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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Amusing, but sexist and dismissive of mental illness.
i am a hypochondriac, and this book is one of the best books about hypochondria that i have ever read. i often use it as a reference book -- it doesn't explain hypochondria, or excuse it, but it does acknowledge it, and provide a pretty good list of some serious diseases that you may come down with if you are dedicated to your craft. like: did you know that hiccups could mean cancer? i love this book.
Weird going from a quiet book about Quakerism to this crazy masterpiece full of unseemly bodily functions, completely unwarranted panic, and dark hilarity. As a certified, insurance-card-carrying member of the hypochondriac club, Weingarten’s irreverent approach to life and death (and every failure, disease, malfunction in between) made me laugh so hard my stomach began to hurt and I couldn’t breathe. Which, in turn, made me worry that said stomach ache and shortness of breath could be my brain/skin/lung cancer or cirrhosis or axillary hyperhidrosis acting up. I immediately contacted my doctor, as any responsible human being would, but apparently severe laugh-induced discomfort is not “emergency” enough to warrant a call to her cell phone at 11:30pm. Outrageous.
Regardless, this book is a gem. It’s full of awesomely exaggerated and misleading reflections on all things physical health— and sickness. A lighthearted twist on an often difficult and irritating phenomenon generally referred to as “completely-neurotic-costly-ridiculous-worry.” I believe that’s in the DSM.
Regardless, this book is a gem. It’s full of awesomely exaggerated and misleading reflections on all things physical health— and sickness. A lighthearted twist on an often difficult and irritating phenomenon generally referred to as “completely-neurotic-costly-ridiculous-worry.” I believe that’s in the DSM.
funny
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
A rather amusing look into minor complaints that could signal serious illnesses, peppered with trademark Goofy Dad Jokes. It gets a tad repetitive, but the chapters are all pretty short and it moves on to a new branch of medicine before it can overstay its welcome too much. It also mentions neat little diagnostic tests you can do at home to diagnose an illness. He also teases throughout the book that he was actually cured of his hypochondria, the method of which he reveals in the final chapter, which I won't spoil.
It's worth a word of warning: this book is certainly of a certain time. He insists that fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome are imaginary diseases made up by whiners, and that women who get epidurals are "candy-asses." He mentions that one of his co-workers has "nice hooters." That shit might have flown in the late 90's, but it's awkward looking back on it now.
It's worth a word of warning: this book is certainly of a certain time. He insists that fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome are imaginary diseases made up by whiners, and that women who get epidurals are "candy-asses." He mentions that one of his co-workers has "nice hooters." That shit might have flown in the late 90's, but it's awkward looking back on it now.
Really funny, until the book started going on about how fibromyalgia suffers were just "sissies" who faked a disease because they feel a little "icky-doody." Maybe talk to someone who actually has the disease instead of mocking the support group that wouldn't let you sit in because they're sensitive about people calling them fakers (which you did)? The same goes for the other diseases you hilariously called not real, including mental illness in general. The casual sexism and objectification of women was pretty annoying, too.
What I liked:
- Sometimes it was funny. Any book that can make me chuckle a few times is fine.
- It cited some quirky-sounding books that I want to check out.
- It was a quick, smooth read.
- It pretty much covered the entire body and some of the things that can glitch on each section.
What I didn't like:
- Sometimes the jokes were childish, in bad taste or just plain bad or referenced pop culture people/things that I knew nothing about.
- It is dismissive of legitimate medical issues eg: IBS and lactose intolerance
Anything that stood out?
This "joke" that was particularly in bad taste. Basically the author pointed out how pregnancy advertisements show a happy woman celebrating being pregnant. He then quipped that he wished that just once the adverts would show a woman looking over at her drug abusing boyfriend after discovering her predicament and promptly commit suicide.
Overall opinion:
3/5 - It's a good, mildly funny read. A bit outdated though.
- Sometimes it was funny. Any book that can make me chuckle a few times is fine.
- It cited some quirky-sounding books that I want to check out.
- It was a quick, smooth read.
- It pretty much covered the entire body and some of the things that can glitch on each section.
What I didn't like:
- Sometimes the jokes were childish, in bad taste or just plain bad or referenced pop culture people/things that I knew nothing about.
- It is dismissive of legitimate medical issues eg: IBS and lactose intolerance
Anything that stood out?
Overall opinion:
3/5 - It's a good, mildly funny read. A bit outdated though.