Books by various authors

c.2025, various publishers, $18.95-$28, various page counts

One more scan.

One more test, one more poke or push or pain, one more day to cry yourself dry. The diagnosis was what you were most afraid to hear but you did and now what? It brings you to this: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there’s no better time than now to read these books on the subject…

The statistics are shocking: before this year is out, more than 300,000 women in American alone will have been diagnosed with breast cancer. One out of every eight women will fight breast cancer at some point in their lives and each of them – and their families – will have seemingly-endless questions. That’s where “How to Prevent Breast Cancer Before & After: A Guide to Taking Back Control of Your Life” by Pamela Wartian Smith, MD, MPH (Square One Publishers, $18.95) could become your new best friend.

No-nonsense (but not without sympathy) and easy-to-use, this book helps newly diagnosed patients sort through the “basics” of breast cancer, what it is, how it spreads, the various kinds there are and more. Smith discusses treatments and the side effects you may experience, and she devotes pages and pages to your future, and your life after treatment.

Be aware that the words, “Ask your doctor” don’t appear nearly enough here so take note and, yep, ask your doctor. Then go find lots of sticky flags because this book, in fact, is a great companion to bring along for your appointments, to query your physician and be a more-informed patient.

Okay, so much for the body of you. How about for the mind?

For that, try “Cancer is Complicated and Other Unexpected Lessons I’ve Learned” by Clea Shearer (The Open Field, $28). 

Her 40th year was supposed to be her best year ever: Shearer was enjoying success, having fun with family and friends, and loving life. And then she was diagnosed with breast cancer and she figured life was over. Done. It would never be as good as before.

But after a while, she began to notice that nothing was as bad as she thought it would be; in fact, maybe she’d been handed a cosmic chance to grow in a different way. Cancer was complicated, but not necessarily scary and maybe she could help other women understand that.

This is a clear-headed, honest book that’s also helpful, with final notes, hints, and points to ponder at the end of each chapter, in case you don’t feel up to finishing more than a page or two. Don’t worry, Shearer writes so that readers feel like they’ve just gotten a letter from a friend and there’s no hurry.

If these books aren’t quite what you need or if you want more direction, more help, more answers, head to your favorite bookstore or library, ask for help there or look for the health section where you’ll find books about breast cancer. There are many of them; one is sure to be the 100 percent right one you need to own, to read, to study, to scan.