Dr Rita Charon considers Kazuo Ishiguro's novel and the questions that it raises. What it means to be human? And how can physicians respond to life's mysteries and paradoxes?

This is part three of The Essay's five-part series, Narrative Medicine - a term coined to describe the capacity to recognize, absorb, metabolize, interpret, and be moved by stories of illness. Simply, it's medicine practised by someone who knows what to do with stories. Part of the BBC's NHS at 70 season.

Warning: this episode deals with serious medical issues and trauma.