Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health
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- Create Date：2021-07-25 20:20:57
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Leana Wen
- ISBN：1250186234
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Summary
From medical expert Leana Wen， MD。， an insider’s account of public health and its crucial role—from opioid addiction to global pandemic—and an inspiring story of her journey from struggling immigrant to being one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People
“Public health saved your life today—you just don’t know it，” is a phrase that Dr。 Leana Wen likes to use。 You don’t know it because good public health is invisible。 It becomes visible only in its absence， when it is underfunded and ignored， a bitter truth laid bare as never before by the devastation of COVID-19。
Leana Wen—emergency physician， former Baltimore health commissioner， CNN medical analyst， and Washington Post contributing columnist—has lived on the front lines of public health， leading the fight against the opioid epidemic， outbreaks of infectious disease， maternal and infant mortality， and COVID-19 disinformation。 Here， in gripping detail， Wen lays bare the lifesaving work of public health and its innovative approach to social ills， treating gun violence as a contagious disease， for example， and racism as a threat to health。
Wen also tells her own uniquely American story: an immigrant from China， she and her family received food stamps and were at times homeless despite her parents working multiple jobs。 That child went on to attend college at thirteen， become a Rhodes scholar， and turn to public health as the way to make a difference in the country that had offered her such possibilities。
Ultimately， she insists， it is public health that ensures citizens are not robbed of decades of life， and that where children live does not determine whether they live。
Reviews
Nathan Mallipeddi
，
As a future physician， I was very excited to read Dr。 Wen’s book。 Once I began reading， I couldn’t put it down！ Lifelines provides a window into Dr。 Wen’s childhood， education， and work on the front lines of public health。 Dr。 Wen is a national leader in public health policy who dedicated her life to serving as a champion for those forgotten by our imperfect health care system。 The magic of this book is the narrative-style presentation of life lessons coupled to a passionate argument in support As a future physician， I was very excited to read Dr。 Wen’s book。 Once I began reading， I couldn’t put it down！ Lifelines provides a window into Dr。 Wen’s childhood， education， and work on the front lines of public health。 Dr。 Wen is a national leader in public health policy who dedicated her life to serving as a champion for those forgotten by our imperfect health care system。 The magic of this book is the narrative-style presentation of life lessons coupled to a passionate argument in support of the importance of public health。 Dr。 Wen’s argument highlights the intricate role of public health in all aspects of our lives， including housing， food， clean air， and education， and serves as a guidebook into a public health-centered future。 As a writer， Dr。 Wen’s is candid， honest， thoughtful， and passionate。 There is no one like her—her unique personal and professional experiences are truly inspirational。 For these reasons， Lifelines is a must-read for all aspiring change makers。 It’s one of my absolute favorite books， and you’ll be inspired as Dr。 Wen effectively makes the invisible world of public health more visible。 。。。more
Akshayaa Chittibabu
，
As someone passionate about public health， I have followed Dr。 Wen's work as a public health leader throughout the years。 Lifelines delves deeply into this work and her broader reflections on public health as an emergency medicine physician and public servant。 What I enjoyed most about Lifelines was learning about Wen's story， and about what inspired/s her journey and life decisions。 As a daughter of immigrants and future doctor， Wen's candid discussion of her journey into medicine and her exper As someone passionate about public health， I have followed Dr。 Wen's work as a public health leader throughout the years。 Lifelines delves deeply into this work and her broader reflections on public health as an emergency medicine physician and public servant。 What I enjoyed most about Lifelines was learning about Wen's story， and about what inspired/s her journey and life decisions。 As a daughter of immigrants and future doctor， Wen's candid discussion of her journey into medicine and her experience as an immigrant resonated especially deeply。 Wen organizes the book in three main sections: Learning， Leading， and Transforming。 Each provides the behind-the-scenes of different eras of her life and work。 I've read the books of several well-known medical writers over the years and found Wen's writing style to be one of the most compelling。 As a writer， Wen's voice is distinct in its ability to be engaging， candid， and deeply reflective all at once。 Often times while reading， I felt as though I was sitting with a close friend or trusted mentor and listening to them reflect on the experiences that brought them to where they are， all while modeling the kind of humble transparency needed in the public sphere。 Her vulnerability with her readers makes certain sections of the book incredibly moving， such as when she discusses her mother's final months or her struggles with stuttering。 Throughout reading the book， I found myself repeatedly inspired by Wen's tenacity and ability to be vulnerable about the things she's struggled with most。 Her voice as a writer and candor makes the book hard to put down; I quickly finished the book over the course of two days。If you are interested in the role of physicians in the U。S。 public sphere， or specifically in learning about the behind-the-scenes of some of Dr。 Wen's work – such as her work as Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department – I highly recommend this book。 As a graduate student， I research urban health governance and found her discussion of Baltimore's opioid crisis and her time leading BCHD's work tackling the crisis to be candid and insightful。 Finally， there is no doubt that Dr。 Wen is one of our nation's foremost public health leaders。 However， what struck me the most while reading Lifelines is that she is also a genuinely inspiring， warm， and humble person。 We need more people like her in public health and in the public sphere。 。。。more
