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What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City

Mona Hanna-Attisha

4.37 · Rating details · 2,958 ratings · 560 reviews

The dramatic story of the Flint water crisis, told “with the gripping intrigue of a Grisham thriller” (O: The Oprah Magazine)—an inspiring tale of scientific resistance by a relentless physician who stood up to power.

Flint was already a troubled city in 2014 when the state of Michigan—in the name of austerity—shifted the source of its water supply from Lake Huron to the The dramatic story of the Flint water crisis, told “with the gripping intrigue of a Grisham thriller” (O: The Oprah Magazine)—an inspiring tale of scientific resistance by a relentless physician who stood up to power.

Flint was already a troubled city in 2014 when the state of Michigan—in the name of austerity—shifted the source of its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River. Soon after, citizens began complaining about the water that flowed from their taps—but officials rebuffed them, insisting that the water was fine. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician at the city’s public hospital, took state officials at their word and encouraged the parents and children in her care to continue drinking the water—after all, it was American tap water, blessed with the state’s seal of approval.

But a conversation at a cookout with an old friend, leaked documents from a rogue environmental inspector, and the activism of a concerned mother raised red flags about lead—a neurotoxin whose irreversible effects fall most heavily on children. Even as circumstantial evidence mounted and protests grew, Dr. Mona knew that the only thing that could stop the lead poisoning was undeniable proof—and that to get it, she’d have to enter the fight of her life.

What the Eyes Don’t See is the inspiring story of how Dr. Mona—accompanied by an idiosyncratic team of researchers, parents, friends, and community leaders—proved that Flint’s kids were exposed to lead and then fought her own government and a brutal backlash to expose that truth to the world. Paced like a scientific thriller, this book shows how misguided austerity policies, the withdrawal of democratic government, and callous bureaucratic indifference placed an entire city at risk. And at the center of the story is Dr. Mona herself—an immigrant, doctor, scientist, and mother whose family’s activist roots inspired her pursuit of justice.

What the Eyes Don’t See is a riveting, beautifully rendered account of a shameful disaster that became a tale of hope, the story of a city on the ropes that came together to fight for justice, self-determination, and the right to build a better world for their—and all of our—children.

“Flint is a public health disaster. But it was Dr. Mona, this caring, tough pediatrician turned detective, who cracked the case.”—Rachel Maddow

“It’s one thing to point out a problem. It is another thing altogether to step up and work to fix it. Mona Hanna-Attisha is a true American hero.”—Erin Brockovich ...more

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Kindle Edition, 384 pages

Published June 19th 2018 by One World (first published June 9th 2018)

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Sustainability: Water

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May 15, 2018 Steve rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Brilliant public health story plagued by uneven pacing

I have very mixed feelings about this book. When Dr. Hanna-Attisha was actually talking about the water crisis, the book was absolutely brilliant. She readily shares credit with the other people working on the crisis and gives great explanations on the process she and her team went through. However, the book should have read like a thriller, with the crime (lead in the water), victims (the children of Flint), the perpetrators (the MDEQ) and ...more

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Mar 30, 2019 Kathleen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

‘Dr. Mona’ achieved national fame for her research showing that the children of Flint were being poisoned by lead when the City of Flint switched their public water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River. She was undaunted by governmental officials’ attempts to first ignore, and then smear and discredit her. She knew that her scientific results were accurate and the rising blood levels of lead in Flint’s children were real. Her heroic efforts advocating for their health are inspirational.

...more

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Aug 09, 2018 David rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-sci-med

Available as a 11-hour audio download, read by the author.

This is an excellent book to listen to. The author reads well, and the story gains immediacy from the knowledge that the events therein were experienced by the reader personally. The story itself, about how and why many thousands of (mostly poor minority) people were poisoned by their own government, and how and why none of those responsible were ever brought to justice, is a good one to know and remember, because it will happen again – Available as a 11-hour audio download, read by the author.

This is an excellent book to listen to. The author reads well, and the story gains immediacy from the knowledge that the events therein were experienced by the reader personally. The story itself, about how and why many thousands of (mostly poor minority) people were poisoned by their own government, and how and why none of those responsible were ever brought to justice, is a good one to know and remember, because it will happen again – maybe the details will be different, but the gross incompetence and mendacity will be the same.

