If you think NP preceptor books only include pharmacology guides and diagnostic manuals… think again. This year’s most talked-about reads among nurse practitioner preceptors aren’t about clinical skills—they’re about life, resilience, reinvention, and showing up fully in a complex world.
We asked some of our favorite preceptors what’s been on their nightstand lately—and here’s what kept coming up:
All Fours by Miranda July
This one’s been passed around like a stethoscope in primary care. Miranda July’s latest novel is tender, offbeat, and full of big questions about intimacy, freedom, and identity. It follows a woman on a solo trip that becomes anything but solo—and NPs are loving it for how it explores the in-between spaces of adulthood, aging, and selfhood.
One psych NP told us, “It’s the most accurate portrayal of low-grade existential dread I’ve read in a while—and somehow still funny.”
MARTR by Joey De Jesus
This one’s not for the faint of heart. MARTR is a poetic grenade—urgent, spiritual, angry, and alive. Nurse practitioners who work in justice-oriented settings or community health say it hits different.
It’s not clinical. It’s not polite. But it speaks to the fight so many preceptors carry quietly—advocating for patients, staying grounded in broken systems, and trying to stay human through it all.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
You’ve probably already read this one—but it’s still everywhere. NP preceptors are busy. Between teaching students, seeing patients, and trying to get at least six hours of sleep, habit-stacking and identity-based change? Very appealing.
This is the go-to book for NPs who want to stop checking their email first thing in the morning, start journaling again, or just drink more water. One preceptor swears it’s how they finally started flossing again.
These are the NP Preceptor Books that are making the rounds this year—not because they’re assigned, but because they hit close to home. They reflect the inner lives of preceptors: thoughtful, complex, and constantly evolving.
And if you’re looking for more than a great book—like, say, a reliable clinical student—we’re here for that too. Or you can contact Clerkship America if you are an IMG.