Kathleen Cahill
，
This amazing book is part memoir， part public health call to action。 First， Memoir: It’s the story of Dr。 Leana Wen， and her incredible tale of persistence and overcoming the odds。 You probably know Dr。 Wen as a CNN medical analyst or perhaps as a Washington Post contributing columnist。 If so， her story might surprise you。 Born in Shanghai， Wen arrived in the U。S。 with her parents at age 7， with no financial resources and almost no English。 Like her parents， she dreamed of a better life。 They st This amazing book is part memoir， part public health call to action。 First， Memoir: It’s the story of Dr。 Leana Wen， and her incredible tale of persistence and overcoming the odds。 You probably know Dr。 Wen as a CNN medical analyst or perhaps as a Washington Post contributing columnist。 If so， her story might surprise you。 Born in Shanghai， Wen arrived in the U。S。 with her parents at age 7， with no financial resources and almost no English。 Like her parents， she dreamed of a better life。 They struggled， despite their hard work。 Wen grew up in poverty， and her family was homeless for a time。 But she beat the odds -- to an extraordinary degree。 She was a college student at age 13。 Medical school soon followed。 She was a Rhodes scholar and eventually an emergency physician who has worked to transform public health in the U。S。 -- with the goal of a public health system that promotes health equity and social justice。Then， Call To Action: As a child， Dr。 Wen witnessed the death of another child from an asthma attack -- and came to understand that he died not because medical science couldn't help him， but rather from a lack of access to the medical care that would have saved his life。 Later， as an ER physician， she saw much the same: That poverty and a lack of access to medical care were costing people their lives， and that public health could level the playing field of inequality and injustice。 And so， she made public health her mission， eventually becoming the health commissioner for Baltimore City， where she is remembered for her innovative programs and life-saving decisions， such as issuing a city-wide， blanket prescription for Naloxone， an opioid antidote， so that anyone who had been trained to administer Naloxone could obtain it from any pharmacy， to reverse an opioid overdose and save a life。 And countless lives were saved as a result。 Dr。 Wen writes that her life is a testament to public health。 To read this book is to be persuaded by her extraordinary personal journey -- and by the lives that she， in turn， has saved with her commitment to health as a human right and the certainty that public health saves lives。 Anyone with an interest in public health， or in transforming an entrenched system， or in overcoming extraordinary odds will want to read this truly inspiring book。 And Lifelines is a story of hope that feels particularly timely as we emerge （we hope） from the greatest public health crisis in a century。Late in the book， with a nod to Winston Churchill， Dr。 Wen writes， "I believe strongly that we are not defined by the circumstances of our past but by how we choose to respond。" She is living proof of that。 Read this book， and be persuaded。 。。。more
William McCarthy
，
An inspirational journey but an even more powerful story。 Through her lived experience as a new neighbor to the United States as a child， experiencing poverty and housing and food insecurity in her formative years， Dr Wen not only came to understand the heath， social and systemic inequities that economically disadvantaged and communities of color face， she lived it。 It was this understanding that motivated her to become an agent of change and a national leader in public health with a vision of u An inspirational journey but an even more powerful story。 Through her lived experience as a new neighbor to the United States as a child， experiencing poverty and housing and food insecurity in her formative years， Dr Wen not only came to understand the heath， social and systemic inequities that economically disadvantaged and communities of color face， she lived it。 It was this understanding that motivated her to become an agent of change and a national leader in public health with a vision of universal public wellness。 As an emergency room physician， teacher and the leader of the oldest health department in the United States， through data， stories and interventions， Dr Wen shows the layers and dimensions of public health and the impact that social determinants has on the lives of people， communities and our society。 People working in healthcare and human services along with others who want to better understand public health and to make a difference in the lives of others and make our communities stronger must read Lifelines。 It is inspiring and practical with examples of ways to become more engaged。Bill McCarthyExecutive DirectorCatholic Charities of Baltimore 。。。more
Christopher J。
，
