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       #Post#: 787--------------------------------------------------
       Laurie Edwards, IN THE KINGDOM OF THE SICK: A SOCIAL HISTORY ...
       By: agate Date: May 14, 2015, 11:25 pm
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       EDWARDS, LAURIE
       IN THE KINGDOM OF THE SICK:  A SOCIAL HISTORY OF CHRONIC
       ILLNESS IN AMERICA (2013)
       There is one problem with books in this genre, and there are
       many such books--the author usually has a disorder or two
       prompting the writing of the book, and in order to illustrate
       points in the book's content, the author almost has to bring
       that disorder into the discussion.
       When that happens, if there's a tad too much of it, the book
       comes across as more about that person's disorder(s) than about
       helpful information for others unless, of course, the others
       happen to have that disorder.
       In this author's case, others with her disorder aren't going to
       come along very often. She has primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD),
       a serious lung disorder, somewhat like cystic fibrosis, but so
       rare that it took a long time for Edwards to be diagnosed.
       If her book has a fault, it may be that it gives a bit more
       information about the author's medical history than is
       warranted.
       She covers a wide range of chronic medical conditions, but the
       coverage is rather standard information, easily available from
       other sources. She touches on multiple sclerosis a couple of
       times but very briefly.
       She has an impressive bibliography but these references turn out
       to be drawn primarily from the Internet.  More depth would have
       been welcome here.
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