In The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong child, her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures, journalist Anne Fadiman tells the true story of a Laotian girl, Lia Lee, who has what the Hmong people know as qaug dab peg (the spirit catches you and you fall down), otherwise known in Western culture as epilepsy. Through Lia’s difficult health care journey, Fadiman presents valuable insights about culture and health literacy, presenting an empathic understanding of the Hmong people while also holding a revealing mirror up to Western culture and medicine.

Join the Health and Wellness Library on October 19 at noon as we discuss this informative work of nonfiction.

This program is free and open to all. Registration is required. Registrants will receive a reminder prior to the day of the event.

For more information, email healthlibrary@vcuhealth.org or call (804)-828-2432.

The VCU Medical Center Health and Wellness Library is located in the VCU Health Gateway Building, Ground Floor, Room G-112. Visit us in-person, online, and on Facebook