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Graphic medicine (or graphic pathographies) tells us in an intuitive, easily accessible way about experiences, actions, thoughts and feelings of patients, relatives and medical personnel. Often the stories are biographical, autobiographical or semi-autobiographical.

The combination of texts and illustrations leads to a more visceral and enriched understanding compared to texts only. Facial expressions or changes the style and size of the font are being used as stylistic means, thoughts can be written down. Nevertheless, the readers have to complement the meaning between the words and the pictures.

On one hand, graphic medicine can foster medical students’ and physicians’ observational and diagnostic skills, as well as understanding the patient’s situation (e.g. when delivering a diagnosis). On the other hand, these comics can be sources of information and promote patient autonomy. E.g. the breast cancer patient in a book can be an inspiration when deciding to record future discussions with her physician so that she can relisten to them at home. The comics also contain information about diseases and treatments. Lastly, they may have a role in the social critique of the medical profession.

The format of graphic medicine has existed since 1972 and is mostly popular in the USA. Therefore, the majority of the newly acquired books presented here are in English.

The following books have recently been acquired by the Main Library – Medicine Careum:

Blad by Regina Hofer (eating disorders, German)
Schattenspringer Bd. 3 by Daniela Schreiter (autism, German)
Wirbelsturm by Roland Burkart (tetraplegia, German)
Aliceheimer’s by Dana Walrath (Alzheimer’s disease, English)
At War with Yourself by Samuel Williams (post-traumatic stress disorder, English)
The Bad Doctor by Ian Williams (doctor-patient-relationship, English)
Cancer Vixen by Marisa Acocella Marchetto (breast cancer, English, no new acquisition, but also graphic medicine)
Glossary of Awkward by Brendan McDonald, Corrine Gray and Simon Kneebone (cancer, English)
The Lady Doctor by Ian Williams (doctor-patient-relationship, English)
My Degeneration by Peter Dunlap-Shohl (Parkinson’s disease, English)
Rosalie Lightning by Tom Hart (loss of a child, English)
A Thousand Coloured Castles by Gareth Brookes (macular degeneration, Charles Bonnet Syndrome, English)
When David Lost His Voice by Judith Vanistendael (cancer of the throat, English)