An Imperfect Storm: A Pandemic and the Coming of Age of a Nigerian Institution - Chikwe Ihekweazu, Vivianne Ihekweazu

A reflection on the COVID-19 pandemic, the exposure of inequalities and governance challenges during this time as well as a fascinating account of the institutionalization of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Find more information here.  

 

The Perfect Predator: A Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug: A Memoir - Steffanie Strathdee, Thomas Patterson

A gripping memoir of a scientist’s race against time to save her husband from a deadly antibiotic-resistant infection, highlighting the global threat of antimicrobial resistance. Find more information here.

 

And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic - Randy Shilts

A landmark account of the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, exposing political inaction, stigma, and missed opportunities that shaped the global response. Find more information here.

The Foreign Gaze: Essays on Global Health - Seye Abimbola

A collection of essays that critically examines power, perspective, and voice in global health, challenging whose knowledge counts and how “the foreign gaze” shapes policies and narratives. Find more information here.

 

Decolonizing Global Health: A Critical Realist Perspective - Ferdinand C. Mukumbang

This insightful work uses a critical realist perspective to examine how colonial legacies continue to shape global health institutions, research, and practice and offers pathways for meaningful decolonization and systemic change. Find more information here.

 

The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels, and the Business of AIDS - Elizabeth Pisani

Drawing on her experience as an epidemiologist, Pisani offers a candid and often provocative look at the politics, funding, and realities of HIV/AIDS programs worldwide. Find more information here.

When Misfortune Becomes Injustice: Evolving Human Rights Struggles for Health and Social Equality - Alicia Ely Yamin

A powerful argument for health as a human right, examining how legal frameworks and accountability can address deep structural inequalities in global health. Find more information here.

 

Fair Doses: An Insider's Story of the Pandemic and the Global Fight for Vaccine Equity - Seth Berkley

The book examines how decisions about who receives medical interventions are made in a world of limited resources and competing claims of equity, ethics, and effectiveness. Find more information here.

 

Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World - Elinor Cleghorn

Elinor Cleghorn connects past assumptions with ongoing gaps in research and care, offering a powerful lens on gender, science, and the politics of health. Find more information here. 

Planetary Health: Protecting Nature to Protect Ourselves - Samuel Myers & Howard Frumkin

The book explains how environmental changes directly affect human health, from nutrition and infectious diseases to chronic illness and mental health, while showing how protecting ecosystems can improve wellbeing worldwide. Find more information here.

 

Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor - Rob Nixon

Explores how environmental harm unfolds gradually and disproportionately affects marginalized communities, particularly in the Global South, often remaining invisible in mainstream narratives. Find more information here.

 

The Nutmeg's Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis - Amitav Ghosh

Connects colonialism, environmental destruction, and today’s climate and health crises, offering a powerful perspective on global systems. Find more information here.