His journey: NY Times Columnist Ross Douthat on his book The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery
I can’t say I’ve related to a memoir much more than that of Ross Douthat’s The Deep Places. As I turned the pages, I had an enormous surge of feeling as though he had the exact, mirrored journey as I did and if ONLY I could give this book to every person I know I would finally be understood. Douthat recently joined me on a podcast episode of Lyme Time and I enjoyed every second.
Being a columnist for the NY Times and having written about the debate over chronic Lyme, Douthat depicts the devastating biological, emotional and financial effects of Lyme disease. His unwavering attention to his relentless search for answers while trying every iteration of antibiotic use is relatable in every sense of the word. He talks about shifting symptoms after purchasing a dream home (built in the 1790’s) for his family and the ultimate health and financial tolls it took on them.
It’s more than a personal story, though. This book is written as only a professional writer can poetically write. The Deep Places provides a dip into the research, information, history, and future of Lyme disease while taking on a bird’s eye view of a family as they embark on moving to the country and the failed fantasy of an idyllic life within those haunting walls.
You will see yourself in the ink on these pages. If someone you know has been recently diagnosed or if a family member is curious how Lyme disease actually unfolds to the patient, this is the book to read. It belongs in your collection.
To listen to the podcast, click HERE. To purchase The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery by Ross Douthat, click HERE. For a NY Times article by Ross Douthat (part of a series that got a lot of attention for our community), click HERE.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
In good health,
Ali