A July 3, 2018, review in The New York Times of this book and another narrative of the same topic brought me to this audiobook. The review implies that Dr. Hanna-Attisha has been criticized as an attention-grabber. This only goes to show, as my father used to say, the moment you try to do an ounce of good in this world, someone will be on your back immediately with a load of criticism. (My father's actual words on this topic would not be fit for publication on a family website.) In any event, Dr. Hanna-Attisha makes it clear that she was, at best, the hub of a wheel with many spokes – angry mothers, activists, academics, water experts, and medical professionals – all of whom contributed to her all-too-rare victory over official indifference and victim-blaming.

When I can listen to a book with my full attention (like, for example, when I am on a crowded bus or subway train), I speed up the pace of an audiobook's narration by 50%. This is a great book to experience this way. A galloping narration brings to life Dr. Hanna-Attisha's feeling throughout the book that she must do something about this problem NOW, because every moment she is not spending giving this problem her full attention is a moment that children whom she pledged to protect are being slowly poisoned.

Some minor carping: I felt that, when the unvarnished facts of the case were so incredibly damning, she could have omitted the occasional name-calling she (somewhat understandably) allowed herself, as in audiobook chapter 12, time 31:45, where she terms the rhetoric of Michigan's government “creepy and vaguely cultish”. Just tell me what he said – I can figure out the quality of his rhetoric on my own.

Since this story has been all over the news, I don't think it's a spoiler to say that Dr. Hanna-Attisha eventually triumphs. In our times, it is refreshing to listen to a story that suggests that normal people can still do some good in the world. ...more

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Oct 02, 2018 Anne ✨ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: biography-memoir, fav-nonfic, american-life, health-medicine, politics

This is a detailed account of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, when the city's inhabitants were poisoned by lead in the water supply after local government made changes to try and save money. The author is the pediatrician who brought the issue to light and worked tirelessly to gather the data, and fight against the governmental bias, ignorance, and inefficiency that allowed something like this to happen.

In addition to a detailed account of the crisis, Mona gives insightful perspective on ...more

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Mar 10, 2018 Carla Bayha rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: memoirs

A book that should be read by everybody in the state of Michigan, and everybody who cares about public health and education, children, and their families. You may think you know everything about the timeline and what went down during the "Flint Water Crisis" that poisoned tens of thousands of residents, but you don't. An unexpected conversation between two old friends at a family barbecue--one of them from a family that emmigrated from Iraq--likely saved Flint residents from months or even years A book that should be read by everybody in the state of Michigan, and everybody who cares about public health and education, children, and their families. You may think you know everything about the timeline and what went down during the "Flint Water Crisis" that poisoned tens of thousands of residents, but you don't. An unexpected conversation between two old friends at a family barbecue--one of them from a family that emmigrated from Iraq--likely saved Flint residents from months or even years more of being poisoned by lead (one of three heavy metals--the others are mercury and arsenic!) that is unsafe at any level. We already know about some of the Michigan government and agencies coverups. We now know more, including the lies, intimidation, stonewalling, and incompetence. As Hanna-Attisha relates, much the same thing happened during an underreported water crisis in D.C. in the early 2000s, one that took years to resolve and should have been a warning to other water utilities. As a pediatrician, administrator, teacher, and researcher the author is wonderful at explaining how she designed the study that irrefutably disproved the state's claim that the tapwater was safe to drink, and how public health took a backseat to the careers of bureaucrats and elected officials. She is also well-versed in the sometimes dark history of the automobile industry in Michigan, and an enthusiastic booster of the possibilities for Flint's revival, now that economic and social injustices are finally being exposed and dealt with. The month between the author's learning about the water contamination and her press conference that blows the lid off the denials, reads like a spy thriller. The most important book that I've read in the past year, in this time of a retreat from protecting our natural resources and our most vulnerable citizens, and the continued assault on science. Some of the culprits have been charged with crimes, but others are now lobbyists..... As a bookseller, I read an advanced copy ...more

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Nov 24, 2018 Mohamed Elashri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science, socities

I received this copy free from my university when I attended Dr. Mona's talk in our university. She donated the money she should receive so the university officials used this money to buy 200 copy and distribute it.

Dr. Mona signed this copy for me, I asked her to sign in arabic and we talked in arabic for a couple of minutes, she asked me about baklawa "بقلاوة" which was the strangest question I had so far in United States. And by the way She wrote her name "موني" which is wrong as in arabic we

I received this copy free from my university when I attended Dr. Mona's talk in our university. She donated the money she should receive so the university officials used this money to buy 200 copy and distribute it.

