Wild Card with Rachel Martin Suleika Jaouad
Nov 20, 2025
Suleika Jaouad, an author and writer, shares her journey navigating the liminal space between illness and health, shaped by her battle with cancer since her 20s. She discusses her latest book, The Book of Alchemy, revealing journaling as a tool for sustaining creativity. Suleika reflects on the beauty of eavesdropping on laughter, the influence of her parents on her artistic identity, and the solace she finds in daily rituals. She opens up about confronting her relapses and how grief has fostered deeper connections with those she's lost.
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Early Memoir Launched Public Voice
- Suleika Jaouad recounts writing about leukemia in her early 20s and turning that column into a bestselling memoir.
- That public writing launched her role as a guide for people living between sick and healthy.
Ten Images To Anchor Memory
- The
Relapse Clarifies Priorities
- Repeated illness forced Suleika to clarify what's important and led to both loss and liberation.
- Facing mortality repeatedly created urgent focus on how she spends limited energy and time.
