Well Enough Alone: A Cultural History of My Hypochondria

Synopsis

A hilarious first-person account of life as a hypochondriac, as well as a look at the condition's history and broader cultural context, from the critically acclaimed author of Devil in the Details. The good news is Jennifer Traig does not have lupus, multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, Crohn's disease, or muscular dystrophy. She discovers that she does not have SUDS, the mysterious disorder that claims healthy young Asian men in their sleep, nor does she have Foreign Accent Syndrome, the bizarre but real neurological condition that transforms native West Virginians into Eliza Doolittle overnight. What she does have is hypochondria. Jenny Traig's inquiry into her ailment is not only an uproariously funny account but also a literary tour of hypochondria, past and present: the implied hypochondria of the Talmud, the flatulence-obsessed eighteenth century, and the malady's current unfortunate lack of a celebrity spokesperson. At the same time, Traig provides an intimate look at the complement of minor conditions that have concealed her essential health and driven her persistent self-diagnosis: the eczema, the shaky hands, and, worst of all, the bad hair. To her surprise, she ends her journey more knowledgeable than she was when she started out, a little less neurotic, and-one might say-healthier. Well Enough Alone is the definitive book on being worried well, in all of its gruesome and hysterical detail, from one of our funniest and most distinctive literary voices.

Copyright:

2008

Book Details

Book Quality:

Excellent

Book Size:

257 Pages

ISBN-13:

9781594489914

Publisher:

Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

Date of Addition:

11/10/09

Copyrighted By:

Jennifer Traig

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

Nonfiction, Biographies and Memoirs, Health, Mind and Body, Psychology

Submitted By:

Kathleen Martin

Proofread By:

Amanda Martins

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.