The Citadel is a novel by A. J. Cronin, published in 1937. It was a global bestseller that was groundbreaking in its treatment of the contentious subject of medical ethics. Some have credited the novel and its 1938 film adaptation with contributing to the creation of the UK's NHS a decade later, although others claim that was not Cronin's intent. In the U.S., The Citadel won the National Book Award in the "Favorite Novel" category. No. 1 on The New York Times Fiction best seller list for 5 weeks, from the issue of April 11, 1938. Wiki link