Nobility in Small Things

CRAIG R. SMITH, MD has served as the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Columbia University and the New York Presbyterian Hospital for ten years. In March of 2020, when New York City became the world's COVID-19 epicenter, Craig started writing daily COVID email updates to his colleagues. The emails went viral, leading The Wall Street Journal to dub Smith "The Pandemic's Most Powerful Writer." He lives in New York City with his wife and has three grown daughters.

"Cardiothoracic surgeon Smith ... makes his book debut with a forthright memoir about his roundabout path to medicine and the commitment and accountability inherent in being a physician ... A candid picture of a surgeon's life." - Kirkus Reviews

"[A] vivid, warts-and-all memoir." - Publishers Weekly

"Craig Smith is an extraordinary surgeon-I know that from personal experience. In Nobility in Small Things, he shows readers what a remarkable, ethical, thoughtful human being he is as well. This book is much more than a medical memoir; it's an elegant work of literature, honoring where he comes from and revealing his inner life." - President Bill Clinton

"A book of staggering reach. Smith is a legendary heart surgeon. His writing is powerful. Personal. And filled with lessons beyond words." - Diane Sawyer

"There have been many dark and challenging times in our nation's history when steadfast, unwavering voices brought light and hope. They were truth tellers, folks who didn't candy coat the difficulties and yet still inspired the best of us to endure, to rise to the challenge, to beat the odds. Craig Smith is one of those voices. During the depth of a global pandemic his words helped lift so many of us. His story, his journey, is a compelling narrative of a servant leader who in times of trial emerged as a humble hero." - Senator Cory Booker

"Would you choose a surgeon who has reached his pinnacle over one who is a work in progress? In this wonderful and courageous book, Craig Smith dares to reveal himself as both-and we like him for it. Precise, masterful, perfectionistic, but also poetic, self-searching, philosophical: a world-renowned surgeon who literally holds hearts in his hands during the day and stands at night in the cold wet grass searching the dark sky for hope. Immersed in Smith's extraordinary narrative, we realize: This is who I want operating on me. You may never see a surgeon the same way after reading this book. " - Amy Silverstein,