The Invisible Kingdom

Drawing on her own medical experiences and a decade of interviews with doctors, patients, researchers, and public health experts, Meghan O'Rourke explores the history of Western definitions of illness.

She reveals how inherited ideas of cause, diagnosis, and treatment have led to the neglect of hard-to-understand medical conditions, particularly affecting women, the working class, and people of color.

The book offers hope for the sick, solace and insight for their loved ones, and a radical new understanding of our bodies and health.