In “Lifelines，” Dr。 Wen offers a dose of reality—and an unassuming roadmap—for how one takes action against incredible adversity。 It is a page-turning memoir， a breath-taking exposure to the systemic challenges of public health， and， perhaps most importantly， a masterclass case study on leadership and decision-making。 Dr。 Wen’s story of “facing adversity and finding strength in struggle” inspires readers to take stock of their own hero’s journey。 Hers is exactly that—at every step of the way， Dr In “Lifelines，” Dr。 Wen offers a dose of reality—and an unassuming roadmap—for how one takes action against incredible adversity。 It is a page-turning memoir， a breath-taking exposure to the systemic challenges of public health， and， perhaps most importantly， a masterclass case study on leadership and decision-making。 Dr。 Wen’s story of “facing adversity and finding strength in struggle” inspires readers to take stock of their own hero’s journey。 Hers is exactly that—at every step of the way， Dr。 Wen worked through seemingly insurmountable challenges， wrestled with choices that bury most， and shows how one cultivates resilience。 I appreciated how she wove in her personal experiences in child- and adulthood—being an immigrant from China， asthma， stuttering， family dynamics， college， her relationship， and motherhood—to show how they drove her towards and through the public health fight。 An aspect of Dr。 Wen’s courageous journey that jumped off the pages was her commitment to taking action in her personal and professional lives。 Dr。 Wen showed that change is possible， and we should welcome gradual， incremental changes as we work toward our ultimate goals。 Whether it was the lessons she learned from her grandparents and parents， academic mentors， or on-the-job success and failures， Dr。 Wen candidly deconstructs her experiences to offer a walk-in-her-shoes perspective on how to navigate challenging circumstances。 While I am not a medical professional， it was Dr。 Wen’s willingness to share this kind of first person perspective on why and how she made the choices that she did throughout her life that made it such an invaluable book on leadership and decision-making。 I didn’t have to know anything about public health—though it will now be etched in my mind forever—to be captivated by her bias for action and ability to figure things out。 She faced fear and took risks， failed at times， and stood up to antiquated processes， which I could easily relate to circumstances in my own life。 In relation， Dr。 Wen’s pursuit of “good enough” resonated as an antidote to the inaction of perfection that often paralyzes many efforts to make change before they even begin。 Those who are struggling or want to make a difference in this world would be wise to study Dr。 Wen’s life and career thus far similarly to the way we do with other great leaders of our time。 Lifelines is but the first chapter in what inevitably will be her ascension to prominent leadership positions that will put her on the front lines of change in this country。 Her story， courage， and continued evolution will serve as a model for my future。 Thank you for writing your story， Dr。 Wen， and for being a mentor from afar。 。。。more
Kevin Lindamood
，
Lifelines is an integrated and intriguing personal memoir， public health treatise， and practical guide to leadership that speaks powerfully to the moment we're in right now。 There's so much to appreciate here - from inspiring personal narrative， to behind-the-scenes reflections on challenging leadership decisions， to a sober analysis of the threats posed by a global pandemic layered over insufficient public health systems。 Dr。 Leana Wen rejects the separation of the "personal" and the "professio Lifelines is an integrated and intriguing personal memoir， public health treatise， and practical guide to leadership that speaks powerfully to the moment we're in right now。 There's so much to appreciate here - from inspiring personal narrative， to behind-the-scenes reflections on challenging leadership decisions， to a sober analysis of the threats posed by a global pandemic layered over insufficient public health systems。 Dr。 Leana Wen rejects the separation of the "personal" and the "professional" and instead consistently and compellingly uses personal experience to explore the broader public health questions facing us all。 She challenges the reader， channeling the late Congressman Elijah Cummings （the namesake of her son， Eli）， to let one's pain drive one's passion to become one's purpose。 By experiencing over time the fires， fears， failures and triumphs that forge a public health leader， the reader is then motivated to reflect upon their own pain， passion and purpose。 We look forward to what's next in Dr。 Wen's story - and we're made to consider our own。 Here's the thread: empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of others and to advance collective policy priorities beyond narrow personal interests。 Amid rampant disinvestment in public health， increased partisan polarization， structural inequities， and the politicization of objective reality， true empathy may be our most essential lifeline。 。。。more
Leonard Friedman
，
Lifelines is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn life-lessons from a real public health hero。 Dr。 Leana Wen shares her life story in a way that serves to inspire others to do great things。 Her honesty， integrity， and clear vision for a better future makes Lifelines an important story for these challenging times。
Vadim
，
