Bedside Reading

Bedside Reading Podcast
  • 5.0 (3)
  • MEDICINE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A medical humanities podcast where we explore themes from fiction, memoir and other non traditional non-textbooks which help to make us better at what we do.  Hosted by Dr Tara George, a GP and medical educator, in each episode a different guest explores a book that has changed their practice. Follow us on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/bedsidereading.bsky.social Facebook or Instagram @bedsidereadingpodcast. If you'd like to recommend a book or to come on the podcast as a guest please email: bedsidereadingpodcast@gmail.com. Episodes hosted by Tara George, edited by Levi Gee

  1. 2D AGO

    When your neurons dance

    Send us a text A warm welcome today to emergency physician, Johnny Acheson, who is here to talk about his book, When Your Neurons Dance, which is a journey through Johnny's own diagnosis with Parkinson's disease at the age of 41. We explore some of the lessons that he has learned from lived experience of being a doctor, living and working with Parkinson's disease, thinking about the importance of exercise, community, support, education, It's a real eye opener as a book and one that I think we can all learn a huge amount from.

    31 min

  2. DEC 16

    The Names

    Send us a text The Names by Florence Knapp is undoubtedly one of my top fiction reads of 2025, if not my absolute top read of 2025. It is an astonishing first novel, which follows three different storylines, all based on what Cora names her baby boy. Will she call him Gordon? (the name chosen by her husband, also Gordon.) Will she call him Julian? Or will she call him Bear, the name suggested by his sister? This is an absolutely amazing sliding doors type of a novel with some extremely dark themes running through around domestic abuse. It felt only appropriate to be thinking about the Doctors Association UK and Medical Women's Federation campaign about domestic abuse in healthcare care workers, how prevalent this is. And how much of a problem it can be. So slight trigger warning, we are going to be talking today about abuse, about domestic abuse, and about the effect on women and on families, as well as the huge difficulties that may arise when a perpetrator is in a position of power and privilege. https://dauk.org/wave-of-activity-to-launch-nhs-domestic-abuse-awareness-day/

    34 min

  3. DEC 9

    Shred Sisters

    Send us a text Shred Sisters, the debut novel by Betsy Lerner, was a real highlight of my summer reading this year. It is fabulous novel about a family, particularly about two sisters, Amy and Ollie, and the effect that Ollie's mental illness has on her, on her sister, and on the wider family. It's been a great joy today to be talking to the author, Betsy Lerner. This is Betsy's first novel, written in her 60s, suggesting that it's never too late to become a novelist. Betsy is also, unexpectedly, a TikTok star, talking about her own life experiences, her diaries, and giving some fabulous, compassionate, wise advice to younger people starting off in their lives and careers. I absolutely adore Shred Sisters, and it's been a real pleasure to talk to Betsy about it.

    32 min

  4. DEC 2

    It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

    Send us a text How Christmasy are you feeling? It's December now and I know for some people this is a really exciting time of year. Today's podcast has been the best fun to record and is about a book which I absolutely adored. In fact, the only thing I didn't like about today's book is the fact that I didn't read it for the first time in December because it is a proper warm hug of a cheesy Christmas romantic comedy. That's not to say that it is without depth, but it really is just about the most perfect book to snuggle up in front of the fire with a hot chocolate and escape into and it was a huge treat to get to talk to Hayley Dunlop, the author, about it today.

    36 min

  5. NOV 25

    The Wonders of Dr Bent

    Send us a text I'm delighted to welcome Professor Paul Crawford to the podcast today. We are talking about his novel, The Wonders of Dr Bent, described in the publisher's blurb as "a twisted tale of murder, revenge and abandonment." It is sort of a crime thriller, but there's so much more to this novel. There are some beautiful characters. There are two main protagonists who skirt on the edges of health and and illness.  We see characters who are thriving professionally whilst battling with demons of their own. In the background, we have fabulous supporting cast and a real sense of what could be and what could be better if only our mental health services were not designed with the idea that people are either mad or bad or perhaps both or completely well. Paul enables us to experience that area in between and the value of allowing people to survive and function within their own lives and be of value. It's a really interesting, gripping, thought-provoking novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to Paul about it.

    30 min

  6. NOV 18

    I who have never known men

    Send us a text A warm welcome back today to GP Kirsty Shires, who's here today to talk with me about Jacqueline Harpman's 1995 novel, I Who Have Never Known Men. This is an absolutely astonishing book. It is dystopian fiction at its best, I think. It is human, it is connected, it is thought-provoking, it is bizarre. There's so much to think about packed into 200 very short pages. I've thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It's definitely a book I'm going to go back to, and I've really enjoyed talking to Kirsty about it.

    36 min

  7. NOV 11

    Educated

    Send us a text Educated by Tara Westover is one of those books which has really stayed with me since I first read it back in 2018. It's also a book that I just assumed when I started this podcast that somebody would approach me and want to talk about. It feels astonishing that we've got as far as season 11 before anybody has asked to come on and discuss it. I'm glad I waited, though, because I've thoroughly loved my conversation with Syba Sunny today about the book and about some of the themes. We think about acceptance. We think about education. We think about self-motivation in learning. The ideas of hiding in plain sight. What is safeguarding? What is not safeguarding? And how do you norm reference a family? It's a brilliant book, and I've really enjoyed thinking about it.

    31 min

  8. NOV 4

    Fear and Loathing in Plymouth

    Send us a text Welcome to  November 2025 and season 11 of the podcast,. We are celebrating our 4th Birthday in November and my guest today, Claire Le Day aka GP Steph celebrates her 40th birthday in November. Claire/Steph is here to talk about her fabulous med school diaries which have been published as Fear and Loathing in Plymouth. If you are looking for a book to make you think, to take you on a trip back down memory lane, to remember what it was like to be a teenager, to cringe alongside Steph as she recalls some of the excesses of her first and second year at Peninsula Medical School, really this is a great book to be picking up. So Happy birthday, Claire. Welcome to season 11 of the podcast and Fear and Loathing in Plymouth. Let's go.

    32 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

A medical humanities podcast where we explore themes from fiction, memoir and other non traditional non-textbooks which help to make us better at what we do.  Hosted by Dr Tara George, a GP and medical educator, in each episode a different guest explores a book that has changed their practice. Follow us on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/bedsidereading.bsky.social Facebook or Instagram @bedsidereadingpodcast. If you'd like to recommend a book or to come on the podcast as a guest please email: bedsidereadingpodcast@gmail.com. Episodes hosted by Tara George, edited by Levi Gee

Information

  • Creator
    Bedside Reading Podcast
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    213
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Bedside Reading
  • Show Website
    Bedside Reading

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