Reading roundup
Learn about a handful of recently published books authored by UF College of Medicine alumni
For this crop of physicians, the pen is just as mighty as the scalpel. Listed here are recently published books authored by UF College of Medicine alumni, which range from novels about historical Savannah, Georgia, and family memories to a guide on exercise for cancer prevention and recovery. Learn more about the inspiration that fuels these physician-writers.
AUTHOR: Lawrence Martin, MD ’69
BOOK TITLE: “Liberty Street: A Novel of Later Civil War Savannah”
PUBLICATION DATE: July 2017, Lakeside Press, won second-place prize for historical fiction at the 2018 Florida Writers Association’s Royal Palm Literary Awards
“I grew up in Savannah, Georgia, which was the end point of Gen. Sherman’s March to the Sea in 1864. After touring the mansion where he stayed, I became fascinated with Savannah’s Civil War history. I always loved to write, and during my career as a pulmonologist, I wrote a dozen nonfiction books for doctors and the lay public. With my newfound fascination, I decided to tackle fiction and ended up writing three Civil War novels. The latest is the story of a 24-year-old war widow and her complicated love affairs in war-ravaged Savannah.”
AUTHOR: Felicia Baxter, MD ’97
BOOK TITLE: “Not My Family: When Ties Should Not Bind Fiction”
PUBLICATION DATE: May 2019, AuthorHouse
“‘Not My Family’ is not and was never meant to be a typical fluffy beach read. In Writing 101, you learn to write about what you know, so I loosely based this on my family, a collection of disconnected memories. My hope is that readers consider alternative actions and reactions to life. One of the finer points I hope rings true is finding forgiveness: forgiving yourself and others for past transgressions and learning that forgiveness doesn’t justify the transgression but allows you to move on and grow.”
AUTHOR: Mandy Robertson, MD ’99
BOOK TITLE: “X-Out Cancer With Exercise: Exercise Handbook for Cancer Prevention and Recovery”
PUBLICATION DATE: July 2019, BookBaby
“My book started as handouts for my patients with the goal of educating people on the ways exercise can improve their health and well-being and how to exercise safely no matter their skill level or limitations. I hope people find success with exercise in recovering from cancer and cancer treatments, living with cancer or preventing cancer altogether.”
This story originally ran in the Winter 2020 issue of the Doctor Gator newsletter.
