I am a pharm D. student and had this book assigned for one of my classes. I have to admit I was dreading having to read this book. It was a mandatory read... an I am really glad that I read it. This book while think in content is really well written. In Fish-Soup style, as the Hmong would write, it is rich in detail and not only tells the story of Lia Lee, but also gives a political, cultural, and historical account of the Hmong which was surprisingly interesting in itself. It is written in a non-linear fashion, interjecting Lia's story with relevant historical material that could be a novel in and of itself.
We live in a culture, western society, which has evolved this feigned sense of moral superiority over all else. This book is not just about the Hmong but it gently prods the reader to question our own biases, beliefs, and prejudices. The book teaches us about morals, values, dignity, compromise, love through the story of Lia and its historical account. It makes you question our past political decisions in the Vietnam war, our current immigration laws. Most importantly, for the health care professionals, it asks us whether scientific objectivity and sterilized medicine is the best approach to treat all. We have been raised in a culture that enjoys putting numbers, statistics, names and probabilities on things. In medicine this evidence-based medicine has resulted in stripping away emotional, human aspect of "treating" a patient and in the end has its consequences.
This should be a must read for everyone, not just health professionals, we all need a new perspective on the world every once in a while.Get more detail about The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures.
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