Good books to read re: public health?

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Hello,

Well, I got the job I wanted!!!! I am going to be working at a great health department and I am super excited.

I would like to read a book (or books) that will give me some insight and inspiration going into this new endeavor. Something like what Three Cups of Tea, Mountains Beyond Mountains, or Freedom Writer's Diary did for their specialties. I would be prefer a memorior from an experienced Public Health Nurse that would be fun to read but give nuggets of wisdom. I would also be interested in textbooks that were useful in tips for counseling teens, health behavior change, working in rural populations, and the joys and challenges of public health. Any ideas??

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care, Public Health.

This might sound kind of silly, but the Sue Barton books from the 1940s re-inspired me to keep trying to get public health work. Being underemployed, I have lots of time for reading. She goes to work with the Henry Street Settlement and meets Lillian Wald. Gives really good descriptions of how the visiting nurses did what they did, what they wore and carried and typical interactions in the tenements. Its evolved since then of course, but what the people need hasn't changed all that much. I ordered mine from the library, they had all of them in the stacks, so I enjoyed a 2 week long Sue Barton binge. Its mind-fruit, delicious and nutritious :)

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Aha! That is one of the things I was trying to think of - the Henry Street Settlement. I just bought "a house on Henry street". I've always wanted to know more about that. Thanks so much! I looked into the Sue Barton books but the library didn't have them and they cost more on amazon. Thanks for taking the time to respond, I appreciate it.

And if there are any other suggestions out there don't think this is a closed topic, I'd love more reading material! :-)

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