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doc_erinnicole's review against another edition
emotional
informative
medium-paced
4.0
The mix of memoir and research worked really well here. I could tell O'Rourke was a poet based on her use of language and metaphor throughout the text. I appreciated her deep dive into our tendency towards seeing chronic illness as a moralistic stain and the false notion that if we just lived our lives right, CI is something we can control and eradicate. I also really connected to her discussion on how we don't really have the words to describe so much of CI (ex. there's many different types of fatigue-- not all fatigue is because of a lack of sleep-- and each type can feel so different in the body but it's hard to describe from the outside). It's frustrating that when doctor's can't seem to figure out what's going on they simply blame it on the patient and assume it's psychosomatic. Doctors are not gods, even if they think so. I'm really curious how research and funding will develop as more and more people have long covid and taken out of the workforce.
smuds2's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
REVIEW RATING SYSTEM - [ 1 = FELT DECEIVED, 2 = NOT WHAT I EXPECTED IN A BAD WAY BUT WASN'T A WASTE OF TIME, 3 = WHAT I EXPECTED FELT LIKE MY TIME WAS USED AS EXPECTED, 4 = PLEASANTLY SURPRISED, 5 = THINKING ABOUT IT MONTHS LATER ]
RULES : (1) can not give anything a 5 outright, must either be a re-read or a update to score
For anyone that has had a love one go through a chronic illness as she's describing, in my case a partner with Long Covid - you will see the parallels right off the bat.
Here are the gists of what I think are the main takeaways, for me:
Illness narrative of one of "redemption" is a product of a society that can't tolerate sick people.
Body either as a thing that "attacks" you or "works" for you
The gray area being the real issue of chronic illness - names don't solve the issue, but they provide concrete descriptions, 'legitamizes' it, for better or worse.
her breadth and depth of reading on chronic illness through history is impressive.
I think that if you’re have long covid, you should pass this book around your family as a description,
remarkable how similar it seems like these different cases are, despite having different underlying causes. "is it lyme" "maybe" "should I get alternative therapies" "maybe, yes? but not those", etc.
RULES : (1) can not give anything a 5 outright, must either be a re-read or a update to score
For anyone that has had a love one go through a chronic illness as she's describing, in my case a partner with Long Covid - you will see the parallels right off the bat.
Here are the gists of what I think are the main takeaways, for me:
Illness narrative of one of "redemption" is a product of a society that can't tolerate sick people.
Body either as a thing that "attacks" you or "works" for you
The gray area being the real issue of chronic illness - names don't solve the issue, but they provide concrete descriptions, 'legitamizes' it, for better or worse.
her breadth and depth of reading on chronic illness through history is impressive.
I think that if you’re have long covid, you should pass this book around your family as a description,
remarkable how similar it seems like these different cases are, despite having different underlying causes. "is it lyme" "maybe" "should I get alternative therapies" "maybe, yes? but not those", etc.
cseibs's review
5.0
O'Rourke speaks with such clarity of the invisible. I felt this keenly as someone with a chronic illness, and I wonder if those who have not lived this feel the same incisiveness in this book. I am most grateful for her refusal to put a nice bow on it, to moralize the illness.
rockyroadbutch's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
kristypetz's review
4.0
A relatable story of chronic illness. I may have been more engaged because of my own experiences with being chronically ill and being dismissed by the medical community for decades until just recently being diagnosed and treated for lupus. Some of the “research” in the book I’m pretty sure is sketchy at best but I understand and appreciate it was part of sharing her story, especially addressing the shame felt because of the years of people telling you that it is only psychological .
katiekrishnan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
tony_from_work's review
5.0
It's been a long time since I've been so affected by a memoir, partially due to "Invisible Kingdom's" connection to my own life and partially due to Meghan O'Rourke's mighty prose, which perfectly balances the emotional side of chronic illness with the scientific and historical. As a person with chronic illnesses myself, I don't think I've read another book that so precisely captures the frustration, isolation, tedium, grief, and desperation of trying to navigate normal life when you feel like shit all the time (though several of the books O'Rourke cites here will have to get on my to-read list). I've seen a few criticisms that the book is a little too repetitive in its slog through symptoms and tests, but that is the rhythm of unwellness, particularly before diagnosis. And to my taste, this book navigates that repetition with grace and passion.
The author's illness and experience don't map right onto mine, and I learned a lot where we differed, both on a factual and a personal level. She explores several diagnostic and treatment options I've scoffed at over the years, and while I wouldn't say I've done a full 180, I've reconsidered the ways my privilege has colored my view of illness and treatment. She asks the reader to interrogate what counts as sickness, wellness, medicine, and diagnosis, using a rich balance of data and introspection.
All that being said, this book isn't trying to make any sort of persuasive point. It's very explicit about that. It's about the feeling of not fully being yourself anymore, of being at war with your own body, of living with a massive, overwhelming problem that the people around you can't see, can't alleviate, and sometimes doubt entirely. It informs, but it does so through the lens of personal research. The only really political stance it takes is that the American healthcare system is a disaster, which everyone knows and agrees with.
Anyway, I loved this book. It asks questions that linger in your mind all day.
The author's illness and experience don't map right onto mine, and I learned a lot where we differed, both on a factual and a personal level. She explores several diagnostic and treatment options I've scoffed at over the years, and while I wouldn't say I've done a full 180, I've reconsidered the ways my privilege has colored my view of illness and treatment. She asks the reader to interrogate what counts as sickness, wellness, medicine, and diagnosis, using a rich balance of data and introspection.
All that being said, this book isn't trying to make any sort of persuasive point. It's very explicit about that. It's about the feeling of not fully being yourself anymore, of being at war with your own body, of living with a massive, overwhelming problem that the people around you can't see, can't alleviate, and sometimes doubt entirely. It informs, but it does so through the lens of personal research. The only really political stance it takes is that the American healthcare system is a disaster, which everyone knows and agrees with.
Anyway, I loved this book. It asks questions that linger in your mind all day.
reneetdevine's review
4.0
I listened to the audiobook. I picked this one up at the recommendation of a friend because I have two team members with autoimmune ailments. I also struggle with the effects of inflammation on my body. The author's real life struggles, victories, and [at times] strange encounters with the healthcare industry were relatable, frightening, and educational. There is so much we still need to learn about the science of our health and solutions to what ails us. It was refreshing to listen to someone convey their own experiences.
taylormoore6's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
3.0
A memoir about living with chronic illness. I appreciated the authors perspectives and felt sympathetic for her circumstances, but there’s a lot of unacknowledged privilege that seemed un-relatable. A lot of people have to suffer without fancy medical treatments, so those parts left me feeling pretty hopeless as someone that also has a chronic illness.