Of all the books I have read for school over the past ten years, I can confidently say that only a select few have truly proven to be a good read. Some of those books have even left an indelible mark on my life as a student and an individual. For an anthropology class this semester, I was assigned The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, an anthropological case study in Merced, Calif. by Anne Fadiman. Although hesitant at first, I was captured by Fadiman's vivid prose within the first few pages. Her language is precise, but more importantly, she effectively creates an emotional connection with the reader through the use of anecdotes and scientific fieldwork evidence.

Originally published in 1997 and again in 2012-after Lia passed away-with a new afterword by Fadiman, Spirit painstakingly chronicles the medical journey of a young child, Lia Lee, who is born to Laotian immigrants to the United States, and whose family clashes with the American medical system while trying to receive treatment for her epilepsy. At its core, the book is an emotional example of real life medical anthropology and how the cultural differences of an immigrant family and western doctors complicate their interaction.

Lia was born in Merced in 1982 after her family's difficult refugee journey from Laos to the U.S. after being persecuted by other Southeast Asia groups. Her father and mother, Nao Kao Lee and Foua Yang, are from Laos and belong to the Hmong ethnic group, which has historically been discriminated against, constantly fighting for their right to exist. Fadiman does an exquisite job capturing the essence of the Hmong people, which she attained from hours of fieldwork talking to the Lees and other Hmong families in Merced.

The Hmong are known for their resilience against adversity, according to Fadiman's research, something that was vital as they fled their home country to refugee camps in Thailand due to violence and persecution. The Lees arrive in Merced, already an area with a substantial Hmong population, with no knowledge of English or American culture. At three months old, Lia suffers her first seizure, thus beginning a four year-long journey through the American medical system. 

Because of the language and cultural barrier between the Lees and the American doctors, Lia's condition is misdiagnosed, thus perpetuating the seizures until she is finally diagnosed with epilepsy by the doctors at Merced Community Medical Center. From that point on, there is constant conflict between the Hmong and American medical practices in terms of Lia's care. Her parents believe in Shaman ritual practices, in which a healer performs elaborate rituals that attempt to reunite the body with soul; in comparison, the American doctors believe that epilepsy is caused by overactive electric impulses in the brain. In terms of anthropological vocabulary, both groups are ethnocentric-viewing their culture as the correct way of doing something and not accepting that of other cultures. Instead, I believe that Lia's life could have turned out very different if both groups had been able to efficiently communicate and make compromises, like combining Western medical practices and the Hmong's Shamanism.

Spirit has won many literary reviews, including The National Book Critics Circle Award, and is also required reading at many medical schools. Not only a good novel, Spirit exists to advocate for cross-cultural interaction and understanding, something all too needed in an increasingly global world

Within the context of my anthropology class, I viewed this book as a case study of existing cultural boundaries and how attempts to lessen the divide are difficult to execute. Because of the language difference, medical beliefs and different cultural norms and values, the chances of effectively communicating about a complicated health matter are slim. Western medicine is based in science-doctors are extensively trained to know the human body and treat problems that arise. In the information presented in the book, the Hmong don't understand medical practices that Westerners find commonplace, like drawing blood or taking medication for an illness. 

Fadiman brilliantly layers her insight on these topics and conflicts while relaying Lia's tragic story. In comparison to other anthropological fieldwork books I have read, Spirit captivated my interest for these very reasons. Fadiman was not just another anthropologist in a far-away land giving descriptions of a foreign culture. Instead, I grew attached to Lia and wanted to know her story. My thoughts wandered between trying to imagine what I would do in a similar situation to how these types of cultural misunderstandings could be avoided in the future. Fadiman suggests ideas like having more interpreters who could help mediate cultural differences.