I simply cannot believe that this is over!!

As a Minnesotan who is surrounded by the Hmong community, this experience was both incredibly familiar and astonishingly eye-opening.

The passion and honesty with which the book was written are truly remarkable. They are more than enough to make it an extremely compelling read.

However, what really sets it apart is Fadiman's writing. Her skills take the story to an even higher level, captivating the reader from start to finish.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It offers a unique perspective and a powerful narrative that will leave a lasting impression.

Whether you are interested in culture, history, or simply a great story, this book has something for you.

Don't miss out on this amazing literary work!

This remarkable book had such a profound impact on me that it made me weep and sob uncontrollably.

I truly felt a deep sense of empathy for those poor people depicted within its pages - the parents, the doctors, and all the others who were part of this heart-wrenching story.

The general background information provided on the Hmong people was not only good but also added significantly to the overall narrative. It gave me a better understanding of their culture, traditions, and the challenges they faced.

I was so engrossed in this book that I managed to read it in just two days. I simply couldn't put it down!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a powerful and moving read. It will touch your heart and leave you with a lasting impression.

Read this for my history of health/disease class

I had no inkling that I desired to peruse a book regarding the Hmong. In fact, had I been cognizant that this was the subject matter, I likely would not have embarked on reading it.

However, upon delving into it, I discovered that while it is indeed centered around the Hmong, it also delves deeply into the still-ongoing refugee crises, the complex web of cultural misunderstandings, and the intricate intersection of western medicine with all of these elements.

The book has left me with an insatiable curiosity, yearning to know more about these fascinating and important topics. It has opened my eyes to a world that I was previously unfamiliar with and has made me realize the significance of understanding different cultures and the challenges they face.

I am now eager to explore further and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Hmong people and the various issues that impact their lives.

As a physician, this is truly one of the most significant books I have ever read.

There are no so-called "Bad Guys" in this context. Instead, it is just a case of sad and rampant misunderstanding between two cultural entities - namely, the Californian medical community and the Hmong.

This kind of misunderstanding is similar to what exists now between mainstream USA, especially our media, and the Islamic culture of the Middle East.

The differences between these cultures may seem overwhelming and hopeless at first glance. However, upon closer examination, we realize that they are not insurmountable.

By understanding and respecting each other's cultures, we can begin to bridge the gap and reduce the misunderstandings.

This book serves as a valuable reminder of the importance of cultural sensitivity and communication in the medical field and in society as a whole.

My dad told me to read this book 2 years ago but I never managed to read it.

Surprisingly, I happened to read it exactly a week after my cousin died with epilepsy. The main character in the book, Lia, also had several epileptic seizures which led her to a vegetative stage. Coincidentally, Lia and my cousin were born in the same year too.

Before reading the book, I didn't know who Hmongs were, even though they live next to my country.

The author beautifully intertwined the medical perspective and the cultural perspective. For Neil and Peggy, Lia was not the only patient they needed to take care of. However, they tried their best for her. For Nao and Foua, Lia was the special one among their 16 children.

The author vividly described the real struggle of being an immigrant. During my time in the US, my first year was a difficult one. I couldn't adapt to the environment easily. I longed to eat rice for every meal. I can only imagine the hardships faced by immigrants who couldn't speak a word of English.

For doctors, they tend to prioritize saving lives first rather than understanding the patients' souls. This was one of the reasons why they failed to fully understand the culture.

Overall, it was an excellent book that I couldn't put down easily, and Lia will always remain in my heart.

I have a strong inclination towards liking this book as I have a passion for ethnography and I am acquainted with some Hmong individuals.

It is truly a heart-wrenching and eye-opening piece of work that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone engaged in a cross-cultural environment.

Moreover, it provides fascinating historical perspectives on the United States' interference in foreign countries during its battle against communism and the profound impact it had on real people.

The narrative revolves around a refugee family, a daughter with a medical condition, and the significant misunderstandings that arose between the family and the medical community due to different conceptions of illness and its treatment.

Everyone involved had good intentions and strived to do the right thing, yet, unfortunately, things inevitably took a wrong turn.

This book is penned from a secular standpoint and indeed discusses some animistic rituals in a favorable light.

It offers a unique and valuable exploration of cultural differences, historical events, and the human experience.

