Encounters With the Invisible: Unseen Illness, Controversy, And Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

by Dorothy Wall

Blending personal drama with literary reflection, reportage, and
medical history, Dorothy Wall illuminates the conflicts and
controversies surrounding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and
graphically depicts the way a virus resculpts a life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Memoir, American

352 pages, Hardcover

First published November 17, 2005

Reviews

[Sara Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is making me re-evaluate my approach to managing my CFS as I find myself inevitably caught in the same internal identity struggle. Having finally finished my degree after years of pushing myself to do so, yet finding myself too ill to do what I'd wanted with it, this book has been a rare validation for many of the emotions I'm working through at present and I truly appreciate the precious time and energy the author and her family have taken to share their hard-won knowledge and experience with me.

To those who haven't a direct interest in such illnesses, this book has enough of a balance of first-hand perspective, historical scope, and humorous narrative to prompt contemplation of not just what it is to be chronically ill but to be part of a larger humanity where such is an intractable element. To those who've found themselves hurled into first-hand contact, this book makes an excellent introduction to this new, and often baffling, world.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a comment to explain my rating, rather than a reveiw.

This is a really good book but I only gave it three stars because it didn't tell me much that I didn't already know.

[Kirsten Macaulay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It covers the psychological disorders one may encounter after being diognosed with CFIDS. A good book to read if interested in clinical psychology and or the politics in the medical field.

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illness and pain resist language, as Wall points out, yet in this memoir she attempts to find the language to describe her experience with CFS. She writes with clarity and precision, using apt metaphors which give shape to a little known and largely dismissed illness. One thing I felt to be missing was a stronger sense of the horror and disorientation that characterizes the experience of acute and unexpected illness (maybe because it is difficult to both describe with clarity and precision and immerse the reader in an emotional experience—in reading this I felt the distance between when she was writing and when the events took place,—or maybe because that wasn’t as important to her as other things).

Overall this was a moving account of the unique struggles that she faced and the unique perspective she gained. It’s depressing that this was published over 20 years ago and not much more has been learned about CFS, nor has it gained much more mainstream recognition and support.

[Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part memoir, part medical exposé, Encounters with the Invisible is a must-read for anybody seeking to gain a better understanding of ME/CFS or related illnesses. It strikes an excellent balance between narrative and information, and the quality of the writing itself is stunning. This is the first book I've read in a long time that has repeatedly floored me with a particularly eloquent phrase or passage. Wall's eloquence draws the reader into her odd twilight world of illness, confusion, loss, and determination, painting a dynamic portrait of the life of the chronically ill—and the political system that drives the scientific/medical establishment. I believe patients, caretakers, doctors, therapists, scientists, and lawmakers could all gain so much from this book.