I don't know about you， but I always thought I had a fair grasp on public health in America。 Its issues， its victims， and its benefactors。 Reading Lifelines gave clarity and credence to some of my notions。 It blew the rest of them wide open。 Not only does it go deep on what happens behind the scenes， it takes you into places and conversations you never knew were happening。 Not every doctor or public health official can tell a story like this because not everyone has worked in the ER following a I don't know about you， but I always thought I had a fair grasp on public health in America。 Its issues， its victims， and its benefactors。 Reading Lifelines gave clarity and credence to some of my notions。 It blew the rest of them wide open。 Not only does it go deep on what happens behind the scenes， it takes you into places and conversations you never knew were happening。 Not every doctor or public health official can tell a story like this because not everyone has worked in the ER following a major terrorist attack， treated civil war victims in the Congo， served as health commissioner for a major American city， ran and butted heads with the largest provider of reproductive health services in America， and the list goes on and on。 This book is unlike any other because it could only be written by Leana Wen。 And I don't mean someone like Leana Wen， because truthfully there is nobody like her。 Throughout all of the illumination and relevation， you get to meet a real person working as hard as they can to make sure the preventable tragedies she saw as a child do not befall anyone else。 Leana's writing is candid， vulnerable， and honest。 Her own story is as compelling as her career and in Lifelines you get both。 Get the book， you'll be glad you did。 。。。more
Linda Jones
，
In this highly readable book， Dr。 Leana Wen makes a compelling argument for the role of public health in addressing many of society’s ills， from the opioid crisis to teen pregnancy to gun violence to the pandemic。 She weaves these policy arguments into the poignant and gripping story of her personal journey。 Dr。 Wen’s unwavering commitment to a more equitable society is inspirational。 Everyone should read this engaging and important book！
Nelson
，
This is an incredible and exceptional read regarding the importance of public health。 More than that， it is unforgettable story from the beginning。 I was in tears throughout the first section of the book because of the personal circumstances that Leana experienced in her formative years。 She provided elucidating insight into the impact of public health to reduce disparity amongst underrepresented communities through her experience as the Public Health Commissioner of Baltimore and head of Planne This is an incredible and exceptional read regarding the importance of public health。 More than that， it is unforgettable story from the beginning。 I was in tears throughout the first section of the book because of the personal circumstances that Leana experienced in her formative years。 She provided elucidating insight into the impact of public health to reduce disparity amongst underrepresented communities through her experience as the Public Health Commissioner of Baltimore and head of Planned Parenthood。 There are life lessons， guiding principles of wisdom， and interesting perspective concerning the covid-19 pandemic。 Dr。 Wen packs a lot of good information in a page-turner from the beginning。 I highly recommend it for all interested in public health or inspiring memoirs。 。。。more
Jan Houbolt
，
This book is a wonderful read。 It intertwines a remarkable biography of overcoming multiple obstacles with a deep dive into the most important public health issues of today。 It reads like a novel but a policy wonk would love it also。Leana Wen is openly vulnerable in terms of allowing you to walk into her life and seeing not only her accomplishments but also her missteps and regrets along with lessons learned on her journey。 Simultaneously she gives a data driven advocacy for better public policy This book is a wonderful read。 It intertwines a remarkable biography of overcoming multiple obstacles with a deep dive into the most important public health issues of today。 It reads like a novel but a policy wonk would love it also。Leana Wen is openly vulnerable in terms of allowing you to walk into her life and seeing not only her accomplishments but also her missteps and regrets along with lessons learned on her journey。 Simultaneously she gives a data driven advocacy for better public policy around health issues。 I really loved this book。 I think you will also。 。。。more
T。 McGinnis
，
With purpose emboldened by compassion， Dr。 Wen invites readers into the compelling， change-making work of her life。 As an advocate， physician， and public health leader， she advances a rare combination of convictions lived and learned--weaving together lessons of intimate， personal vulnerability with our most pressing public needs。 Among her compelling lessons is the refusal of cynicism， an insistence on doing the necessary work to ensure our collective prosperity。 In tracing out the relationship With purpose emboldened by compassion， Dr。 Wen invites readers into the compelling， change-making work of her life。 As an advocate， physician， and public health leader， she advances a rare combination of convictions lived and learned--weaving together lessons of intimate， personal vulnerability with our most pressing public needs。 Among her compelling lessons is the refusal of cynicism， an insistence on doing the necessary work to ensure our collective prosperity。 In tracing out the relationships and hopes that drive Dr。 Wen forward， Lifelines asks that we too embrace our part in this common project。 Paraphrasing her own hero， the late Representative Elijah Cummings， Dr。 Wen demonstrates with vigor how one's pain may ignite a passion that renews and advances such vital purpose。 。。。more
Beth R
，
