The invisible kingdom : reimagining chronic illness / Meghan O'Rourke.
A landmark exploration of one of the most consequential and mysterious issues of our time: the rise of chronic illness and autoimmune diseases. A silent epidemic of chronic illnesses afflicts tens of millions of Americans: these are diseases that are poorly understood, frequently marginalized, and can go undiagnosed and unrecognized altogether. Renowned writer Meghan O'Rourke delivers a revelatory investigation into this elusive category of "invisible" illness that encompasses autoimmune diseases, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and now long COVID. Drawing on her own medical experiences as well as a decade of interviews with doctors, patients, researchers, and public health experts, O'Rourke traces the history of Western definitions of illness, and reveals how inherited ideas of cause, diagnosis, and treatment have led us to ignore a host of hard-to-understand medical conditions, ones that resist easy description or simple cures. And as America faces this health crisis of extraordinary proportions, the populations most likely to be neglected by our institutions include women, the working class, and people of color. Blending lyricism and erudition, candor and empathy, O'Rourke brings together her deep and disparate talents and roles as critic, journalist, poet, teacher, and patient, synthesizing the personal and universal into one monumental project arguing for a seismic shift in our approach to disease. The Invisible Kingdom offers hope for the sick, solace and insight for their loved ones, and a radical new understanding of our bodies and our health.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781594633799 (hardcover)
- ISBN: 1594633797 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: 324 pages ; 24 cm
- Publisher: New York : Riverhead Books, 2022.
- Copyright: ©2022
Content descriptions
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (pages [275]-314) and index. |
Formatted Contents Note: | Part one: Obstacles. Introduction ; "Gradually and then suddenly" ; What is an autoimmune disease? ; Disease concepts ; Impersonation ; The doctor-patient relationship ; Alternatives ; Downward spiral ; The woman problem ; The immune system gone awry -- Part two: Mysteries. Autoimmunity as metaphor ; Mind/body ; Positive thinking ; Possibility ; Nadir ; Lyme disease ; Futurity ; Uncertainty -- Part three: Healing. Silence and healing ; Solutions ; The wisdom narrative. |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Chronic diseases. Health. Diseases. |
Available copies
- 35 of 37 copies available at SPARK Libraries.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 37 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albright Memorial Library | 616.044 OROURKE (Text) | 50686016141983 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Alexander Hamilton Memorial Free Library | 616 ORO (Text) | 37268003154499 | AHMFL Adult Non-Fiction | Available | - |
Altoona Area Public Library | 616.044 ORO (Text) | 33240004943745 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Cambria County Library | 616.044 O745i (Text) | 85131001815530 | CACM Non-Fiction | Available | - |
Carbondale Public Library | 616.044 OROURKE (Text) | 50688010811645 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Dalton Community Library | 616 O'ROURKE (Text) | 50689090007104 | Browsing | Available | - |
Emmaus Public Library | 616.044 O'ROU (Text) | 36446002058884 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Frackville Free Public Library | 616.044O'RO (Text) | 30459000377566 | Adult Non-fiction | Available | - |
Hollidaysburg Area Public Library | 616.044 O'Rou 2022 (Text) | 10HOL000488210 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Indian Valley Public Library | 616 O'Rourke Health (Text) | 39427103639134 | Nonfiction Room: Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |