Prescription: Ice Cream, Alastair McAlpine, Pan Macmillan, ISBN: 9781770108042

IT’S rare for a memoir to be both devastating and unexpectedly soothing, but Prescription: Ice Cream manages exactly that. Paediatric palliative doctor Alastair McAlpine not only pulls back the curtain on the emotional and chaotic reality of practising medicine in South Africa (SA), but also on his own struggle with addiction. The book then closes with unexpected, yet poignant lessons drawn from his young patients – moments that ground the story in warmth and humanity.

The book’s magic lies in its raw authenticity. McAlpine’s conversational tone and self-deprecating humour make for an easy, deeply relatable read. You feel his exhaustion, see his vulnerable patients, and recognise the ramshackle hospital settings that form the backdrop to his training.

Although there are a handful of syntax errors, the memoir still fills you with both irredeemable sadness and irrepressible mirth.

Don’t let the darker topics – including trauma, grief, and the HIV pandemic – sway you from giving this memoir a chance. Despite the heavy subject matter, Prescription: Ice Cream is ultimately uplifting and unexpectedly inspiring. It’s worthwhile for anyone considering a medical career in SA, as well as for readers curious about the bureaucracy that so often undermines the country’s healthcare system. Mariclair Smit 3/5 stars