Dr. Mona signed this copy for me, I asked her to sign in arabic and we talked in arabic for a couple of minutes, she asked me about baklawa "بقلاوة" which was the strangest question I had so far in United States. And by the way She wrote her name "موني" which is wrong as in arabic we use special characters on alphabets to represent different pronunciation.

The book was about the crisis of water in flint, a city in state of michigan. The home for ford cars. This story looks familiar to me as in my country it is usual. Egypt have the first rank on hypatite C virus because of water. Many areas are lacking a clean sources of water. Liver failure is very common. Lead levels are huge. Flint story could tell us more about how lack of democracy and people freedom to choose and to protect their rights lead to distares, even in a modern democracy like US. I loved the courage that Dr.mona had, although all things they said about her, she personally faced the corrupted authorities. The power of media supporting her, the power of people who stand of their rights. The ability of science to make our lives better is tbe most important thing of this story. Science is a tool that should be used to male our life safe. It is not to be used in estimating the money that we get from optimization while people suffering from problems.

The story of Dr. Mona's immigrant family is traditional and it represents how immigration and immigrants makes america great, they protect their rights and rights of other people. They are part of this society. She is arab origin person, from Iraq the country which although ruled by dictator sadam but the invasion without real reasons lead to a more corruption and falling of the state under the influence of Iranians. This story tells us that all people should gather for protection of the life. We don't have any place except this planet which in this way wouldn't be able to support life anymore because of greediness. ...more

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Jul 31, 2018 Becky Luetjen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I’m embarrassed to say that despite all the headlines, I didn’t actually know that much about the Flint water crisis.... until I read this book.

Dr. Mona is phenomenal in her explanations of the egregious racial injustices in Flint prior to and during the water crisis: from unjust housing policies to undemocratic emergency managers to government officials ignoring/denying the lead contamination problem.

The book ultimately shows what a few determined and educated citizens can do to rectify ...more

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Jul 14, 2018 Cathy Les rated it liked it · review of another edition

The story is interesting and important - it's so frustrating to "watch" her fight to get the state to declare an emergency and start getting clean water to the people of Flint! I could have done with less information about her family however. I thought it interrupted the flow of the narrative most of the time.

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Jun 17, 2018 Zan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book was everything I hoped for and more.

When I first heard of the Flint Water Crisis, I was in disbelief. How could people knowingly put others, including impressionable and still developing children, into so much danger just because they were too prideful and lazy to own up to mistake after mistake on so many different levels?

Here we are, in the 2010s, and the U.S. government has come so far; it's incredibly reliable and thorough in all the work that it does to try and improve the lives This book was everything I hoped for and more.

When I first heard of the Flint Water Crisis, I was in disbelief. How could people knowingly put others, including impressionable and still developing children, into so much danger just because they were too prideful and lazy to own up to mistake after mistake on so many different levels?

Here we are, in the 2010s, and the U.S. government has come so far; it's incredibly reliable and thorough in all the work that it does to try and improve the lives of the people and give us a relatively good world standing. Wait. No? Okay never mind then.

I heard of this book and I k n e w that I had to read what someone so close to the crisis had to say.

The good doctor's writing was hauntingly compelling and her prose was such a beautiful touch to the chronicle of her fight for Flint. It was absolutely seamless and effortless in its fluidity.

In between research frustrations and suppressed voices, Dr. Hanna-Attisha wove familial anecdotes and her own history into the tapestry of her story. While at times I really wanted to know how her research methods were approved or if some people finally got it through their thick skulls that they needed to stop their stupidity, I generally enjoyed the peeks into her life outside of the present-day storyline. The pictures really tied it together and made everything seem more real.

Complaint: I feel like the ending wasn't quite enough. It seemed like the situation was entirely resolved, which is great for the storytelling element of the work, but I think with something as work-in-progress as Flint (which is not to say that I know better than Dr. Hanna-Attisha, just that it seems like all the hurdles after the small progression are overly muted), it's better to warn of the trials to come and take a bit of a more weary tone. I love love love my happy endings; more importantly, the reality of the continued solemnity of Flint's situation needs to be more present at the close of this book. Even now, there is still much to be desired.

A million thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this phenomenal ARC !
...more

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Sep 04, 2018 Emily rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is some very solid nonfiction.

At times I found the writing style a bit too colloquial, but ultimately I do think that's a good thing--the more accessible this book is, the better.

In this, Hanna-Attisha details her work as a pediatrician at Flint Hospital, where after a friend pointed out some alarming information about potential lead poisoning in the water, Hanna-Attisha got to work.

