{"product_id":"invisible-illness-emily-mendenhall-9780520421523","title":"Invisible Illness: A History, from Hysteria to Long Covid","description":"\u003cb\u003eA moving cultural history of disability--and a powerful call to action to change how our medical system and society supports those with complex chronic conditions\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e From lupus to Lyme, invisible illness is often dismissed by everyone but the sufferers. Why does the medical establishment continually insist that, when symptoms are hard to explain, they are probably just in your head? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Inspired by her work with long Covid patients, medical anthropologist Emily Mendenhall traces the story of complex chronic conditions from hysteria to long Covid to show why both research and practice fail so many. Mendenhall points out disconnects between the reality of chronic disease--which typically involves multiple intersecting problems resulting in unique, individualized illness--and the assumptions of medical providers, who behave as though illnesses have uniform effects for everyone. And while invisible illnesses have historically been associated with white middle-class women, being believed that you are sick is even more difficult when you're Black, trans, poor, young, disabled, or undocumented. Weaving together cultural history with intimate interviews, \u003ci\u003eInvisible Illness\u003c\/i\u003e lifts up the experiences of those living with complex illness to expose the failures of the American healthcare system--and how we can do better.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Emily Mendenhall\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0520421523\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780520421523\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University of California Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/06\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 268\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover","brand":"Emily Mendenhall","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":46838515663103,"sku":"9780520421523","price":28.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_f550de7c-282d-45ba-823f-33cfb0aa01b4.jpg?v=1746590069","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/invisible-illness-emily-mendenhall-9780520421523","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}