Leana Wen writes a poignant， personal story of her immigrant childhood in an impoverished family， her unlikely journey to become a doctor， and her development as a young， Asian-American woman leader and health activist， all through a public health lens。 She intertwines the intimate experiences of a daughter， wife， mother， and doctor， making the book a highly readable and relatable story。 She offers insightful， plainly written explanations and analysis， based on science， of the formidable challen Leana Wen writes a poignant， personal story of her immigrant childhood in an impoverished family， her unlikely journey to become a doctor， and her development as a young， Asian-American woman leader and health activist， all through a public health lens。 She intertwines the intimate experiences of a daughter， wife， mother， and doctor， making the book a highly readable and relatable story。 She offers insightful， plainly written explanations and analysis， based on science， of the formidable challenges to solving public health problems， from addiction and gun violence to women’s health and the COVID-19 pandemic。 This is at once a book about public health for experienced health and policy professionals and for those who may not have noticed public health until the pandemic put the words on the front page。Dr。 Wen’s extraordinary personal story and accomplishments are an inspiration for all of us who want to make the world a better place。 More than that， she tells compelling， sometimes heartbreaking， stories about individuals she has encountered and balances them with relevant data about populations and policy change。 She further inspires us with quotes from her mentors and heroes， such as Congressman Eli Cummings， Dr。 Fitzhugh Mullan， and Dr。 Martin Luther King， Jr。 She makes the case that there is no such thing as a non-health sector， that everything is influenced by public health， and the public’s health is influenced in turn by everything else。 She describes concrete approaches she has used that follow this overarching principle about public health。 She is honest and forthcoming about the ethical dilemmas she has faced as an advocate and physician， and the actions she then took to serve those in need， her true north star。I highly recommend this remarkable book。 I can hardly wait to see what this brilliant national media star and public health thought-leader will do next！ 。。。more
Kristy Woolf
，
Dr。 Wen's authentic voice shines through in Lifelines。 I not only learned about public health （a field about which I didn't realize how little I knew！）， but was also inspired by Dr。 Wen's personal story and professional journey。 If issues of poverty， human rights， equity， and/or health are important to you or you want to learn more about these issues， I highly recommend reading Lifelines。 It is sure to educate， enlighten， and inspire you。 Dr。 Wen's authentic voice shines through in Lifelines。 I not only learned about public health （a field about which I didn't realize how little I knew！）， but was also inspired by Dr。 Wen's personal story and professional journey。 If issues of poverty， human rights， equity， and/or health are important to you or you want to learn more about these issues， I highly recommend reading Lifelines。 It is sure to educate， enlighten， and inspire you。 。。。more
Bel Leong-Hong
，
Have you ever started reading a book and and find that you could not put it down？ Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health is one such book！ Dr。 Leana Wen is a natural story teller。 From the first chapter， where she lays the foundation that “public health is our lifeline” to the final chapter， where she shares some worthy lessons from her journey， this book gives us a front-row view and a rare glimpse of the life-events and decisions that shaped her remarkable life and her wo Have you ever started reading a book and and find that you could not put it down？ Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health is one such book！ Dr。 Leana Wen is a natural story teller。 From the first chapter， where she lays the foundation that “public health is our lifeline” to the final chapter， where she shares some worthy lessons from her journey， this book gives us a front-row view and a rare glimpse of the life-events and decisions that shaped her remarkable life and her work。 We are given front row seat to watch in fascination how she handled life’s hardest hits in her early life， to her purposeful pursuit of her dreams through her teen years and adulthood。 We meet the important figures in her life—from her Nai Nai and Ye Ye to mentors who took an interest in her， guided her， and shaped her character， to the loves of her life: her life partner Sebastian， and children Eli and Isabella。 Lifelines is not only an autobiography， it is interlaced with thoughtful and methodical explanations of why Public health plays such an important role in our society。 In Lifelines， Dr。 Leana Wen gently guides the reader in understanding the essential and multifaceted role of Public Health in our society。 She does that effectively by interweaving her own experience with health， public policy， and the environment with vivid examples with real people， and a clear explanation of impact when there is a lack of a coherent Public Health policy。 I highly recommend this very timely and fascinating book。 。。。more
Janice Blanchard
，
Wonderful and inspiring book。 This is a well written book that is captivating and engaging。 From the first chapter， I was drawn into Dr。 Wen's story。 She discusses how she was motivated to work towards change from her humble beginnings and later describes her experiences impacting the public health system。 She shares valuable lessons about the challenges she faced through her work。 I highly recommend this book。 Wonderful and inspiring book。 This is a well written book that is captivating and engaging。 From the first chapter， I was drawn into Dr。 Wen's story。 She discusses how she was motivated to work towards change from her humble beginnings and later describes her experiences impacting the public health system。 She shares valuable lessons about the challenges she faced through her work。 I highly recommend this book。 。。。more
Laura L。
，