This is a comprehensive dive into the Flint water crisis. It's not a complete picture--Hanna-Attisha mentions ...more

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Sep 21, 2019 Nicole rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science, non-fiction, girls-who-lean-in, resist, 2019

Wow, this was really hard to read at times. Utterly heartbreaking to think about the impact of such sheer incompetence, negligence, and racism on a whole cadre of already at-risk children; the only glimmer of hope being that someone with Dr Mona’s tenacity could be the right person, in the right place, at the right time to stand up and call bullshit and achieve results in a matter of weeks. A level of activism and moral leadership we should all aspire to.

I could have done without the parts on ...more

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May 22, 2019 Sandie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, nonfiction

The author narrated the audio which often is a recipe for disaster but in this case, works. It is a bit stilted at times but her passion for what she does comes through and overrides the stiffness.
Listening to the book made it tough to remember all the players and their designated agencies.

I have been watching the Netflix documentary on Flint Town which is the story of how the police force cope with crime in that devastated town. The author in Eyes talks about the spirit and resilience of the ...more

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Jul 28, 2018 Susannah Nichols rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

As a Michigan resident and someone who followed the Flint water crisis reasonably closely, I learned a lot from this book. Dr. Mona tells a well-paced and engaging story while weaving in a lot of background information on the history of Flint, national water regulations, and Michigan politics. Although I've read criticism of the way she incorporates so much of her family history into the narrative, I appreciated that because I think it's very much part of her story and what compelled her to make ...more

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Jul 18, 2018 Mina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: public-health

This is an incredible book about the Flint water crisis and how powerful it is to use your voice to right the wrongs around you and make a real difference. Surprisingly, this book read as a thriller and was difficult to put down! I was fascinated by all the hard work behind the scenes that took place for the lead in water crisis in Flint to be publicized.
I loved the stories Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha told of her Chaldean-Assyrian family from Iraq – how her family history helped shape her advocacy ...more

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Dec 09, 2018 Rose Peterson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

For a long time, Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy has been the book I can't stop talking about and recommending; What the Eyes Don't See will now join it as the book I will suggest to everyone, from my family to the people in line next to me at the grocery store. Dr. Mona brings readers along for every step of her journey into Flint's water contamination, weaving in stories of her own rich Iraqi history and past public health issues. Her clear and approachable prose makes it clear for anyone to see ...more

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Jul 23, 2018 Jen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. Told from Dr. Mona, the pediatrician who exposed the levels of lead in her youngest patients, it is a story of family, science, collaboration, resistance, immigration, and activism. It is engaging, well written, inspiring and infuriating. She writes in a manner that shows her vulnerability and intelligence, the impact on the flint water crisis had on kids and her family. Amazing read!!!!

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Nov 02, 2018 Kathy McC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Flint is my hometown and I want to thank Dr. Hanna-Attisha for her diligence and tenacity to bring this tragedy to the public eye. She fought tirelessly and because of her, the citizens of Flint got the attention needed to deal with the crisis. While there is still much to be done, Dr. Hanna- Attisha got things started. She is a hero!!

"Where is the American Dream in the Flint scenario? It's not there. It's not even talked about. It is becoming so out of reach. At the end of their lives, most ...more

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Nov 19, 2018 Susanne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

A surprisingly uplifting and positive book, despite the truly awful subject matter (the cost-saving measure that led to the wholesale exposure of Flint, Michigan's children to toxic lead poisoning). Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the child of Iraqi immigrants, is a pediatrician who raised the alarm about lead in the public water supply in Flint, and then pushed gently but inexorably for necessary corrections. She seems to come from a long line of honorable activists and the book is as much a ...more

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Aug 09, 2018 Kat Mayerovitch rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, 2018

I feel like this is a must-read for every American. Even now, it's so easy to get caught up in conflicting messages. It's the August 2018 as I write this, and locals are still saying the water is unsafe and undrinkable while institutions are claiming the crisis is over, everything's fixed, and Michigan can pat itself on the back for a job well done. What the Eyes Don't See couldn't be a more pertinent book for the times in which we live.

