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The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
 

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

by Anne Fadiman

Lia Lee was born in 1981 to a family of recent Hmong immigrants, and soon developed symptoms of epilepsy. By 1988 she was living at home but was brain dead after a tragic cycle of misunderstanding, overmedication, and culture clash: "What the doctors viewed as clinical efficiency the Hmong viewed as frosty arrogance." The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is a tragedy of Shakespearean... (read more)

Top tags: non-fiction,  hmong,  medicine,  nonfiction,  culture (all tags)

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Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

SANDRA P
  • Rated 4 stars

“This was an interesting book about an immigrant child suffering from epilepsy and how her parent's cultural beliefs and lack of grasp on the American language effected the child's treatment.”

SANDRA P’s full review »
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Didn’t Like It

Elaine H
  • Rated 2 stars

“Subtitle says it all: " the collisions of two cultures" !!! NO kidding!! Frustrating, aggrevating, sad, amazing story of infant with epilepsy with parents who didn't want and/or couldn't understand how to be compliant with medical regimen when in their culture sacrificing a cow was correct tx for a spirit stealing their child's soul and making her fall down with seizures. Phew--what a story.”

Elaine H’s full review »
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Community:
  • Rated 4.212209 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 4.5 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • helterskelter

    helterskelter said:

    “Discuss this book and others at the cultural anthropology group: http://www.shelfari.com/groups/23442/about”

    posted Thursday, March 27 2008
  • cha2cha

    cha2cha said:

    “I love this author and think she did an excellent job of conveying the complexity of the clash of two very disparate cultures. Like Fadiman, I found myself siding with the Hmongs at times and the doctors at other times, and sometimes with both at the same time. Captivating subject, well and completely written.”

    posted Sunday, October 21 2007
  • Jessica26

    jessica26 said:

    “It is always surprising to me how many people have read this book. I loved it. It showed all good people with good intentions to help this girl but still things go horribly wrong. No one is to blame. There is no egregious oversight just misunderstandings.”

    posted Saturday, July 7 2007
  • luvtoread

    luvtoread said:

    “I read this book several years ago and loved it. What an eye opener. Thank yo for reminding me about this piece. ”

    posted Saturday, July 7 2007
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