Review

The Sleeping Beauties, by Suzanne O'Sullivan, is a gripping and disturbing analysis of modern psychosomatic illnesses

By Penelope Cottier
May 15 2021 - 12:00am
The "sleeping sickness" cannot be reduced to the effects of simple "stress". Picture: Shutterstock
The "sleeping sickness" cannot be reduced to the effects of simple "stress". Picture: Shutterstock
  • The Sleeping Beauties and Other Stories of Mystery Illness, by Suzanne O'Sullivan. Picador, $34.99.

This book examines psychosomatic disorders in a number of different countries, ranging from refugee children in Sweden to adults in Kazakhstan. Along the way, Suzanne O'Sullivan, a neurologist, delves into the ways that body and mind work together, and how social factors are involved in illness. She also investigates what is "normal", as the definition changes over time, and differs culturally. The resulting book is gripping, sometimes even disturbing, and will stay with the reader for a long time.

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