I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of Dr。 Wen’s book， and I couldn’t put it down！The story of her life as a young immigrant from China to her hard won roles as doctor， advocate， and problem-solver captivated me。 There is so much wisdom you can take from this book， whether it is don’t let perfect be the enemy of good， or how a young woman can overcome “imposter syndrome” in order to achieve her goals。 Even if you don’t have an interest in public health， you should read this book for the t I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of Dr。 Wen’s book， and I couldn’t put it down！The story of her life as a young immigrant from China to her hard won roles as doctor， advocate， and problem-solver captivated me。 There is so much wisdom you can take from this book， whether it is don’t let perfect be the enemy of good， or how a young woman can overcome “imposter syndrome” in order to achieve her goals。 Even if you don’t have an interest in public health， you should read this book for the telling of her amazing personal journey。 。。。more
Ashley Piraino
，
Fascinating！ An objective perspective on public health， from an insider who has been on both sides of the issue！
Charles Scheeler
，
Dr。 Wen’s story reminds us that the American Dream still resonates。 The United States is still seen as the land of opportunity， and what a life Dr。 Wen has made of that opportunity。 In this engaging book， she details how her family， with barely a dollar to their names， made their way to the U。S。 From there， Dr。 Wen’s career ascended like a rocket。 A childhood friend lost to asthma provided the motivation for a career in public health care。Dr。 Wen provides common sense insights on how we， as a pe Dr。 Wen’s story reminds us that the American Dream still resonates。 The United States is still seen as the land of opportunity， and what a life Dr。 Wen has made of that opportunity。 In this engaging book， she details how her family， with barely a dollar to their names， made their way to the U。S。 From there， Dr。 Wen’s career ascended like a rocket。 A childhood friend lost to asthma provided the motivation for a career in public health care。Dr。 Wen provides common sense insights on how we， as a people， can ensure better health for all。 If only we can work together， and set aside our differences， which is the defining challenge of our era。 However the public health debate turns out， we are all better for having Dr。 Wen in the arena。 。。。more
Stephanie Martinez-Ruckman
，
As a resident of Baltimore but also a person connected to health policy， I was excited to read Dr。 Wen's book。 This was a book I could not put down！ Dr。 Wen's compelling personal story and its impact on her professional ambitions paints a vivid picture of why investing in public health， and the social determinants that impact the health of people， is so important。 Under the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic， the issues of health and equity are are the forefront of all of our minds。 This book bri As a resident of Baltimore but also a person connected to health policy， I was excited to read Dr。 Wen's book。 This was a book I could not put down！ Dr。 Wen's compelling personal story and its impact on her professional ambitions paints a vivid picture of why investing in public health， and the social determinants that impact the health of people， is so important。 Under the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic， the issues of health and equity are are the forefront of all of our minds。 This book brilliantly illustrates the ongoing need to ask tough questions， bring together community partners and to have honest dialogues with the residents of our nation's communities about how to better ensure that the health and wellness of all people， regardless of their zipcode， in invested in and supported。 。。。more
Vicki Almond
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“Dr。 Leana Wen’s personal journey reveals the source of her passion and tenacity enabling her to lead the charge for change to health equity in our Country。 A truly inspiring read。”Vicki Almond， Former Member and Chair of the Baltimore County Council
Bernard Chang
，
Powerful narrative from a frontline provider to public health advocate， I found Dr。 Wen's personal narrative a moving story of one individual's personal struggles and its role in shaping her development as a health professional relentlessly advocating for patients and the general public。 A great read for folks interested in the intersection of medicine and public health particularly in the wake of the global pandemic of COVID-19 Powerful narrative from a frontline provider to public health advocate， I found Dr。 Wen's personal narrative a moving story of one individual's personal struggles and its role in shaping her development as a health professional relentlessly advocating for patients and the general public。 A great read for folks interested in the intersection of medicine and public health particularly in the wake of the global pandemic of COVID-19 。。。more
Christy
，
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway。 I was excited to read it and I really wanted to love it， but it stays on the surface of so many different and important topics and doesn’t provide much new information about any of them。 The back cover says that the book includes the story of Dr。 Wen’s life， which is fascinating （born in China， moved to the US in elementary school， starts college at 13， etc。）， but it felt more like reading a resume than reading about a real person — I would have li I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway。 I was excited to read it and I really wanted to love it， but it stays on the surface of so many different and important topics and doesn’t provide much new information about any of them。 The back cover says that the book includes the story of Dr。 Wen’s life， which is fascinating （born in China， moved to the US in elementary school， starts college at 13， etc。）， but it felt more like reading a resume than reading about a real person — I would have liked to see more detail， more emotion。 In her discussion of her career so far， she doesn’t spend very long in any one place and the book jumps from topic to topic without really explaining anything。 The brief accounting of her time at Planned Parenthood feels more like an attempt at image rehab than an exposition of what happened and why。 Then she tackles Covid-19 at the end。 This book could be a good introduction to the concept of public health for people new to the topic。 Had the entire book been about her time in Baltimore， with a deep dive on one or two of the areas she worked on， I think it would have been a much better book。 。。。more
