Bedside Reading

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In this episode of Bedside Reading, I’m joined by Emily Tammam to talk about Virginia Evans' The Correspondent, a novel told through the letters and emails of 73-year-old Sybil Van Antwerp. What begins as a conversation about a wonderfully prickly older woman and the lost art of letter-writing takes us into much deeper territory. 
Emily is  a writer, painter and speaker. She has a background in lactation support and now works across research, mental health support and children's palliative care. She  Her daughter Neve was diagnosed with brain cancer and died after being supported by children's palliative care, an experience that has profoundly shaped Emily's subsequent work and writing.
We talk about writing as a way of making sense of our experiences, and about what letters might leave behind when we are no longer here. We explore Sybil's relationships, including the value of friendships across generations and the importance of the wider, chosen families who may sometimes provide something our biological families cannot.
At the heart of our conversation is grief. Emily and I discuss how the death of a child changes not just an individual but relationships across a whole family, and whether grief and trauma sometimes need to be understood as related but separate experiences. We wonder how much attitudes to bereavement have changed between generations, and what happens when loss becomes something that simply cannot be spoken about.

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This week Tara is joined by fellow GP Francesca to discuss Lisa Ridzén’s beautiful and heartbreaking novel When the Cranes Fly South.
Bo is an elderly man determined to remain in his own home, surrounded by his memories and, most importantly, his beloved dog Sixten. But as he becomes increasingly frail, his son and carers have different ideas about what is best for him.
Tara and Francesca talk about ageing, family relationships, continuity of care and the difficult balance between keeping somebody safe and preserving the things that make their life worth living. They also consider a question that sits at the heart of both the novel and good healthcare: what matters most to the person themselves? 
There’s also discussion of dogs, difficult sons, wonderful carers, the joys and perils of audiobooks, and why this relatively short novel resulted in quite so many tears.
A gentle, moving book that stays with you long after you’ve finished it.

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I think Michelle Hills' book The Wrong Order of Things is a contender for my non-fiction read of the year in 2026. It is so readable. It is so engaging. It is funny. It is moving. It is kind. Michelle is an absolute inspiration. I have absolutely loved my conversation with her today and I can't tell you how much I loved The Wrong Order of Things. It is, ostensibly, a book about children's palliative care. But it is that. and so much more. It's about living well. It's about humour. It's about connection and love and life. It really is one of the most brilliantly life affirming and beautiful books that I think everybody should be reading and I have absolutely loved talking to Michelle.
Follow Michelle on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/michellehills_dr/

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Caroline Litman's memoir, Her Name is Alice, was one of my top reads of 2025. And so it feels like a real honour today to welcome Caroline herself to Bedside Reading to talk about her absolutely brilliant book.

This is a memoir. It is about Caroline's life. She's a former doctor, turned Pilates teacher, turned writer and activist. And it is a book about her family.

It's a book about her daughter, Alice, who died by suicide at the age of 20. It's a book about grief. And it's a book about identity and most particularly the fact that Alice was trans and the difficulties that Alice had in articulating this and then in receiving anything like appropriate care.
There are so many lessons that we can learn from this book, and I feel really privileged that Caroline has chosen to come and join me today talk about it.

It's a book I will never forget. it is absolutely brilliant, and I would thoroughly, thoroughly recommend it.

The systematic review Caroline recommends is:
Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine. The “Utah Review” of Hormonal Treatments for Gender-Dysphoric Minors: A Methodological Appraisal. April 2, 2026. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19388024

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Welcome to Season 13 of Bedside Reading.
In this episode, I am delighted to be joined by Dr Helen Haynes, to discuss her novel A Bridge Across Minds: Mental Illness, Grief and the Fragile Brain.
Helen is an old age psychiatrist and, as the saying goes, writers are often encouraged to write about what they know. Set on an older adults' psychiatric ward, this is not a textbook or a clinical guide. Instead, it is a beautifully written work of reflective fiction that explores mental illness, grief, relationships and the complexities of being human. It is a thoughtful and compassionate novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
This conversation feels particularly timely. On 17 September, we mark the Memorial Day for Healthcare Professionals Who Have Died by Suicide. Helen felt strongly that we should acknowledge this day and the important conversations it prompts.
Healthcare professionals face an increased risk of suicide, and many colleagues may be struggling in silence. In this episode, we reflect on the importance of recognising distress, supporting one another, and ensuring that help is available when it is needed.
Although we touch on themes of mental illness, grief and suicide, this is ultimately a conversation about people, their lives, and the importance of compassion, connection and support. We hope listeners will find it thoughtful and hopeful rather than depressing.
As we approach 17 September, we encourage everyone to take a moment to remember colleagues who have died by suicide and to familiarise themselves with the support services available for healthcare professionals.
Resources and Support
Links to resources, support services and information about the Memorial Day for Healthcare Professionals Who Have Died by Suicide can be found below.
https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/national-suicide-memorial-day