The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures - Anne Fadiman This book is in equal parts eye-opening and cringe-worthy. The latter because the reader has the benefit of seeing both views of different cultures: Western medicine and cultural beliefs / superstition -- and their inevitable clash, on account of their inability to meld. Caught in between is the life and health of a very young child. A language barrier, miscommunication, misunderstanding, and distrust between the parties who believe the other does not know what they are doing, makes this book laden with frustration and anguish experienced by all involved. With the state of the world being more of a melting pot than before, this read highlights that the cost of assimilation is a lot more than just a matter of migration and resettlement.