Would you trust your life to somebody who was sleep deprived and wacked out on caffeine? On their first day on the job? One day, you probably will. Gawande, a surgical resident, tells you how they feel about it. He tackles eternal questions like why routine operations go wrong with the crisp pacing of a good ER episode, and the stories of his patients read like novels in miniature. Everybody who's thinking about becoming a doctor, or even about seeing one, should read this book.
(Non-Fiction)
The Piano Man conquers Broadway, Eminem goes Hollywood, plus the rest of TIME's picks for the best of the year