Between Two Kingdoms is aptly subtitled "A Memoir of a Life Interrupted." Suleika Jaouad is a twenty-three-year-old college graduate, in love and on her way to Paris for her dream first job, when annoying itches on her feet and legs develop. She certainly could not have guessed that those innocuous symptoms could be the start of a fight with leukemia that would take four years of treatment to save her own life.
But, when she finally recovered, she realized she had no "real life" to get back to. She says she knew how to be sick, but she didn't know how to live her life being well.
And, that is the divider in the two sections of this very readable memoir. The first half tells of the ups and downs of cancer treatment for Suleika and her family and boyfriend. But, the second half tells of the 15,000 mile road trip she and her dog took, to meet people who had written to her in treatment, and to discover how she wanted to live again.
I thought both sections were compelling and memorable. In each, Suleika was supported by others as she used her own courage and abilities to make the best life from each set of circumstances. Her writing is easy to read, but carries you right along as she moves from one "kingdom" to another.
(And if you watch Stephen Colbert on TV, watch for a famous person from his show toward the end.)
"Between Two Kingdoms will resonate with anyone who is living a different life than they planned to live." Tara Westover, author of Educated.
“Memorable, lyrical, and ultimately hopeful: a book that speaks intently to anyone who suffers from illness and loss.”—Kirkus Reviews