Staff Book and Media Recommendations

Sick Girl

Amy Silverstein

The cover on this one grabbed my attention. Okay...I do judge books by their covers. I had a friend in high school who had heart surgery (for a worsening murmur), and the woman in the photo had the same scar poking out above her collar. I thought I'd read a chapter and see what I thought. Before I knew it, I had devoured the entire book.

Amy Silverstein wrote the book to talk about her experiences as a heart transplant recipient. I can't tell you how interesting it all was. I assumed (silly me), they just gave you a new heart and you took the anti-rejection medications and you had a heart that functioned same as always. Not so. The heart doesn't begin to work the same way because it isn't hooked into your system the same way. I am incredibly grateful for my own health because I can't imagine how I'd get through that medication regimen. She definitely doesn't dress it up in Easter colors.

I never heard of a heart biopsy before this book, but I felt every snip and every tug along with the author. Her story in the first chapter about how the whole mess started was incredibly compelling. Ms. Silverstein was inspiring and honest. She doesn't pretend to be perfect, but she tries hard. She's refreshingly sassy - not a "Chicken Soup for Soul" type. I read the entire book in a weekend. If I didn't have other things to do, I probably would have finished it in a day. It was THAT good. ~ Jana Atkins

Reviewed March 2010