This book isn't an overview. It won't give you a ...more

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Jul 11, 2018 Shana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Dr. Hanna-Attisha is a true American hero. Her diligence, dedication, and passion for justice ring loud and clear in this fascinating book, which reads like a memoir with elements of suspense and political intrigue. It would have been easy for her to fall back on medical jargon and the nitty gritty of the science, but she adds a great human element in it that includes her own personal reasons for caring as much as she does for the children and families of Flint. She does crucial work in training ...more

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Jul 16, 2018 Gary Street rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a very powerful book, describing the totally inept governmental leadership that led to the Flint water crisis. Dr. Mona led the charge to bring it into the open. Fortunately she also had several equally dedicated individuals that provided critical support to her mission.

I felt an important point of the book is that she and her family are immigrants from Iraq. Her father has a PhD in Metallurgy, her brother is an attorney, and she is an MD (pediatrics). They are productive Americans. Yet ...more

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Aug 27, 2018 Sabeeha Ahmed rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wow. This book has given me all the feelings. Anger, sadness, hope, joy, resilience and determination. This is such a stunning account told in the most gripping way. The Flint water crisis is now infamous for the impact harsh austerity can have on a community, especially when those in power disregard you for whatever reason (racism, greed, capitalism, power). I have read tons of books on Detroit, the bankruptcy, and all the various affects on people, especially people of color. But this story ...more

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Oct 02, 2018 Maddie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science, memoir, social-justice

I loved how Dr. Mona blends the personal (her involvement in environmental justice, her family's history with persecution and fighting for justice in Iraq) and the professional (history of lead, the science behind water safety) and where these stories intersect (when she learned that Flint water was not safe for her "Flint Kids"). I had to share tidbit after tidbit of things I learned in this book (as anyone who follows my Instagrams stories knows). The story of Flint is so frustrating and sad ...more

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Jan 04, 2019 Amyschwarz rated it liked it · review of another edition

Well, the story itself was fascinating but could have done without the constant reminders of her political leanings.

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Oct 12, 2019 Laura Long rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attasha is just as good at writing as she is at being a pediatrician and an advocate for kids' rights. I don't rate many books a '5'. This book should be read by everyone. I am happy that it is currently the Michigan Humanities Great Michigan Read. Dr. Mona weaves stories of her family growing up in Iraq into the stories of people struggling for the basic right of clean drinking water. She brings together the hundreds of details of how Flint's water crisis was discovered and what ...more

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Aug 27, 2019 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved this book, but my opinion is biased. I am a social work who works in Flint, and Dr. Mona is the real deal. I wanted to learn more about here so I was very interested by the point that this book weaves her story into the Flint Water Crisis. I have her Mars her speak twice, and she acknowledges that she knows her story is only one of many. I knew the details of the crisis going in, but learned quite a few things as well. It is amazing to me how much worse this could have been. I think this ...more

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Mar 17, 2019 Lynn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A touching account of a pediatrician, researcher, scientist, who happens to find that children in the city of Flint are being poisoned with lead. She ends up notifying authorities who are reluctant to do anything and she is forced to get people to help her and whistleblow what is happening. The story is a doozy and involves corrupt politicians and disenfranchised citizens whose city has been taken over by politicians who have no obligation to answer Flint’s concerns. Important book.

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Nov 03, 2019 Hazel rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: four-stars-really-good-book-shelf

80%

"What the Eyes Don't See" is a riveting true account of how the government ignored a city that was found to have lead in it for the sake of money and of how one physician and her team resisted and brought hope to all those kids and adults who drank that lead infested water every day- unaware of all the damage it was doing to them- especially to the innocent kids and babies in their critical periods of brain development.

This story explores how Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha stood strong even when ...more

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Nov 18, 2018 Carolyn J rated it really liked it · review of another edition

"What the Eyes Don't See" is written by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician who presented irrefutable proof that children suffered debilitating harm as a result of lead leached into Flint's water supply since the county voted to switch its source from Lake Huron to the Flint River.

She, along with a team of researchers, environmentalists, scientists, and public health activists advocated for transparency in government, environmental justice, truth in science, and safety for all humanity "What the Eyes Don't See" is written by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician who presented irrefutable proof that children suffered debilitating harm as a result of lead leached into Flint's water supply since the county voted to switch its source from Lake Huron to the Flint River.

She, along with a team of researchers, environmentalists, scientists, and public health activists advocated for transparency in government, environmental justice, truth in science, and safety for all humanity against the local and state alphabet agencies that were designed to protect ALL Michigan citizens, but chose, instead, to deceive its residents. As emails revealed per FOIA request, state officials knew as early as January 2015 (nearly NINE months after the pipeline switch) that something was wrong with the water even as they told Flint residents that their drinking water was safe, and that officials manipulated and discarded water samples to support the narrative. (pp. 284-285) The levels of government involved and the degree to which elected and appointed officials willingly accepted the poisoning and death of their constituency and covered up the evidence is mind-boggling, and heinous four years after the April 2014 water source switch.

