You’re about to watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta unplugged – removed from the rush of breaking news – in conversation about an unusually wide range of subjects.

This is Dr. Sanjay Gupta neurosurgeon, author, avid reader – and CNN's chief medical correspondent as well.

Every time I’ve had a conversation with Sanjay over the years -- or read one of his books -- I’ve walked away with actionable intelligence and perspective-changing insights that I can’t wait to share with my family and friends. We hope you have the same reaction.

To enjoy this special presentation of the Nantucket Book Foundation & Festival series, At Home With Authors, just click play on the Vimeo link below.

Our wide-ranging conversation includes:

· Miracle-Gro for the Brain: Some of the latest science on keeping your brain sharp – well into old age – an obsession of Sanjay’s which was the focus of one of his recent books. His explanation of why brisk walking is even better than running for building new brain cells may get you moving more – and reduce your guilt about not moving faster.

· Brain Surgery in the Desert: The remarkable story of Sanjay Gupta, embedded in Iraq, during a sandstorm, with a frontline military medical unit called the Devil Docs. Sanjay was asked to take off his journalist’s cap and put on his brain surgeon’s cap to save the life of a Marine who was shot in the head. He didn’t have the proper tools. The story of how he improvised is unforgettable.

· The Writer: Insights from Sanjay’s latest book – World War C: Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic and How to Prepare for the Next. This part of the discussion, recorded just before Omicron hit, is for people tired of talking about Covid. We explore how Sanjay Gupta approaches balancing risk and reward any time – not just during a pandemic. We also find out what he learned reaching out to author Maria Konnikova – a psychologist who became a champion poker player – and reaching back to Immanuel Kant – to refine his understanding of the risk/reward calculation.

· The Reader: For the Nantucket Book Festival community – and the broader reading tribe – Sanjay shares his favorite books and authors. William Styron is on the list. So is Abraham Verghese. It’s the “why” that’s fascinating.

· Behind the Scenes: When our “formal” conversation ended, we kept talking, and the cameras kept rolling. So did the insights – from why obesity is a risk factor in Covid, to the quickly evolving research on how our gut microbiome impacts our immune system – and how that impacts the food Sanjay and his wife prepare for their three daughters.

If you love this conversation with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, please share it.

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