Book Review — THE INVISIBLE KINGDOM: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O’Rourke

A landmark exploration of one of the most consequential and mysterious issues of our time: the rise of chronic illness and autoimmune diseases

A silent epidemic of chronic illnesses afflicts tens of millions of Americans: these are diseases that are poorly understood, frequently marginalized, and can go undiagnosed and unrecognized altogether. Renowned writer Meghan O’Rourke delivers a revelatory investigation into this elusive category of “invisible” illness that encompasses autoimmune diseases, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and now long COVID, synthesizing the personal and the universal to help all of us through this new frontier.
 
Drawing on her own medical experiences as well as a decade of interviews with doctors, patients, researchers, and public health experts, O’Rourke traces the history of Western definitions of illness, and reveals how inherited ideas of cause, diagnosis, and treatment have led us to ignore a host of hard-to-understand medical conditions, ones that resist easy description or simple cures. And as America faces this health crisis of extraordinary proportions, the populations most likely to be neglected by our institutions include women, the working class, and people of color.
 
Blending lyricism and erudition, candor and empathy, O’Rourke brings together her deep and disparate talents and roles as critic, journalist, poet, teacher, and patient, synthesizing the personal and universal into one monumental project arguing for a seismic shift in our approach to disease. The Invisible Kingdom offers hope for the sick, solace and insight for their loved ones, and a radical new understanding of our bodies and our health.

Published: March 1, 2022

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My Thoughts

We all want to feel seen, especially when we’re suffering.

With The Invisible Kingdom, Meghan O’Rourke takes us through the quagmire of life with an invisible illness, sharing the emotional turmoil of not knowing what’s wrong, while navigating a medical system that sets you up for failure.

This is not a guide to healing. O’Rourke acknowledges what most of us living with some form of invisible illness already know; every case is different and every person responds differently.

By sharing her personal journey, O’Rourke shines a light in the darkness, allowing those of us suffering to see we’re not alone, and demanding the rest of the world see us as we are—sick, not crazy.

O’Rourke also delves into biology and science, exploring the autoimmune system and the many ways in which it can quietly go haywire.

This book hit me hard because I’ve been living it since childhood. As the decades pass, our numbers grow, and together we’re finally making too much noise to be ignored. Yet the stigma remains, and science is woefully behind.

If you’re living this story or you know someone who is, this book provides insight into a life disrupted and derailed.

*I received a free copy from Riverhead Books.*

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