Candice
，
Leana Wen perfectly captures what is public health - the place where science， policy， and politics meet and touch real people and communities。 She gives an amazing behind the scenes look at her work in Baltimore and Planned Parenthood， and in this moment when public health experts have been turned into talking heads on tv， blue checks on social media， or news stories， her personal stories remind us that these are actual people working to help others。 As the daughter of Chinese immigrants， her gr Leana Wen perfectly captures what is public health - the place where science， policy， and politics meet and touch real people and communities。 She gives an amazing behind the scenes look at her work in Baltimore and Planned Parenthood， and in this moment when public health experts have been turned into talking heads on tv， blue checks on social media， or news stories， her personal stories remind us that these are actual people working to help others。 As the daughter of Chinese immigrants， her growing up stories had me calling my dad to get more detail on our family stories。 Her sharing of the loss of her mother brought back vivid memories of working nights as a resident in the ER while my own mother was in the hospital and sitting at her bedside through morning rounds。 I found Lifelines beautifully written and authentic。 。。。more
Andrew
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Public health has been grossly underappreciated and and increasingly disparaged over the last couple of decades， with devastating results。 Where we once saw the overwhelming societal benefits of strong support for public health， and lauded the public health breakthroughs in vaccines and other measures， we now seem to vilify public health experts and look for ways to cut public health spending。Dr。 Wen has spent her entire career looking for ways to reverse these trends。 The daughter of immigrants Public health has been grossly underappreciated and and increasingly disparaged over the last couple of decades， with devastating results。 Where we once saw the overwhelming societal benefits of strong support for public health， and lauded the public health breakthroughs in vaccines and other measures， we now seem to vilify public health experts and look for ways to cut public health spending。Dr。 Wen has spent her entire career looking for ways to reverse these trends。 The daughter of immigrants who faced severe financial hurdles， she has seen first hand the impacts of poor public health policies on day-to-day life。 This memoir takes us from the struggles of her youth， through her education and growing desire to change the way public health is understood and implemented， to her career as a prominent public health expert。Along the way， she illustrates the myriad ways in which public health touches on all aspects of life， and the dangers of not acting because of concerns that our solutions aren't good enough。 She strongly believes that we need to do what we can now， while also striving to do better later。 Her efforts as the Baltimore health commissioner illustrate many of the struggles we face in public health， but her most scathing assessments of the poor state of public health in this country are saved for her analysis of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic。 Even with the pandemic still ongoing， her insights into how we could have better responded should be ample motivation for readers to push for a wholesale overhaul in how we treat public health。 。。。more
Davisliu1
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A truly incredible story of an elementary school immigrant from China who through grit， perseverance， and steely focus， and who witnesses and experiences all too many tragedies becomes one of America's most trusted physicians and public health advocates not necessarily because she wanted to， but because she feels compelled to do so。 Dr。 Leana Wen's deep care， empathy， integrity， pragmatism and gratitude towards her patients and the public are a consequence of her stressful upbringing， fortuitous A truly incredible story of an elementary school immigrant from China who through grit， perseverance， and steely focus， and who witnesses and experiences all too many tragedies becomes one of America's most trusted physicians and public health advocates not necessarily because she wanted to， but because she feels compelled to do so。 Dr。 Leana Wen's deep care， empathy， integrity， pragmatism and gratitude towards her patients and the public are a consequence of her stressful upbringing， fortuitous opportunities， and individual setbacks which were complemented by the support and kindness of strangers， teachers， and mentors who took an interest in helping push and guide her。In a very raw， candid， and personal account of her challenges growing up， becoming a patient advocate， and then ultimately a very public figure， Dr。 Wen shares her personal and professional struggles as a child living in an immigrant household trying to make ends meet， seeing injustices and inequities in her adopted home， the United States， and becoming a physician， a public health commissioner， and a trusted medical analyst in a constant personal mission to help others。 Dr。 Wen's inspiring story shows that each person has tremendous potential to do great things when given the opportunities and programs to succeed and the love of others to lift her up。 I can't wait to see what she does next。 Until then， read Lifelines - A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health and see how Dr。 Wen's story is one that demonstrates what's possible when we help each other。 Because it might just be an immigrant girl who doesn't speak English and then becomes a doctor， who cares and reassures the public facing the worst pandemic in over a century and inspires the next generation of people to serve in the agency of others。 。。。more
