This diary of a medical anthropologist and her mother’s simultaneous illnesses is far more than a daily record of suffering; it is a demonstration of the way disease can become the central axis of life, determining the rhythm and texture of the passing days. Interweaving rational analysis and shifting currents of emotion, the book forms a powerfully persuasive whole. Much of the credit for this goes to author Liu Shao-Hua’s dual status as both a scholar and sufferer of illness.
As the manifestations and negative impacts of disease pour in with the regularity of a news broadcast, the author repeatedly affirms the importance of love and companionship during this time of hardship. In addition to the preparations for treatment, the mental process of coming to grips with serious illness, and intimate portraits of family life, the book also gives a sincere account of the author’s life philosophy on cohabiting with disease. Far more than a reconciliation with the past, this wisdom points us to new ways of dealing with present and future struggles of life.