Description

A FINALIST FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2024 BREAD AND ROSES AWARD FOR RADICAL PUBLISHING
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 INDIE CHAMPIONS AWARDS FOR NON-FICTION
A FINANCIAL TIMES BEST SUMMER BOOK 2023

‘Prepare to be blown away’ CHIKWE IHEKWEAZU, Assistant Director General at WHO

‘Important and ambitious’ OBSERVER

This searing polemic reveals how racism and colonialism have shaped science and medicine – leading to the health inequalities we see all around us today. Activist, doctor and patient, Annabel Sowemimo reinserts the stories of Black and Indigenous scientists and doctors into the historical narrative, reframing how we see the ‘objective’ systems we operate within. In confronting this history, she argues for better understanding of our collective past to bring about urgent change.

‘Outstanding … I can’t stress the importance of this book strongly enough’ JACQUELINE ROY, author of The Fat Lady Sings

‘An unflinching, hugely eye-opening exploration of medicine’s brutal colonial history’ THE i

Publisher Review

Divided is a vital call to action. With passion and expertise, Dr Sowemimo exposes the racism in modern medicine and shows us how we can - and must - transform healthcare for future generations -- Leah Hazard An unflinching, hugely eye-opening exploration of medicine's brutal colonial history * The i * Important and ambitious ... Divided is a necessary book ... A call to action -- Roopa Farooki, Book of the Day * Observer * An illuminating and powerful intersectional analysis of health inequalities and racism * i-D Magazine, All the books to be excited for in 2023 * Annabel Sowemimo ... is taking the art of curating stories that matter to another level. Prepare to be blown away -- Chikwe Ihekweazu, Assistant Director General at WHO Divided restores [historic Black and Indigenous scientists] to the history of medicine and makes a convincing case for decolonising healthcare * New Scientist * Through meticulous research and compelling story-telling, the book is an erudite and urgent examination of how modern medicine is intertwined with colonial histories and racist ideas. Annabel deftly weaves history, her own experiences and contemporary inequalities into a powerful and urgent book. While essential reading for anyone working in healthcare, Annabel reminds us that the arts and humanities were also instrumental in communicating so-called 'scientific' ideas about race that informed medical practices ... important reading for anyone engaged in anti-racist and decolonising work across all disciplines -- Joanna Wolfarth, author of MILK Necessary. In the right hands, this book will save lives -- Nova Reid, author of THE GOOD ALLY This outstanding book should be mandatory reading for all medical practitioners. Beautifully written and erudite, yet highly accessible, it conveys some uncomfortable truths about the unequal treatment of patients of colour, locating the origins of this in European colonialism, history and science. It provides a basis for bringing an end to discriminatory practices, which couldn't be more timely, particularly in the context of COVID. Annabel Sowemimo's compassion and humanity shine through. I can't stress the importance of this book strongly enough -- Jacqueline Roy, author of THE FAT LADY SINGS Wide-ranging in scope, Divided is an important contribution to the literature on racism and health. Dr Sowemimo challenges us to think deeper about what we know about medicine and question what we have been taught. Divided is an essential book for anyone working in healthcare, and will be of interest to anyone who is a patient. I will be recommending it far and wide! -- Dr Rageshri Dhairyawan This polemic [...] explains how health divisions are not accidental but occur because of ways in which modern healthcare is built on the back of race science and our colonial history * Bookseller, Editor's Choice *