Home
Authors
Nadine Burke Harris

Author Guide

Books Written by Nadine Burke Harris

Burke Harris is a pediatrician who noticed that children who had experienced significant adversity showed measurably worse physical health outcomes decades later. Her advocacy turned Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) into a framework used across pediatric medicine, and she became the first-ever Surgeon General of California in 2019.

The Deepest Well is her one book to date, and the clearest explanation of how childhood adversity converts into adult disease.

By Lisanne Swart · 1 books · Medicine & Public Health · Updated August 2026

Quick answer

Nadine Burke Harris has written one book, The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity (2018), covering her research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).


01
Medicine · Public HealthStart here

The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity

Nadine Burke Harris · 2018

Burke Harris’s account of discovering the link between Adverse Childhood Experiences and adult physical disease while practicing pediatric medicine in an underserved San Francisco neighborhood.

The definitive book-length case for treating childhood trauma as a medical issue with measurable physical consequences, not just a psychological one.

Buy on Bol.com →
Buy on Waterstones →
Buy on Amazon →
Listen on Audible →
Buy on Bookshop.org →

Watch: How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime

Nadine Burke Harris’s TED Talk explaining how repeated childhood stress produces measurable, lasting effects on the body.


Where to start with Nadine Burke Harris

If you’re new to ACEs research

The Deepest Well is the essential, accessible starting point.

If you’re a parent or caregiver

Later chapters focus on protective factors and interventions.

If you work in medicine or education

Her framework is a standard reference point for trauma-informed care.

Frequently asked questions about Nadine Burke Harris’s books

How many books has Nadine Burke Harris written?

The Deepest Well (2018) is her only book to date.

What is The Deepest Well about?

It explains the link between Adverse Childhood Experiences and significantly worse adult physical health outcomes, including higher rates of heart disease and cancer.

Was Nadine Burke Harris the first Surgeon General of California?

Yes, from 2019 to 2022, where she led a statewide effort to train providers in ACE screening and trauma-informed care.

Written by Lisanne Swart

Lisanne curates books for curious readers at lisanneswart.com, publishing original reading lists, author deep-dives, and honest recommendations since 2021. Read more about Lisanne.


More from the shelf

Start Typing