“The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” is the story of a Hmong family living in Merced, California and their Daughter, Lia, who has severe epilepsy. The narrative, told by Anne Fadiman, follows the trials and tribulations of the Lee family as the U.S medical system battles with their traditional Hmong healing methods. Through lack of effective interpreters and lack of cultural understanding, both sides unintentionally endanger Lia’s life several times. Fadiman’s ultimate message lies at the core of Medical Anthropology: A better grasp of cultural differences regarding the treatment of disease will increase health outcomes for patients that, like Lia Lee, find themselves at the intersection of cultures.
The Spirit Catches you and you fall down
A Review By Will Connolly