Though it took me three months to finish (distracted by a novel and memoir), this is an easy read, unraveling like a detective novel. Dr. Mona, also, weaved in her family's journey from Iraq to America and her ancestral history, as well as details of the battles they endured as she fought for her patients and all Flint residents. In her recounting of the events which exposed the debacle that IS the Flint Water Crisis, the doctor never failed to credit those who contributed their expertise and support, and never came across as an academician overpowering readers with specialized terminology and concepts. As a matter of fact, I understood more about the intricacies of the water supply system, the effects of lead in humans, and the roles of certain public health agencies in charge of safeguarding the public water supply in times of crisis and routinely. It's a great read.

My favorite quotes:
“Sometimes it is called racism. Sometimes it is called callousness. And sometimes–when the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that left at least 12 people dead was tied to the water switch, something the bureaucrats knew about for a full year–it can be called manslaughter.” (pp. 286)

"Never had a government report [Flint Water Advisory Task Force Final Report, March 2016] explicitly stated the role of race in an environmental crisis. And never before had the consequences of the loss of democracy been so keenly demonstrated. Flint may be the most egregious modern-day example of environmental injustice." (pp. 308)

Need I say more? ...more

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Aug 26, 2018 Dipesh rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I pre-ordered this book the moment it was available, because I knew it would be incredible, and I wanted to support Dr Mona —who I consider a friend, mind you. Owning this book, however, meant that I took a few extra weeks to get to it, because the pressure of not having a due date meant I kept putting it off in favour of library books that did have due dates.

Having said that, I began it just a few days ago and devoured it eagerly. Some aspects of this books are not news to me —as a pediatrician I pre-ordered this book the moment it was available, because I knew it would be incredible, and I wanted to support Dr Mona — who I consider a friend, mind you. Owning this book, however, meant that I took a few extra weeks to get to it, because the pressure of not having a due date meant I kept putting it off in favour of library books that did have due dates.

Having said that, I began it just a few days ago and devoured it eagerly. Some aspects of this books are not news to me — as a pediatrician with an MPH like Dr Mona, I'm well familiar with what lead does to children's developing brains, and also with toxic stress and the ravages of poverty. I've also visited Flint and seen firsthand some of the abject ruin in many neighbourhoods. (I was there to speak at a conference — what I saw was simply what I saw while out for a long morning run.). And, of course, I've heard about Dr Mona's role in this whole affair from the first time it hit the national news. Yes, she is as incredible as she appears from this book. Also, the story she tells of her own family is somewhat familiar — while I am not Chaldean, I'm a South Asian who was also born in the United Kingdom and whose family emigrated to the United States. Again, aspects of story I found familiar.

So what did I find enthralling? Honestly, it was the drama of institutions. Not so much the state agencies that more or less blew it when it came to protecting the people of Flint. It was of the institutions that, in the end, decided to be on the right side of history: Hurley Medical Center, Michigan State University, etc. Dr Mona's descriptions of how people's names are dragged through the mud because they chose to speak up are not inaccurate — and far more common than we'd like to know. For me, this book was about that critical moment — what institutions would stand with her, and which would either hound her or choose to stay silent?

There are many lenses through which one can read this book, and I would not presume to tell readers what their lens should be. Consider the above as you read this story—which you really should read—and ask yourself if the places you venerate in your own community will stand up for what's right when it becomes inconvenient.

Ultimately, that is the story Dr Mona imparts to me.

(PS Mona — well done.) ...more

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About Mona Hanna-Attisha

Mona Hanna-Attisha

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Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a physician, scientist, and activist who has been called to testify twice before the United States Congress, awarded the Freedom of Expression Courage Award by PEN America, and named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.

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“The world shouldn't be comprised of people in boxes. Minding their own business. It should be full of people raising their voices, using their power and presence, standing up for what's right. Minding one another's business. That's the world I live in. And that's the world I want to live in.” — 5 likes

“Challenging injustice means standing up for the weak, the vulnerable, the abused, and the forgotten—be it in health, employment, education, or the environment. It means being vigilant on behalf of people who are treated as pariahs and scapegoats, populations that are dehumanized, displaced, and treated as disposable. It means fighting oppression at every opportunity—no matter the place or country.” — 4 likes

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