Jennifer Lunden

Core of the book—-an account of the author’s struggle to overcome Chronic Fatigue Syndrome—-is fleshed out with chapters on chemical pollution, overwork and the lack of paid time off in the US, and the American healthcare system. Also looks at Alice James, sister of William and Henry, as an example of a woman suffering from the symptoms of what is now called CFS but which has apparently been around under other names since the 19thC. This last is an interesting subject which Edward Shorter has explored in much greater depth in From Paralysis to Fatigue. Lunden’s book is a hodge-podge, adding up to not a lot.… (mehr)

I highly recommend this extremely well researched and brilliantly composed book about the impacts of industrialization and capitalism on our environment and our health. It integrates personal memoir with the history of medicine, as well as literary, scientific, and cultural investigations into the causes and treatment of a mysterious malady that overshadowed the author's life. It is also a wake-up call about the unjust ways in which politicians, corporations, and the medical establishment continue to put us all at risk.… (mehr)