Host Edith welcomes neurosurgeon and memoirist Craig Yorke to discuss his April 2025 memoir Steep, which began as a letter to his adult sons and evolved after encountering a James Baldwin quote about history living within us. Yorke reflects on how awareness of the past can bring perspective and a measure of freedom, especially for those shaped by misuse and assigned identities, and argues individuals aren’t responsible for historical atrocities but are responsible to understand them and do better, noting institutions’ roles as discussed in critical race theory. He describes his parents’ fear-driven push for education and armor through erudition, his love of the nervous system, and the book’s cover story about Ramón y Cajal’s foundational neuroscience insights. Yorke recounts memorable neurosurgical cases, comments on U.S. healthcare inequality, explains his meticulous writing process and family edits, and considers future writing as he frames Steep as an invitation to wake up to one’s past.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro00:39 Why He Wrote the Memoir02:31 History and Liberation05:57 Owning the Past Responsibly08:12 Meaning of Steep10:31 Education and Expectations11:37 Growing Up Under Fear14:38 Why Neurosurgery and the Brain15:53 Cajal and the Cover Art20:23 Memorable Cases in Practice24:16 Spear Gun Trauma Story28:23 Spear vs Bullet Trauma29:22 Glasgow Coma Reality30:16 Worst Brain Injury Hobbies31:17 US Healthcare Breakdown32:40 Fixing the System35:50 Gender Medicine Questions38:56 Writing the Memoir42:00 CIA Roommate Story46:19 Publishing Noise Today49:39 Book Takeaway FarewellIf you like what we do, you might consider buying us a coffee. You can do so here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/booklovercom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://ko-fi.com/bookcompanion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: Web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://book-lovers-companion.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/book_companion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ez.fiction.7/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/book_companion/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vyAyrh3zzsxNeexfyU0uA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Feedback is always welcome: [email protected] Music: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny Video Link: https://youtu.be/mDcADD4oS5E

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