Blood Works: An Owner’s Guide, What Every Person Needs to Know Before They are a Patient by Dr. Shannon Farmer, Dr. Irwin Gross, and Dr. Aryeh Shander is a non-fiction medical book that focuses on the importance of blood: “the best thing to have in our veins.” Until recently there was little or no emphasis on the importance of Patient Blood Management or PBM. Addressing blood failure in its various forms, from anemia to lack of iron and other deficiencies, was reactionary when it could rather be managed. Broken down into fifteen distinct and interconnected chapters, the book covers areas such as patient choice and the dangers of blood transfusion, testing for anemia and cancer treatment, menstruation and childbirth, and emergency preparedness.

When I first picked up Blood Works, I found the size of the book and its subject matter to be overwhelming. However, I was drawn to it as it sounded incredibly important and was geared toward the layman so I hoped it would be accessible. Happily, it is not overpowering and contains important information. Dr. Shannon Farmer, Dr. Irwin Gross, and Dr. Aryeh Shander have put together a virtual encyclopedia that is chock-full of critical information in bite- sized but exhaustively researched sections. As a parent, the case study of a child named Sofia was the story I most connected with. At thirteen years old, her extreme anemia would have resulted in an emergency blood transfusion at the hands of a practitioner less informed on the risks. Her anemia was managed alternatively, and she was spared the possibility of complications when having a child years later. This book should be required reading for anyone in healthcare, medicine, or who cares about their lifeblood. Highly recommended.