About

Dr Rachel Clarke is a practising palliative care doctor, former television journalist and the author of four Sunday Times bestselling books including THE STORY OF A HEART (shortlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction & the 2024 Baillie Gifford Prize), DEAR LIFE (shortlisted for the 2020 Costa Biography Award & longlisted for the 2020 Baillie Gifford Prize) and BREATHTAKING (adapted into a major television series, broadcast by ITVX in 2024 & nominated for a Royal Television Society Award for Best Limited Series 2025).

Rachel writes for the Guardian, Sunday Times, New Statesman and Lancet among others. Her television and radio appearances include BBC Question Time, BBC Newsnight, Channel 4 News and BBC Woman’s Hour.

The Story of a Heart

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2025

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2024

A Book of the Year 2024 in the Times, Guardian, Independent, New Statesman, New Scientist, The Week, Spectator and Prospect.

A Waterstones Book of the Year 2024.

A BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week.

‘Beautifully written and utterly vital’ ― iPaper

‘Remarkable… Clarke’s evocative, empathetic writing makes you catch your breath.’ ― Guardian

‘What a book . . . The perfect book’ ― Chris Evans

‘Clarke could not have rendered this story more tenderly.’ ―   The Times

‘Rachel Clarke's finest book yet’ ― Financial Times

‘The best narrative non-fiction I've read in years.’ ― Christie Watson

‘This is THE MOST BEAUTIFUL and riveting book: written with such humanity, empathy and knowledge, such tact and drama and eloquence. Vital reading, lifelong revelation’ ― Laura Cumming

Hospice Ukraine

Rachel co-founded the UK-registered charity Hospice Ukraine after visiting the country in 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion. The charity supports local Ukrainian palliative care teams with education, training and other resources. You can find out more about its work here.