Books
Did you know reading can help your focus and memory, reduce stress and even improve mental health? Celebrate National Public Health Week by picking up one of these suggested books from your local library or bookstore. From memoirs to children’s book, we have something for everyone (and for each NPHW priority area). Want to read more? Check out the APHA Book Store.
It Starts Here: Your Health is Our Mission
Sick Kids in Love by Hanna Moskowitz
Isabel avoids dating to protect others from her struggles, including her rheumatoid arthritis. But when she meets a boy with a chronic illness of his own, she finds someone who truly understands her—more than her healthy friends or even her doctor father. He's charming, funny, and undeniably interested in her. As their connection grows, Isabel is tempted to break her one rule, even though it feels risky.
On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service by Anthony Fauci
Preventable: How a Pandemic Changed the World & How to Stop the Next One by Devi Sridhar
Climate Action Starts Here: Championing Resilience for Health
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
Established in 2025, the Ministry for the Future is dedicated to protecting future generations and all living beings. Unlike typical post-apocalyptic stories, this novel presents a near-future world where humanity struggles—and might succeed—in overcoming the climate crisis.
Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World by John Vaillant
Blue Skies by T.C. Boyle
Amara and the Bats by Emma Reynolds
Health Equity Starts Here: Optimizing Health for All
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Y. Davis
This book features a collection of essays, interviews, and speeches exploring the links between global struggles against state violence and oppression. Davis examines the significance of Black feminism, intersectionality, and prison abolitionism, drawing connections between past and present liberation movements.
Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green
Racism: Science & Tools for the Public Health Professional, 2nd Edition (APHA Press)
Advocacy Starts Here: Amplifying Voices for Public Health
The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promises in Rural America by Monica Potts
Monica escaped her small Arkansas town while her childhood best friend, Darci, did not. Bonded by ambition, their paths diverged—Monica pursued college and a career, while Darci fell into addiction and poverty, reflecting a broader crisis of declining life expectancy among poor, rural white women. Through powerful reporting, Monica exposes the systemic forces—unemployment, drug abuse, sexism, and evangelical influence—trapping women like Darci, offering a stark portrait of life in the rural South.
Rebel Health: A Field Guide to the Patient-Led Revolution in Medical Care by Susannah Fox
The Future of Public Health Starts Here: Strengthening the Public Health Workforce
Old Enough to Make a Difference: Be inspired by real-life children building a more sustainable future by Rebecca Hui and illustrated by Anneli Bray
This children’s book showcases inspiring stories of young changemakers taking action for a sustainable future, proving that age is no barrier to making an impact.
The Cure for Burnout: How to Find Balance and Reclaim Your Life by Emily Ballesteros
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara
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