Teaching Literature and Medicine

Hawkins, A. H. & McEntyre, M. C., eds.

Primary Category: Literature / Nonfiction

Genre: Anthology (Essays)

Annotated by:
Willms, Janice
  • Date of entry: Jul-13-2000

Summary

The purpose of this collection of essays written by teachers of literature and medicine is to serve as a guide for those who are preparing courses or seminars in the field. The collection is divided into four sections, each one approaching the theory and pedagogy of the discipline in a different way: one section is made up of model courses; a second views the subject matter from the standpoint of individual texts, authors, or genres; the third takes a broader look at some effects of literature on the practice of medicine and/or nursing and the role illness and medicine have played in the creation of literature; the fourth is a collection of resources available in the field. There is blurring of some of the boundaries of the sections, but read in the whole, the collection provides a good sense of the way medicine and literature is being taught in this country at this time.

Commentary

The work is a useful addition to the body of critical and pedagogical pieces available to scholars and teachers in medicine and literature. Although many of the essays focus on the health care professional or student planning to enter one of the healing professions, there is considerable information about the design and conduct of medicine and literature courses for the undergraduate in science or humanities who is not necessarily planning a career in health.

Publisher

The Modern Language Association

Place Published

New York

Edition

2000

Page Count

383