The first day of summer has arrived, and so has STAT’s annual book list of great reads in health, science, and medicine.

Read on for recommendations from CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna and CDC Director Robert Redfield. Plus, STAT readers from Boston to Ireland to Australia share their picks, in addition to our staff. Enjoy!

SEE SUGGESTIONS FROM:    NOTABLE FIGURES   |  OUR READERS   |  OUR STAFF

NOTABLE FIGURES

“Scientific Conversations: Interviews on Science from The New York Times”
By Claudia Dreifus
This is an awesome collection of 38 interviews, published originally in the Science Times section of the New York Times, that captures the wonder and excitement of scientific discovery. As an outstanding journalist and a relative outsider to science, Dreifus elicits from her subjects the passion, frustration, inspiration and, ultimately, the joy of doing science. Her writing reminds me of the work of John McPhee: deep and expansive with a sense of fun. A great read!
— Jennifer Doudna, professor and HHMI Investigator, UC Berkeley; director, Innovative Genomics Institute of UC Berkeley/UCSF/Gladstone Institutes

“Vaccinated: One Man’s Quest to Defeat the World’s Deadliest Diseases”
By Paul A. Offit
Physicians, parents, and public health professionals seeking credible, timely information about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines will find those answers in Dr. Offit’s “Vaccinated.” He writes a compelling narrative, sharing the underlying science and historical context behind the vaccine regimen recommended today. This fact-based retrospective dispels myths and underscores the importance of immunization for children and adults alike. Readers will have a better understanding of the science-based reasoning to embrace vaccination for themselves, their families, and their communities.
— Dr. Robert R. Redfield, director of the Centers