war. The author provides us with periods of laughter against the background of sadness and terror.
Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling (2009)
[Amazon Link]
I originally purchased this series for my children to read
and found myself unable to put it down. JK Rowling did a phenomenal job building a fictional world of magic, developing complex characters, and depicting the importance of strong friendships all within the context of the battle between good and evil. One of my favorite parts of reading this series was the ability to read along with my children. It is a series that both adults and children can appreciate and provides a bonding experience. Additionally, in our high stress field it is nice to be able to read a book that does not require much intellectual power allowing you just to get lost in a world of fantasy.
* Disclaimer: We have no affiliations financial or otherwise with the authors, books, references, or hyperlinks listed. The Amazon links, however, are Amazon affiliate links.
Author information
Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine
Associate Program Director
LAC + USC Emergency Medicine Residency
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