Jean Silver-Isenstadt
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Beleaguered by pandemic， societal tribalism， and climate catastrophe， the world is hungry for role models like Leana Wen—a clear-eyed， empathic， pay-it-forward leader who illuminates our interdependence。 Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health—a generous， inspiring narrative—has relevance to all of us。 A quintessential American memoir， it deftly weaves Wen’s personal origin story with her gripping professional trajectory—development that feels magically impossible and impera Beleaguered by pandemic， societal tribalism， and climate catastrophe， the world is hungry for role models like Leana Wen—a clear-eyed， empathic， pay-it-forward leader who illuminates our interdependence。 Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health—a generous， inspiring narrative—has relevance to all of us。 A quintessential American memoir， it deftly weaves Wen’s personal origin story with her gripping professional trajectory—development that feels magically impossible and imperative at the same time。 This book will interest not only those drawn to medicine and public health， but to anyone with passion for helping people thrive。 It will stir and educate all who seek to cultivate， raise， teach， elevate， or become ethical， resilient leaders grounded in science and humility。 。。。more
Michael Cryor
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I love this book！ It is honest and courageous。 Dr。 Wen shares a truth about her own personal and family journeys that have clearly inspired and informed her mission to advocate so strongly for a reimagined national public health system。 In her role as a respected media journalist， you often hear a sense of urgency， if not impatience for the system to move faster， to message better and to have empathy for a nation in need。 I have a better understanding now of what drives her and why we should fee I love this book！ It is honest and courageous。 Dr。 Wen shares a truth about her own personal and family journeys that have clearly inspired and informed her mission to advocate so strongly for a reimagined national public health system。 In her role as a respected media journalist， you often hear a sense of urgency， if not impatience for the system to move faster， to message better and to have empathy for a nation in need。 I have a better understanding now of what drives her and why we should feel hopeful about anything she chooses to do。 。。。more
Michael Giannangeli
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Lifelines is the story of Leana Wen， a public health rock-star who has overcome insurmountable challenge after insurmountable challenge。 Lifelines is a fascinating and emotional origin story。 It is also just the beginning of Leana’s story， a name you will hear more and more as she continues to change the world。Leana’s story is extraordinary。 Her family arrived in America with $40 and a dream of a better life。 She encountered hardships that many of us can’t fathom。 She was at times homeless， rely Lifelines is the story of Leana Wen， a public health rock-star who has overcome insurmountable challenge after insurmountable challenge。 Lifelines is a fascinating and emotional origin story。 It is also just the beginning of Leana’s story， a name you will hear more and more as she continues to change the world。Leana’s story is extraordinary。 Her family arrived in America with $40 and a dream of a better life。 She encountered hardships that many of us can’t fathom。 She was at times homeless， relying on food stamps and other public assistance programs。 She watched a young neighbor die of a preventable asthma attack because his family was too scared to call 911 for fear of being deported。 These experiences shaped her passion for public health and medicine。 It led her to enroll in college at age 13， just a few years after she arrived in America， and medical school at age 18。 She became a Rhodes Scholar and an ER doctor。 She was the Baltimore Health Commissioner and then led Planned Parenthood。 All the while， Leana was guided by an overarching goal to improve people’s lives by changing the systems that left the most vulnerable behind。 Leana’s story is the purest form of the American dream that I can imagine。 It emphasizes the tremendous things one can accomplish through hard work， perseverance， and humility， but it also highlights the inequality that exists in this country。 What makes Leana so special is that she has made America a better place through the same values that lifted her out of poverty and into the national spotlight。 Oh and did I mention she stutters？ Leana has accomplished all of that while stuttering！ As a fellow person who stutters， I found her stories of changing words and avoiding situations all too relatable。 Yet Leana persevered to overcome her stuttering by doing what she feared most and accepting her identity as a stutterer。 This is a lesson that applies to so many things in life。 Leana is an inspiration and proves that anything is possible。 。。。more
Ellen Feingold
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