Title
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures,Used
Delivery time: 8-12 business days (International)
Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for NonfictionWhen threemonthold Lia Lee Arrived at the county hospital emergency room in Merced, California, a chain of events was set in motion from which neither she nor her parents nor her doctors would ever recover. Lia's parents, Foua and Nao Kao, were part of a large Hmong community in Merced, refugees from the CIArun 'Quiet War' in Laos. The Hmong, traditionally a closeknit and fiercely people, have been less amenable to assimilation than most immigrants, adhering steadfastly to the rituals and beliefs of their ancestors. Lia's pediatricians, Neil Ernst and his wife, Peggy Philip, cleaved just as strongly to another tradition: that of Western medicine. When Lia Lee Entered the American medical system, diagnosed as an epileptic, her story became a tragic case history of cultural miscommunication.Parents and doctors both wanted the best for Lia, but their ideas about the causes of her illness and its treatment could hardly have been more different. The Hmong see illness aand healing as spiritual matters linked to virtually everything in the universe, while medical community marks a division between body and soul, and concerns itself almost exclusively with the former. Lia's doctors ascribed her seizures to the misfiring of her cerebral neurons; her parents called her illness, qaug dab pegthe spirit catches you and you fall downand ascribed it to the wandering of her soul. The doctors prescribed anticonvulsants; her parents preferred animal sacrifices.
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We ship your order within 2–3 business days for USA deliveries and 5–8 business days for international shipments. Once your package has been dispatched from our warehouse, you'll receive an email confirmation with a tracking number, allowing you to track the status of your delivery.
Returns
To facilitate a smooth return process, a Return Authorization (RA) Number is required for all returns. Returns without a valid RA number will be declined and may incur additional fees. You can request an RA number within 15 days of the original delivery date. For more details, please refer to our Return & Refund Policy page.
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Warranty
We provide a 2-year limited warranty, from the date of purchase for all our products.
If you believe you have received a defective product, or are experiencing any problems with your product, please contact us.
This warranty strictly does not cover damages that arose from negligence, misuse, wear and tear, or not in accordance with product instructions (dropping the product, etc.).
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the main theme of 'The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down'? A: The main theme of the book revolves around the cultural clash between Hmong beliefs and Western medicine, highlighting the challenges faced by Lia Lee and her family due to differing perspectives on health and healing.
- Q: Who is the author of the book? A: The author of 'The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down' is Anne Fadiman.
- Q: What is the book's publication date? A: The book was published on September 30, 1997.
- Q: What type of binding does this book have? A: This edition of the book is a hardcover.
- Q: How many pages does the book contain? A: The book contains 352 pages.
- Q: What condition is the book in? A: The book is listed in 'Good' condition.
- Q: What is the significance of the title 'The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down'? A: The title refers to the Hmong concept of illness, where 'qaug dab peg' describes a spiritual dislocation, illustrating the family's belief in the connection between the spirit and health.
- Q: Is this book suitable for readers interested in cultural studies? A: Yes, this book is highly suitable for readers interested in cultural studies, particularly in the context of immigration and the intersection of different medical systems.
- Q: What awards has the book won? A: The book won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction.
- Q: Is there a specific edition of the book that collectors should look for? A: Collectors may be interested in the 'First Edition' of the book, which is the version published in 1997.