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A review by lsullivan3672
The Body Papers: A Memoir by Grace Talusan
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
"i always find it hard to rate memoirs, it's like you rate the life of a person.. and the sadder the life, the better the book. " someone else said this in their review, and I agree with that sentiment.
As a white, middle class, person from the Boston area, Grace's perspective and reflections on being an immigrant from the Philippines, living here for most of, if not all, of her life including the successes and struggles her and her family faced, were interesting to read and learn about. I enjoyed the family photos she included throughout the book.
Living through Grace's trauma with her as she shared her vulnerability with the reader, was difficult to read through and imagine living through. My heart is with Grace and I feel for her and her family, the depression she quite literally clawed her way out of, the years she went through therapy and kept on living despite how challenging and difficult it became to her, was extremely heartbreaking. I am happy she graduated, became a successful person in her career, married someone who she's built a mutually respectful and loving life with.
As someone who has suffered through medical trauma most of my life, her detailed account of her and her familys' experiences with cancer were eye opening and had me there with her through all of her surgeries, doctor appointments, recovery, and the vulnerabilities of her thoughts and what ifs that come in-between. She showed remarkable strength and resilience, along with all of the other adversities she's overcome.
I would have liked to know more about the medical institutions she was seen at, Boston MGH is one of the best hospitals (if not the best) in the world, and there was no mention of the facility she was treated in. They are doing remarkable things in those hospitals; leading in treatment of cancers, strokes, heart surgeries, etc. I know I am grateful to be here in Boston, if not for anything else, the superior healthcare and institutions (largely in thanks to the immigrants who come here to study and work in our healthcare, mental health systems and other institutions).
Thank you Grace for sharing your story, looking forward to reading more of her publications.
As a white, middle class, person from the Boston area, Grace's perspective and reflections on being an immigrant from the Philippines, living here for most of, if not all, of her life including the successes and struggles her and her family faced, were interesting to read and learn about. I enjoyed the family photos she included throughout the book.
Living through Grace's trauma with her as she shared her vulnerability with the reader, was difficult to read through and imagine living through. My heart is with Grace and I feel for her and her family, the depression she quite literally clawed her way out of, the years she went through therapy and kept on living despite how challenging and difficult it became to her, was extremely heartbreaking. I am happy she graduated, became a successful person in her career, married someone who she's built a mutually respectful and loving life with.
As someone who has suffered through medical trauma most of my life, her detailed account of her and her familys' experiences with cancer were eye opening and had me there with her through all of her surgeries, doctor appointments, recovery, and the vulnerabilities of her thoughts and what ifs that come in-between. She showed remarkable strength and resilience, along with all of the other adversities she's overcome.
I would have liked to know more about the medical institutions she was seen at, Boston MGH is one of the best hospitals (if not the best) in the world, and there was no mention of the facility she was treated in. They are doing remarkable things in those hospitals; leading in treatment of cancers, strokes, heart surgeries, etc. I know I am grateful to be here in Boston, if not for anything else, the superior healthcare and institutions (largely in thanks to the immigrants who come here to study and work in our healthcare, mental health systems and other institutions).
Thank you Grace for sharing your story, looking forward to reading more of her publications.