It is a must-read for those interested in understanding the complex interplay between different cultures and the challenges that can arise in such situations.

Overall, this book is a remarkable and thought-provoking work that will leave a lasting impression on its readers.

This book was truly fascinating and deeply moving.

It provided me with a wealth of knowledge about the Hmong community, which has settled in numerous parts of the United States. The Hmong predominantly hail from Laos, yet they can also be found in other regions of Asia, such as in Yunnan province where we just explored on China Alive! In China, this group is known as the Miao.

Traditionally, this ethnic minority has resided in mountainous and landlocked areas. As a result, they have preserved their ancient belief system and developed highly intricate spiritual beliefs and practices, many of which are related to health. They firmly believe that one's mental health has a profound impact on physical health in various tangible ways.

The title of the book is the translation of epilepsy in the Hmong language. Through the case of a Hmong baby girl named Lia in Merced, California, the author elucidates the beliefs of the Hmong. Lia suffered from severe epilepsy as a baby, and her parents sought treatment from the medical community in Merced. However, they encountered significant communication problems with the Western doctors. Even when they did understand, they disagreed with the proposed treatment methods for Lia, especially regarding the large quantity of medication prescribed by the doctors.

Lia's parents and doctors both竭尽所能 to assist her and were profoundly affected by her condition in multiple ways. I don't wish to disclose too much here, but I will say that I was completely engrossed by Lia's story and had a strong emotional response to the conclusion of the book.

This was an assigned text for a cultural anthropology class I was taking.

It was a truly fascinating read, and really opened up my eyes further to the struggles of ethnocentrism in medicine.

I think Fadiman did a wonderful job at balancing between both the cultures, it felt unbiased.

I got a good general understanding of the Hmong culture, one I wasn't overly familiar with before.

Overall, it was a very interesting and thought-provoking novel.

It challenges our ways of thinking when it comes to western medicine and the treatment of patients from differing cultural backgrounds.

I know that it made me introspectively explore my own cultural bias when reading.

The book not only presents the complex issues but also offers insights into how we can better understand and respect different cultures in the medical field.

It shows that by being open-minded and willing to learn, we can bridge the gap between different cultural perspectives and provide more effective and culturally sensitive medical care.

This novel serves as a reminder that in a diverse world, we must strive to overcome our ethnocentric tendencies and embrace the richness and diversity of all cultures.

As a newly minted physician, I was truly amazed by this book.

It展现出了令人惊叹的同理心，不仅对所追踪的苗族家庭，而且对试图照顾他们的医生们。

对于一个如此私密、忧郁且常常被写得枯燥无味的主题来说，它竟然是一本令人惊讶的扣人心弦的读物。

对于任何医生、患者或与自己不同的人共享空间的人来说，这都是一本必读之书。

它让我深刻地认识到，在医疗过程中，理解和尊重患者的文化背景和个人经历是多么的重要。

这本书也让我更加珍惜与患者的每一次交流，努力去倾听他们的故事，给予他们真正的关怀和帮助。

我相信，每一个读过这本书的人都会从中获得启示和感动。

This work is incredibly well documented and thorough.

It is very heavy, both in terms of its content and the amount of research that has gone into it.

I will need to sit with this one for a while to fully absorb and understand all of the information presented.

The level of detail is impressive, and it is clear that the author has put in a great deal of effort to ensure that every aspect of the subject matter is covered.

However, this also means that it can be a bit overwhelming at times.

Nonetheless, I am looking forward to spending more time with this work and uncovering all of its hidden gems.

It is definitely a must-read for anyone interested in the topic.

This is an extremely impressive work!

"The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" is a remarkable nonfiction book that I have long intended to read. For years, it has been on my to-read list, and I am truly glad that I finally found the time to delve into it.

Anne Fadiman masterfully writes about the profound clash between two distinct cultures: the Hmong culture and Western medicine. Through closely following one Hmong family residing in California as they valiantly struggle to care for their epileptic daughter, we are given a vivid and poignant glimpse into the difficulties of assimilation. It becomes abundantly clear how challenging it can be, particularly when there are such stark differences in the culture of healing.

This book is not only fascinating but also incredibly engaging. It offers deep insights into a complex and often overlooked aspect of cultural diversity. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding the intersection of different cultures and the impact it can have on people's lives.