Books for Prep | |
 - A well-written account of culture clash in AmericaThough certainly not perfect, Ms. Fadiman does an excellent job of describing the tale of Lia and the Lee family's interactions with the American health care system while allowing bias to show but somehow to balance in the end. It is very well-written and worth reading. Rating: - Exceptional and comprehensive look at Hmong beliefs and historyIt is a rare experience that I pick up a book and cannot put it down. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is deeply insightful into the thoughts and mindsets of the Hmong people in America. They can be quiet, polite, and reserved, even if they plan to be non-compliant with the administration of Western medicine, or even if they do not understand a doctor's instructions for administering pills. The book demonstrates the tremendous barriers this cultural group has faced since coming to the United States from 1976 on, and background about what happened to them. Of course, the center of this book's controversy is Lia Lee, an infant in arms when we first see her, She suffers from a severe form of epilepsy, but is someone who beats the odds and remains alive long past her doctors' predictions. Even though she is in a "vegetative" state, the little girl is kept "immaculate," sleeps with her parents, and is carried around on her mother's back in the largest baby carrier anyone has ever seen, all proof of the extreme love that is showered upon Hmong babies. They are considered a treasure, no matter what. The story is heartbreaking, compelling, and written with expertise, wisdom, and understanding. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand the "Secret War in Laos" and all of the ramifications it has wrought, and who will take the time to try to understand the challenges of one Hmong family, on a deeply personal level. Rating: - Incredible true story!East clashes with West in regards to pediatric patient with seizures and treatment. Very educational culturally and medically. Moving. Great book, highly recommend! Rating:  - Eye opening cultural collisionAn eye-opening tale of immigrant cultural beliefs about illness and autonomy that collides with (well intentioned) American medicine. We (medical practicioners) tend to view our way of doing things as "right and good" and anything else as wrong. Fadiman does a good job of helping the layman to understand the situation and outcomes. Great read for anyone in the healthcare field. Rating: - A very interesting bookThis book is very well written and easy to read. I found that I couldn't put it down and read it in two short days. It was definitely a worthy read, and I learned a lot about the Hmong and about what cultural competency really means. I would recommend this book to any physician, medical student, nurse, any medical professional or anyone interested in going into a medical profession. It will definitely teach you something. Overall, the author was more balanced in its portrayal of both sides of the story than I had expected. She was clearly more forgiving of the Hmong than I think was really fair. For example, I find it hard to forgive "rape and kidnappings" where "the woman was truly objecting" as a "misunderstanding". The author was definitely too hard on the doctors, who by my account were exceptionally dedicated physicians. You would be hard pressed to find a pair of doctors who committed so much time and energy to the care of a child, getting called at all hours of the day and night, for so little pay. The author writes that "Neil," one of the doctors treating the little girl, "never visited their home". When was the last time your doctor visited you at home? I think the doctors clearly could have handled the cultural differences better, but they tried very hard to take care of this child. Honestly, it sounds like this girl had such bad seizures that I doubt that anything would have really made a difference; a little sooner or a little later, I can't imagine that this would not have been the same outcome. In association with Amazon.com | |