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readmollyread 's review for:
Invisible combines memoir, ethnography, and social science research to address some of the unique challenges faced by young women with serious health issues. Lent Hirsch uses her own experience with multiple illnesses to open a dialogue about how many of the ‘typical’ aspects of being a young woman, such as establishing and maintaining social relationships, navigating the workplace, and planning for a future, are often complicated or magnified by concurrent life-altering health issues.
Importantly, this is not Lent Hirsch’s story alone. While she uses her experience to spark this much-needed conversation, her interviews with a group of women with serious health issues are the heart of this book. The power of Lent Hirsch’s interviews with these women is grounded in the fact that they are diverse in every way: racially, culturally, socioeconomically, professionally, sexually, and, perhaps most importantly, diagnostically. Their stories do not represent a singular experience with illness, but instead illustrate just a portion of the many nuances that exist within every individual’s experience with serious health issues. From HIV to cancer to autoimmune diseases and beyond, the health issues represented in this book rank among the most expansive and inclusive I’ve seen, and provide the reader with insight into how different diagnoses can affect an individual.
I asked Beacon Press for a review copy of this book because, as someone who has lived with chronic illness for most of my teenage years and all of my adulthood, I have been on a seemingly endless search for nonfiction works about people like me. There are plenty of books out there about spirituality and illness, diet and illness, yoga and illness, etc. And there are many books about specific illnesses. However, I’ve come across very few books that look specifically at the experiences of my own cohort. So, when I discovered that this book would soon be out in the world, I was thrilled.
Multiple parts of Lent Hirsch’s writing hit home for me. There is a certain type of relief that comes from discovering that other people share your experiences, thoughts, and fears. This is especially true when it comes to chronic illness, which can often feel isolating.
One thing that did not resonate with me was the seriousness of the illnesses discussed in the narratives. In a way, this is probably a good thing. I am privileged to be ‘healthier’ than many of the individuals depicted in this book. However, the invisible line drawn between ‘serious’ health issues and other health issues felt almost exclusionary and kept me from fully connecting with the narratives. I therefore can’t predict how relatable this book will be for someone without health issues or whose health issues don’t align with those represented here.
Bottom line is that Invisible is a good book with a niche audience. Would I recommend it? Definitely, but with the caveat that you might find it to be more of an educational experience than a relatable one. I am so excited that this book is officially out in the world and am thrilled to know that this is just one of many upcoming books through which young people like Lent Hirsch and her interviewees will share their experiences living with health issues.
Importantly, this is not Lent Hirsch’s story alone. While she uses her experience to spark this much-needed conversation, her interviews with a group of women with serious health issues are the heart of this book. The power of Lent Hirsch’s interviews with these women is grounded in the fact that they are diverse in every way: racially, culturally, socioeconomically, professionally, sexually, and, perhaps most importantly, diagnostically. Their stories do not represent a singular experience with illness, but instead illustrate just a portion of the many nuances that exist within every individual’s experience with serious health issues. From HIV to cancer to autoimmune diseases and beyond, the health issues represented in this book rank among the most expansive and inclusive I’ve seen, and provide the reader with insight into how different diagnoses can affect an individual.
I asked Beacon Press for a review copy of this book because, as someone who has lived with chronic illness for most of my teenage years and all of my adulthood, I have been on a seemingly endless search for nonfiction works about people like me. There are plenty of books out there about spirituality and illness, diet and illness, yoga and illness, etc. And there are many books about specific illnesses. However, I’ve come across very few books that look specifically at the experiences of my own cohort. So, when I discovered that this book would soon be out in the world, I was thrilled.
Multiple parts of Lent Hirsch’s writing hit home for me. There is a certain type of relief that comes from discovering that other people share your experiences, thoughts, and fears. This is especially true when it comes to chronic illness, which can often feel isolating.
One thing that did not resonate with me was the seriousness of the illnesses discussed in the narratives. In a way, this is probably a good thing. I am privileged to be ‘healthier’ than many of the individuals depicted in this book. However, the invisible line drawn between ‘serious’ health issues and other health issues felt almost exclusionary and kept me from fully connecting with the narratives. I therefore can’t predict how relatable this book will be for someone without health issues or whose health issues don’t align with those represented here.
Bottom line is that Invisible is a good book with a niche audience. Would I recommend it? Definitely, but with the caveat that you might find it to be more of an educational experience than a relatable one. I am so excited that this book is officially out in the world and am thrilled to know that this is just one of many upcoming books through which young people like Lent Hirsch and her interviewees will share their experiences living with health issues.