“Devastating and wise, clear-eyed and funny…This is a book for all the survivors.” Jennifer Weiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Description
A wry, witty account of what it is like to face death—and be restored to life
After being diagnosed in her early forties with metastatic melanoma—a “rapidly fatal” form of cancer—journalist and mother of two Mary Elizabeth Williams finds herself in a race against the clock. She takes a once-in-a-lifetime chance and joins a clinical trial for immunotherapy, a revolutionary drug regimen that trains the body to vanquish malignant cells. Astonishingly, her cancer disappears entirely in just a few weeks. But at the same time, her best friend embarks on a cancer journey of her own—with very different results.
Williams’ experiences as a patient and a medical test subject reveal with stark honesty what it takes to weather disease, the extraordinary new developments that are rewriting the rules of science—and the healing power of human connection.
Praise
“Devastating and wise, clear-eyed and funny…This is a book for all the survivors.” Jennifer Weiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Astonishing and inspiring…When you laugh and cry at the exact same time, you know you are reading an amazing survival story.” Piper Kerman, New York Times bestselling author
“This isn’t simply a book about cancer. It’s about the powerful connections that emerge in crisis, the discovery of our own carrying capacity for grief and compassion, and the marvel of resilience and stubborn mystery that is the human body. Mary Elizabeth Williams offers an important lesson in cutting-edge medicine, but also how to endure the worst days of your life while remaining tough, tender, and funny as hell.” Sarah Hepola, author of Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget
“Mary Elizabeth Williams is an author you’ll want to seek out and befriend once you’ve finished her book. She bares so much of her soul on the page—her joys, her fears, her suffering—we can’t help but fall in love with her. This is as real as it gets.” Susannah Callahan, author of Brain on Fire
“A Series of Catastrophes & Miracles shattered me. In the best possible way. One minute I’d be bawling, the next unable to stop laughing. Mary Elizabeth Williams is the funniest, raunchiest, smartest, heart-fillediest, science geekiest, and most genuine guide not only into the sh*t-out-of-luck cancer netherworld—but also into the unvarnished reality of marriage, motherhood, and family. I’d call her a warrior, but she’d hate me for that. So I’ll simply say this: f*ck cancer and buy this book.” Deborah Copaken Kogen, New York Times bestselling author
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Apr 25, 2016 |
| Release Date | April 26, 2016 |
| Release Date Machine | 1461628800 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Health & Wellness, Biographies & Memoirs, Women, Physical Illness & Disease, Nonfiction - Adult, Nonfiction - All |
Author Bio
Mary Elizabeth Williams is a senior staff writer for award-winning Salon.com and has appeared in the New York Times and numerous other national and regional publications. The author of Gimme Shelter and A Series of Catastrophes and Miracles, she lives in New York City with her family.
Narrator Bio
Mary Elizabeth Williams is a senior staff writer for award-winning Salon.com and has appeared in the New York Times and numerous other national and regional publications. The author of Gimme Shelter and A Series of Catastrophes and Miracles, she lives in New York City with her family.
Overview
A wry, witty account of what it is like to face death—and be restored to life
After being diagnosed in her early forties with metastatic melanoma—a “rapidly fatal” form of cancer—journalist and mother of two Mary Elizabeth Williams finds herself in a race against the clock. She takes a once-in-a-lifetime chance and joins a clinical trial for immunotherapy, a revolutionary drug regimen that trains the body to vanquish malignant cells. Astonishingly, her cancer disappears entirely in just a few weeks. But at the same time, her best friend embarks on a cancer journey of her own—with very different results.
Williams’ experiences as a patient and a medical test subject reveal with stark honesty what it takes to weather disease, the extraordinary new developments that are rewriting the rules of science—and the healing power of human connection.
Reviews
Write Your Own Review